糖心传媒

Back in the day, Milwaukee was best known for beer, cheese and Happy Days, but the city has recently undergone a revival of sorts. Between its thriving art and live music scenes and its killer culinary cred, you鈥檒l find plenty to do on your visit to Milwaukee 鈥� including many free activities.

1. Stroll along the Downtown Riverwalk

The city鈥檚 charming is fun to visit any time of year. But if you鈥檙e in Milwaukee in summer, you can try your hand at paddleboarding or kayaking on the river. Either way, don鈥檛 miss the Riverwalk鈥檚 most famous resident, the Bronze Fonz, a glistening statue of Arthur Fonzarelli 鈥� a character on Happy Days, which made Milwaukee a household name in the 1970s and 1980s. The Riverwalk is located in the middle of Downtown, so you can walk from here to other local attractions like and the . Note that Old World 3rd Street was renamed as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, but some people still refer to it by its former name.

2. Explore the Mitchell Park Domes

Officially known as the , the Domes are a local favorite. Each of the three massive domes measures 140 feet across, 85 feet high and 750,000 cubic feet. Two focus on different climates 鈥� desert and tropical 鈥� and the third is a floral show dome. Species of birds, frogs, fish and lizards live in the desert and tropical domes, which are permanent exhibits, while the show dome rotates exhibits ranging from formal Japanese gardens to scenes from the Nutcracker Suite.

3. Explore Milwaukee鈥檚 German roots

While Milwaukee is a diverse city with sizable Hmong and Hispanic communities, a large percentage of the population is of German descent, which you鈥檒l find reflected in culinary offerings around town. Many German restaurants, sausage shops and beer halls have been serving the city and its visitors for generations, and several are conveniently located along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (Old World 3rd Street) Downtown. A few places worth visiting are , , and the .

4. Try local fare at the Milwaukee Public Market

When you're hungry, it's time to check out a food-filled Downtown attraction, the . Restaurants serving everything from Mexican to Middle Eastern dish up fantastic food to eat indoors or on the ample outdoor patio. The market is also a great place to pick up groceries and souvenirs, and you鈥檒l find well-stocked cheese shops, delis and olive oil purveyors. Don鈥檛 forget to swing by one of the restaurants and bars serving one of the city鈥檚 signature over-the-top Bloody Mary cocktails, which are topped with anything from fried cheese curds to sliders, sausage sticks or maybe even an entire fried chicken.

5. Visit the Milwaukee Art Museum

Santiago Calatrava 鈥� who went on to design New York City鈥檚 World Trade Center transportation hub 鈥� is one of the famed architects behind the Milwaukee Art Museum. The building has become such a city fixture that it serves as the 's logo and appears on welcome signs at the city鈥檚 airport. The museum certainly holds impressive permanent and rotating collections, but what makes it so special is its glass atrium with retractable wings that open each morning and close each evening. It鈥檚 also a great photo op on the shores of Lake Michigan.

6. Learn about Milwaukee鈥檚 brewing history

If Milwaukee is known for one thing, it鈥檚 the city鈥檚 brewing history. Even Milwaukee鈥檚 Major League Baseball team is called the Brewers. Beer aficionados will have their pick of craft breweries and beer halls, but for more context, take a brewery tour at the historic  and plan a visit to the elegant , the home of Frederick Pabst, the company鈥檚 namesake. Downtown landmark dates to 1895 and showcases the grandeur of the time. These days, the theater puts on live performances and concerts, so check to see who鈥檚 playing while you鈥檙e in town.

7. Check out the Summerfest grounds

Though the area is officially called Henry Maier Festival Park, it's more simply called the  grounds by locals. The nickname comes from an event that is said to be the world鈥檚 largest outdoor music festival. Throughout summer and fall, the grounds also host events celebrating the cultural and ethnic diversity of the city, including festivities for the city鈥檚 Irish, African, German, Mexican and LGBTQI+ communities.

8. Tour the Harley-Davidson Museum

No visit to Milwaukee is complete without a trip to the Harley-Davidson Museum, where the company was started. Hundreds of motorcycles showcase how styles changed over the decades; you can even sit on the saddle of various bikes and take photos. The collection of motorcycles and memorabilia is spread across a sprawling 20-acre park-like campus in an industrial building south of Downtown.

9. Visit the America鈥檚 Black Holocaust Museum

Started as a virtual museum, the  is now an in-person experience founded by James Cameron, who survived a lynching at the age of 16. The museum tells the story of what it refers to as the 鈥淏lack Holocaust,鈥� beginning with the Transatlantic slave trade and continuing through the Civil War and Civil Rights movement. 

10. Enjoy summer at Milwaukee鈥檚 public beaches

Wisconsin is known for its cold winters, but come summer you鈥檒l find half the population at one of the city鈥檚 fantastic beaches. Since the entire city of Milwaukee is bordered to the east by Lake Michigan, fantastic swimming spots can be found all over town. The Bay View neighborhood and suburbs of Cudahy, South Milwaukee and Oak Creek have smaller and quieter beaches, but if you鈥檙e looking for a lively beach experience complete with volleyball, kites and food vendors, head to , which is accessible and offers free beach wheelchairs.