Have a browse of our City Tours MKE blog, and you’ll quickly see that there’s never any shortage of things to do and see in Milwaukee. Milwaukee is a vibrant modern city that treats visitors and newcomers as old friends. Whether you’re participating in a corporate activity or event in Milwaukee, attending a sporting event or festival, or just visiting for a weekend of sightseeing, you’ll have an array of exciting experiences to enjoy.
But of all the fantastic things Milwaukee has to offer, what is our favorite? It’s a question we’re sometimes asked. Frankly, it’s almost impossible to answer. We’re a diverse group at City Tours MKE, and Milwaukee’s strengths as a destination will differ with every traveler. Foodies could spend an entire weekend indulging in famous Wisconsin foods, while couples will naturally look for fun things for couples to do in Milwaukee, such as taking romantic strolls in the city’s beautiful green spaces.
Milwaukee’s most significant strength rests in its eclectic range of sights and adventures! With this in mind, we’ve picked some of our favorite Milwaukee things showcasing this diversity. Read on to learn about the city’s sports scene, cultural landscape, and many of the Milwaukee activities perfect for those traveling as a family!
And if you’re coming to Milwaukee and would like to explore the city’s most famous sights and attractions with expert local guides, please consider taking our popular Iconic Milwaukee Tour.
Milwaukee is a City of Festivals
Known as the city of festivals, Milwaukee is the go-to destination for anyone who loves joining a massive crowd of like-minded individuals to appreciate great food or music. The city is home, for example, to Summerfest, one of the world’s largest music festivals.
Summerfest was first organized in the 1960s by a Milwaukee town mayor who had been inspired by his experiences at Munich’s Oktoberfest beer festival. Over its 50-year history, Summerfest has welcomed many of the most famous musicians in the world, from rock artists like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Rolling Stones to pop royalty such as Cher and Whitney Houston. Usually lasting 11 days, the festival’s peak attendance was in 2001 when over a million people joined the fun!
Meanwhile, the city is also famous for its festivals championing international cultures (fitting for a city with a rich multi-cultural past). Explore international cuisine, music, and culture at German Fest, Irish Fest, Festa Italiana, Polish Fest, Bastille Days, and many other such events throughout the year.
Consult Festival Guides and Reviews’ 2022 Wisconsin Festival Guide for a list of this year’s Milwaukee festivals and events.
Milwaukee is Great for Families
Though famous for rock concerts and beer (plenty of which can be imbibed on our Milwaukee Brewery Tour), Milwaukee is also a super destination for those traveling with children. From toddlers to teenagers, you don’t have to fear the kids being bored in MKE.
Try Discovery World for an experience that will appeal to visitors of all ages. This non-profit technology and science center features various interactive exhibits and a fantastic aquarium. The entire center covers a whopping 120,000 square feet and is dedicated to inspiring “the next generation of engineers, designers, scientists, innovators, community leaders, and makers” – educational and unmissable!
Elsewhere, the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) is the number one place to learn about Wisconsin’s leading artists and see hundreds of paintings from modern masters. A great place to spark your family’s creativity, and it’s all housed in one of Milwaukee’s most iconic and unusual buildings.
For more ideas, read our Things to Do in Milwaukee With Kids blog.
Sports in Milwaukee
The final choice of our favorite things about Milwaukee has to be the city’s sports culture. You can’t come to MKE without exploring this central aspect of Milwaukeean culture! For baseball fans, the Milwaukee Brewers are based in the city and play their home games at American Family Field. The NBA is represented by the local basketball team, the Milwaukee Bucks, who play at the recently completed Fiserv Forum. Finally, if you’re willing to travel out of the city for a few hours, the Green Bay Packers’ stadium in Green Bay can be reached within a couple of hours and we offer the option to transport you there.
If you’re in town and want to attend a Brewers game, we recommend participating in the pre-match tailgating festivities outside the stadium. Tailgating is the practice of having drinks and barbecuing in the car park outside the ball game. If it sounds like there’d be too much planning involved in attending a Brewers tailgate, let City Tours MKE take you to the ballgame with our Milwaukee Ultimate Tailgate Tour!
American Family Field is a child-friendly modern ballpark. The stadium is home to a children’s interactive play area, and most stadium sections offer kids’ meals. Children under two attend games for free.
If you are a basketball fan, you can attend a Milwaukee Bucks game. The Bucks won the 2020-21 NBA season, so there’s a great deal of buzz around the team these days. Describing themselves as “more than just an arena,” the Fiserv Forum, where the Bucks play, provides an incredible fan experience. If you’re looking for something extra special as you attend the basketball, browse the stadium’s Premium Experiences and Special Events.
This brings to a close some of our favorite aspects of life in MKE!
We hope we’ve given you some inspiration! If you have any questions concerning this blog or our tours, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.