Are you looking for things to do in Milwaukee?
Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, and the fifth-largest in the Midwest.
It lies on the shores of Lake Michigan at the joining of three rivers: the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic, and the Milwaukee.
Milwaukee is a culturally diverse city with immigrants from Germany, England, Ireland, Italy, and Poland all settling here.
This can be evidenced in the many different restaurants in the city.
The downtown is filled with preserved historic buildings, museums, a lighthouse, and the bright lights of a thriving city.
So are you ready to see what Milwaukee attractions I have chosen for you in this vibrant Midwest city?
Grab a drink, settle yourself comfortably, and let’s get started.
20 Things To Do In Milwaukee, WI You Shouldn’t Miss
Walk The Milwaukee Museum Mile
Milwaukee is home to many world-renowned museums.
The Milwaukee Museum Mile is a joint effort between five art and cultural museums located in the historic Eastside and creates a simple and affordable way for you to experience them.
These five museums are within walking distance of each other, and they offer discounted prices when you visit them all.
The museums included are Charles Allis Art Museum, Jewish Milwaukee, Museum of Wisconsin Art at Saint John’s On The Lake, North Point Lighthouse, and Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum.
Visiting the Miracle Mile is one of the best things to do in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Say ‘Ayy’ to The Fronz
When it comes to things to do in Milwaukee, this has to be one of the most iconic Milwaukee attractions.
Who can resist a photo opportunity with a bronze statue of The Fonz?
He has stood on Milwaukee’s River Walk just south of Wells Street since 2008 and is seldom seen without someone posing with him for a photo.
Here to celebrate the iconic Arthur Fonzarelli from Happy Days, he looks every inch the part.
This would make a fun stop if you were on a Wisconsin road trip, for sure!
Be a Petrolhead at The Harley-Davidson Museum
. This is one of the things to do in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that most people enjoy and is well worth exploring.
Spread over 20 acres of riverfront, the museum has 11 permanent exhibits, rotating special exhibits, and some real surprises.
There is an engine room, a motorcycle gallery, and among the more unusual is a recovered motorcycle from the tsunami that devastated Japan in 2011.
There is an entrance fee, and bring some extra cash because the gift shop is exceptional.
Here is a great reason why Milwaukee is one of the great places to visit in Wisconsin.
Browse The Stalls At Milwaukee Public Market
One of the great free things to do in Milwaukee is undercover and perfect if the weather isn’t on your side.
The market is home to lots of food and beverage vendors selling everything from vegan sandwiches to Belgian beer.
The market also operates cooking classes and hands-on demonstrations.
Head to C. Adam’s Bakery for the best cupcakes.
Brew City Brand Apparel, where you can celebrate all things craft beer.
It is open from 10 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday, 8 -8 on Saturday, and 9-6 on Sunday.
Marveling At The Milwaukee Art Museum Is A Great Thing To Do In Milwaukee, WI
This is one of the attractions in Milwaukee that really is as good as it looks.
A futuristic, gleaming, almost gravity-defying building it certainly demands attention.
The museum is actually made up of three buildings.
With a 90-foot vaulted glass ceiling, a white suspension bridge, and cantilevered wings, it’s certainly unusual.
There are 341,000 square feet of space where visitors can browse over 30,000 pieces of art.
The art includes one of the largest Georgia O’Keeffe collections in the world.
It’s open daily, and there is an admission fee.
Please note high winds can shut certain parts of the museum.
It is one of the great things to do in Milwaukee.
Things to do in Milwaukee: Essentials Packing List
Here are my tips on how to pack lightly. using a carry-on when traveling. And WHY it is almost a necessity!
This unisex RFID-blocking concealed travel pouch is lightweight and comes in several colors.
These RFID sleeves are another solution.
This Anker high-speed phone charging battery is the exact one I carry on all my trips.
Don’t forget Apple AirTags to track your luggage. (Whether you fly or drive.)
My daughter gifted me this FugeTek selfie stick and tripod setup for my birthday.
It is made of lightweight aluminum and is so easy to use.
I never leave home on a trip without a non-disposable water bottle.
Then this collapsible silicone foldable water bottle would work well for you as well.
This foldable water-resistant backpack would be great for a daily go-pack.
These quick-dry slip-on Aqua shoes will be useful at pools or spas you happen to visit along the way.
These men’s quick-dry trunks are essential.
For women, this one-strap one-piece bathing suit is amazing.
Consider bringing along quick-dry super-absorbent microfiber towels.
This wet-dry bag with handles is a good option.
These unisex polarized sunglasses come in many lens colors and frame designs and are extremely affordable, too.
If you like aviator-style sunglasses, these polarized aviators may interest you.
As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from your qualifying purchases.
Get Historic At The Pabst Mansion
Near Milwaukee’s Marquette University is the incredibly beautiful Pabst Mansion.
It’s one of a dozen lavish homes that line what once was Grand Avenue.
The home of Captain Frederick Pabst was built in 1892 and contains 37 rooms, dozens of hidden compartments, and 14 fireplaces.
You can tour the home or appreciate it from the outside.
On a tour, you learn about the construction, the history of the Pabst brewing family, and the decorative elements within the home.
If you are here during the Christmas season, definitely go inside as it looks incredible with all its splendid Christmas decorations.
It opens daily from 10 am until 3 pm, and there is an entry fee.
Look Up At Basilica of St. Josaphat
Designed by German architect Erhard Brielmaier, the Basilica of St. Josaphat is one of the free things to do in Milwaukee.
Modeled on Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica, this place really is impressive.
It’s a grand church with a cross-shaped floor plan, as well as a massive copper dome.
You can attend mass here or take a property tour.
Tours operate throughout the day, or get a walking tour brochure and go it alone.
There is also a small museum in the pavilion’s lower level if you want to learn more about the church.
This is a Milwaukee attraction not to miss.
Support The Brewers At American Family Field
If you love baseball, this is one of the fun things to do in Milwaukee to put on your list.
American Family Field, formally Miller Park, is home to Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers.
The park is pretty spectacular with a retractable roof, which is the only fan-shaped convertible roof in North America.
Stadium tours are offered on all days when no scheduled events or home games are on.
Have Fun At Discovery World
If you have children, then this is definitely one of the best things to do in Milwaukee.
Discovery World offers multiple hands-on exhibits and experiences all in the name of science.
There are different demonstrations each day of the week at the museum’s Reiman Aquarium.
There is also a virtual reality exhibit, a bed of nails at Innovation Station, and a lab where kids can make crafts to take home.
In the warmer months, you can also board the Denis Sullivan, a replica of a 19th-century ship, and set sail on Lake Michigan.
There is an admission fee, and parking is available. The parking lot fills up quickly, but street parking is also an option.
Step Into History At The Milwaukee Public Museum
If you like learning about the history and culture of the places you visit, then the Milwaukee Public Museum is for you.
As well as the Puelicher Butterfly Wing, the permanent exhibits range from a 14,000-year-old mammoth skeleton to a life-size diorama of early-1900s Milwaukee.
Wander through a re-created century-old village, inspired by 33 different European cultures.
Learn about the history and significance of games played by indigenous tribes throughout the U.S. and Canada at the Native Games exhibit.
And the museum’s candy store is well worth a visit.
The museum is open most days and stays open late on the first Thursday of every month. There is an admission fee.
If you visit Wisconsin in winter, Milwaukee is a great place to start.
Admire The View, North Point Lighthouse
The beautiful restored 1888 North Point Lighthouse Museum really is a symbol of this region’s Great Lakes maritime heritage.
It is one of the coolest lighthouses in Wisconsin.
The museum features exhibits and artifacts relating to shipping and lighthouse history.
And you can climb the tower and tour the museum, and there is a gift shop.
Frederick Law Olmsted’s Lake Park is also a beautiful place to explore.
This is definitely one of the things to do in Milwaukee if you love a good photo opportunity.
Going Mural Hunting Is One OF The Best Things To Do In Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee, Wisconsin is known for its art museums, but the art around the walls of Milwaukee is also well worth exploring.
The Alley between Prospect and Farwell, Ivanhoe, and Kenilworth has turned into somewhat of an open-air art gallery.
In Milwaukee’s Eastside neighborhood, you will find art by locals and muralists from around the world.
Perhaps the most famous is Black Cat Alley, created by French artist MTO.
There is a Milwaukee Mural Map, which provides an interactive map dedicated to documenting the city’s art.
One of the coolest free things to do in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Walk The River Walk
This 3-mile walk along the river is not only a scenic way to get from one end of downtown to the other.
River Walk is an outdoor gallery that includes permanent and temporary changing installations.
There are some incredible works of art.
Possibly the most well-known, apart from The Fonz, is Gertie, the world’s most celebrated duck.
You will also find some of Milwaukee’s best restaurants and brewpubs along this stretch.
Enjoy One Of The Corner Bars
Old school bars are a huge part of the history of this city, so put visiting on your things to do in Milwaukee list.
In fact, Milwaukee was runner-up for the“Destination-Worthy Old-School Bar Scene” in The Good Taste Awards.
Walking into these places is like walking into the past.
The places well worth a visit are Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, Wolski’s, Swingin’ Door Exchange, Holler House, and Landmark 1850 Inn.
There are so many breweries in Milwaukee to explore!
Go Ghost Hunting
Wisconsin is a really haunted state and Milwaukee is no exception.
There are so many ghost tours to take, you will learn about haunted history, legends, real ghost stories, and modern-day paranormal reports.
Pabst Mansion is said to be haunted by its former resident, Captain Frederick Pabst, a portly, smiling gentleman said to roam the Pfister Hotel.
Joe Couto, the founder of the Northern Alliance of Paranormal Investigators, says he’s seen apparitions in the Brumder Mansion.
Sabbatic leaves a shot of whisky on the bar for the ghost. And Shaker’s seems to have the most ghost stories.
Take A Brewery Tour In Milwaukee, Wisconsin
If there is something that Milwaukee does well it’s brewing.
So a visit to one of the many breweries is a must on your things to do in Milwaukee list.
Most offer tours and tasting so take your pick.
If beer isn’t your thing there is also a distillery in town. T
he Great Lakes Distillery distills rum, whisky, vodka, and gin.
I can’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon visiting one of these Milwaukee attractions.
It would definitely make for a great Midwest weekend getaway.
Tour Around Milwaukee’s History And Architecture
Take a stroll across the Skywaukee Skywalk System and see the city from the air.
You will also learn about the historic downtown landmarks on your travels.
You will also find trolley tours, and Historic Milwaukee offers tours around the historic German Old World Third Street to private guided tours of the North Point mansions.
Whichever tour you take this city has a lot to offer, showing off some of the best attractions in Milwaukee WI!
One of the best ways to explore Milwaukee is by taking a sightseeing bus tour.
Tickets Here: Milwaukee Sightseeing Bus Tour
Go Green At The Mitchell Domes
A botanical garden housed in three geodesic domes! Yes, Milwaukee has one of those.
Built by the richest man in Wisconsin, Alexander Mitches, in the late 1800s, these domes originally sat in his own park.
He opened this park to the public, and the city bought the land after his death.
The domes you see today are not the original and were completed in 1965.
The gardens hold over 1000 different plant species, and each dome has a different theme.
You have the Tropical Dome, Desert Dome, and Show Dome
Located in the Clare Square neighborhood, they are open every day from 9 am. There is a cost to enter.
See The Bizarre Mary Nohl House
In the affluent neighborhood of Fox Point sits an unusual garden. The garden is full of fish, monsters, and humans.
They are all the art of Ms. Nohl, who owned the property and created this garden between 1914 and 2001.
Ms. Nohl was seen as somewhat odd, and the house became known as “the Witch’s House.”
After her death, residents tried to have the site demolished.
They did not succeed, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
It isn’t open to the public, but you can see the sculptures from the street.
It’s not the easiest place to see due to parking issues nearby, but if you can find a place to park and walk, it is worth seeing.
Take a Stroll Along The Lakefront
One of the prettiest places in the downtown area, walking along the lakefront is well worth it.
You will stroll past the War Memorial Center, the Milwaukee Art Museum, Municipal Pier, Henry Maier Festival Park, and Discovery World.
And there is also a beach.
It’s a great way to see the Milwaukee attractions and also just soak up the atmosphere of this incredible city.
It could make for a romantic Wisconsin getaway.
15 Best Places to Visit in Wisconsin For Your Bucket List