The Best Free Day in Chicago
Twelve hundred acres that were never meant to be a park. A graveyard the city mostly emptied and partly didn't. A Prairie School landmark that spent fifty years holding lawn mowers. A gorilla who outranked the mayor, and the two-foot garter snake that beat him. A prairie river built by hand during the Depression by a man who paid for the flowers with his own life insurance. All of it free, and all of it still open.
What You'll Experience
Plan your walk
Know the route before you buy
- Starts at
- Introduction
- Ends at
- The Reveal
- Walking plan
- 1h 15m · ~1.2 miles
- Schedule
- Start, pause, and resume anytime
Included in the app
- Professional narration
- GPS-triggered stops
- Downloadable tour audio
- Ask the Historian Q&A
- Optional end-of-tour reveal
- All 10 story stops
A taste of what you'll hear
10 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.
"You're at the south end of Lincoln Park. Twelve hundred acres on the lake, and not one square foot of it was ever meant to end up as a park. It's been a graveyard. A dance hall. A gorilla's kingdom."
"Look at the main gate of Lincoln Park Zoo and notice what isn't there. No ticket window. No turnstile. Nobody scanning anything. You walk in the way you'd walk into a park, and it has worked like that since eighteen sixty-eight."
"Add up the ground you just walked. A graveyard, a heron colony, a dance hall that became a shed that became a wedding venue. One of the oldest zoos on the continent, started with four swans. A gorilla who outranked the mayor."
Tour itinerary
Every stop on this walk
Explore the route before you go. Each stop has its own story preview, location details, and place in the larger tour.
- 11IntroductionYou're at the south end of Lincoln Park. Twelve hundred acres on the lake, and not one square foot of it was ever meant to end up as a park.41.9126, -87.6303 Read this stop
- 22Standing LincolnThe bronze man in front of you has not started talking yet. Look at what he's doing. He's just risen from the chair behind him.41.9126, -87.6303 Read this stop
- 33The Couch TombThe small stone building in the grass — columns across the front, iron door that does not open — is a tomb. It is still occupied.41.9129, -87.6314 Read this stop
- 44The Nature BoardwalkStop for a second and listen. Somewhere up in the trees along this water there is a noise like somebody dragging a rusted gate open.41.9192, -87.6333 Read this stop
- 55Café BrauerThe long brick building with the green tile roof and the eaves that stick way out past the walls is Café Brauer.41.9191, -87.6339 Read this stop
- 66Lincoln Park ZooLook at the main gate of Lincoln Park Zoo and notice what isn't there. No ticket window. No turnstile. Nobody scanning anything.41.9217, -87.6336 Read this stop
- 77The Primate HouseBrick building, arched windows, opened in nineteen twenty-seven. For about twenty years this held the most famous resident of the city of...41.9208, -87.6325 Read this stop
- 88The Lincoln Park ConservatoryGlass and iron, arched like the hull of a boat turned upside down, sitting on a granite base.41.9239, -87.6353 Read this stop
- 99The Alfred Caldwell Lily PoolCome through the gate and listen to what happens to the sound. The traffic drops away. That was designed.41.9250, -87.6339 Read this stop
- 1010The RevealAdd up the ground you just walked. A graveyard, a heron colony, a dance hall that became a shed that became a wedding venue.41.9250, -87.6339 Read this stop
Stories first
Every stop is built around people, conflict, ambition, and consequences—not a plaque read aloud.
Most of it is true. The extra mischief is just a wink at the end, but the story is what carries the walk.
Have questions? Just ask.
Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.
Ready?
Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.
Get the AppBefore you go
Quick answers
How much is this tour?
$7.99 as a one-time purchase in the iOS app. The Chicago city pack is $14.99 and includes every currently available tour in the city.
Can I use it with spotty cell service?
Download the tour audio on Wi-Fi before leaving. Cached narration plays without streaming; map tiles and other online features may still need a connection.
Do I have to start at a specific time?
No. Start when it suits you, pause for a detour or meal, and resume later. Check the opening hours of any venue you personally plan to enter.
Are admission tickets included?
The purchase covers the Bad Historian audio experience. Transportation, food, and admission to third-party attractions are not included.
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The Best Free Day in Chicago
$7.99 · one-time