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Milwaukee Wisconsin is located on the shores of the Great Lake Michigan and is best known for its German heritage and beer brewing history. A brewery tour is one of Milwaukee’s top things to do, I recommend Lakeside Brewery. If you are looking for an off-the-beaten-path experience, be sure to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block homes he designed for low-income families. Milwaukee has several great museums including the Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee Art Museum, and Harley Davidson Museum. If you love spending time outdoors you will not want to spend time at either Bradford Beach or Atwater Beach. Be sure to eat cheese curds, drink a Bloody Mary, eat frozen custard, and attend a Friday fish fry while visiting.
Whether it’s your first time in Milwaukee or you’ve visited before, you will have no problem filling your 24 hours in Milwaukee with amazing experiences. Below is how I spent my day in Milwaukee. Please use my hour-by-hour itinerary as a template and make it your own by filling in your personal bucket list dreams. Enjoy your time out of the office!
How to Spend One Day in Milwaukee Wisconsin
1-Day Milwaukee Itinerary Overview
Milwaukee Public Museum | Wisconsin Cheese Mart | Milwaukee Brat House | Milwaukee RiverWalk | Bronze Fonzie | Lakefront Brewery | Historic Third Ward | Milwaukee Public Market
Milwaukee is an Easy Day Trip from Chicago Illinois
Amtrak Hiawatha Line connects Chicago and Milwaukee in 90 Minutes; a round-trip ticket is only $50. Take the L from your hotel to Chicago Union Station. Book the 8:30 train to arrive in Milwaukee at 10 am. Book the return ticket for 5:45 and arrive in Chicago at 7:15. Train
READ Chicago Illinois Weekend Itinerary, the Best Things to Do
Milwaukee does not have an amazing public transit system. There is a free streetcar known as The Hop will take you to many of the city’s most famous sights. Stops are indicated on Google Maps or download your own map here.
Milwaukee is also a good day trip from Madison, Rockford, or Green Bay.
A Perfect Day in Milwaukee: Exploring the Highlights in 24 Hours
10 AM Grab an Uber from the train station to the Milwaukee Public Museum and check out the Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit. Grab another Uber to the Wisconsin Cheese Mart to sample a few of the 150 types of cheese.
Noon Wisconsin is well known for its German food. Walk across the street for lunch at Milwaukee Brat House or Mader’s. Take a walk on the Milwaukee RiverWalk. Stop for a selfie with the Bronze Fonzie from Happy Days and don’t miss the Gertie the Duck sculpture.
2:30 PM Tour Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery and see the bottling line used in the TV show Laverne and Shirley. Enjoy a beer on their lakefront patio and try the cheese curds.
4 PM Stop in the Milwaukee Public Market for a Bloody Mary and shop for souvenirs in the Historic Third Ward.
5:15 PM Make your way back to the train station for the 5:45 train to Chicago’s Union Station; you will arrive at 7:15.
Although Milwaukee is a great day trip destination there is more to see in this Brew City. Continue on for additional things to do in Milwaukee to supplement this one-day itinerary.
Top Things to Do in Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Tour the Pabst Mansion and take the Pabst Beer History Tour
- Go for a walk through the campus of Marquette University, don’t miss the St Joan of Arc Chapel
- See works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Picasso, and Andy Warhol at the Milwaukee Art Museum
- Visit the Grohmann Museum, a labor museum with a rooftop sculpture garden
- Attend a Candle Light Concert featuring classical music for a romantic night out
- Watch the light show on the Hoan Bridge after sunset
- Learn about brewing and distributing beer on the Miller Brewing tour
- Enjoy a German meal at Milwaukee Brat House or Mader’s
- See Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block
- Spend a day in the sun at Bradford Beach and have a cocktail at the Tiki Bar
- Check out the classic models and memorabilia at the Harley Davidson Museum
- Go mini-bowling at Koz’s Mini Bowl
- Enjoy a free summer jazz concert at Cathedral Square Park
- Check out the dome of the Basilica of St. Josaphat
- Explore the murals in Black Cat Alley
- Play around and take selfies in the 27 stations at Photoverse Selfie Museum
- Enjoy a beer and pretzel at the Old German Beer Hall
- Rent a kayak or boat and get out on the water in the Milwaukee River
- Attend a Bucks (basketball) or Brewers (baseball) game
- Check out the architecture of the Milwaukee Public Library
- Learn about Milwaukee’s history at the Milwaukee County Historical Society
- Experience Milwaukee’s German Heritage at a summer beer garden, try Whitnall Beer Garden
- Climb the 74-foot tall North Point Lighthouse for views of Lake Michigan
- Visit the Milwaukee County Zoo, a 200-acre wildlife park
- Check out the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum filled with over 10,000 bobblehead dolls
- Stop by Swing Park to swing underneath Milwaukee’s Holton Street bridge
- Explore the tropical, desert, and floral domes at the Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory
- Take the kids to Discovery World, Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, or Little Americka Amusement Park
- Bar hop on Water or Brady Street
- Enjoy a rooftop cocktail at The Outsider or Cafe Benelux
- Check out SafeHouse Spy Bar, a new twist on the speakeasy craze
- Dance the night away at Lucid Lounge or Trinity
Check the Visit Milwaukee Tourism Board website for current events and festivals.
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Booking Resources for Milwaukee Wisconsin
Wisconsin Travel Guide Books
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Milwaukee Wisconsin Tickets and Excursions
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Have a great vacation!