Your ultimate guide to visiting Milwaukee, from where to eat to things to do
Milwaukee: Brew City. Cream City. The Good Land (see below).
On the western shore of Lake Michigan, Wisconsin's biggest city has many nicknames, and much more to offer beyond its beer and cheese stereotypes (although there's plenty of both of those, too).
Whether you're visiting for the first time or a longtime resident looking to get to know the city better, here's your ultimate guide to exploring Milwaukee.
Milwaukee: The Good Land
Long before Europeans built their breweries and tanneries here, Native tribes including the Fox, Ho-Chunk, Mascouten, Menominee, Ojibwe, Sauk and Potawatomi called the area home, some using the land as a council grounds.
The city's name comes from those first inhabitants, who called the city's biggest river "Meneawkee" or "Mahnawaukee," meaning "a rich beautiful land," or "good land," according to the Wisconsin Historical Society.
So, yes, Alice Cooper wasn't too far off in his Milwaukee history lesson in "Wayne's World."
And yes, we have beer. And cheese. And so much more. Here are 10 things the city is known for today.
Milwaukee neighborhoods
There are more than 75 distinct neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Familiarize yourself with some of them with these guides:
Lower east side: The name is a bit of a misnomer. The neighborhood is on the east side of the city — it nearly borders Lake Michigan — but north to south, it's closer to the middle of the city. It's anchored by East Brady Street, known as one of the city's best areas for bars, restaurants and small businesses.
Upper east side: North of the lower east side is this neighborhood, home to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, the popular Bradford Beach along Lake Michigan, the Frederick Law Olmsted-designed Lake Park, and plenty of bars and restaurants along North and Downer avenues.
Historic Third Ward: Just south of downtown, this trendy neighborhood is known for its historic warehouse and manufacturing buildings that now house restaurants, boutiques, galleries, apartments and condos. The neighborhood is also home to Henry Maier Festival Park, which hosts a number of ethnic festivals as well as the popular longtime music festival Summerfest.
Walker's Point: This south-side neighborhood is one of the city's oldest, anchored by National Avenue running east-to-west from First to 16th streets. The neighborhood has a large Latino population and is a destination for food and nightlife, especially for its LGBTQ bars and clubs.
Bay View: Once its own town, today this neighborhood on the city's south side is a trendy spot for young professionals with dozens of bars, restaurants and boutiques scattered along Kinnickinnic Avenue and the surrounding streets.
Riverwest: The site of some of Milwaukee’s open housing marches in the 1960s and an artists hub beginning in the '70s, this north-side neighborhood holds on to its counterculture vibe today. Situated on the west side of the Milwaukee River (thus the name), the neighborhood is home to bars, breweries, restaurants and one of the city's wackiest bike races, the Riverwest 24.
More: Amani | Avenues West | Concordia | Franklin Heights | Havenwoods | Hillside | Layton Park | Metcalfe Park | Menomonee Valley | Midtown | North Point | Rufus King | Silver City | Story Hill | Washington Heights
Milwaukee breweries, bars and beer gardens
About that Brew City moniker... Most of the breweries that made Milwaukee famous — Schlitz, Pabst, Gettelman and Blatz — are gone, but Miller (now part of Molson Coors) remains in its eponymous Miller Valley. Tours of the brewing complex include a look at the historic caves where beer was once kept cool. Here's more on that and other brewery tours worth taking in the city.
Among those is Lakefront Brewery, one of the first to join Milwaukee's craft brewing scene that today includes 50 breweries in the metro area. The famous New Glarus Brewing Co., maker of only-available-in-Wisconsin Spotted Cow, isn't among them (it's in New Glarus in south-central Wisconsin, about 100 miles west of Milwaukee), but you can still get the sought-after sud at almost any local bar — of which there are many. Check out some unique ones, from a German beer hall to a Northwoods-themed bar, catch the big game at a local sports bar, or hit up these spots if you want a good cocktail.
You might also find Spotted Cow and other local brews on tap at a Milwaukee beer garden. None of those patios masquerading as beer gardens here. Ours are the real deal — beer served in a park-like setting, first started by the Germans who invented them. Here's where you can find them in the city.
Milwaukee restaurants
Milwaukee's vibrant dining scene features everything from James Beard Award-winning chefs to must-try food trucks.
If you're new to the city's dining scene, like foodie and new Milwaukee Brewer Mark Canha was last year, dining critic Rachel Bernhard recommends these 13 spots. And these were some of her favorite restaurants that opened last year.
Here are some more ideas:
Best restaurants downtown: Whether you're looking for a quick bite for lunch or a steakhouse for a night out, downtown Milwaukee has plenty of options. Among dining critic Rachel Bernhard's recommendations are the Spanish-Porteguese inspired Amilinda, classic Wisconsin tavern Swingin' Door Exchange, and San Giorgio for Neapolitan-style pizza. Find more ideas in her downtown dining guide.
More neighborhood dining guides: Third Ward | Brady Street | Silver City | Vliet Street | East side near Oakland Avenue
Burgers: Craving an American classic? Here are 8 of the best in the area.
Tacos: From birria tacos from Cucho's to El Tapatio's fish tacos, these are some of the best tacos in Milwaukee.
Brunch: Here are 14 reader-favorite brunch spots.
Beer garden eats: Pretzels and brats are standard beer-garden fare, but some spots offer more elevated eats.
Patio dining: A handful of notable new patios opened this year, but they're not all the city has to offer. More than a dozen offer water views, and there are plenty with cozy vibes, too, if that's what you're looking for.
Rooftop dining: Pair good food with good views at these spots.
Farmers markets: Pick up some fresh produce or other goodies from an area farmers market.
Milwaukee festivals
Milwaukee isn’t just a city with a lot of festivals. It is the City of Festivals, an official trademark that Visit Milwaukee registered this year. Festivals fill the 90-acre Henry Maier Festival Park along Milwaukee’s lakefront nearly every weekend in the summer. The grounds are most closely associated with Summerfest, of course, but they also play host to an array of fetes celebrating the city’s diverse makeup, including German Fest, Irish Fest, Polish Fest, Festa Italiana, Mexican Fiesta, Black Arts Fest MKE and PrideFest. Festival fever has caught on outside the park, too, with dozens of neighborhood festivals from Juneteenth Day to Brady Street Festival filling up Milwaukee’s summer calendar.
Here's a look at the city's major festivals, plus smaller community festivals in the area this summer.
Milwaukee parks, trails and more outdoors
The city's extensive park system is one of the country's best, with three (Lake, Riverside and Washington) designed by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.
Milwaukee has 249 public parks, including a handful along the lakefront. Here's a look at those and other natural gems in the city.
Running through some of those parks is the paved Oak Leaf Trail, a 135-mile route that's a favorite for cyclists, runners, birders and more.
Outside the city, the 1,000-mile Ice Age Trail is one of two national scenic trails in Wisconsin. Segments run through Waukesha and Washington counties, including in the popular northern and southern units of the Kettle Moraine State Forest.
More things to do in Milwaukee
Milwaukee's lakefront is one of the city's biggest attractions in the summer, drawing visitors and locals to the parks, beaches, trails and attractions that line the shore of Lake Michigan.
The city also is home to a handful of museums, including the Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Drive, with its skyline-defining Burke Brise Soleil (those white "wings" along the lakefront); the Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St.; The Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 W. Canal St.; America's Black Holocaust Museum, 401 W. North Ave.; The Wisconsin Black Historical Society and Museum, 2620 W. Center St.; and The Jewish Museum Milwaukee, 1360 N. Prospect Ave.
Walking tours are a good way to get to know a city, and Milwaukee has lots of options.
If you're on a budget, here are free things to do and 20 things to do for under $20.
Rainy day? Or need a break from the summer heat? The city has plenty of indoor attractions, from the Domes to mini bowling.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Your ultimate guide to visiting Milwaukee, from dining to things to do
