Top Milwaukee Culture

As seen on BBC, NBC, and featured on Netflix’s Dark Tourist, this is one of the most talked-about true crime tours in the world. The Cream City Cannibal Tour explores one of Milwaukee’s most infamous criminal cases—walking through the exact neighborhood where multiple events connected to a notorious serial killer took place. This is not a casual history tour. Through guided storytelling, guests are led through the psychological, cultural, and real-world impact of the case, offering insight into how it unfolded and why it continues to be studied today. The tour has even been referenced in academic settings, including university psychology and criminal justice programs. Expect a deeper, more intense experience—focused on understanding, not sensationalizing. Outdoor tour. Rain or shine. Not recommended for those sensitive to true crime content.

Swap the big bus tours for a crowd-free experience. Traveling in an open-air, five-seater electric vehicle, you'll thoroughly explore the historic city of Milwaukee, from popular tourist destinations to some hidden gems that most visitors miss. As you travel, your guide will fill you in on Milwaukee's rich and exciting history. This tour has different lengths to suit your schedule.

One of the most haunted bars in the nation, Shaker’s Cigar Bar—a Milwaukee institution formerly owned by the infamous Al Capone—has a history as wild as its ghostly encounters. On this small-group tour, explore behind the scenes, hearing stories about its Prohibition-era connections, the bar's cemetery and brothel past, and accounts of lingering spirits. Part history tour, part paranormal experience, this tour is not for the faint of heart.

Unveil the dark history of Brew City with this ghost tour of the city’s most haunted locations. Meet your guide for a ghoul-fueled stroll through the heart of Milwaukee to take in spirit-infested historic hotels, theaters, and even skyscrapers. Be entertained by bone-chilling ghost stories and tales of paranormal activity as you delve into Milwaukee’s ghoulish past.

Prebook this Grohmann Museum Skip-the-Line Admission Ticket to bypass the lines at the museum on the busy school campus and head inside to explore its collections and exhibits. The museum showcases the art of labor, engineering, and human achievement while and offering a unique display you won’t find anywhere else. This admission ticket is perfect for groups that want to explore but who are also on a budget.

Kick off your morning with a guided e-bike tour around Milwaukee. Covering about 15 miles, you’ll ride through historic neighborhoods and scenic parks, with stops including the North Point Lighthouse and Villa Terrace Museum and Gardens. Capped at eight for a personalized experience, this tour is a fun, active way to pack in plenty of sightseeing. Hear facts and insights from your guide along the way.

Milwaukee is a city shaped by its waterways, its waves of immigrants, and its bold spirit-famous for its German heritage, its brewing traditions, and its knack for reinvention over nearly two centuries. Our journey today starts at Wisconsin Historical Marker three three three, which marks the heart of old Kilbourntown, walk through stories of rivalry, resilience, and remarkable change, all the way to the bustling Milwaukee Public Market in the Historic Third Ward. Go at your own pace. The tour never expires. This is a hand free experience, press play and put your phone in your pocket. The tour is location aware, and plays as you walk. It never expires.

Explore Milwaukee’s criminal underworld on the Mobsters and Mafia Tour, a guided walking experience that uncovers the rise and fall of the Milwaukee Mob and the powerful Balistrieri crime family. Visit historic locations while discovering how organized crime, political influence, and underground enterprises shaped the city throughout the 20th century. Hear captivating stories of power, loyalty, corruption, and betrayal as your guide reveals the real people and events behind one of Milwaukee’s most fascinating chapters. While the tour touches on the city’s Prohibition-era roots, its primary focus is the Milwaukee Mob and the figures who dominated the city’s underworld from the 1960s through the 1980s. Perfect for history enthusiasts, true crime fans, and curious travelers seeking a side of Milwaukee few visitors ever discover.

The home of American lager and once a rival to Chicago in size, Milwaukee’s history and preeminence may not be as obvious as it once was—unless you look. With this self-guided audio tour, you’ll travel down Brew City’s most opulent drag, from the Milwaukee Public Library to the Milwaukee Art Museum. Across 150 years of history and plenty of steps, you’ll get a guided-tour experience without any of the crowds.

The Historic Third Ward was the first stop for many of Milwaukee's European immigrants, particularly the Irish and later the Italians. Close to cheap housing and available jobs, these new arrivals created close-knit communities. Like most major industrial cities, the Third Ward had a significant and destructive fire in 1892, which reshaped the landscape to much of what you see today. In the 1970s, this area experienced a resurgence that transformed factories and warehouses into condos and mixed adaptive reuse. On this tour, learn about the neighborhood landscape as well as the Irish and Italian immigrants as well as the impact of the LGBTQ+ community and other residents. Stops include the Milwaukee Public Market (2005), Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) (1974), and Commission Row (1894). This walking tour is 1 mile in length. Travelers are recommended to bring (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

Half the history talk calories of the Old Milwaukee Tour but with all the full bodied flavor! Ride 15 miles on a pedal assist e-bike through the best of Milwaukee. Enjoy a frozen custard at the beach, a local speciality. See incredible variety! Ride through historic working class neighborhoods and past ornate mansions that were built when Milwaukee was the machine shop of the world. Admire hidden alley street art. Gaze up at massive frescos inside our finest cathedral. Cruise along lakeshore parks and past downtown architectural gems. Wrap it all up with a visit to a beer garden, a city tradition since 1848, and you'll have a real taste of Milwaukee.

Get to know some of the darker corners of Milwaukee’s history on this small-group walking tour of the city’s downtown. You’ll enjoy hearing haunting tales associated with famous Milwaukee landmarks like the Pfister Hotel, City Hall, and the Pabst Theater as your guide leads you through the Cream City evening.

Like many communities in the industrial Midwest, Milwaukee’s ecological legacy has a significant period of pollution. Thankfully, in the late 1980s & early 1990s, driven by Mayor John Norquist and others, Milwaukee dedicated resources to water clean up and the reinvigoration of the buildings along the Milwaukee River. This reinvestment included the creation of a public-private partnership known as the Riverwalk (1993). Today, the Riverwalk extends 3.1 miles along both sides of the Milwaukee River, from the site of the former North Avenue Dam, through Downtown and the Historic Third Ward to Lake Michigan. The tour will explore the industries and early city growth that impacted the river so greatly and also a number of the historic buildings along the way. You’ll also learn about some of the temporary and permanent public art on display. This walking tour is 1.2 miles in length. We recommend that travelers bring: good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

If you've already seen most of the sights of Milwaukee, get a different perspective on the city with this haunted history walking tour of Lake Geneva. As you stroll in a small group, your guide will fill you in on all the colorful history and characters, from haunted mansions and vengeful spirits to lake monsters and more.

Downtown Milwaukee's growth began around the intersection of N. Water St. and E. Wisconsin Ave. but expanded quickly as the small settlement became a large city. If you are looking for an introduction to Milwaukee's history, this is the best place to start. The tour will explore this commercial district from the earliest beginnings at the river's edge all the way to the modern office buildings along Lake Michigan's shore. Stops on the tour include a variety of architectural styles including Alexander Eschweiler's Art Deco Gas Light Building (1930), the Richardsonian Romanesque style Federal Building (1892), and Northwestern Mutual's Neoclassical Headquarters (1914). This walking tour is 1 mile in length. We recommend that travelers bring (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

Get to know one of Milwaukee‘s most haunted neighborhoods, Westown, and discover why Marquette University is considered one of the nation‘s most haunted schools. On this self-guided walking tour, you‘ll visit eleven haunted locations and hear some of Milwaukee‘s most spook-tacular tales! Starting in front of the Milwaukee Public Museum, you‘ll stroll around Marquette Campus and along Wisconsin Ave to Straz Tower, where our tour ends. Along the way, you‘ll meet some of Milwaukee‘s most famous ghosts, including a professor who continues to report to work, and a home-proud beer baron. You‘ll also see the site of one of the city‘s most notorious murders. Lace up your shoes and join me in discovering the haunted side of this historic neighborhood. This family-friendly hour-long walk does contain content that may be disturbing, including details of murders, mentions of suicide and accidental deaths. Please use caution when selecting this tour for very young or sensitive audiences.

Our guided City Skyline Kayak Tours are 1.5–2 hours long and follow the Milwaukee River up towards downtown Milwaukee. We do not make any stops along the way for this tour, but we do provide details about Milwaukee's history and attractions along the river. Our knowledgeable guides will provide you with any kayaking instruction you may need and ensure you feel safe and comfortable on this beginner-level tour.

Shakers Bar in Milwaukee, formerly owned by the infamous Al Capone, has some gritty stories that have happened behind its walls. Dive deeper into the stories, spirits, and paranormal encounters that have earned this bar a spot among the most haunted bars in the United States. Enjoy this experience with just a small group for company and an included cocktail—an ideal tour for those who want to go beyond the basics.

With 191 different blocks, it should come as no surprise that Milwaukee is known as a ‘City of Neighborhoods’. On this self-guided walking tour, you’ll be introduced to two of its most interesting suburbs, Brady Street and the Lower Eastside, and their architecture. You’ll begin by discovering the impact that Polish and Italian immigrants had on Brady Street Historic District, including delicious Italian cuisine at Sciortino’s Bakery and Glorioso’s Deli. Finally, you’ll stroll down the city’s former Gold Coast to end this tour at the Oak Leaf Trail on Prospect Avenue, giving you the opportunity to continue your Milwaukee adventure independently on the Lake Line Trail. This family-friendly tour is an easy stroll, with the option to pop inside some of the city’s most interesting churches. Come hungry, there are plenty of opportunities to grab snacks, or discover your new favorite restaurant along the route.

Explore Sheboygan’s highlights in a fun way, on a Segway, on this small-group excursion. Cruise along the Sheboygan River and Lake Michigan shoreline to see the lighthouse, shipwreck sites, schooner remains, and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. If you’d like, you can upgrade to a private tour for a more personalized experience.

See the sights of Milwaukee while learning facts about the city's history, art, and architecture on an entertaining and interactive scavenger hunt. This app-based game leads you through the city, challenging you with trivia questions and tasks as you pursue the items on your list. This is a fun group activity for team building, parties, or anyone looking for a playful and memorable way to get to know Milwaukee.

Set on a bluff, overlooking the northern point of Milwaukee’s harbor, this neighborhood boasts an incredible collection of mansions from the early twentieth century. The tree-lined blocks feature a variety of styles including German Renaissance Revival, English Tudor Revival, Mediterranean Revival and others popular from 1890-1940. The houses were designed by some of the most notable Milwaukee architects including Eschweiler, Clas, Niedecken and even Wisconsin’s own Frank Lloyd Wright. Beyond the architectural details, the neighborhood’s past residents include many prominent Milwaukeeans who made money in wheat, railroads, straw hats, fur coats, ice cream and more. The tour also includes non-residential neighborhood landmarks like a historic hospital complex, water tower and lighthouse, as well as a Frederick Law Olmsted designed park. This walking tour is 1.4 miles in length. We recommend bringing (weather permitting): good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, and/or umbrella.

Skip the crowds this is a private tour for your group only! Embark on a captivating 2-hour private tour of Milwaukee, where you’ll explore iconic landmarks, vibrant street art, and cultural gems. With comfortable transportation, this curated journey includes glimpses of Lakefront Brewery, the artistic wonders of Black Cat Alley, architectural beauty at Villa Terrace, the iconic Milwaukee Art Museum, culinary delights at Milwaukee Public Market, and the energetic ambiance of Fiserv Forum. Enjoy the city’s diverse offerings while our expert guide provides insights into Milwaukee’s rich history and culture. Throughout the tour hear intriguing stories about the most iconic landmarks of Milwaukee, becoming familiar with the city’s history, culture, heritage, and unique stories.