Female Speaker: The grandeur of the Magnificent Mile, State Street, that Great Street, hit boutiques and hard-to-find vintage shops popping up in neighborhood after neighborhood; if you love to shop, welcome to paradise.

Shoppers flock to Chicago's eight-block stretch known as the Magnificent Mile featuring hundreds of stores with high-end threads, from fashion giants and cutting edge designers. The area is also home to the nation's first American Girl place, a rite of passage for little girls with big dreams.

The landmark loop is a testament to the city's stature as a leader in commerce and culture and features a stunning array of retail finds. The district is also home to the iconic Macy's on State Street and Jeweler's Row, the Midwest's largest display of diamonds and gems.

Oak Street is one of Chicago's most prestigious shopping destinations. This posh international style center offers a taste of high-end retail just steps off Michigan Avenue. When only one of a kind will do, areas like Lincoln Park, Armitage Avenue, and the Wicker Park Bucktown neighborhoods offer plenty of charming boutiques and eclectic finds and serious shoppers won't want to miss expert guided and customized locking tours, highlighting must-see boutiques and hard to find neighborhood shops.

Artificianados will find plenty to display at home. The River North Gallery district is home to the largest concentration of art galleries in the country and Chicago plays host to events like SOFA, the Merchandized Mart International Antiques Fair, and Next Art Chicago which celebrate art, antiques, and culture.

When it comes to market shopping, Chicago has all kinds of regularly scheduled urban antique and indie designer markets. Not to mention a holiday shopping and dining extravaganza each winter known as Christkindlmarket. It's no longer just a German tradition; it has become a Chicago institution during the holiday season.

From world class department stores to dazzling boutiques, upscale galleries to eclectic markets, Chicago's retail shopping is truly second to none.