Top 11 Self-Guided Tours in Chicago

1.Medieval Torture Museum Ticket with Audio Guide and Ghost Hunting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 962 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $35Our pick

At Chicago’s Medieval Torture Museum, you’ll see hundreds of devices and wax scenes spanning punishment, restraint, interrogation and execution. The roughly 90-minute visit is self-guided, with an audio tour and a ghost-hunting app you can use as you go. Expect dim lighting, interactive displays and grim subject matter. Admission costs $35.83 per person.

“I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this museum. I went because by daughter wanted to see it. Very informative audio tour. You go at your own pace.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Eastside Chicago The Heist Exploration Game and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 10 reviews · 1 hour 35 minutes (approx.) · from $7

This self-guided Questo game takes you from the Art Institute of Chicago through Millennium Park and south into Grant Park, ending at the Fountain of the Great Lakes. You solve location-based challenges at 13 landmarks, including Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, and Buckingham Fountain. Play with your own group, pause when you like, and use the game offline. No physical guide is included.

“Prepare to walk a lot, so wear comfortable shoes! The instructions were clear, and the highlights were interesting if you want to learn about some of the city's iconic landmarks.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Chicago Self-Guided Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 9 reviews · 3 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $6Best value

This self-guided English audio tour links 15 Chicago attractions through a SoundCloud playlist and a Google My Maps itinerary. Start anywhere, choose your own route, and spread visits across as many as six days. Expect short stories about architecture, art, local history, and engineering, with museum admission and transportation paid separately.

“Very informative and interesting. The guide spoke articulately and loud enough for everyone to hear and he had interesting forklore and stories.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Chicago’s Gold Coast Hidden History: A Self-Guided Audio Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · 50 minutes (approx.) · from $7

Follow a self-guided, English-language VoiceMap walk from the Chicago History Museum to the Zebra Lounge. A local historian narrates stories of Gold Coast mansions, Chicago history and intriguing stops along the way. The audio and GPS map work offline, and your $7.99 purchase includes lifetime access. Plan extra time if you want to visit museums or pause for a drink.

“I discovered some new places to visit, like the Museum of Medical Science, and the Three Arts Building. I also coupled this tour with the Chicago History Museum, which is really cool. Overall, it is a very enjoyable walk, and you can do the tour at your own pace. Beautiful historical homes in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Haunted Chicago Exploration Game and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $7

Start at the Chicago History Museum and follow a two-hour Questo game through Lincoln Park, solving clues at monuments, South Pond, the zoo, and Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. You explore at your own pace without a live guide. The app is free to download, but the game is paid; museum and zoo admission are not included.

“It was a super fun and interesting way to get some history of the park and also get to sightsee!! It lets you discover little things that you probably normally wouldn’t explore. Definitely Recommend!! I’m going to look for one everywhere I travel!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Chicago Riverwalk Self-Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 6 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.) · from $14

This self-guided Chicago Riverwalk audio tour uses GPS-triggered stories to guide you from the Wrigley Building to the River Esplanade. Allow one to two hours for 12 stops, from the DuSable Bridge and Marina City to the Merchandise Mart. Download the Action Tour Guide app and tour before setting out; the audio then works offline.

“Overall a great review of Chicago's history and architecture! The walk along the river is very enjoyable!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Chicago Millennium Park Self-Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 5 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.) · from $14

This self-guided, English-language tour leads you through about a mile of Millennium Park, from the Welcome Center to landmarks including Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Lurie Garden, and the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Use the Action app and location-triggered audio to explore at your own pace, pause for photos or a snack, and return to the tour when ready. Access does not expire.

“Self paced walking tour so we could stop & listen, check side info. or just stop for a hot dog and lemonade between spots. Only complaint is when it says only run the tour, it really is only the tour. The couple times I toggled over to take a photo it stopped & I had to re-start it. No big deal, it picked up with where we were.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Chicago’s Storied Neighborhood: An Audio Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 4 reviews · 40 minutes to 1 hour (approx.)

Walk through Hyde Park with audio commentary narrated by Bill Ayers, a local professor and activist. The route links University of Chicago landmarks, Frederick C. Robie House, Washington Park, and the DuSable Museum area. You set the pace and can pause along the way. The app works offline, but bring your own phone and headphones.

“I loved having the app so that the talking started at the correct spot. Mr Ayers personal stories really enhanced the experience. I wish there was more talking during the longer stretches of walking:”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Michigan Avenue Rendezvous Walking Tour with Smartphone App

★★★★★★★★★★3.2 · 3 reviews · 2 hours · from $17

Follow the Leplace World app on a private, self-paced walk along Michigan Avenue. You’ll explore the Magnificent Mile and Cultural Mile, answer trivia, and complete location-based challenges. The two-hour experience costs $17 per person. App instructions arrive after booking, and you’ll need a charged smartphone.

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Chicago Haunted Ghost Tour GPS Self-Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $9

Follow a self-guided app from the Chicago Riverwalk to the Congress Plaza Hotel in about an hour to 75 minutes. Hear stories tied to the S.S. Eastland, Death Alley, City Hall, and other historic stops, with themed music at City Hall. The route is entirely outdoors, so you can listen at your own pace without paying for admission.

“The stories were great and informative. The narrator was fun to listen to. Lots of walking meant great exercise.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Self-Guided Chicago Loop Tour Explore the City at Your Own Pace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $9

Explore downtown Chicago on a self-guided, English-language walking tour that starts at DuSable Bridge and ends at Willis Tower. Download the app and audio before setting out; GPS cues play as you reach sights such as Cloud Gate, the Rookery Building, and the Chicago Cultural Center. The route takes about two to two and a half hours, but you can pause and revisit the audio.

“This was a great way to see downtown Chicago at our own pace. We saw things we would have missed on our own. And could spend time taking photos and exploring. Instead of two hours we spent 4 or 5. Well worth it!”

Check availability →Read our full review