Top Wisconsin Audio Guides

Get to know one of Milwaukee‘s most haunted neighborhoods, Westown, and discover why Marquette University is considered one of the nation‘s most haunted schools. On this self-guided walking tour, you‘ll visit eleven haunted locations and hear some of Milwaukee‘s most spook-tacular tales! Starting in front of the Milwaukee Public Museum, you‘ll stroll around Marquette Campus and along Wisconsin Ave to Straz Tower, where our tour ends. Along the way, you‘ll meet some of Milwaukee‘s most famous ghosts, including a professor who continues to report to work, and a home-proud beer baron. You‘ll also see the site of one of the city‘s most notorious murders. Lace up your shoes and join me in discovering the haunted side of this historic neighborhood. This family-friendly hour-long walk does contain content that may be disturbing, including details of murders, mentions of suicide and accidental deaths. Please use caution when selecting this tour for very young or sensitive audiences.

The home of American lager and once a rival to Chicago in size, Milwaukee’s history and preeminence may not be as obvious as it once was—unless you look. With this self-guided audio tour, you’ll travel down Brew City’s most opulent drag, from the Milwaukee Public Library to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Across 150 years of history and plenty of steps, you’ll get a guided-tour experience without any of the crowds.

Discover the natural and maritime heritage of southern Door County on this self-guided driving tour. Journey through Carlsville and follow the Sturgeon Bay Canal, where you'll learn how this engineering marvel reshaped the region’s shipping industry. Pass the bustling shipyards of Sturgeon Bay and spot the Coast Guard station that still protects these waters. Along the way, hear about Native American settlements, Scandinavian influences, and Door County’s cherry orchards. Take in stunning views at Whitefish Dunes, Cave Point, and historic lighthouses. There are plenty of opportunities to stop your car and explore on foot, uncovering the rich stories behind the scenic spots. By the end of this journey, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the beauty, history, and resilience of Door County. Whether you're here for a day trip or a weekend getaway, you’ll leave with a newfound understanding of this remarkable place, and with plenty of ideas for what to explore next.

Jutting into Lake Michigan, Door County has hundreds of miles of great views—and they’re all greatest from the water. You’ll get to sit back and enjoy them on this leisurely cruise along Sister Bay's north shore, witnessing towering bluffs, bird rookeries, tiny islands, and more. Your captain will also regale you with tales of the area’s fishing heritage and wild shipwrecks, deepening your appreciation of this gorgeous Wisconsin spot.

Washington Island, with its rich maritime history and Scandinavian heritage, is a perfect escape from the mainland bustle. On this self-guided driving tour, you’ll explore a place where shipwrecks shaped the community, and where ”island time“ means slowing down to appreciate Washington’s natural beauty, historical sites, and its unique character. The tour starts at the Washington Island Welcome Coffee Pot. You’ll wind through rustic roads, past historic buildings, pristine beaches, and peaceful nature preserves. The route includes stops at quaint village shops, Jackson Harbor, and secluded spots like Little Lake with its hand-built museum. You’ll learn about the Danish, Norwegian, and Icelandic immigrants who shaped the island’s culture, and hear fascinating stories about the ferries that have connected this remote community to the mainland for generations. You’ll also hear about the surprising connection between West Harbor and the Underground Railroad.

Door County’s northern peninsula is a blend of small coastal villages, quirky oddities, and natural beauty. This self-guided driving tour takes you through the county’s most scenic landscapes, from Bailey’s Harbor on Lake Michigan to Fish Creek on Green Bay, while you listen to fascinating stories along the way. The tour starts at Anclam Town Park in Bailey’s Harbor. I’ll show you the area where Door County’s settlement began, when Captain Justice Bailey sought shelter from a storm in 1848. As you drive along the peninsula, you’ll travel through historic fishing villages, and visit scenic overlooks perched high above the water. Once you’ve completed a loop of the northern thumb, including stops at Sister Bay, Ellison Bay, and Fish Creek, the tour ends at Wood Orchard Market near Egg Harbor. Along the way, you’ll discover the perfect mix of natural beauty and local culture, and hear some of the stories behind this “Cape Cod of the Midwest.“

Use the Built in EMF reader and see if there are spirits nearby. Along the way You will see classic landmarks like the Knight House, the Old Rittenhouse Inn, and the Carnegie Library, hear stories about ghostly innkeepers, toe‑tickling librarians, and a trench‑coated wanderer, like the mysterious “Irene” said to slam doors and stroll the Blue Room at Greunke’s as if check‑out time never came. Go at your own pace, anytime. the tour is on our walking tour app. The app provides a built in EMF reader you can use anytime by clicking the EMF button. The tour never expires. Listen again anytime.

Travel between two lake-side terraces and enjoy some of Wisconsin's best cultural sites along the way with this self-guided and self-paced walking tour! • Visit some of Madison historically rich architectural gems such as the State Capitol, Der Rathskaller, Bascomb Hill, Memorial Union and much more • Hear from producer Frank Burge, an award-winning writer, essayist and midwestern local • Do it all in an hour or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under “Before You Go”. Then simply install the VoiceMap app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just pop in your headphones and tap start. VoiceMap has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

Milwaukee is a city shaped by its waterways, its waves of immigrants, and its bold spirit-famous for its German heritage, its brewing traditions, and its knack for reinvention over nearly two centuries. Our journey today starts at Wisconsin Historical Marker three three three, which marks the heart of old Kilbourntown, walk through stories of rivalry, resilience, and remarkable change, all the way to the bustling Milwaukee Public Market in the Historic Third Ward. Go at your own pace. The tour never expires. This is a hand free experience, press play and put your phone in your pocket. The tour is location aware, and plays as you walk. It never expires.

Skip the standard walking tour and get an upgrade—one you can take on your own time, even at home. Using just your smartphone, you’ll have your guide in your pocket, taking you across the city’s eras, from lumber and steamboats to opera houses and more. Complete the 30-topic audio tour in 90 minutes, or stop and start as you like. You can even hop on virtually at home.

Like many communities in the industrial Midwest, Milwaukee’s ecological legacy has a significant period of pollution. Thankfully, in the late 1980s & early 1990s, driven by Mayor John Norquist and others, Milwaukee dedicated resources to water clean up and the reinvigoration of the buildings along the Milwaukee River. This reinvestment included the creation of a public-private partnership known as the Riverwalk (1993). Today, the Riverwalk extends 3.1 miles along both sides of the Milwaukee River, from the site of the former North Avenue Dam, through Downtown and the Historic Third Ward to Lake Michigan. The tour will explore the industries and early city growth that impacted the river so greatly and also a number of the historic buildings along the way. You’ll also learn about some of the temporary and permanent public art on display. This walking tour is 1.2 miles in length. We recommend that travelers bring: good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

This key commercial corridor on Milwaukee’s Lower East Side was settled by Polish immigrants who built St. Hedwig’s Catholic Church (1886) as the center of their community. Their residences, seen mostly north of Brady, became the ubiquitous Milwaukee Polish Flat. Later the neighborhood became home to a number of Italian families, who transformed many commercial buildings into businesses that are still on Brady today like Glorioso’s Italian Market (1946) or Peter Sciortino’s Bakery (1947). On this tour, you’ll also hear more about the counterculture era from the 1960s and 1970s and learn how Brady Street has reinvented itself in recent year. The tour blends local history and cultural insight with the sights and atmosphere of one of Milwaukee’s most engaging urban corridors.

Travel back in time and learn more about Wisconsin’s first company town. Today, Bay View is one of Milwaukee’s neighborhoods but it was originally established in 1867 for workers at the Milwaukee Iron Company. The tour will explore houses built for laborers and managers and discuss the development of the mill and town before it incorporated into Milwaukee in 1887. Beyond residential streets, stops include important businesses, community spaces including the Beulah Brinton House (1871), houses of worship, and landmarks like the Pryor Avenue Iron Well (1882). The tour will also share immigrant stories from Welsh, English and later Italian families who established deep roots in Bay View. This walking tour is 1.9 miles in length. We recommend that travelers bring (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

See where ski-jumping Olympians, Hall of Fame players, and Major League Baseball players got their start in Eau Claire with this affordable audio tour. • Find out about the famous sports stars with a connection to the city and about the unique sporting tournaments that Eau Claire's hosted and participated in • Hear from producer Roger Gostomski, founder of Eau Claire Tours and who’s called the city home for over 30 years • Do it all in 75 minutes or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under “Before You Go”. Then simply install the VoiceMap app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just tap start. VoiceMap has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.

Explore downtown Milwaukee from indoors! Stroll through the skywalk system and learn about significant Milwaukee landmarks from a new angle – one story up! Also learn about the Indigenous history of Milwaukee, important figures and events and the redevelopment of the Grand Avenue Mall into the Third Street Market Hall and The Avenue.

West of the Milwaukee River, you’ll find the historic arts and entertainment district of Downtown. Today, the area known as Westown includes several theaters and arts venues as well as sports arenas, the Baird Convention Center, and several historic hotels. Also in the district is the multi-block Grand Avenue Mall (1982), now redeveloped into The Avenue (2018) with updated food hall and shopping. This tour will explore the recent transformation of several historic buildings into mixed-use development with apartments, new coffee shops, and gallery spaces, and the reinvigoration of office space. Included on the tour are Milwaukee’s large blue building, the Reuss Federal Plaza, now known as 310W (1983), the historic Hotel Wisconsin (1913), and the Pabst Theater (1895). This walking tour is 1.4 miles in length. We recommend that travelers bring (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or an umbrella.

Set on a bluff, overlooking the northern point of Milwaukee’s harbor, this neighborhood boasts an incredible collection of mansions from the early twentieth century. The tree-lined blocks feature a variety of styles including German Renaissance Revival, English Tudor Revival, Mediterranean Revival and others popular from 1890-1940. The houses were designed by some of the most notable Milwaukee architects including Eschweiler, Clas, Niedecken and even Wisconsin’s own Frank Lloyd Wright. Beyond the architectural details, the neighborhood’s past residents include many prominent Milwaukeeans who made money in wheat, railroads, straw hats, fur coats, ice cream and more. The tour also includes non-residential neighborhood landmarks like a historic hospital complex, water tower and lighthouse, as well as a Frederick Law Olmsted designed park. This walking tour is 1.4 miles in length. We recommend bringing (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

Milwaukee, once known as the German Athens, is the most German among major US cities. Walking down Old World Third Street today you are not likely to see many German shops advertising “English Spoken Here” as a special or unique service, but as early as 1848 it would not have been uncommon. Germans represented 1/3 of the entire population in Milwaukee and this section of the city was integral to German immigrant’s daily life. Today, much of the landscape today reflects that influence including a number of stops on the tour such as Turner Hall (1882), the Germania Building (1896) and Old St. Mary’s Church (1846). Woven between the cream city bricks, hear stories about the notable German biermeisters, tanners, merchants and artists who helped to shape Milwaukee.

The Historic Third Ward was the first stop for many of Milwaukee's European immigrants, particularly the Irish and later the Italians. Close to cheap housing and available jobs, these new arrivals created close-knit communities. Like most major industrial cities, the Third Ward had a significant and destructive fire in 1892, which reshaped the landscape to much of what you see today. In the 1970s, this area experienced a resurgence that transformed factories and warehouses into condos and mixed adaptive reuse. On this tour, learn about the neighborhood landscape as well as the Irish and Italian immigrants as well as the impact of the LGBTQ+ community and other residents. Stops include the Milwaukee Public Market (2005), Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) (1974), and Commission Row (1894). This walking tour is 1 mile in length. Travelers are recommended to bring (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

Downtown Milwaukee's growth began around the intersection of N. Water St. and E. Wisconsin Ave. but expanded quickly as the small settlement became a large city. If you are looking for an introduction to Milwaukee's history, this is the best place to start. The tour will explore this commercial district from the earliest beginnings at the river's edge all the way to the modern office buildings along Lake Michigan's shore. Stops on the tour include a variety of architectural styles including Alexander Eschweiler's Art Deco Gas Light Building (1930), the Richardsonian Romanesque style Federal Building (1892), and Northwestern Mutual's Neoclassical Headquarters (1914). This walking tour is 1 mile in length. We recommend that travelers bring (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.