Milwaukee

Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, United States. The city's population is about 600,000 with about 1.6 million in the metropolitan area (2019). It is in the southeastern portion of the state on the western shore of Lake Michigan.



History and culture
Milwaukee's human history begins with American Indian people who lived near the confluence of Milwaukee's three rivers into Lake Michigan for centuries. Tribes who inhabited the area that is now Milwaukee included Menominee, Fox, Mascouten, Sauk, and Potawatomi. With the arrival of Europeans and an increasing population, large and often violent divides become more prominent. These settlers built three dueling settlements, Juneautown, Kilbourntown, and Walker's Point, around what is now Downtown. The two former communities were extremely competitive and created two non-aligning street grids. This is why 1st Street is west of the Milwaukee River and many of the city's bridges cross the river diagonally (connecting the two grids).

Milwaukee has historically been a major immigrant city. During the early 20th century, German and Polish immigrants tended to dominate. The city still strongly identifies with its German and Polish heritage. For part of the early 20th-century German was even the main language of the city, and German names are still very common.

As waves of immigrants arrived in Milwaukee they tended (and tend) to form communities in specific areas. The Near North and Northwest sides were originally German, but are now mainly African American with Hmong enclaves. The Near South side was originally Polish but is now mainly Mexican. Juneautown was originally mainly populated by English immigrants as well as people from the eastern United States.

In the 1960s and 70s many white Milwaukeeans moved to the suburbs ("white flight") creating a large racial and socio-economic divide between the city and suburbs. Today the city remains highly segregated with low rates of social and economic mobility for African Americans.

Milwaukee is home to some instantly recognized corporations such as Miller Brewing and Harley Davidson. Harley holds an enormous celebration on every fifth anniversary. The 120th anniversary will be celebrated in August 2023.

Milwaukee was once the home to four of the world's largest breweries (Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst, and Miller), making it the number one beer producing city in the world for many years. Despite the decline in its position as the world's leading beer producer through the loss of three of those breweries, its one remaining major brewery, Miller Brewing Company is a key employer. Miller employs over 2,200 people on Milwaukee's west side. All this beer brewing has earned the city the nickname "Brew City" and its identification with and fondness for beer remains strong as ever.

Milwaukee has advertised itself as the "City of Festivals," especially emphasizing an annual summer party along the lakefront called Summerfest. Listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as "the largest music festival in the world", Summerfest attracts about a million visitors a year to its twelve stages. Smaller ethnic festivals throughout the summer celebrate many of Milwaukee's ethnic groups.

Geography
Milwaukee is in the northern Midwest, along the shores of Lake Michigan. It is approximately 90 mi north of Chicago, and 330 mi southeast of Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

Watch
Milwaukee is probably best known from TV as the settings of the 1970s sitcoms Laverne and Shirley and Happy Days. That '70s Show, a popular sitcom at the turn of the 21st century, is set in a fictional town in Wisconsin, in which Milwaukee is frequently mentioned. It has also served as the backdrop for numerous Hollywood films. The films Bridesmaids, Transformers 3, Mr. 3000 and Milwaukee, Minnesota were set in the area. Milwaukee, Minnesota gives a good winter portrait of the city and was largely filmed in the Bay View neighborhood.

Climate
Weather patterns in Milwaukee can fluctuate daily, often with little consistency in temperature or conditions. In the summer, the temperatures can range from as low as and as high as. In the winter, the temperature can drop below regularly but can get as high as. In general, six months of the year are cold, overcast, and wet. Milwaukee is the second coldest major city in the country; winter is very long and cold! Spring is often very wet and sometimes cold and miserable. It is not unheard of to get snowfall in early April. Winter visitor may quickly get an idea why there are so many bars, bowling alleys and festivals in Milwaukee. The best time to visit is by far in the summer or the early fall during Indian Summer when the whole place comes to life and everybody is outside.

Tourist information

 * Visit Milwaukee website

Get in
There is an array of almost every transportation mode thinkable to get to Milwaukee. The cheapest way is by bus, but many travelers prefer the comfort and convenience of air, boat, car, or train travel. Chicago, a massive transportation hub, is less than 100 miles (161 km) away.

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport
Milwaukee is served by. Southeast of the city.

The airport has service with the following airlines from its 2 concourses.


 * Concourse C: Air Canada, Southwest, United, and Volaris
 * Concourse D: Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, and Frontier.

Direct international flights are offered a few times daily from Canada, and seasonally from Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Other international travelers will have to connect or fly to Chicago and take ground transportation.

Ground transportation:
 * Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) buses run frequent airport service from roughly 4AM to 2AM. The fare is $2.00, which can be paid with cash (exact change required) or by card via the Umo app. The GreenLine express bus goes from Mitchell Airport to the North Shore via Bay View, the Third Ward, the eastern edge of Downtown and the East Side. Route 80 goes from Mitchell through the South Side into the middle of Downtown and continues north to Villard Ave. (Both lines cross the main Wisconsin Ave. transit corridor, and have stops a couple blocks from the Intermodal Station.)
 * Go Airport Shuttle shared taxi-van shuttle. Approximately $12 to Downtown.
 * Taxi approximately $30 to downtown.
 * Coach bus or train is an alternative, but only faster if you are lucky with timing and need to go to or near the Intermodal Station. Several bus lines (Badger, Wisconsin Coach USA, Lamers) and the Amtrak Hiawatha Train go downtown en route as part of incoming or outbound onward services. Buses (and the shuttle to the Airport Rail Station) all leave from just outside the baggage claim, if you're lucky there'll be one waiting (on average there are 1-2 per hour). $4-6.

Alternative airports
Chicago's main airports—O'Hare International Airport or Midway Airport —can be cheaper or easier alternatives, especially for destinations not served from Milwaukee. There is an hourly direct shuttle from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Milwaukee Intermodal Station and Milwaukee Mitchell Airport run by Wisconsin Coach Lines. $26. It is possible take a CTA 'L' train from either of the Chicago airports to Chicago Union Station ($2.25 from Midway, $5 from O'Hare) and then go on to Milwaukee with either bus or Amtrak saving time or money in some cases. With ideal timing you can make it from Midway to Downtown Milwaukee via rail in under 3 hours from landing. However, many flights arrive at Chicago after or near the time that shuttle or rail service end for the day. Greyhound does offer late runs to Milwaukee from their Downtown depot, in case of a late arrival in Chicago, but is not for the faint of heart. Greyhound also has a few buses each day from the Cumberland CTA Blue Line station, just two stops outside of O'Hare on the CTA blue line 'L'.

Train operator

 * Train routes stopping in Milwaukee:
 * Hiawatha has 6 to 7 daily round trips between Milwaukee Downtown Intermodal Station and Chicago with stops along the way at Milwaukee Airport-Trains station, Sturtevant (7 miles west of Racine), and Glenview. Travel time to Milwaukee Downtown Intermodal Station from Chicago is 1.5 hours. Taking this train offers the quickest travel time from Chicago, power outlets at your seat, a quiet car, and snack & beverage service.
 * Empire Builder operating daily between Seattle/Portland and Chicago including stops at Spokane, Glacier National Park, Fargo, Saint Paul, and Milwaukee. The trains split into separate branches between Seattle and Spokane, and between Portland and Spokane, while operating as trains consisting of train cars from both branches between Spokane and Chicago. This route only stops in Milwaukee at Milwaukee Intermodal station. 'Weekly Special' Internet fares can be found for $120 to Portland and $40 from the Saint Paul (Twin Cities).

By car
I-94 comes in from Madison to the west, and continues to Chicago to the south.

I-43 will get you to the city from Green Bay from the north, and continues southwest to Beloit.

I-41 approaches the Milwaukee area from Fond du Lac and other Fox Valley cities to the north.

By boat
Lake Express high-speed ferry operates several daily trips across Lake Michigan to Muskegon, Michigan. The ferry docks on the south side of the port near Bayview. No winter service.

By bus
Milwaukee is served by several interstate bus lines daily, there is competition on most routes as well as onward connections. Book a few weeks ahead online for the best prices. Most buses stop at or across the street from the Milwaukee Intermodal Station (where all trains stop as well) on St Paul Street on the south edge of Downtown Milwaukee. Chartered tours of Milwaukee are also arranged from cities in the region, and there are casino charters from across the Midwest.



Get around
Getting around in Milwaukee is easy. Block numbers are consistent across the city, including most of the suburbs, starting roughly where the Milwaukee and Menominee rivers meet. All numbered streets run north-south, increasing in number as you head west from 1st Street. Most named streets go east-west, with the notable exception of streets east of 1st St. Standard blocks are 1/8th of a mile long north to south, and 1/16th of a mile east to west.

Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS)
Milwaukee's bus system, MCTS, has an extensive coverage area (85% of Milwaukee County) and core routes with very frequent service. Outlying suburbs have shorter hours, slower and less-frequent service. Express buses called "UBuses" offer service to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. MCTS also serves Mitchell International Airport with both a local bus and a new, more express route; see Get In for details. Most routes run from about 5AM until at least midnight.

Fares:

Single trips are $2. For visitors with a smartphone, the easiest way to pay is via the Umo app. For those who do not wish to use mobile payment, MCTS also has a contactless smart card known as the WisGo card that allows you to load stored value. There is a one-time fee of $2 to purchase a WisGo card, which can be purchased online or at 120 sales outlets in Milwaukee County; they are not sold by bus drivers. The Umo app and WisGo card can also be used on the Waukesha Metro, which has connections to MCTS.

At the stops for Connect 1, a bus rapid transit line from downtown Milwaukee to the regional medical center in Wauwatosa, there are ticket vending machines. While they are intended for use on that route, they print tickets that are valid on any route for 90 minutes. The machines accept cash (exact change only) and card payments.

If you are going to be using public transit a lot while in Milwaukee, it would be a good idea to use the Umo app or WisGo Card since paper transfers for cash fares have been eliminated. Additionally, for payments with the Umo app or WisGo Card, fares are capped at $4 daily, $19.50 weekly, and $72 monthly.

Drivers and ticket vending machines only accept exact fare for those paying with cash. If you are paying cash and do not have exact change, you will not have any choice but to pay extra.

There are automated audio-visual stop announcements. If you need any information don't hesitate to ask the bus operator for help. Most drivers know the city well and will be happy to give you directions or call your stop.

The Hop streetcar
The Hop is a streetcar operating in downtown from the Amtrak station to Burns Commons. It opened in 2018. Free.

Regional services

 * Ozaukee County is served by the Ozaukee County Express from Downtown Milwaukee (some service also to Milwaukee's South Side) via the I-43 corridor. Ozaukee County Transit also offers shared-ride taxi services.
 * Wisconsin Coach Lines offer service from Racine and Kenosha in the south to Downtown Milwaukee, and from Waukesha and Mukwonago in the west to Downtown Milwaukee and to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

By bicycle
Milwaukee was awarded bronze status from the League of American Bicyclists in 2004 and 2009. Bike maps are available from the city or for sale at local shops. Weather permitting, Milwaukee is a very pleasant place to bicycle. There are several separated bike lanes and network of leisurely trails called the Oak Leaf Trail. Some are even limited access paths (think: bike freeway) as well as 65 mi (105 km) of on-street bike lanes and 75 mi (121 km) of signed bike routes (the city aims to raise that number to several hundred miles of on-street bike lanes as streets are re-paved).

Bikeshare
Bublr Bikes is Milwaukee's bikeshare system. Bike stations are mostly concentrated in the greater downtown area and the East Side. Single rides cost $3 for 30 minutes and can be paid for with a credit card at any bike station. Bublr also sells 30-day passes online for $15, which allows for unlimited free rides in 60-minute increments; you can avoid additional charges by returning a bike within that time frame and hopping on a new one.

Bicycle rentals and tours


Bicycle Shops are also often willing to do rentals, and also sell high-quality products that are often locally made: It is fairly easy to find a used bike in good working condition at local thrift stores, which is much cheaper than renting if you are going to be staying in the city for any length of time.
 * sells top-notch locally made bicycles and has the best selection of track and fixed gear equipment in the Midwest.
 * is useful if you need a space and some tools to fix your bike while traveling, they have assorted hours and suggested donation rates.

All MCTS buses have bicycle racks which are free to use with bus fare, so if you get tired, lost, the weather turns bad or whatever you can hop on the bus.

By taxi
While there are plenty of taxis to meet demand, do not expect to simply flag one down. With the notable exceptions of queues at larger hotels, the airport, train- and bus stations, largely attended events and most of the downtown area, you should call for one. Even going from the Upper East Side to Downtown can cost $20. The number one company is Yellow Cab.

In the warmer (and occasionally the colder) months there are alternative ways of getting point to point.
 * Horse-drawn carriages are available downtown and sometimes on the East Side, and often outside public events.

By car
While it is possible to use the bus to go to many suburbs, some tourists prefer driving. You can pick up a rental car at the Milwaukee General Mitchell Field Airport and many agencies provide rentals downtown too. There are several rental car agencies on site that can help you get around town whether you are visiting the area or a local driving a temporary vehicle.


 * Avis
 * Budget
 * Enterprise
 * Hertz

Parking Downtown and in some business districts (on the East Side, in some suburbs) costs money. Keep an eye out for electronic meters: there will be a number on a post at each space, and you need it to pay at a machine down the block (cards accepted). Visitors parking overnight on city streets should call the City at by 1AM to request parking permission. Overnight parking can also be registered for free (up to 3 nights) online at the DPW's night parking site.

Parking outside the Downtown/East Side is overall a non-issue. Traffic conditions vary.

Breweries
Breweries are integral to Milwaukee's image. Although the number of large scale operations has dwindled in the last decade, the nickname "the Brew City" still rings true, and microbreweries are booming. In several spots around the city, the smell of yeast from the beer factories is quite strong. Milwaukee was once the home to four of the world's largest breweries: Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst, and Miller. For many years it was the number one beer producing city in the world. Of those four only Miller remains.



Festivals

 * Black Arts Fest Annual festival that honors African and African American culture, creating a positive atmosphere that unifies all ages.
 * Festa Italiana
 * German Fest One of the more popular fests. Lots of beer-drinking and cliche Bavarian garb, music, dancing and food.
 * Irish Fest A very popular event, many locals take Irish Dancing lessons and these dancers are central to the fest.
 * Labor Fest An actual celebration of organized labor on Labor Day! Its a free way to celebrate and respect the meaning of the day.
 * Polish Fest
 * PrideFest
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Polish Fest
 * PrideFest
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Juneteenth Day celebrates the anniversary of the end of slavery. Held every year on June 19th, the event is very popular, and draws a huge police presence due to violence at past events.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.
 * Wisconsin State Fair West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb, is home to the state fair grounds. Held in early August.

Venues
There is a wide spectrum of theater and concert venues in Milwaukee.



Sports
Milwaukee has memorable moments in sports history, with the Brewers and Bucks most likely to interest travelers. Home run slugger Hank Aaron hit most of his home runs in Milwaukee (mostly as a member of the Braves, who have since moved to Atlanta, though he finished his career with the Brewers). The Bucks are the youngest team to ever win an NBA title.


 * The Milwaukee Mile Its premier distinction is as the oldest operating motor speedway in the world, hosting at least one auto race every year since 1903. The track is at the grounds for the Wisconsin State Fair. The track has held events sanctioned by major sanctioning bodies, such as the American Automobile Association, USAC, CART/Champ Car World Series, NASCAR, and the IndyCar Series. There have also been many races in regional series such as ARTGO.
 * College basketball - The city has two NCAA Division I college basketball teams—the Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference, and the Milwaukee Panthers of the Horizon League. Marquette's men's team plays at Fiserv Forum, while Milwaukee's men play at UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena (the women's teams of both schools play on their respective campuses).
 * Milwaukee Mustangs Indoor arena football.
 * The Milwaukee Mile Its premier distinction is as the oldest operating motor speedway in the world, hosting at least one auto race every year since 1903. The track is at the grounds for the Wisconsin State Fair. The track has held events sanctioned by major sanctioning bodies, such as the American Automobile Association, USAC, CART/Champ Car World Series, NASCAR, and the IndyCar Series. There have also been many races in regional series such as ARTGO.
 * College basketball - The city has two NCAA Division I college basketball teams—the Marquette Golden Eagles of the Big East Conference, and the Milwaukee Panthers of the Horizon League. Marquette's men's team plays at Fiserv Forum, while Milwaukee's men play at UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena (the women's teams of both schools play on their respective campuses).
 * Milwaukee Mustangs Indoor arena football.
 * Milwaukee Mustangs Indoor arena football.

Neighborhood visits

 * Downtown - Downtown Milwaukee consists of two neighborhoods which sit across the Milwaukee River from each other.

Juneautown (or Eastown), between the lake and the river, is the financial heart of the city, as well as the place where Milwaukee was born. The city's tallest building, the 601-foot USBank Tower, is here along the lake, as are some of the other architecturally significant buildings, including the Cathedral of St. John and Milwaukee's City Hall. There are a number of coffee shops and restaurants, but except for around Cathedral Square and Milwaukee Street area mostly closes down after business hours.

Across the river, Kilbourntown (or Westown) serves as the city's entertainment center. Here you will find attractions such as the Wisconsin Center, Milwaukee's primary convention center. Nearby are the Grand Avenue Mall, the Milwaukee Theater, and the Bradley Center. Many of the city's hotels are here as well, as are some excellent restaurants and clubs. Further to the west is Milwaukee's gigantic neo-classical Courthouse, the Milwaukee Public Museum, and the ornate Milwaukee Central Library. While none of the city's tall buildings have public observatories, you can get a fantastic view from Polaris, the revolving restaurant perched atop the Hyatt Regency in the heart of Kilbourntown.

The Riverwalk lines both sides of the Milwaukee River through the downtown area, and is home to a number of pieces of public art, as well as some of the city's most popular restaurants.
 * Historic Third Ward - This small district, directly to the south of Juneautown, is Milwaukee's version of the trendy urban "warehouse district." The streets of the Third Ward are lined with 19th and early 20th-century warehouse buildings which have been converted into lofts and offices. At street level, chic shops and restaurants are commonplace. The area is also an entertainment hub. The Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design is at 208 N Water St, blocks from the Broadway Theater Center, home of the Skylight Opera. On the ward's southern boundary -the Milwaukee River - one can find the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (or just MIAD), which is the centerpiece of the city's art scene. On Gallery Night, which occurs once every three months, the Third Ward hums with activity, as it is home to the city's largest collection of art galleries. The Third Ward is also home to the newest section of the Riverwalk, which offers some fantastic views of the downtown skyline. The Third Ward is within walking distance of downtown.
 * Fifth Ward/Walker's Point Founded by George Walker in June of 1835 as a fur trading post, Walker's settlement was combined with Juneautown and Kilbourntown to become the City of Milwaukee in 1846. Walker also contributed to the building of the city's first streetcar line in 1859. Walker's Point is south of the Third Ward, and is served by the #18, 15, and 19 buses from Downtown. The northern part of the neighborhood (especially north of National Avenue) is a rapidly re-developing warehouse district, home to many popular restaurants, cafes, clubs, and bars, while the southern and western parts are mainly Hispanic. The neighborhood is also the center of Milwaukee's gay scene.
 * Avenues West/Marquette is the neighborhood immediately west of Downtown. Home to Marquette University, the area has a large student population, and consists mainly of mid-rise apartments and walk-ups as well as many of the city's social services institutions. The neighborhood is relatively seedy the further away you get from the university, although its not particularly dangerous. The Pabst Mansion and Rave/Eagle's Ballroom (music venue) are in the neighborhood, along Wisconsin Avenue.
 * Martin Luther King Drive - A period of urban renewal has revitalized this neighborhood with brand new restaurants, coffee houses and jazz, blues and neo-soul lounges. It is known as the epicenter of African-American commerce in Wisconsin. From downtown, simply continue north on Old World 3rd Street which turns into Martin Luther King Drive. The #19 bus runs the entire length of the street.
 * Riverwest - An older working-class neighborhood bordered by the Milwaukee River or the south and east and Holton Street on the west. Riverwest is one of the most racially integrated in the city. As the East Side and Downtown have gentrified, Riverwest has become an increasingly diverse neighborhood, and is also home to much of the hipster and alternative scenes in Milwaukee. Amongst the many hipsters, one can still find plenty of Puerto Rican families and grandmothers. Center Street and Clarke Street are the main commercial areas of the neighborhood. The buses 10 (Humboldt Ave) and 14 (Holton St) stop at both streets on their way north from Downtown.
 * Bay View - A vibrant area on the city's south shore with lots of neighborhood bars and restaurants. Number 15 bus south from downtown. Kinnickinnic Avenue is the neighborhood's main street and is lined with shops, bar, restaurants, and cafes.
 * Historic Mitchell Street - This once Polish center is now home to some of Milwaukee's most vibrant Hispanic culture. The busiest area of the street is between 6th and 13th Streets. The #54 bus runs down Mitchell, and the 80, 19, and 14 connect the neighborhood to Downtown.
 * Historic Mitchell Street - This once Polish center is now home to some of Milwaukee's most vibrant Hispanic culture. The busiest area of the street is between 6th and 13th Streets. The #54 bus runs down Mitchell, and the 80, 19, and 14 connect the neighborhood to Downtown.

Parks
Milwaukee has one of the best public parks systems in the country. The area of parkland and beaches along the lake is the crown jewel of the system, and gets very busy during good weather.



Boat tours
There are several Lake Michigan and Milwaukee River tourboat operators.
 * Sea Dog Sailing offers sailing trips out of McKinley Marina.
 * Sea Dog Sailing offers sailing trips out of McKinley Marina.
 * Sea Dog Sailing offers sailing trips out of McKinley Marina.

Learn
The largest university is the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with around 30,000 students. Other schools include Marquette University, Alverno College, Cardinal Stritch University, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Mount Mary College, Wisconsin Lutheran College, Concordia University Wisconsin, Lakeland College, and Wisconsin School of Professional Psychology.

Work
Milwaukee is home to several Fortune 500 companies; in fact, the metropolitan region (defined as the Milwaukee-West Allis-Waukesha area) was "ranked number five in the nation when measuring the number of Fortune 500 companies as a share of the population - just behind the number four Minneapolis-St. Paul region in Minnesota". The area has a wide employment base, with companies ranging from high-tech and specialty manufacturing firms (GE Medical, Harley Davidson) to retail and finance corporations (Kohl's, Northwestern Mutual).

The Milwaukee-Racine metropolitan area was also rated one of the Top 20 Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs in 2005.

Buy
Milwaukee is one of the best places to get products made in Wisconsin. From fine food to Harley Davidson Motorcycles, Milwaukee offers amazing variety and quality for very reasonable prices.

Several shopping malls are outside of the city. There are a few shopping areas including the Third Ward and the East Side around Prospect and North or Brady St as well as other shops of assorted types across the city.

Downtown/Third Ward

Bayview

East Side



Riverwest

Food
Many visitors enjoying taking some food or other consumables with them when they leave. Wisconsin cheese, locally roasted coffee especially from Colectivo or Anodyne, and micro-brews are the most popular treasures. Ginseng and even El Rey Mexican products are common souvenirs.



Locally made

 * Harley Davidson motorcycles of course have several plants in and around Milwaukee, and many more retail stores. Notables include the House of Harley on Layton Ave in Greenfield, Hal's Harley in New Berlin, Wisconsin Harley in Oconomowoc, and many other dealers.
 * Bicycles from Milwaukee Bicycle, Trek, Schwinn, and other local builders are available in huge selection and often cheaper than elsewhere.

Eat
With its immigrant heritage, Milwaukee is a major restaurant city. Good local restaurants serve almost every kind of food imaginable, usually quite cheaply. Different neighborhoods have different specialities when it comes to food.


 * Old World Third St along (and just west of) the Milwaukee River provides a richer variety of restaurants and also many of the more upscale restaurants (and clubs) in town. Traditional Germanic and Mediterranean foods are the highlights.
 * Milwaukee St, between Wisconsin and Wells Sts., offers many trendy and top rated restaurants in the city as well as an upscale nightlife for the after dinner drink.
 * The east side also has many nice restaurants, bakeries, and cafes. Most places are clustered on Farwell, North, or Brady Streets.
 * The Fifth Ward and South Side contain many different authentic and cheap Mexican and Latin American restaurants.
 * Bay View has a variety of different kinds of places, especially with regards to "hip" comfort food.

Mid-range
The majority of mid-range, non-chain places in Downtown are on Milwaukee Street or near Cathedral Square east of the river.

On the East Side, you can head over to the intersection of North and Farwell Avenues, where you'll find local favorites like Beans & Barley (healthy/organic), Pizza Man (burned to the ground in early 2010), Von Trier's (German), the BBC (bar & grill), and the Twisted Fork (pasta). Louisa's is also a great Italian restaurant. A bit farther up Oakland Ave, near Locust Street (near the UW-Milwaukee Campus), you'll find an exciting variety of restaurants including the Oakland Trattoria (Mediterranean), Sharazad (Middle Eastern), Lula's Cafe (East African), Thai Kitchen, and Oakland Gyros (Greek).

The Third Ward has many places, some with river-side seating in the summer (such as the Milwaukee Ale House on Water Street). Coquette Cafe, on Milwaukee Street, is the owned by the same chef as the critically acclaimed Sanford.

Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View is also lined with different places, including local favorite Lulu (at Howell), and Honeypie (Midwestern comfort food with locally sourced ingredients).

National Avenue around 6th Street has several Mexican restaurants, although they can also be found throughout the entire south side.



Bakeries
Part of Milwaukee’s food culture is high expectations and hard-set habits when it comes to bread and sweets. Eat your way through Milwaukee immigrant history, without even having a meal.



Custard
Of course the largest city in America’s Dairyland has perfected its own style of turning milk into frozen enjoyment. Custard is not-your-daddy’s soft-serve. Its thick- made fresh with egg yolks and lots of cream so there are only a few flavor choices: vanilla, flavor of the day, and maybe chocolate. Oh, and don’t call it ice cream.



There are a handful of other places to get custard in and around the city. Most people have a favorite but will settle for anything, it's hard to go wrong.

Cafes
Milwaukee has a strong culture with a large number of unique local places despite the onslaught of Starbucks. Some are open late, until Midnight or so.

Roasters

Nightlife
There's no shortage of night life in the Brew City. Milwaukeeans spend more (per capita) on entertainment than the citizenry of any other major American city, and you can bet that a good percentage of that entertainment is served in liquid form. Despite the amount of money spent on it, drinking is still very cheap. Expect to pay $4 for a decent local beer or import, $2 for a Pabst, Hamm's, Old Style or Schlitz. Read the specials boards, there are often great deals, for instance, a pint of a dark local micro-brew for $2 several places on Thursday and many places have $1 PBR or Old Style. Cover is only charged at some places with live music, bigger clubs, or if there is a special very cheap drink night. Every bar can serve you mixed drinks, but wine is less popular. Closing time is an early 2AM during the week and 2:30AM on Friday and Saturday. All retail alcohol sales stop at 9PM.

With 957 licensed taverns it's hard to go thirsty. There is a corner bar at least every few blocks, no matter where you are in Milwaukee. Plus there are several handfuls of licensed dance halls (what kids call clubs and venues these days), if you want to get your groove on. Other popular nighttime activities include bowling (black-light bowling at midnight), movies, concerts, and theater.

Many of the main places to go out in Milwaukee are concentrated in a few different areas, which are easy to walk around and bar-hop within. Cabs are also easy to hail Downtown and on the East Side.

Downtown the biggest bar street is Water St with a heavy drinking scene. Across the river to the west is Old World 3rd St with some German-inspired taverns and sports bars (it's near the Bradley Center arena). Back across the river and up the hill to the east is Milwaukee Street, hosting a wide range of classier, more upscale small bars.

The East Side has two of the city's main bar areas: on Brady Street and on North Ave between Oakland and Prospect.

Brady Street is full of people outside during the summer and has a mix of different bars, cafes, and restaurants.

North Avenue is a few blocks north of Brady and is a very popular bar street, especially with the college crowd. There are a number of bars within a few blocks of each other on North and side streets.



Riverwest houses several bars and venues reaching across the neighborhood. Its a mix of DIYers, hippies, and hipsters. A great place to easily experience the Milwaukee neighborhood atmosphere.

The Third Ward has a number of places in old warehouses right on the river, several blocks south on Water Street from the main bar area, as well as on Broadway one block east. Places here tend to be a little more upscale and draw a yuppie and middle aged clientele.

The Fifth Ward/Walker's Point, just across the river and a few more blocks south, is the hub of gay nightlife but has some straight bars and Latin-themed places too. There are a number of places, mainly along S 2nd St and National Ave. There are also a few places south of the Allen Bradley Plant (with the huge clocktower) on 2nd and 1st Streets.



Bay View to the South has many bars scattered throughout the neighborhood. Kinnickinnic Ave is lined with bars between Bay and the Lake Parkway, and there's another cluster near the lake at Russell and Superior. There are lots of really old-school places here. If you're not staying here and are drinking, plan how to get back, as the last buses run at 2AM and taxis are expensive if you are going further than Downtown.



Sleep
Visitors to Milwaukee find it easiest to stay in or near downtown, where most of the city's hotels are. Milwaukee has a youth hostel and an array of hotels to meet most budgets. There is a small bed and breakfast district on the Westside.

Cheap hotels can be found on the Near South Side as well as the North Side, the quality of these tends to reflect the average quality of life in the areas these are in, hence may not be up to the standards of relatively affluent travelers.

More generic cheaper hotels are outside the urban city. For instance, there is a strip of budget hotels on College Ave near Mitchell International Airport. Near most interstates you can also find chain hotels.

Bed and Breakfast
There are several B&Bs in the Concordia Historic District on Milwaukee's West Side and near Marquette University. These are great and historic late 19th-century mansions that have been converted to outstanding Bed and Breakfast Inns:

There are also some B&Bs elsewhere:

North Side
There are a few family-run motels along Appleton Avenue to the Northwest:

Stay safe
Milwaukee, like all major American cities, has a relatively high crime rate. Since most crime is concentrated in specific poorer areas, the majority of the city is perfectly safe. Though virtually all tourist destinations in and around Milwaukee are safe and accessible during the day and night, common sense should always apply. Like anywhere else, it helps to be aware of your surroundings. As in most American cities, dangerous neighborhoods tend to be very run down.

The areas of Milwaukee along the lakeshore (also where most attractions are) tend to be the safest.

The west and south sides of Milwaukee also offer interesting tourist opportunities that include Milwaukee's famous Basilica and Frank Lloyd Wright's Greek Orthodox church. Crime can happen anywhere; don't let geographic stereotypes dictate your travels.

The area bounded by I-43 on the east, Capitol Dr on the north, North Ave on the south and Sherman Blvd on the west contains some of the poorest areas of the city and is especially dangerous. The Near South Side also has serious gang-related crime problems but is fine during the day, especially along the main commercial streets.

Newspapers
Many community and neighborhood oriented weekly papers are offered for free in cafes and coffee shops.


 * The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is Milwaukee's only major daily newspaper, distributed in the morning. $0.50 daily, $1.75 Sunday Edition.
 * The Shepherd Express is Milwaukee's free-press publication.
 * OnMilwaukee.com has lots of reviews and event listings online.

Cope
Also, the suburbs of Ozaukee, Waukesha, and Racine Counties have a reputation for being politically and socially conservative. It's your best bet just to go with the flow here. If you are an LGBT visitor, displays of affection will turn heads in these areas. Some suburbs are even more conservative than the rural parts of the state. Milwaukee is not as socially liberal as Madison, although people in Milwaukee are overall tolerant of each other, even if many of the assorted social and ethnic groups tend to avoid each other. Clique culture is big in the region and many people grew up together so don't be surprised to get an unfriendly reception from some people you meet being an outsider. Dressing in a non-conservative manner here (keeping up with fashion trends, v-necks, high fashion, etc.) is generally frowned upon in southeast Wisconsin and will get you some funny looks from locals so if this kind of attention bothers you then pack accordingly. The city is becoming more and more laid back.

Consulates

 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇲🇽 Mexico
 * 🇸🇪 Sweden

Go next


Cedarburg is a well-known small town 20 miles north of downtown Milwaukee in Ozaukee County. Its downtown is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the location of many popular festivals throughout the year. Take I-43 to well-marked Cedarburg exits.