Often compared to a kinder, more affordable Chicago, Milwaukee features stunning lakefront views from its park and the river running through downtown. Located on Lake Michigan, visitors can walk to many top destinations, like its stunning art museum, lakefront parks and the Milwaukee RiverWalk. An easy drive from Chicagoland, here are the Best Things to Do in Milwaukee.
19 BEST Things to Do in Milwaukee
Visit the Milwaukee Museum of Art in Milwaukee
Ride a Hog at Milwaukee’s Harley Davidson Museum
Stroll Lakeshore State Park
Catch Some Rays at Bradford Beach
Visit the Milwaukee Public Museum
Tour the Pabst Mansion
Stroll the Milwaukee RiverWalk
Visit the Milwaukee County Zoo
Tour the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory
See Discovery World
Marvel at the Basilica of Saint Josaphat
Climb the North Point Lighthouse
Tour Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block
Hike Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Visit Milwaukee Public Market
Have a Frozen Custard at Leon’s
Sip a Beer at the Lakefront Brewery
Celebrate at Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro
Grab a Cup at Colectivo Coffee
Why Visit Milwaukee
On my several visits to Milwaukee, I have been traveling to other Wisconsin destinations and arrived in Milwaukee first. The Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is the largest in the state.
Named after US Army Brigadier General William Billy Mitchell, he is considered the father of the United States Air Force and was originally from the Milwaukee Area. There’s a display about him in the airport.
On my visits, I have enjoyed my time in Milwaukee. The upper Midwest is especially lovely in the summer with its mild temperatures. However, it offers a diverse mix of attractions, indoors and out.
From its art and articulture to its lakeshore parks and beer-and-brat foodie culture, Milwaukee offered more than I initially imagined.
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Visit the Milwaukee Museum of Art
The Milwaukee Museum of Art is a stunning piece of architecture designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The building features wings that open and close several times a day. The Burke Brise Soleil, or wings, open when the museum opens, close then open again at noon and close for the night as the museum closes.
Its collection includes over 34,000 pieces of art with gallery spaces totaling 150,000 square feet. This includes several works by Georgia O’Keeffe, a portrait by John Singleton Copley and several works by Pablo Picasso.
Located at 700 N Art Museum Dr, Milwaukee. Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed Tuesday). Adult admission is $27, students are $20 and kids (12 and younger) are free.
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Ride a Hog at Milwaukee’s Harley-Davidson Museum
This iconic American Motorcycle brand was founded in 1903 by William Harley and Arthur Davidson. The Harley-Davidson Museum isn’t just for bikers; it’s one of the top things to do in Milwaukee.
With two floors of exhibits, including many of the early models. For those who want to get on one, the Harley Davidson Museum offers several new models for pics inside the museum.
Located at 400 W Canal St., Milwaukee. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Online adult admission is $24, students, seniors and military members are $20 and kids (5 to 17) are $8.
Stroll Lakeshore State Park
Along the shores of Lake Michigan, Lakeshore Park is actually a 22-acre Wisconsin urban state park, the only one in Wisconsin. During the summer, it offers a small beach for swimming.
I recommend walking along its paved trails for some of the best views of the city and the lake. There are picnic tables too.
Located at 500 N Harbor Dr, Milwaukee. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free to enter.
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Catch Some Rays at Bradford Beach
Along the shore of Lake Michigan, Bradford Beach is in the heart of Milwaukee. It’s got a Blue Wave Certification, and it’s one of the most accessible beaches in America with rollout mats and beach chairs.
Visitors will also find beach volleyball and a couple of food service options. There’s a restroom too.
Located at 2400 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, Milwaukee. Open 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Free to enter.
Milwaukee Public Museum
Founded in 1882, the Milwaukee Public Museum is a natural history museum. Its collection includes 4 million objects on subjects like botany, geology and history, among others.
With three floors of exhibits, visitors will find a mammoth skeleton, Apache playing cards made of rawhide and a Tlingit Pole from Alaska. There’s the Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit, a butterfly garden and a planetarium, too.
Located at 800 W Wells St, Milwaukee. Open Wednesday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed Tuesday). Adult admission is $25, teens (14 to 17) are $21 and kids (4 to 13) are $19. This ticket includes planetarium programs.
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Pabst Mansion
Built in 1892, this Flemish Renaissance Revival House was the home of Captain Frederick Pabst, founder of the Pabst Brewing Company. Filled with art and antiques, the Pabst Mansion was the center of society during the Pabsts’ lifetime.
In 1908, it became the Archbishop’s Residence for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee. In 1975, it was sold and nearly demolished; however, it is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
The classic guided tours visit the first, second and third floors, discussing the family, architecture and furnishings of the house. There are specialty tours offered like Sunday Mimosa Tours and the Blue Ribbon Happy Hour Tours.
Located at 2000 W Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee. Open Sunday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Pabst Mansion offers guided and. Self-guided tours, departing on the hour. Guided adult tours are $19, kids (6 to 17) are $12 with kids 5 and younger entering for free. Seniors, students and the military are $17. Reservation recommended for weekends and holidays.
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Stroll the Milwaukee RiverWalk
Along the shores of the Milwaukee River, three downtown neighborhoods are connected to form the Milwaukee RiverWalk, a 20-block pedestrian promenade in the heart of the city. With a mix of residential, commercial and recreational venues, this is a vital artery for both residents and visitors, creating a highly active pedestrian environment.
From Lake Michigan to downtown’s skyscrapers to Historic Third Ward’s RiverWalk, visitors will walk past 19th-century architecture, boutique shops, art galleries and nightlife hot spots. To the north, it connects with Beerline “B”, a former industrial rail line, as travelers walk past Milwaukee’s brewing heritage like Cream-City brick buildings of the former Schlitz Brewery and the present-day Lakefront Brewery, an award-winning craft brewery.
The Milwaukee RiverWalk runs on both sides of the river in Downtown. It is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It is free to enter.
Milwaukee County Zoo
Opened in 1892, the once-small space has expanded to nearly 200 acres containing more than 3,100 animals from 330 species. Spotted hyenas, camels, and three species of penguin are just some of the animals you’ll see if you visit the Milwaukee County Zoo.
This zoo offers more than just animals. Visitors will find a number of rides and attractions (additional fees apply), like a carousel and a safari train. There is also a Sky Safari Ride and a zip line in the treetops.
Located at 10001 W Bluemound Rd., Milwaukee. Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer and 4:30 p.m. from September 1 to October 31, with seasonal hours for the rest of the year. The Milwaukee County Zoo uses flex pricing. Parking is an additional $15.
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Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory
The conservatory, which mimics a beehive shape, was built from 1964 to 1967. This is the third structure built on the spot. With three different domes, visitors can explore different microcosms.
The Show Dome’s displays change out five times a year with themes like Autumn in Provence, Japanese formal garden or the Nutcracker Suite. The tropical dome features rainforest plants that make familiar items like chocolate and vanilla, along with pepper. The desert dome is home to thousands of plants from the desert Southwest, along with Africa and other regions.
Located at 524 S Layton Blvd., Milwaukee. Open from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $10, students and kids (3 to 12) are $6.50and babies enter for free. Milwaukee residents get a $1 discount on all admissions. Free parking is available on-site.
Discovery World
Discovery World is a kid-friendly spot, Milwaukee’s technology and science center. It offers multiple hands-on exhibits and experiences to keep the little ones engaged.
At the museum’s Reiman Aquarium, see marine animals of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, along with the Amazon River and the Great Lakes. The model railroad exhibit enchants young and old with Milwaukee landmarks in miniature. With a focus on freshwater, the “Great Lakes’ Future” exhibit is one of the largest interactive models of the Great Lakes in the world.
Interactive displays at the museum include Les Paul’s House of Sound with his famous Gibson Les Paul guitars.
Located at 500 N. Harbor Drive. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $25, $21 for kids (3 to 17) and seniors, $19 for students and military with ID, and kids 2 and younger enter for free. Parking is additional.
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Basilica of Saint Josaphat
Built in 1901, the Basilica of Saint Josaphat is a Catholic minor basilica in the Lincoln Village neighborhood. Milwaukee’s Polish immigrants built in the Polish cathedral style.
Inside, visitors will find a highly decorated cathedral that took decades to finish due to overruns. The stained-glass windows come from Innsbruck, Austria. There are also oil murals, ornamental plasterwork and columns painted in faux marble.
Located at 2333 S 6th St., Milwaukee. Open from Monday to Friday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Visitors enter through the Pope John Paul II Pavilion. Audio tours available for a $5 donation in the gift shop.
North Point Lighthouse
With a 74-foot tower and Queen Anne-style Keeper’s Quarters, the North Point Lighthouse is a decommissioned lighthouse along the shores of Lake Michigan. Located on a two-acre semi-wooded parcel, the North Point Lighthouse has been restored and offers a museum.
Visitors can climb the lighthouse. It is 84 steps, plus a ladder to reach the lantern room at the top.
Located at 2650 N. Wahl Avenue in Milwaukee County’s Lake Park. Open year-round on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $8, $5 for kids (5 to 12), students and seniors. Free for those 4 and younger and active military.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block
Wright, one of the most influential architects of the 20th century, built six modestly sized homes in 1916. Used as a model for affordable housing, the Burnham Block used material cut off-site to increase cost-effectiveness and efficiency.
The homes are built in the Arts and Crafts style that Wright is known. Unfortunately, WWI derailed the project.
Now over 100 years old, the Burnham Block offers tours on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adult admission is $20 and students are $5 with those 16 and younger entering for free. Reservations are required.
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
The Schlitz Audubon Nature Center is a 185-acre habitat on Lake Michigan that was once the Schlitz Brewery draft horse farm. With 6 miles of hiking trails and a 60-foot observation tower, it is a bird habitat, and many visitors come for birdwatching.
The property includes wetlands, restored prairies, ravines, bluffs and the Lake Michigan shoreline. This is also a visitor center.
Located at 1111 E Brown Deer Rd., Bayside. Open Monday to Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adult admission is $10, kids (3 to 17) are $7 and those 2 and younger enter for free.
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Milwaukee Public Market
With a marquee mirroring the Pike Place Market, Milwaukee’s indoor market is home to nearly 20 independent vendors. From C. Adams Bakery, a woman-owned stable since 2005. The Freese’s Candy Shoppe has an outpost in the market, bringing its nearly century of candy making. There are fresh fish stalls and Thai and Mexican options as well.
Located at 400 N Water St, Milwaukee, just east of the river. Open Monday through Saturday, it’s open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The parking lot is free for the first 30 minutes (fee afterward), and street parking is also available.
Have a Frozen Custard at Leon’s
With an MCM neon sign lighting the way, Leon’s is the place to sample the goodness that is a Midwestern frozen custard. To those who don’t know, it’s what frozen yogurt is when it’s binging on butterfat.
Since 1942, sweet lovers (and maybe sweet-loving young lovers) swung into its parking lot and walked up to its window. On the menu, it’s Vanilla, Chocolate, Butter Pecan and a flavor of the day. Rounding out the options, there are sundaes in an array of flavors, sodas and floats, banana splits and tin roofs.
Located at 3131 S 27th St, Milwaukee. Open daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Lakefront Brewery
Milwaukee is home to several independent brewers, like Lakefront Brewery. Since 1987, it has been an innovator in the beer industry and an anchor in the Beerline B neighborhood.
Lakefront Brewery was the first to produce an organic beer and utilizes many Wisconsin-grown ingredients. They also have a gluten-free beer.
The Lakefront Brewery features beer hall classics like Fish Fry Friday. It’s Wisconsin, so it features a cheese curd of the month. Don’t worry, there’s sausage too.
It offers a tour daily, with the weekend tours departing every 30 minutes. Open to those 21+, admission is $13 Monday to Thursday and $16 Friday to Sunday. It includes a souvenir glass and several eight-ounce pours.
Located at 1872 N Commerce St, Milwaukee. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (5 p.m. on Sunday).
Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro
In a traditional park pavilion overlooking Lake Michigan, Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro is where you go to celebrate. The interiors are refined yet relaxed, with classic elements.
The menu is French, in French and it is an homage to the culinary greatest that the French brought to the world.
On the menu, diners will find Champignons (mushrooms), Pate, Steak Frites, Sole Meuniere and more. Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro features an all-French wine menu. The dessert menu is also luscious and decadent.
Located at 3133 E. Newberry Blvd., Milwaukee. Open daily for dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sunday for brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations required.
Colectivo Coffee
For those who need a cuppa, then head to Colectivo Coffee. A stable in Milwaukee for 30 years, it’s coffee is fair trade and its cafes feature baked goods and an all-day breakfast.
There are 12 locations in Milwaukee, with locations in Madison and Chicago.
Where to Stay in Milwaukee
Located in the East Town neighborhood, close to the Milwaukee Museum of Art, the Saint Kate Arts Hotel is an art-filled space and includes art galleries. In downtown Milwaukee, it is steps from Milwaukee’s City Hall and convenient to Milwaukee’s RiverWalk.
Find luxurious rooms outfitted with Crosby turntables and art, along with well-appointed beds. The bathrooms offer upscale toiletries along with artistic details. Find several dining options at the Saint Kate Art Hotel, like a pizzeria, a cafe and two bars. There’s a gym and more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space.
Located at 139 E Kilbourn Ave., Milwaukee.
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