Milwaukee, despite it's brutal winters, is one of my favorite places to be in the summer. It transforms from a land of snowdrifts and slush to one of festivals, outdoor dining, and adventures. Whether you're from the area and are looking for some good reminders for this summer, or if you're from out of town and stopping by Milwaukee soon, these are some ideas for adventures in the city (and a few in nearby suburbs), from someone who grew up in the area and will always love Milwaukee.
1. Spend a day walking around the lakefront
This may seem simple, but when the weather is nice in Milwaukee, a peaceful walk around the lakefront can make for a perfect day. Several places offer unique bike rentals, and you can watch the boats on the lake or admire the art museum.
2. Explore the Third Ward and have a rooftop lunch
The Third Ward is my favorite part of the city. It's filled with historic, brick buildings turned into unique stores and excellent restaurants. It's easy to spend a day wandering around here, shopping and trying new foods. My official restaurant recommendation: Cafe Benelux. The food is amazing, and their rooftop dining area is incredible.
3. Attend Summerfest or one of over a dozen other major festivals
Milwaukee is the capital of festivals every summer. Summerfest, the world's largest music festival, hosts more than 700 bands in 11 days and is definitely worth a visit. But also keep an eye out for Festa Italiana, Polish Fest, German Fest, Bastille Days, State Fair, Mexican Fiesta, Brady Street Festival, and more. You can browse among a list of summer festivals here.
4. On a rainy day, visit Discovery World or a museum
Discovery World is a great place to go with your family, or with anyone who likes science and learning new things. It also hosts a small aquarium, featuring tanks where you can touch stingrays, small sharks, and lake sturgeon. There are also a wide variety of other interactive exhibits, all listed here. If science isn't your thing, the Milwaukee Public Museum and Art Museum are also great rainy day adventures.
5. Visit the Milwaukee Zoo, The Domes, or Boerner Botanical Gardens
All of these fun adventures let you interact with plants or animals, and can be a full day's worth of activities. The Milwaukee Zoo, of course, hosts hundreds of animals, as well as activities like ropes courses, zip lines, and animal feedings. Prefer plants? Check out the Mitchell Park Conservatory (aka "The Domes") or the Boerner Botanical Gardens, both of which host a gorgeous variety of shrubs and flowers.
6. Walk around Villa Terrace and the nice surrounding neighborhoods
Villa Terrace is a gorgeous art museum and garden, located near the lakefront. The inside is beautiful, but the highlight is the outdoor space in the rear of the building. The backyard slopes down with steps and a waterfall going straight through the center and is surrounded by flowers. It's a gorgeous place to visit, walk around, and take photos. The nearby neighborhoods are also a great place to drive or walk through, filled with huge houses and glimpses of the lake.
7. Explore and eat at the Safehouse
This is probably the strangest and coolest restaurant in Milwaukee. The building it's housed in was apparently a real Prohibition-era speakeasy and has now been transformed into a spy-themed bar and restaurant. The entrance is located in a side alley, and you're required to know the password to enter, or else are forced to do an embarrassing activity of the hostesses' choosing which is displayed live on the bar's TV screen. The restaurant also contains many other hidden secrets, all of which you can discover while waiting for your food. This is a meal and an experience, all at once.
8. Stroll the Milwaukee Riverwalk
Wander over bridges, walk into shops, sip coffee outdoors, or admire some of the public art. There are full maps of the Riverwalk located here. In the summertime, this is a great way to spend a relaxing day while seeing the city and some of the unique sights it has to offer.
9. Head outside of the city's boundaries for a day at Lake Geneva
Lake Geneva is a suburb not too far from where I call home, and it's a great place to visit, particularly in the summer. The feature of the town, as expected, is the lake, which offers all the summer entertainment you could need. Spend a day at the beach, or walk the lake path, which circles the entire lake and cuts through the yard of every gorgeous mansion on it (serious house goals, guys). Or take a boat cruise around the lake--my personal favorite is the mailboat, which literally slows down near docks for "runners" to leap off, deliver mail to lake house mailboxes, and leap back on while the boat is still moving. Last but not least, get some food at one of many local restaurants. One amazing (albeit pricey) option is the Baker House, a historic mansion converted into a classy restaurant, facing the lake.
10. Eat any type of food imaginable at the Public Market
The Milwaukee Public Market is so amazing. The huge building hosts food vendors of every type, including a cheese store, Mexican restaurant, bakery, bread shop, Italian deli counter, soup market, and so many more. The best way to enjoy the market (in my opinion) is to walk around and pick up a variety of different foods from as many vendors as you like, and then take them to the upstairs dining balcony and sample them all. If you like food, it's the perfect way to spend a day.
