Milwaukee is the largest city in Wisconsin and the 22nd largest city in the United States, located just 90 minutes north of Chicago. Situated along Lake Michigan’s western shore where three rivers converge, the Native Americans originally named the land Millioki, meaning "gathering place by the waters." Because of its prime location in the heart of the Midwest, Milwaukee enjoys four distinct seasons. Lake Michigan influences the weather considerably, cooling the city in the warm summer months and moderating the cold temperatures in the winter.

Milwaukee grew from a French fur-trading post into a booming industrialized city throughout the 19th century, where it became a land of opportunity for emigrants fleeing their homeland. It attracted immigrants from Germany, Poland, Scandinavia, England, Ireland, Serbia and Russia. Milwaukee’s early settlers made a lasting impression during the city’s formative years that greatly impacts today’s modern metropolis. Historic ethnic architecture and a summer-long heritage festival season remain integral aspects of Milwaukee’s identity. Today Milwaukee continues to be a diverse city and is a symbol for the multicultural America to come.

In the world of commerce, Milwaukee has enjoyed a rich beer brewing heritage dating back more than 150 years with the Miller Brewing Company, and for motorcycling enthusiasts, Milwaukee is home to a true American legend: the Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Entertainment, Celebration and Fun

Swinging nightlife and family-friendly activities

The city sports several entertainment districts and a variety of pubs and clubs that will please every night owl. Many of the area’s nighttime hotspots are located along the Milwaukee RiverWalk. This 1.6 mile pedestrian promenade flanks both sides of the river, snaking through the heart of downtown while passing some of the city’s most chic boutiques and eateries along the way. Outdoor dining and vibrant public art in a variety of media lining the RiverWalk make it an exciting nightlife destination. The North Avenue district is a nightlife hub on the fashionable East Side. It’s home to numerous bars, Italian restaurants and German and Irish pubs. Beatnik charm and ethnic history make Brady Street an intriguing and popular nightlife destination. The Water Street entertainment district’s stretch of bars, brewpubs and restaurants are among the city’s favorite. Downtown’s Cathedral Square Park and Pere Marquette Park host weekly nighttime concerts during the summer.

Heralded as the “City of Festivals,” Milwaukee celebrates its melting-pot heritage throughout the year with a procession of ethnic and cultural events. Romance, nostalgia and history reign during Milwaukee’s Polish Fest, Festa Italiana, Bastille Days, African World Festival, Mexican Fiesta and Indian Summer Festival. Milwaukee also hosts the world’s largest Irish heritage festival, Irish Fest, and North America’s largest annually held German Festival, German Fest. The world’s largest music festival, Summerfest, headlines the festival season as an 11-day event with 11 stages showcasing a medley of music from classic rockers to today’s superstars, to tomorrow’s up-and-comers. The Wisconsin State Fair, held in August, combines Wisconsin’s agricultural traditions with present day entertainment during a 10-day extravaganza of food, family and fun.

Enjoy family fun throughout the year with Milwaukee’s sports teams. You’ll find plenty to cheer about; we have a professional baseball team, basketball team, indoor soccer team, hockey team and competitive college athletics. Amazing Miller Park, consistently rated as one of the top ball parks in the country and home to the Milwaukee Brewers baseball club, is the only stadium with a fan-shaped convertible roof in the Western Hemisphere. You won’t want to miss the major league’s only racing sausages –a between inning fan favorite. The Milwaukee River hosts the annual Milwaukee River Challenge. This top rowing event draws more than 450 athletes from across the nation. For people who like speed, the Milwaukee Mile provides non-stop car racing thrills at a number of events throughout the summer.

The Jewel of the Great Lakes

Dramatic vistas with masterpiece architecture

Milwaukee is an outdoor paradise featuring miles of shoreline – from sandy beaches to woodland retreats. Convenient boat launches make it easy to get on the water. In addition to pleasure boating and sailing, the lake is a choice spot for windsurfing, jet-skiing and freshwater surfing. Anglers come from far and wide to charter adventure-filled excursions that put them within hook, line and sinker of almost 100 species of fish.

Five beaches add up to plenty of opportunities for fun in the sun. A retro concession stand and public volleyball courts make Bradford Beach one of the city’s most popular. A gaggle of colorful kites usually hovers above lakeside Veteran’s Park, a choice destination for in-line skaters and bikers. Lake Park offers fine dining, a pitch-and-putt golf course and an historic lighthouse. Lakeside Henry Maier Festival Park hosts the many of the summer’s most popular attractions.

In fact, Milwaukeeans enjoy the most parkland per person in the United States. An adventurer’s favorite, the 100+ mile Oak Leaf Trail snakes through the city with ever-changing scenery from serene woodlands to stately mansions to striking waterfalls. The Schlitz Audubon Center enjoys national acclaim for its spectacular bird viewing. Milwaukee County Park System’s Milwaukee County Zoo, one of the country’s finest zoological attractions, is home to 2500 animals. Its unique giraffe habitat includes a six-foot tall observation deck from which visitors can see the gentle giants eye-to-eye and feed them as well.

The spectacular Santiago Calatrava-designed Burke Brise Soleil addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum rises boldly from Lake Michigan’s shore. Its stunning architecture earned the museum a place among only three “New American Beauties” named by People magazine in 2003. Considered Wisconsin’s premier arts institution, the museum’s more than 20,000 permanent holdings span antiquity to the present and include works by Degas, Monet, Warhol and Picasso. It showcases one of the nation’s finest assemblages of post-1960s modern art including one of the largest Georgia O’Keefe collections in the world. But the Art Museum is only the tip of the iceberg –Milwaukee offers a world-class arts and culture showcase and enjoys acclaim as a Top 25 Arts Destination according to American Style magazine.

The world’s only museum to connect exploration and innovation with Great Lakes resources is the newest must-see addition to Milwaukee’s lakefront. Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin features experiential learning through interactive exhibits, fresh and salt water aquariums, touch tanks, digital theaters, and labs. Climb the inventive building’s double helix model staircase to the Pilot House for 360-degree views of the lake and city. The museum’s public grounds include Pier Wisconsin, home to the re-creation 1800s schooner, the S/V Dennis Sullivan. Milwaukee also offers several other enriching hands-on learning experiences such as the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Eisner Museum of Advertising and Design and the Milwaukee Public Museum (which also houses the Humphrey Imax Dome Theater and the Daniel Soreff Planetarium, one of the world’s most technologically advanced star-gazing opportunities.)

Neighborhood Charm

Classic meets cutting-edge

Milwaukee’s most distinctive neighborhoods grew from its diverse heritage. The Historic Third Ward is a burgeoning district amidst an urban renaissance. Its turn-of-the-century buildings once housed the city’s most prominent manufacturers but today are home to many of the city’s posh boutiques and eateries. Brick facades and market-style oversized awnings add a sense of history to Milwaukee’s fashion district which boasts the largest concentration of art galleries in the city as well as trendy clothing boutiques, must-visit beauty shops and hip home décor retailers.

At the heart of the fashionable East Side, Brady Street runs from the Milwaukee River on the west to Lake Michigan on the east. Once Milwaukee’s Little Italy, it transformed into a hippie haven in the 1960s. Brady Street represents a unique mix of counter-culture hotspots and ethnic charm. A variety of interesting clothing retailers sells everything from vintage favorites to vogue couture in this humble walk-around neighborhood known for its historic architecture. Literary great Oscar Wilde once remarked, “If what you want isn’t on Brady Street, you probably don’t need it,” during his early 20th century visit to the crossroads of Milwaukee.

Milwaukee’s oldest neighborhood is also one of its most charming. Lovingly restored homes line the streets of Historic Walker’s Point, a gathering place for a plethora of artists, photographers and musicians who choose the area for its industrial chic ambiance and history. Ornamented double houses, historic cottages bubbling with curb appeal and one of the area’s rare pre-Civil War residences originally housed some of the city’s most hard-working settlers. Towering above the quaint homes is the “Polish Moon,” officially known as the Allen-Bradley Clock Tower. This is the largest four-sided clock in the world, with each of its faces measuring twice the size of London’s Big Ben. Milwaukee’s only surviving original settlement town now is home to the city’s vibrant Latin-American community and the wonderful churches, schools, restaurants and stores that celebrate their rich culture.

To a Tee

Public access to world-class courses

It’s easy to see why Golf Digest Magazine rated the Milwaukee area the third best golf destination in the U.S. Of Milwaukee’s 140 parks, 16 are home to some of the most challenging and enjoyable golf courses around. With 60 sand-filled bunkers, tree-lined fairways and winding waterways, Brown Deer’s course is a pick of PGA Tour professionals. Numerous standout courses are located within an hour’s drive of the city, including The American Club’s Whistling Straits Golf Course, host to the 2004 PGA Championship. If your skills aren’t “up to par,” Milwaukee County golf courses include five categories of difficulty: premium, golf, silver, bronze and oak.

Genuine American City

Everything old is new again in a city that cherishes its past

Milwaukee stands poised for the 21st century yet couched in traditional small town values. It is sophisticated, without pretension; bustling, without congestion; old-world charm mixed with new world vigor.

The Great American Motorcycle has been a Milwaukee tradition for more than 100 years. William S. Harley and the Davidson brothers created the iconic Harley-Davidson motorcycle in Milwaukee in 1903. The company’s continual fusion of tradition and innovation demonstrates ingenuity rooted in Milwaukee’s ideals. Get to know the muscle behind the machines with a Harley-Davidson factory tour; the Powertrain Operations Facility is located just outside of Milwaukee.

Celebrate the American classic at the one-of-a-kind Harley-Davidson Museum, coming in 2008. The 130,000-square foot complex will showcase the legendary motorcycles, passionate riders and the unforgettable stories that have made Harley-Davidson famous around the world. Expect to see Elvis Presley’s red 1956 Harley, the famous Serial Number One (the oldest bike in the Harley-Davidson collection, dating back to 1903,) the 13-foot “King Kong” customized bike, 40 years in the making as well as rare photographs and vintage advertisements.

Milwaukee prides itself on a strong tradition of notoriety for its warm breed of midwestern hospitality. A friendly welcome awaits at our cornucopia of delicious local restaurants. Whether it’s sophisticated seafood or spicy Spanish cuisine, Milwaukee’s restaurant scene is sure to whet your appetite. Dining options include ethnic delights, genuine American cuisine and authentic brewpubs that preserve and celebrate the city’s storied brewing history. Mader’s and Karl Ratzsch’s provide an unforgettable German dining experience with their traditional fare and Bavarian decor. Casual French sophistication reverberates throughout Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro and Coquette Café. La Perla and La Fuente add spice with award-winning burritos, extensive tequila selection and festive atmosphere. Sake Tumi and Nanakusa present inventive Asian fusion cuisine in a contemporary setting. Experience a taste of Africa with African Hut’s collection of pan-African delicacies in an authentic atmosphere. Casual elegance is a Milwaukee mainstay, many of our restaurants serve gourmet American cuisine in chic settings. Enjoy superb waterway views with a plethora of outdoor dining options along Lake Michigan or the Milwaukee River. Milwaukee Ale House and Water Street Brewery both offer unique specialty beers brewed on premises and savory American cuisine along the Milwaukee River. Save room for dessert from Kopp’s Frozen Custard, a hometown favorite

True Brew City

A sense of history adds an air of sophistication

Milwaukee is known far and wide as the quintessential brew city. A history touched by the birth of four of the largest breweries in the world made Milwaukee the authority on all things beer. Today the city’s world-class macro-brewery, philanthropic contributions, historic construction and authentic microbreweries continue our proud heritage.

Though the days of the booming beer barons have passed, Milwaukee remains a true brew city as home to one of the world’s leading breweries, the Miller Brewing Company. Still standing on the original land purchased by Frederick Miller in 1855, America’s oldest major brewery continues to make fine beverages with an emphasis on local production.

Miller carries on a tradition rooted in the philanthropy of the original beer barons. Historically Milwaukee’s captains of industry helped fund many of the city’s assets that will be enjoyed for generations to come. Miller Brewing Company proudly serves as a major sponsor of Wisconsin’s athletics, Summerfest, the Milwaukee County Zoo and its namesake, Miller Park. Don’t miss the factory tour located on the original grounds featuring the historical caves and the high-tech plant.

Two of Milwaukee’s first brewery owners left lasting legacies with their contributions to help educate the public. The home of Captain Frederick Pabst now serves as a living museum where patrons can take a step back in time to the years of Victorian elegance. Land which once served as a country retreat and resting grounds for the Schlitz family and their brewery horses now promotes appreciation and understanding of our natural heritage as a leading environmental education center.

Libiamo Restaurant Tavern & Hall serves up contemporary Italian cuisine in the original home of “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” The historic Schlitz Brewery’s Brown Bottle Taproom retains its original elegance with a new twist. See if you can spot Milwaukee’s collection of former Schlitz taverns while adventuring through the city. The eye-catching iconic architecture of many of the city’s updated restaurants can be traced back to their Schlitz origins. The conical roofs above the corner entryways stand out across town.

Milwaukee is home to two renowned microbreweries, the Lakefront Brewery and Sprecher, authentic brewpubs and the world’s only brewery tour by boat. The Brew City Queen takes beer enthusiasts down the Milwaukee River while stopping at the city’s favorite brewpubs located along the banks, and the microbreweries offer entertaining up-close looks at the makings of Milwaukee’s favorite beverage.

Native American Influence

A spirit of appreciation

Long before the first settlers came to this area, the Algonkian and Potawatomi Indians had a special name for the land: Millioki, which means “gathering place by the waters.” The American Indians may have selected this name because they used the area for tribal gatherings –or because they observed how three rivers (the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic and the Milwaukee) met before flowing into the waters of Lake Mie-sit-gan (Michigan).

Today the modern metropolis serves as a gathering place to honor Native American traditions. Indian Summer immerses visitors from across the country in the celebrated culture with its competition pow-wow, parade of nations and traditional costumes. While the historic burial mounds in Lake Park are the city’s sole vestiges of its original inhabitants, the Milwaukee Public Museum’s extensive permanent exhibit provides a rare insight into Native American culture and lifestyle.

Potawatomi Bingo and Casino also pays homage to the city’s roots with its spectacularly decorated gaming facility. The casino floor plan reflects the rich heritage of the Potawatomi nation. The Circle Of Life is found in the center of the main gaming area surrounded by the four seasons, with spring in the East, summer in the South, and fall in the West and winter to the North. While the focus is entertainment, the building doubles as a museum of sorts, telling the story of the Forest County Potawatomi people and culture through artwork and design.