Which area for 2 nights in Milwaukee?
 

We've never been to Milwaukee and are thinking about flying in for a quick weekend trip in late July. We are two couples. We would be happy to find an Air B and B in a great area, or if not, a hotel.

In what area would you stay if you were on your first visit to Milwaukee and had only Friday night to Sunday morning? We'd prefer not to rent a car unless that's necessary, so we need to stay close to things to do, restaurants, etc. Is the waterfront area nice?

Any tips or advice for me? Can you recommend a well-located hotel? Looking to keep per-night charges below $300/room if possible.

If you are flying in to Milwaukee airport there are 5-6 Hiawatha Amtrak trains into downtown intermodal center per day and several Amtrak buses as well at other times. (less than $10/person) A taxi to downtown might be expensive. Looking at hotel options, I would look at the Drury Plaza in downtown which is less than a mile from the MKE Amtrak station. The airport train station is MKA.
The best review for a brewery tour is at Lakefront. There are many other brewery tours and other things to do in town.

Hi bakerstreet. I was born and raised in Milwaukee, and after living on the East Coast and Chicago for years, I moved back almost two years ago. For a weekend visit, I'd suggest a hotel in the Third Ward area. I had a friend visit recently and she stayed at the Kimpton Journeyman, which also has a great restaurant and a fabulous rooftop area with expansive views of the city. I'm not sure if their rates will be low enough for you that time of year, but it's worth checking. You could also look for Air B&Bs in the Third Ward or the Lower East Side. Both of those areas will put you in close range of plenty to do. The lakefront area is nice, and we have a gorgeous art museum right on the water, along with a couple nicer restaurants. Happy to answer any other questions you might have!

Nycuwsapt, I was there decades ago and it seemed like there were large slum areas. Is crime high in central Milwaukee? I had a good tour of the Pabst brewery but they no longer brew there.

Second this location, Milwaukee is a bit of an undiscovered destination. The art museum on the lake is striking from the outside (never been in).

The Joan of Arc chapel is interesting
https://www.marquette.edu/st-joan-of-arc-chapel/

Dining and Bars
 

We will me in Milwaukee this May, looking for dining suggestions, etc for our family of 4 (sons 24 and 26). My husband and sons have home brewed for years so we plan on one beer tour. From Milwaukee we will head to door county.

Hi txtravelmom,

What kind of food do you like and where will you be staying? I like to bring out-of-town guests to the Lakefront Brewery for a tour and if the weather is nice, to sit outside and eat at their patio on the river. If you're interested in spirits, check out Central Standard, which is located in the Downtown area. They have a tasting room and a great kitchen. Last summer they also opened their Aviary, which is another of my favorite rooftop spaces in the city.

We will be travelling in a MotorHome and staying at the Wisconsin State Fair Park. We have a beer tour is on the list. We do have a chartered Fishing trip p[anned. We will be there on a Friday and heard something about Friday Fish Fries? Need an option in case we do not catch any fish on Friday. From Milwaukee we are heading to Door County. We also will have bicycles and heard something about a trail.

Just got back and stayed at the Pfister Hotel downtown, which is fancy but cool and historic.

Go to Swinging Door for lunch - it's amazing food in a lodge type environment.

If you're interested in a fish fry, which is definitely a thing in Wisconsin on Friday nights, check out Kegel's Inn, which is a German beer hall and restaurant that has been around for almost 100 years and has one of my favorite fish fries in the city. They're only a couple miles, if that, from the State Fair Park grounds. Be sure to get the potato pancakes!

You might be thinking of the Oakleaf Trail which runs for over 100 miles and connects all of the Milwaukee County Parks. I'm not a big biker, but my brother is, and I know he bikes on the trail regularly, especially for longer rides. https://www.traillink.com/trail/oak-leaf-trail/