Chicago: Millennium Park Self-Guided Walking Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map all in one. NOTE: This 1-mile-long tour covers the essentials of Millennium Park in 20-30 Minutes.

On this self-guided walking tour where your phone is your personal guide, explore Millennium Park’s best sights and dive into some of Chicago’s little-known history along the way. This tour has been developed by local guides, creative writers, and professional voice artists. Begin your tour at the park’s north end, by Harris Theater for Music and Dance. From there, simply follow the audio instructions and the route via the app. Head south toward the Pritzker Pavilion while learning some background on how the park came into existence. As an added perk, most stops along the tour have animated videos allowing you to visualize what you cannot see, such as snapshots from different centuries or interior rooms. Once at the impressive pavilion, learn about the vast array of performances held here and the high-tech design which makes it all possible, as well as the man behind it: Jay Pritzker. Get the full story on this precocious kid who went from building model cities out of his grandfather’s scrap wood to designing some of the most famous structures in the country. As you continue, you’ll come to the park’s so-called Secret Garden. Take a stroll along a peaceful boardwalk surrounded by plant life and listen to the little-known symbolism behind the garden’s design. Pause for a fantastic look at Chicago’s skyline before heading past the Art Institute of Chicago and ending up at the astonishing Crown Fountain. Get familiar with the intricately detailed face towers of the fountain, then head north toward Chicago’s most famous sculpture. At last, arrive at Cloud Gate, known by the locals as The Bean. Learn about the artist behind it as well as the technique he used to create such a huge, smooth surface. At the end of your tour, don’t forget to snap some surreal pictures of your reflection.