{"id":10888,"date":"2010-11-22T08:00:43","date_gmt":"2010-11-22T14:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/?p=10888"},"modified":"2016-12-16T10:54:17","modified_gmt":"2016-12-16T16:54:17","slug":"chicago-hotels-the-wonder-of-christmas-on-chicagos-magnificent-mile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2010\/11\/chicago-hotels-the-wonder-of-christmas-on-chicagos-magnificent-mile\/","title":{"rendered":"The wonder of Christmas on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/em><\/em>

Chicago's Michigan Avenue at Christmas. Credit: smaedli.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Vince Font<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the best holiday vacations in memory was the time I took my daughters Christmas shopping <\/strong>in Chicago<\/a> at\u00a0 American Girl Store<\/strong> on the Magnificent Mile. Not only did we stay at one of the finest\u00a0Chicago hotels<\/a> and shop some of city’s most incredible stores, this dad got to share in a uniquely “girl experience” with two of the most special ladies in his life. So what if I broke the bank a bit on clothes and tea for dolls? To my girls, I was a rockstar dad with a new appreciation for dolls (just don’t tell my poker buddies).<\/p>\n

The fact is, I\u2019ve always had trouble Christmas shopping. These days with everything just a mouse click away, it should be easy enough to find what you need — but too much choice can scramble the brain. So it was a stroke of genius to decide to take my girls straight to the source (and their own version of heaven) to let them choose their own Christmas gifts.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

But first, lodgings. Having never been to the Windy City, I performed meticulous research to find the best Chicago hotels. Here are my top picks for any Chicago vacation, and especially for those looking to shop till they drop.<\/p>\n