Get to Know the Illinois City’s Most Vibrant and Historic Neighborhoods Grab your walking shoes, and become an urban adventurer. Chicagophile Robert Loerzel leads you on 35 unique walking tours in this comprehensive guidebook. Go beyond the obvious with self-guided tours through one of the nation’s most walkable cities, which is equal parts glamour and grit. Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods represent a melting pot—from Little Italy to Greektown, Pilsen to Ukrainian Village. With this guide in hand, you’ll soak up history, political gossip, and architectural trivia. Find ethnic culture in Andersonville or high culture at the Art Institute. Listen to the blues on the South Side, or catch a ballgame on the North Side. Marvel at the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in Oak Park or at nature’s masterpiece along Lake Michigan. There are tips on the best cafes, bars, and night spots. With humorous anecdotes, surprising stories, and fun facts to share with others, this guidebook has it all. Book Features 35 self-guided tours through the Windy City - More than 20 miles of stunning shoreline along Lake Michigan - Fun facts and unknown stories to share with others Whether you’re looking for a walk on the beach or a slice of deep dish pizza, Walking Chicago will get you there. So find a route that appeals to you, and walk Chicago! “A good walking companion or a good gift for someone who needs inspiration to get up and go.” ―Mary Schmich, Chicago Tribune “I really love this book.” ―Rick Kogan, WGN Radio Robert Loerzel, a freelance reporter, copy editor, and photographer, has lived in the Chicago area since 1988, when he graduated from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. He currently resides in the city’s Uptown neighborhood. Robert’s first book, Alchemy of Bones: Chicago’s Luetgert Murder Case of 1897, was published in 2003. He has written about news, the arts, and local history for publications including the Chicago Tribune and Chicago magazine, and he has reported on-air for WBEZ Chicago Public Radio. His concert photography has appeared in many online and print publications. In 2016 Robert won the Chicago Reader’s poll for Best Chicagoan to Follow on Twitter. 10. The Magnificent Mile Chicago’s Top Shopping Boundaries: Chicago River, Rush St., Cedar St., Lake Michigan - Distance: 1.6 miles - Difficulty: Easy - Parking: Paid garages - Public Transit: Any of the CTA bus routes that stop on Michigan Ave. near Tribune Tower; or walk east from the Red Line’s Grand station The Magnificent Mile is nearly always bustling. The stores and restaurants are the main attractions on this 13-block stretch of North Michigan Avenue, but it’s also a prime spot for people-watching and architectural sightseeing. Its origins go back to the opening of Michigan Avenue’s bridge in 1920, which spurred construction north of the river. But then the Depression hit, stalling development. After Arthur Rubloff and William Zeckendorf bought much of the property along North Michigan Avenue, Rubloff unveiled his plan to create what he called the Magnificent Mile in 1947. That kicked off a retail boom. The wealthy Streeterville neighborhood lies east of Michigan Avenue and includes Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, and Northwestern University’s downtown campus. The River North neighborhood (Walk 9) is to the west. Walk Description Begin at Michigan Avenue and Illinois Street. The skyscraper at the northeast corner embodies the stylish architecture of the 1920s. It’s now the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, but the Chicago Shriners Club built the 42-story south tower in 1929 as the Medinah Athletic Club. Within four years, the Depression drove the club into bankruptcy. Architect Walter W. Ahlschlager borrowed elements from Egyptian, Greek, Celtic, Mesopotamian, medieval European, Gothic, and Art Deco styles. The hotel has a junior Olympic swimming pool on the 14th floor, where Tarzan film star and Olympian Johnny Weissmuller trained. Over on Michigan Avenue’s west side, the Purple Pig serves pig’s tails and pig’s ears, along with more typical porcine dishes like pork chops, ham, and bacon. Walk north, and you’ll see an opening in the buildings where Michigan Avenue passes over Grand Avenue―a reminder that the Magnificent Mile is one story above ground level here. A building at 520 includes the Gwen Hotel―named after noted artist Gwen Lux, who sculpted mythological figures including Helios, Atlas, and Diana on the limestone panels above the entrance in collaboration with her then-husband Eugene Lux. This wall was salvaged from the McGraw-Hill Building, built in 1929 and demolished in 1998. The Shops at North Bridge, a four-level mall anchored by Nordstrom, fills a stretch north of the Gwen. Farther north, one of the street’s boldest buildings is the Burberry store (completed in 2012), which looks like it’s encased inside a shiny black package featuring the clothing brand’s sig