3 Best Sights in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

This neighborhood, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is close to the Milwaukee River and is made up of a mix of large, often historic buildings that were formerly furniture store warehouses. Many have been restored and now house upscale shops, restaurants, and condos as the area transforms into an arts district. Old-fashioned street lamps illuminate the area, and a small park and a pedestrian mall along Broadway Street strike a verdant note. The ward is also home to the Milwaukee Public Market on Water Street and St. Paul Avenue and the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (273 E. Erie St.)

Located on the lakefront, this museum houses collections of paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, and decorative arts. Its permanent collection emphasizes European and American art of the 19th and 20th centuries. A soaring 2001 addition hosts major traveling exhibitions and includes a set of graceful "wings" that open during the day to let light stream into the gallery. The museum's lower-level café is a glass-walled promontory that faces the lake. Here, you can order light lunch or take a mid-afternoon coffee and dessert break. The addition also includes performance space, and the museum hosts dance, installation art, and other performances. Visit at noon to watch the building's wings flap.

Frank Lloyd Wright built his summer residence about a two-and-a-half hour drive from Milwaukee (Taliesin West was his winter home in Arizona). The famed architect's estate is made up of five buildings showcasing classic elements of his organic style on Wright's family land, with the main house rising gently from a hilltop. Seeking a more private life, the artist left Oak Park, Illinois in 2011 and began construction but the living quarters of Taliesin were rebuilt later twice after fires destroyed part of the building. For some insight into his personal life, be sure to read the Loving Frank, a novel by Nancy Horan about Wright's real-life relationship with Mamah Cheney. You can only experience the property through a tour—choose from exploring the house, hillside studio and theater, or entire estate—and reservations are recommended. The visitor center includes a cafe and a bookstore with great gifts for any fan of Wright's work. Check the website for detailed directions, the address has been known to confuse GPS systems.