Things to do in  Milwaukee

Right on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Milwaukee Art Museum is one of the largest art museums in the nation—with perhaps the most striking architecture of them all. Though the museum’s 25,000 works have plenty of appeal, you’ll also want plenty of time to explore the grounds, imagining the museum’s shiplike structure setting out to sea.

As you’re strolling the Milwaukee Riverwalk, you’ll likely spot a statue with a leather jacket and two thumbs up. “Aayyyy!” That’s Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz,” from the 1970s TV show Happy Days. Set in Milwaukee, The Fonz is still the city’s coolest character—even his statue is genuinely beloved, as showcased by the passersby waiting for their “Bronze Fonz” selfie.

When a brewery hosts one of America’s top-rated brew tours, you know you’re in for an experience. But don’t let the jokes and eccentrics fool you: Lakefront is serious about brewing. Sit down in their massive German-style beer hall (perhaps with a pint and a soft pretzel), and you’ll see what all the Milwaukee fuss is about.

Right on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward is where many visits start—and end. A former warehouse district, this trendy ‘hood is now home to scores of restaurants, bars and cafes, indie boutiques, the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, the Broadway Theatre Center, and the famous Milwaukee Public Market. For your trip to Brew City, start here.

The fourth-oldest continually operating theatre in the country, tickets aren’t required to appreciate Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater. A national historic landmark and the largest theater in Milwaukee’s Theatre District, this 1895 spot is Gilded Age opulence inside and out. Commissioned by beer magnate Frederick Pabst as a German-style opera house, this venue still brings in household names worthy of its stage.

Perhaps the most lauded attraction within Milwaukee’s historic Lake Park, the North Point Lighthouse reminds of Lake Michigan’s nautical past and present. First lit in 1888, this spot remained operational—guiding ships toward the Milwaukee River—until 1994. Today, visitors can tour the museum, climb to the top, and take in a beloved piece of Milwaukee history.

Milwaukee’s City Hall is one of the most beautiful in the US: Thanks to the city’s German heritage, it was designed in Flemish Renaissance Revival style—the same as the Hamburg Rathaus. With a massive bell tower that could pass for Big Ben, this grand beauty was once one of the tallest buildings in the world—if you count the flagpole.

Milwaukee’s American Family Field (formerly Miller Park) throws it back to baseball’s heyday after World War I, with giant arched windows, a red-brick facade, and a clock tower. (This is Wisconsin, though, so rest assured the retractable roof will keep you safe from any inclement weather.) Here, some 40,000 fans cheer on the Brewers, sing “Roll Out the Barrel” during the seventh-inning stretch, and pour out the Miller Lite.

Just steps beyond downtown Milwaukee, Marquette University is one of the city’s foremost educational institutions, established in 1881. A Catholic–Jesuit university, it’s also one of the more prominent—and largest—private colleges in the United States. With more than 11,000 students and an endowment of nearly $1 billion, its legacy reaches across the globe.

Milwaukee’s Lakefront Trail loops through Veterans Park up to McKinley Park and McKinley Beach, and runs for 3 miles (4.8 kilometers) along the shores of Lake Michigan. You’ll catch locals running, biking, and walking their dogs—it’s a popular spot for good reason. When you’re here, you’re sandwiched between the city’s impressive skyline and the lake horizon, walking between worlds.

Milwaukee’s Lake Park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, one of the most famous landscape architects of the 19th and 20th centuries. Sitting high on a bluff above Lake Michigan, this 130-acre spot—which dates back to 1889—is full of amenities, from golf courses and walking trails to picnic areas. Plus, there are those endless Great Lake vistas that never go out of style.

Kids will be in their element at Discovery World, Milwaukee, where they can do everything from piloting a flight simulator to creating their own thunderstorms. Right on the shores of Lake Michigan, this museum is a cool spot for adults, too—who doesn’t want to create their own music?—but it’s really built for younger visitors to wander, explore, and discover.

To uncover what life was like in the 1920s and 1930s, visit Milwaukee's Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear, where you can marvel at 20th century Americana, from crank telephones to glass medicine bottles. The museum's holdings are highlighted in theme rooms. Don't miss the recreated general store, vintage barbershop, and hidden speakeasy.