Today, the area north of the Chicago River is referred to as the Magnificent Mile, or sometimes simply the Mag Mile. It contains a mixture of upscale department stores, restaurants, high-end retailers, office buildings and hotels, and caters primarily to tourists and the affluent. The area also has a high concentration of the city's major media firms, and advertising agencies, including the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

Magnificent Mile shopping

The major hotels present on the street are The Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, The Peninsula, Intercontinental, Westin, Hard Rock Hotel, and The Drake.

It is the home of Chicago's famous Water Tower landmark, Water Tower Park with its historic clock, as well as the eight-level Water Tower Place shopping center which grew up next door to, and overshadowed, the comparatively diminutive landmark. The shopping center is anchored by two department stores: Macy's North Michigan store and Lord and Taylor. North of the shopping center can be found the famous John Hancock Center, the art deco Palmolive Building (also known as the Playboy Building) and the lavish Drake Hotel.

The Magnificent Mile is also the home of luxury hotels around the historic Chicago Water Tower Square. Across the historic Water Tower Square lies the Park Tower /Park Hyatt Hotel, one of the most successful luxury hotel/residential buildings in Chicago. The entire mile is noted for its spectacular Christmas displays.

Michigan Avenue Bridge, the beginning of the Mag Mile. [1]

At the northern edge of this district can be found the exclusive One Magnificent Mile building; Chicago Landmark East Lake Shore Drive District, an extremely expensive and exclusive one-block area of real estate running east from North Michigan Ave. and facing directly onto to Lake Michigan; and the on-ramp to northbound Lake Shore Drive.