Baseball is a big deal in Milwaukee. Passionate Brewers fans pack the bleachers of Miller Park and show their team spirit at boisterous tailgate parties. But the metropolis on the shores of Lake Michigan offers much more than America’s favorite pastime. Milwaukee feels modern and hip but hasn’t lost its charm. There’s plenty of history at spots like the Harley-Davidson Museum, which showcases the local motorcycle legend’s ode to American design at a sprawling riverfront spot. Masterpieces from Picasso, Monet, and Degas are on display at the Milwaukee Art Museum, and architecture fans love the Calatrava-designed building’s stark-white wings.
Waves of immigrants have made Milwaukee a fascinating blend of cultures, and you can find just about any culinary delicacy that reminds you of home. Stroll down Brady Street on the Lower East Side to shop at time-honored Italian markets, or head to the South Side for Mitchell Street’s Serbian and Syrian delicacies and flavors from Pakistan to Mexico. Wander through the Historic Third Ward to see the contributions of German settlers, notably their knack for brewing beer. And keep an eye out for 19th-century architecture with cream-colored bricks, fired from Wisconsin clay and responsible for the town’s nickname—“Cream City.”
Reasons to go:
- Brewers baseball: West of downtown, Miller Park captures the manufacturing aesthetic of the Midwest with an industrial-style confluence of steel, ironwork, and brick. Beyond baseball, the stadium hosts massive concerts, either beneath open skies or under the cover of its retractable roof.
- Before a Brewers game: Looking for things to do before or after a ball game? A short drive from Miller Park, the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory houses mini ecosystems including a tropical jungle inside soaring light-filled domes. Across the Menomonee River, the Pabst Mansion lets you roam the namesake beer family’s lavish estate.
- Hops heaven: From Pabst and Miller to Coors and Old Milwaukee, some of the best-known beers in the US began with breweries in Milwaukee. You can tour the Miller complex to explore caves where founder Frederick Miller cooled his brews more than a century ago. Microbreweries have since sprung up all over town. Visit lakefront brewers with impressive tasting rooms, relaxed small-batch producers on the East Side, and Bavarian beer halls celebrating Milwaukee’s German heritage.
- Frozen custard: You might overhear locals in a heated debate over Milwaukee’s best frozen custard, torn between 80 years of tradition at Gilles by Miller Park and Leon’s classic South Side drive-in. A relative newcomer, Kopp’s was founded in 1950 and draws fans for its rotation of signature flavors, like the fudge- and caramel-swirled Milky Way.
- The Milwaukee RiverWalk: Nightlife, shopping, and people-watching center on Milwaukee’s 20-block pedestrian promenade. Stroll through the city’s Historic Third Ward, Downtown, and Beerline B neighborhoods to soak up views of outdoor sculptures with the Milwaukee River for a backdrop.
When to go
Milwaukee’s winters call for fortitude, with daytime highs of about 30 degrees Fahrenheit in January and average nighttime lows in the teens. But the cold doesn’t keep locals from getting outdoors, with ice-skating in Red Arrow Park and skiing and tubing just outside the city at spots like The Rock Snowpark. During the summer, temperatures hover in the mid-70s and the city bursts into nearly round-the-clock al fresco activity, from outdoor dining and lively street festivals to blue-sky sailing on Lake Michigan.
One of the nation's largest music festivals, the annual Summerfest hosts hundreds of diverse performers. Visit to see performances on multiple stages over the course of 11 days in June and July.
Travel tip
In the warmer months, you can rent a bicycle at a Bublr Bikes kiosk and pedal along more than 100 miles of paved trails, including a path leading to Miller Park. When winter winds hit, consider The Hop. Milwaukee ́s modern streetcar system traverses downtown, the Lower East Side, and the Historic Third Ward.
Ready to visit Milwaukee? Book a room with Radisson Hotels Americas for friendly Midwestern hospitality and convenience to the city’s top attractions.
