7 reasons why Milwaukee is cooler than you think

When most people think of Milwaukee they probably think of beer and cheeseheads, but not necessarily as a tourist destination. However, there a ton of reasons to add Brew City to your radar. Here are 7 attractions you probably didn’t know about that will make you want to put the city at the top of your summer travel plans:

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Take in a concert at Milwaukee’s biggest festival, Summerfest! – Photo Credit: Visit Milwaukee

There’s a festival every summer weekend
No matter when you visit between Memorial Day and Labor Day there will always be a festival going on. Some of our favorite fests happening this summer include Summerfest (June 29-July 10), GermanFest (July 29-31), Milwaukee Brewfest (July 30), and Bastille Day (July 14-17).

No team in Baseball tailgates better than the Brewers – Photo Credit: Visit Milwaukee

The city is home to baseball’s best tailgate at Miller Park
No other city tailgates like Milwaukee. Of all the things to do in Milwaukee, a good old fashion tailgate should be high on the list. It’s a must if your trip lines up with a Brewers home game. Expect to see a ton of brats cooking on the grill, people playing corn hole, and if you’re lucky you might run into Bernie Brewer in the parking lot. If you don’t have a car, many of the downtown bars run shuttles to and from Miller Park and know that the parking lot at Miller Park fills up three hours before the first pitch during home games.

There’s no better place to spend an afternoon in Milwaukee than on the river with a pint of good microbrew – Photo Credit: Visit Milwaukee

You can take a brewery tour—on a boat
Milwaukee has been home to some of the largest American brewers including Miller, Pabst, Schlitz, and Blatz. There are several breweries to visit and even a tour that cruises down the river, visiting some of the most popular microbreweries in the downtown area. On a hot summer day visit Milwaukee Ale House’s patio right on the riverfront. Head to Sprecher Brewery for not only tasty brews but also their famous root beer.

Grab a drink at the Tiki bar on the sandy beach of Lake Michigan – Photo credit: Visit Milwaukee

The lakefront is awesome
You may not think of Milwaukee as a beach destination, but in the summer time Bradford Beach fills up with beach goers. Milwaukee’s lakefront has a ton of outdoor activities from paddle boating, kayaking, segway rentals, jet skis, volleyball, and even a tiki bar where you can grab a drink.

Frozen Custard will change your life, or at least the way you look at ice cream – Photo credit: Michael Newman – CC

Two words: Frozen custard
Most people that aren’t from Wisconsin will have no idea what frozen custard is, or what they are missing out on. Frozen custard is similar to ice cream, but made with eggs in addition to cream and sugar (basically, mind blowing awesomeness in a cone or dish). There are several establishments scooping up fresh frozen custard in Milwaukee, but the local favorite is Kopps Frozen Custard. Everyday Kopps has 2 rotating “flavors of the day”. Check out their flavor forecast before you visit to make sure they have one of your favorites. Their most popular flavors are chocolate chip cookie dough, turtle, and caramel cashew.

Make time in your Milwaukee plans to try a bloody mary with 12 ingredients – Photo Credit: Sobelman’s Pub & Grill

A Bloody Mary is also ameal
Who ever said a bloody Mary was just a beverage? In Milwaukee, they are a main meal. The best place to get a Bloody is at Sobelman’s Pub and Grill. They have 3 iconic options: the Masterpiece, the Baconado, and the Crown Mary. The masterpiece bloody Mary is topped with celery stalk, pickled Polish sausage, cheese cube, shrimp, grape tomato, lemon wedge, pickled Brussel sprout, pickled mushroom, pickled onion, green onion, and a cheeseburger slider!  If you are heading to Miller Park or Potawatomi Casino, Sobelman’s is right on the way.

A Visit to the Milwaukee Art Museum is a must on any visit to the city – Photo by Author

The Art Museum is a moving statue
On Milwaukee’s lakefront, there is a bright white work of art that comes to life several times per day. Besides housing more than 30,000 works of art, this masterpiece from architect Santiago Calatrava is one itself. At midday the building unfolds its 217-foot arched white ‘wings’. The Milwaukee Art Museum has become an icon of the city and a cultural centerpiece for the community and is a must when in Milwaukee.

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