The Ultimate No-BS Guide to the Best FREE Things in Chicago (Recommended By Locals)

Forget the pricey tours and tourist traps.

Hundreds of locals just dropped their ultimate guide to experiencing the best of Chicago for FREE.

Walk the Lakefront Trail & Hit the Beaches

This was the #1 answer.

Chicago’s 18-mile lakefront is its greatest free asset. Even with a November chill in the air, a walk or bike ride along the path offers incredible skyline views.

A local said their favorite dates were just grabbing “a cheap bottle of wine and walking from the south loop up north past lincoln park.”

All 20+ city beaches are free to access year-round for a dramatic, moody walk by the water.

Find the Hidden Oasis in the Library

Here’s a true insider tip for a cold or rainy day.

Go to the Harold Washington Library Center (the massive, ornate building in the South Loop). Take the elevator to the 9th floor and discover the Winter Garden.

It’s a breathtaking glass-ceilinged atrium filled with plants and light—a stunning and peaceful public space that is always free to enjoy.

Walk the Chicago Riverwalk

If the Lakefront Trail is Chicago’s front yard, the Riverwalk is its stunning back patio. This is a must-do.

This pedestrian path runs right along the Chicago River, taking you below street level and through a canyon of the world’s best architecture. It’s completely free to walk.

As one local noted, “It’s my favorite way to feel the energy of the city. You can see all the architecture tour boats go by, but you get the same views for free.”

Check Out the Downtown Public Art

The Bean is just the beginning.

Downtown Chicago is a free, open-air museum of modern sculpture.

You can easily create your own walking tour. Don’t miss the massive Picasso in Daley Plaza, Alexander Calder’s bright red “Flamingo” in Federal Plaza, and Jean Dubuffet’s striking “Monument with Standing Beast” outside the Thompson Center.

Explore Millennium & Grant Parks

Obviously, you go see “The Bean” (Cloud Gate).

But locals use these parks for more than just the iconic photo op.

While the parks are famous for their summer lineup of free concerts and movies, there’s still plenty to see in the fall.

Check out the striking Crown Fountain and the serene Lurie Garden.

By mid-November, the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink opens—admission is free, you just have to pay for skate rentals.

Visit the Lincoln Park Zoo

It’s one of the last great free zoos in the country.

No catch. It’s open 365 days a year. Just go see the animals.

Escape to the Conservatories

Two incredible options to escape into a tropical paradise, especially as it gets cold. One is completely free, the other is an absolute bargain for visitors.

Lincoln Park Conservatory: Still 100% free! This beautiful Victorian glass house is right next to the zoo and filled with ancient ferns and exotic plants. A perfect, quick, and cost-free escape.

Garfield Park Conservatory: This place is massive, breathtaking, and a must-see. 

Heads up: While it remains free for Chicago residents, there is now a modest admission fee for visitors (around $10 for adults, with discounts for kids and seniors).

Honestly, it’s one of the best deals in the city for what you get to experience.

As one local put it, “It’s what I’d recommend even if a person only had time to do one activity on their visit.”

Pro-Tip: Both conservatories usually require you to book a timed-entry reservation online in advance, so check their websites before you go.

Unlock the City with a Library Card

This is the ultimate Chicago hack for residents.

A Chicago Public Library (CPL) card gets you FREE passes to the city’s best museums that normally charge a fortune, like the Shedd Aquarium and the Art Institute.

As one local put it, “I feel like it’s so clutch having a CPL card!”

For visitors, check individual museum websites for their “Free Days” schedule.

Many offer free admission to Illinois residents on specific days, and a few have days that are free for everyone.

Discover the Chicago Cultural Center

Don’t skip this. Go inside and look up.

It has the world’s largest Tiffany stained-glass dome, and it will blow your mind.

The building itself is a stunning work of art.

It’s always free to enter and a perfect place to warm up.

See World-Class Art at the National Museum of Mexican Art

Located in the heart of the Pilsen neighborhood, this museum is incredible and has a proud policy of being free for everyone, always.

The collection is vibrant, powerful, and an essential Chicago experience.

Ride the ‘L’ Train for the Views

Forget the pricey architecture tours.

While not technically free, for the price of a single CTA ticket, you can get an amazing architectural tour from the elevated tracks.

Locals recommended the CTA Brown Line, which circles the Loop and “heads over the river for a stunning view” of the city’s canyons of steel and glass.

Get Lost in the Neighborhoods

The real Chicago isn’t downtown.

As one local said, “Get out in the neighborhoods where the people are.”

Take the ‘L’ and just walk around.

Red Line to Argyle: For the “Asia on Argyle” district.

Blue Line to Logan Square/Wicker Park: For historic boulevards, cool shops, and street art.

Pink Line to Pilsen: For incredible murals and vibrant Mexican culture.

Bookmark This For Summer: Neighborhood Street Fests

From May to September, Chicago is all about street festivals.

While they have a “suggested donation,” entry is technically free.

You can walk right in, listen to live bands, and soak up the local vibe.

The season is over now, but keep this in mind if you’re planning a return trip in the summer.

Find Peace at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary

If you need a quiet escape, go here.

It’s a nature preserve on the lake with some of the most unique and peaceful views of the skyline, especially on a crisp autumn day.

You can “walk along the pier out to the horseshoe,” as one local suggested, and feel like you’ve left the city entirely.

Your Turn

What did we miss? Drop your favorite free spot in the comments.