5 Self-Guided Tours in Chicago to Build a Day Around

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

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

Walk through Chicago’s 6,000-square-foot Medieval Torture Museum at your own pace. Your ticket includes a mobile audio guide and ghost-hunting app, with hundreds of torture, restraint, interrogation, and execution displays. Expect dim lighting, realistic wax figures, hands-on exhibits, and a decidedly adult atmosphere.

“It was an eye-opening experience to see some of the gruesome torture devices! Crazy that these things were actually used on people in midieval times.”

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2.Chicago Self-Guided Audio Tour

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

Use private SoundCloud and Google My Maps links to explore 15 Chicago sights at your own pace. Short English audio segments cover architecture, art, science, and local history. Start anywhere, skip stops, and spread the experience across up to six days, with admission fees paid separately.

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

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

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

Follow a local historian through Chicago’s Gold Coast with the VoiceMap app. This self-guided walk links the Chicago History Museum, International Museum of Surgical Science, Three Arts Building, historic mansions, and Zebra Lounge. Offline maps and lifetime access let you walk at your own pace.

“Tour was informative. The use of visitor was klunky. Had to order the tour twice to use. Viator has committed refund one of the unneeded purchases. Walk and auto play needs some work. Price was right.”

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4.Chicago Riverwalk Self-Guided Walking Tour

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

Explore Chicago’s riverfront with a GPS-guided audio tour covering the Wrigley Building, DuSable Bridge, Marina Towers, Merchandise Mart, Tribune Tower, and more. You listen at your own pace, use offline maps, pause for photos, and return to the tour on future trips with lifetime access.

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

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5.Chicago Millennium Park Self-Guided Walking Tour

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

Use the Action Tour Guide app for a self-guided walk through Millennium Park. Hear stories about Cloud Gate, Crown Fountain, Pritzker Pavilion, Lurie Garden, and Nichols Bridgeway while moving at your own pace, with offline access and lifetime use.

“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.”

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