Top Milwaukee Pop Culture

Milwaukee is known for its beer, brats, baseball, and lakefront scenery, but it offers much more than most travelers realize. Learn about the city through the eyes of a resident guide on this Milwaukee sightseeing tour, see famous attractions, trendy neighborhoods, an art-filled alley, and so much more—including a bronze statue of the Fonz of “Happy Days” fame.

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.

One of the most haunted bars in the nation, Shaker’s Cigar Bar—a Milwaukee institution—has a history as wild as its ghostly encounters. On this small-group tour, you’ll explore behind the scenes, hearing stories about the Capone brothers and Jeffrey Dahmer, the bar's cemetery and brothel past, and more. Bring your camera, sure, but beware of what you might catch on film.

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.

Find out about Milwaukee’s dark history and most haunted places with this ghost-themed tour. Opting for a private tour means you’ll hear your guide clearly and can ask all the questions you want along the way. Find out about the city’s devastating fires in 1892 and the ghosts that are still believed to haunt the city. Learn about apparitions in a pub’s basement and bathroom mirrors, and visit the city’s most haunted location.

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.

Step inside a former Al Capone-owned speakeasy and explore nearly two centuries of history, mystery, and reported paranormal activity. Dating back to 1894, Shakers Cigar Bar has become one of Milwaukee’s most intriguing destinations, known for its rich history, Prohibition-era connections, and countless stories of unexplained encounters reported by guests, staff, paranormal investigators, and visitors from around the world. The Original Ghost Tour takes guests through three levels of history and lore, uncovering the people, events, and stories that have shaped the building for generations. Along the way, you’ll hear accounts of unexplained experiences, lingering spirits, and the darker chapters of Milwaukee’s past that continue to fascinate visitors today. Part history tour, part paranormal experience, this immersive guided tour offers a unique opportunity to explore one of Milwaukee’s most storied buildings after dark.

Get a different perspective on Milwaukee and learn about the unique heritage of it Historic Third Ward on this ghost-themed walking tour. A you stroll the streets, you'll hear tales of paranormal activity and about the haunted history of the district, which was once a rough and ready 19th-century ghetto known as the Bloody Third.

Shakers Bar in Milwaukee has some gritty stories that have happened behind its walls. This ghost tour explains all the details, and at the same time summons the spirits. Enjoy this experience with a small-group, where you might make a few new friends. Another perk is that you can use a divination rod, made more special by sipping an included cocktail.

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.

Step back into Milwaukee’s Prohibition era and uncover a world of speakeasies, madams, gangsters, corruption, and scandal. The Whorin’ 20s Walking Tour explores the city’s notorious vice district during the Roaring Twenties, when bootleggers, brothel owners, politicians, and organized crime figures helped shape Milwaukee’s nightlife and underground economy. Led by expert storytellers, this entertaining and historically grounded walking tour reveals the hidden stories behind the city’s most colorful characters and forgotten locations. Along the way, guests will discover how Prohibition transformed Milwaukee and why the era continues to captivate visitors nearly a century later. Perfect for history enthusiasts, groups, couples, bachelorette parties, and anyone looking for a different side of Milwaukee beyond breweries and ballgames. Bride goes free with qualifying bachelorette party reservations.

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.