Park Tours

Docent Tours at the Lily Pool and Conservatory & Gardens

Discover two of Lincoln Park’s greatest treasures – the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool and the Lincoln Park Conservatory – with one of our expert docents.

Lily Pool: Lose yourself in the Lily Pool’s beauty while learning its history, architecture, and Caldwell’s vision behind the landscape. Our $2.4 million restoration with the Chicago Park District made the Lily Pool park’s only landscape with National Historic Landmark status. The Lily Pool is open seasonally from mid April to mid November.

Conservatory & Gardens: Re-discover the Victorian Era in the Conservatory’s soaring Palm House, exotic Orchid House, Seasonal Show House, and Fern Room. Learn about the conservatory’s vast collection of trees and plants from around the world. The Conservatory is open year round including holidays, but currently hours are limited and tickets are required. Reserve tickets in advance on Eventbrite. Please arrive at the start of your hour long visit, or your ticket may be given to another visitor.

Currently we are offering limited private tours of both the Lily Pool and the Conservatory. For more information, please contact Amelia Pollock.

Lincoln Park Conservancy

Wildflower Walks at the North Pond Nature Sanctuary and the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool

Join us for guided tours of the beautiful wildflowers around the North Pond Nature Sanctuary or the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. Set against the backdrop of the serene North Pond or Alfred Caldwell’s Prairie School structures, you’ll enjoy a relaxing walk while learning about the benefits of native wildflowers and how to identify them. Each month will feature different wildflower species in bloom. These easy 45-to-60 minute walks begin at 10am and are great for beginners as well as the experienced and are geared toward adults.

Please visit our Eventbrite to purchase a ticket. Contact us for more information.

Edible Plant Tours of the Lincoln Park Conservatory

Bring your taste buds and learn about common foods (and some unusual ones) on this sensational tour of the Lincoln Park Conservatory.
We are not currently offering formal tours inside the Conservatory. Please visit our Youtube channel for remote versions of the Food, and other, tours.

Docent tour guides lead you on a sensory-filled exploration of the edible plants growing in the Conservatory. We’ll get up close to the common and exotic plants that provide some of our favorite foods (chocolate, coffee, vanilla), as well as some less common in the American diet (screw pine, jaboticaba, soursop). We’ll learn about the plants themselves, the foods they give us, and some of the other ways people around the world use them. Fully immerse your senses on this interactive tour with samples to smell, touch, and taste.