Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a great city with plenty of things to do both outdoors and indoors. My husband and I visited the city for one evening on our way to Door County. If you only have a few hours to explore Milwaukee, here are some of the places I recommend visiting:
Milwaukee Public Market– As you may have read in my bio, my real career is as a Registered Dietitian so I never pass up the opportunity to visit a local market. They typically have delicious food to either take with you or eat on the spot and this one was no different. By the time we arrived in Milwaukee, we were very hungry so where better to go than Margarita Paradise at the public market? We tried some authentic tacos on corn tortillas including chicken, pork, beef and shrimp. The market is also conveniently located near the Historic Third Ward, a neighborhood full of local shops and restaurants.
Milwaukee Riverwalk– Complete with 16 bridges that regularly open (drawbridge) or elevate (vertical lift bridge) for passing boats, the 2 mile riverwalk takes you along the Milwaukee River and through downtown. We were able to see the theater district, Pere Marquette Park and Old World Third Street on our walk. We found the riverwalk to be very well-marked with signs like the one in the picture below.
Lake Park and Northpoint Lighthouse– Lake Park is north of downtown and has parking available at the Lake Park Bistro. We found this to be a beautiful park near the water and happens to be home to the North Point Lighthouse. Built in 1855, the lighthouse has a 74 foot tower and keepers quarters. During the summer, the lighthouse is only open on Thursday from 10 am-2 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 1-4 pm so we weren’t able to climb the tower.
Veterans Park– This a a fairly large park north of downtown that gives great views of the Milwaukee skyline. You can see the Milwaukee Art Museum in the background and there is plenty of space for running, biking, flying kites and other outdoor activities. You can rent paddle boats at the Veterans Park Pond (seen below), which happens to provide a perfect photo opportunity as well.
Milwaukee Brat House– After all that walking, my husband and I were ready for another snack and the Milwaukee Brat House served up exactly what we were craving. Since we were in Wisconsin, we had to try their famous cheese curds and the tender bratwurst we ordered did not disappoint. I read about plenty of new and upcoming restaurants in the Milwaukee area if you are looking for fine dining, but if you want traditional food that is a little lighter on the wallet, definitely try the Milwaukee Brat House.
We were also able to see both Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Bradley Center, current home of the Milwaukee Bucks, but unfortunately neither were playing the evening we were in town. If you have more time than we had in Milwaukee, I would suggest checking out the Milwaukee County Zoo, Milwaukee Art Museum, Harley-Davidson Museum or the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum.
