I'm visiting my family and we'll be going on a road trip. I, a 29 year old male, and my 2 parents. We'll be (of course) going to Chicago, but I have never been to Milwaukee so I'll also be stopping there, probably only for 1 full day.

Keep in mind that my parents aren't interested in condo development and downtown lofts and all that stuff that we love.

Given that fact, what would you guys recommend as a good (and reasonable--not TOO ambitious) way to spend a day seeing and enjoying Milwaukee?

Hey TUP! I'd have to say that it all depends on what you and your parents like to do. Do you like German food? Milwaukee's Mader's Restaurant on Old World Third St. downtown is one of America's best German restaurants and going there really gives you the feeling that your in Milwaukee.

Also, when in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Art Museum downtown on the lakefront is always a must see. No one has to be an architecture freak in order to fall in love with that building and if you people like art, tour the place and I'm more than sure you'll be impressed.

I hope this helps

Have a good time in Brew City!

P.S. bring a jacket

Here's a list of things you could check out:
- New addition to art museum. Its pretty cool to walk through and check out the views.
- Paddle boat or crazy 4-personed bike rental at Veterans park
- Rent/buy a kite on the lake front at the big kite shop
- Check out the galleries in the 3rd ward, stop for some food at one of the various restaurants there.
- Walk the river walk from the Milwaukee Ale House north, stopping at each restaurant for a micro-brewed beer?
- Enjoy some gelatto on Brady St. and walk the street checking out the various locally-owned shops and restaurants/bars.
- Check out Grand Ave. mall, downtown. Its not Chicago shopping, but its got its charm. Also surrounded by good restaurants.
- Movie at the IMAX dome theater at the museum.

Here's my list of places I take people when they come visit from out of town. It's been tweaked to reflect popular baby boomer tastes. There arranged in order from must-see on down:

Milwaukee Art Museum - if anything just walk into the lobby (free) if there's no time to see the whole collection. Simply an amazing building. Come at noon to see the wings "flap."

Villa Terrace - one and half miles north of MAM along the Lakefront. It has a decorative arts museum and a wonderful Italian garden cascading down to the Lake.

Alterra at the Lake - in between MAM and Villa Terrace on the Lakefront. It's a coffee shop/cafe housed in an 1888 pumping station. The only place I know of where you can eat a sandwich and drink an iced latte while overlooking a collosal Allen Bradley pump set twenty feet below the floor. Informative signage educates visitors about the pump and Milwaukee's early attempts at pollution control. I love this place.

Lakefront Brewery - their tour is an absolute must for any microbeer fan. On Commerce Street along the River 2 miles north of Downtown. www.lakefrontbrewery.com

Third Ward/Riverwalk - you can't go wrong with a walk along the Riverwalk from the Third Ward north to Downtown. A good variety of riverfront restaurants and bars, some interesting public art and great river views.

Mitchell Park Domes - for anyone with an interest in horticulture, this place is a must-see. Three gigantic climate controlled glass domes house three different plant exhibits - tropical, arid, and a "show dome."

Goldmann's - take your parents back in time to the only remaining old fashioned department store in the state. This place is like walking into a department store circa 1955 -- complete with a lunch counter. I go to this place when I need a pick-me-up in the dead of winter. The fact that this place still exists makes me smile. It's a little rough around the edges so I usually don't take people there who can't handle the "true" urban experience if you know what I mean. It's on 9th and Mitchell on the South Side.

Miller Brewery - do this only if you want to say you went to Milwaukee and saw the Miller Brewery. The best I can say about this tour is that it's free. And the brewery is freakin' huge. Some visitors just can't resist going to the brewery, so I always offer it as an option.

Going off topic by a little bit...

I remember when I was small around 7 or 8, I went to the Grand Ave. mall in Milwaukee, saw a department store, I think Marshall's Fields just close and then my aunt picked up so many free stuff from there... and I want to ask, why was it close

I also remember going to Milwaukee many times usually for a day on the weekend, because its just less than 2 hours up I-94/ US 41. So forturned and lucky to live so near to another major city, isn't it?


Is there any meters parking in downtown Milwaukee? If so, what price?

Going off topic by a little bit...

I remember when I was small around 7 or 8, I went to the Grand Ave. mall in Milwaukee, saw a department store, I think Marshall's Fields just close and then my aunt picked up so many free stuff from there... and I want to ask, why was it close

I also remember going to Milwaukee many times usually for a day on the weekend, because its just less than 2 hours up I-94/ US 41. So forturned and lucky to live so near to another major city, isn't it?


Is there any meters parking in downtown Milwaukee? If so, what price?

Yeah, there are. I think a quarter will get you about 20 minutes? Don't quote me on that.

if you just wanna kick it in some really funky neighborhoods, here are some ideas...


brady street: basically the heart of the east side, which is basically the heart of Milwaukee. Brady street is just so cool. It's oly about 6 blocks long and very narrow, but it is constantly buzzing with activity, music and people. The architecture is cool, too. It's almost all wood-frame housing but smack dab on the street, the sidewalks are like 5 feet wide.
http://www.mkedcd.org/place/Aug1BR4.jpg

brady street has cozy, neighborhood staples like Gloriosos's italian market, brady street hardware and many old houses, but also has funky and upscale places like detour (vintage shit), viccaria (euro-trashy club/restuarant) and B.E.S.T.D. clinic, which is, from what I gather, a clinic for all your "urban" ailments.

third ward: I put my heart and soul into the brady street post, since I love it so dearly down there, so I don't have much else to say for the third ward other than it is like the east side but not. Kind of like a SoHo. No joke. Thats not just hometown inflation. I've been to SoHo. It's like a mini-SoHo. Go there. Enjoy.

MLK: MLK drive is the heart of the black community and is actually a very well-kept, relatively safe area and architectually significant area of the city. There are usually a good deal of people milling about, the streets around there are actually some of the most well kept in the downtown area. America's Black Holocaust Musuem is also located in nearby carver park.

National Avenue: South side, is about 4 or 5 miles of great asian and mexican restaurants and some cool views of the city. Diverse, cool, bustling. Check it out, and mitchell street, a few blocks south (consult a map).


Metcalfe park: Milwaukee's loveliest neighborhood. Go north of downtown until you hit north avenue and go west about two miles and then north about 1/2 a mile. There you will find a charming and authentic town center that lies in the middle of this neighborhood. Beautiful, old-world homes compliment the tree-lined streets. A lovely pond and flower bed lie in the park itself. An old-german style plaza, complete with an outdoor fruit market and bavarian architecture, is a stunning and imposing backdrop at which to enjoy your day.

Great suggestions guys, thanks!

I think we'll definitely go to the Milwaukee Art Museum and visit a hood like Brady Street

If you like frozen custard, try Kopps. Here's a link to its location. http://www.kopps.com/locations.htm

It's the best frozen custard in, possibly, the known universe.

Metcalfe park: Milwaukee's loveliest neighborhood. Go north of downtown until you hit north avenue and go west about two miles and then north about 1/2 a mile. There you will find a charming and authentic town center that lies in the middle of this neighborhood. Beautiful, old-world homes compliment the tree-lined streets. A lovely pond and flower bed lie in the park itself. An old-german style plaza, complete with an outdoor fruit market and bavarian architecture, is a stunning and imposing backdrop at which to enjoy your day.

You're directing an out-of-towner to one of the most economically distressed neighborhoods in the Midwest. There is no German style plaza, there is no pond an no flower bed. There is an outdoor market, and there is plenty of Bavarian architecture. And there are a few lovely homes on barren streets surrounded by decay, vacant lots, and desperately poor people. At the middle of this "town center" is a largely abandoned run down former department store half filled with low rent stores like Cell phone and pager shops.

Fiddler, why would you mention an STD clinic when telling a tourist what to see?


If you're going to get custard, skip Kopps and go to Lixx, on Downer.

Fiddler, why would you mention an STD clinic when telling a tourist what to see?


If you're going to get custard, skip Kopps and go to Lixx, on Downer.


Hmm... never heard of Lixx. I'll give it a try next time I'm in town! :)

Hmm... never heard of Lixx. I'll give it a try next time I'm in town! :)

I personally think Lixx suxx. The custard is watered-down and flavorless. If you're looking for good custard on the East Side there's a place called Bella's Fat Cats on Brady Street that has really good custard in all kinds of unique flavors. And there is also a Culver's now at the Grand Avenue. You just can't go wrong with Culver's. I know that Culver's is a popular stop for the Chicagoland crowd.

Lixx does not suxx. milwaukeeunseen suxx. :baeh3:

Fiddler, why would you mention an STD clinic when telling a tourist what to see?





cuz I feelz like it. And urbansophist seems like the kinky type.

You just can't go wrong with Culver's.
UMMMM, butter burgers are my favorite!

Don't miss Brady Street.

The only times I've seen a culver's were in central/southern IL and Wisconsin. Sadly, not too many custard places in Chicago....

The only times I've seen a culver's were in central/southern IL and Wisconsin. Sadly, not too many custard places in Chicago....

I think there's a Culver's in like "Lombardville" or something. A friend of mine said some co-workers of hers were so desparate for Culver's they drove all the way there from the Loop just for the juicy butter burgers, crisp fries, and smooth, creamy custard.

I have to go, I'm going to Culver's right freakin' now.