I am considering a family weekend trip this August 2005 to Milwaukee to include the state fair, and other activities in the downtown area. We will be arriving on the new ferry service from Muskegon Michigan, which I believe is on the south side of Milwaukee.
Any suggestions for a family oriented hotel (a nice pool would be a plus with the kids!) I want something accessible by car to the state fair, but also walking distance to the lakefront area so we can do some exploring.
Family hotel recommendations for State Fair in Milwaukee
Recent Activity
View all United States activity »
- 1 Dulles Airport to Baltimore hotel
- 2 Central Coast of Maine in August
- 3 Seattle restaurant near Pikes Market
- 4 NYC to FLA Road Trip..stopovers (I-81) in Virginia and Sea Islands?
- 5 Nashville Hot Fried Chicken
- 6 Albuquerque to Denver
- 7 San Francisco Anniversary Trip
- 8 NYC Newbie Needs Advice Re JFK Transportation
- 9 Iteneray help: Santa Fe-Taos-Durango-Colorado Springs
- 10 2 Brits Travelling USA July-Aug 2013
- 11 Southwest Crawl: Colorado to Grand Canyon to Vegas
- 12 Whislter or Rocky Mountain?
- 13 10 days after cruise - Fort Lauderdale Fly out from LA?????
- 14 Chicago: Clark & Lake Street Subway Stop
- 15 Road trip Sacramento to Denver, help requested
- 16 Meredith New Hampshire
- 17
Rocks and Roads in Utah
- 18 WHERE TO STAY FOR PROPOSAL WEEKEND IN FREDRICKSBURG
- 19 Road Trip From Indiana to California..what to do?
- 20 Finally, seeing the Outer Banks
- 21 coast drive from Seattle to San Francisco
- 22 5 State memorial day round trip!
- 23 Muir Woods from SF, then to Carmel - best plan?
- 24 Road trip New Jersey to Montana
- 25 Question about Northeast Wisconsin along the lake
The Hilton Milwaukee has a great indoor waterpark for kids. There is also a new place in Sheboygan on the lakefront called Blue Harbour but that is probably too far North for you.
You do understand that the State Fair is not in the downtown area correct? It actually is located in the town of West Allis which is a Western suburb.
As long as you are there, Miller Park is right in that area as well if you have any baseball fans in the family.
Look in Brookfield, about 20 min. west of downtown, 10 min. to State Fair Park. Very nice suburban area, with plenty of hotels, a large mall and lots of shopping centers and restaurants. You can probably find a great deal in Brookfield on Hotwire or Priceline. Another advantage of Brookfield is that there will probably be special park and ride bus service to the State Fair so you won't have to deal with traffic and parking hassles. Also next to the State Fair is the outstanding Milwaukee Zoo. Brookfield is in the west suburbs, but there's no traffic in Milwaukee (relatively speaking, I'm in Chicago), so it'll be an easy drive from the south side ferry terminal.
I second the suggestion about Brookfield. Best location for you and it still won't take long to get downtown.
Via Priceline, we have stayed at the Milwaukee Downtown Courtyard and in Brookfield at the Sheraton and the Country Suites. All have been fine accommodations. (Courtyard has a small but pleasant pool; Sheraton has a pool that's kind of down in the bowels of the building; Country Suites (nearly brand new) has a large pool but the day we were there, the chlorine smell was so strong it could make your eyes water before you entered the pool area.)
Brookfield is fine as a location, and handy for shopping. But it's total suburbia and you will need a car for everywhere (tho the Sheraton is on the edge of a large mall). If it were me, I'd opt to be right downtown and try for the Courtyard.
Incidentally, after staying once at the Hilton and finding it way too large for our taste and rather tired, we decided we'd stay in the 2.5* category where we've often landed the Courtyard (which is attached to the downtown mall). Parking there is in an adjacent building for about $11/nite.