Just blocks from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile are fabulous restaurants, bars and cultural gems waiting to be explored.
The Magnificent Mile is a must- do on a visit to Chicago, but wander a few blocks from the famed Michigan Avenue, and you’ll find these tucked-away, only-in- Chicago destinations well worth the detour. – Laura Hine
STOP 1
The newly opened Conrad
Chicago (Grand Luxury suite rates from $755 per night, conradchicagohotel.com) is a block off Michigan Avenue, and its 20th floor sky lobby offers stunning views of the city— a great orientation to start your visit. Along with technologysmart rooms and suites to make family travel a breeze, the hotel has a seasonal rooftop Japanese restaurant Noyane, which opened in May. Year-round, Baptiste &
Bottle offers seasonal takes on American food, as well as a bar cart for tableside cocktails and an up-close look at its extensive whiskey collection.
STOP 2
Head west on Erie Street, and you’ll fi nd yourself in front of a Gilded Age mansion, the
Driehaus Museum (tickets $10 to $20, driehausmuseum.org). The museum itself is worth a visit for a glimpse at its spectacular restored interiors, but this summer, it has the added attraction of L’affichomania: The Passion for French Posters, which features original and colorful mergers of art and commerce.
STOP 3
Cross over Michigan Avenue and head toward the lake for a completely different take on art at the Museum of Contemporary
Art Chicago (tickets $8 to $15, mcachicago.org). Along with permanent exhibits that feature every possible medium, the museum hosts an exhibit of works from Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats its Own Leg ( June 6 to Sept. 24), which is sure to be the blockbuster art event of the summer.
STOP 4
Head south to the Chicago River (this is your chance to shop the Mag Mile); turn right at the 1920s terra-cotta gem known as The Wrigley Building; and grab a bite at Beacon Tavern ( beacontavern.com). Hidden on a public walkway between Michigan and Wabash avenues, this handsome restaurant reinvents tavern classics by giving them a Southern shine. The relish tray and peekytoe crab dip are two must-orders for the table. Walk it off with an amble down Chicago’s newest attraction, the Riverwalk (chicagoriverwalk.us). Bars, street entertainers and food kiosks dot the pedestrian-only mile-plus walkway, while boats— from water taxis to kayaks to tour boats— float on by.
STOP 5
Head east on Michigan Avenue for a fantastic view and some of the city’s best cocktails at
Greenriver ( greenriverchi.com). Th is Michelin-starred restaurant is hidden on the 18th floor of a medical building—we were skeptical too— but step into this modern space and peruse the multipage cocktail menu, which charmingly tells the story of Chicago’s Irish-american influence, and you’ll settle in for a fi nal toast to exploring the city’s many charms.