I just got greyhound tickets to Milwaukee for tomorrow.
What should I see?
I just got greyhound tickets to Milwaukee for tomorrow.
What should I see?
Please dont judge us by our pathetic bus terminal!
Go to the lakefront and see the Calatrava addition to the art museum. If you're up for a hike, continue north on Lincoln Memorial Drive and check out Villa Terrace and Lake Park (an Olmstead creation - although in poor condition, you can still see many of his works). If you get up that way, Lake Drive and Prospect Avenue are the city's "gold coast" and can be fun to tour.
The Public Museum has a Treasures of Ancient Egypt exhibit going on - I believe its the largest collection to ever be allowed out of the country for one showing.
Check out the riverwalk downtown and it's expansion south of downtown into the 3rd ward (warehouse district, the heart of all the trendy loft conversions and galleries).
The last day of Arab World Fest is happening at the Henry Meier Festival Park on the lakefront too (just south of the art museum, under the big harbor bridge).
Go to the Municipal Pier and check out the Dennis Sullivan, a replica schooner built for great lakes research, and the largest sailing ship on the great lakes.
Take a Brewery Tour at Lakeside Brewery (its actually under the Van Buren Street Bridge at Brady Street). While there, check out all the riverside development on the old Beer Line rail spur.
As an alternative to Starbucks, check out the RoChambo Cafe on Brady Street, just down the street on Brady is one of my favorite watering holes, the Nomad Bar.
The State Fair is going on just west of downtown, and you can probably grab a cheap shuttle bus from downtown.
Oh - make sure you check out the new 6th Street viaduct - it connects downtown to the south side - the first cable stayed bridge in the state and very cool. The City's biggest roundabout is at the south end of it, as is my favorite mexican restaurant, Cojnititos (George HW Bush ate there, so its gotta be good!) A big plate of enchiadlas will cost you all of $3. And the margaritas are killer too.
I could go on and on, but if you dont have a car, this is a good start, and can take up the whole day.
Have fun!
One last minute thought - check out the Great Northern Train Bar - it probably will not be open, but you should see it none the less, since it wont be here much longer.
It will be missed when it's gone! That place rocked.
It is a kewl bridge, but the footbridge over the US 41/45 freeway in Menomonee Falls is cable-stayed and was built in the 1960s.Originally posted by Chet
Please dont judge us by our pathetic bus terminal!
Oh - make sure you check out the new 6th Street viaduct - it connects downtown to the south side - the first cable stayed bridge in the state and very cool. The City's biggest roundabout is at the south end of it, as is my favorite mexican restaurant, Cojnititos (George HW Bush ate there, so its gotta be good!) A big plate of enchiadlas will cost you all of $3. And the margaritas are killer too.
I could go on and on, but if you dont have a car, this is a good start, and can take up the whole day.
Have fun!
Also, you forgot the Safehouse, the famous spy-themed bar by the river on Front St between Mason and Wells Streets (a block or two north of Wisconsin Av). It is well worth seeking out.
Mike
If you hit any neighborhoods a little north of downtown and are in search for a watering hole, check out artbar (http://www.artbar-riverwest.com/) and Center street has some nice spots (http://www.fuelcafe.com/). If you see the 6th street bridge, check out La Fuente on 5th. Try the shrimp soup but it is very rich. Hope you enjoy the city.
You have all summed up what I would have recommended. If you can't get to lakefront brewery, go to the Ale House and enjoy an awesome microbew on their outdoor deck overloking the river. If you are here in the AM and are looking for an awesome brunch, try the Hi-Hat on the previously mentioned Brady Street.
"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are."
- Homer Simpson
Thanks guys. I just got back. I LOVE Milwaukee. It's a great town. Beautiful architecture. Wonderful urbanity. Great infill. I took most of your suggestions and liked all of it. It feels like a little Chicago. The transit is a bit dodgy though.
I forgot about going south of downtown but I did walk down 6th street. Nice bridge but the area south of it is pretty hard-luck. Milwaukee REALLY needs light rail! I can't believe people say it's too spread out. There's enough urbanity there to support it right now without induced infill. They should run a line down 6th street into that area to open it up for redevelopment.
Riverside wasn't giving tours but they gave me a free beer (a very nice lager) and I wandered around it on my own.
iamme -- I wish I'd read your suggestion. I ate lunch on Brady Street but needed a place downtown for dinner. Most places were closed so I ended up at this Subway-quality sub shop.I actually really felt like a beer but I couldn't find any opened bars. But after the sandwich, I went to that area east of City Hall (Which is beautiful, btw) to read some Hemmingway that I bought at that "Downtown Bookstore" on Wisconsion or thereabouts while waiting for my bus. Then, on the way to the Greyhound station, I saw that "Rock Bottom" place that looked pretty happening. I don't know how I missed it when looking.
But anway, it was a good visit to a great city. Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I never would have found Brady Street on my own and that was the biggest find of the whole trip I think.
On a Sunday afternoon/night the best place to get drinks and dinner is probably the Third Ward, Water Street (not too far from the Rock Bottom) or North Avenue (about 6-7 blocks north of Brady. Same with food. Esentially downtown businesses shut down on Sunday. It has actually gotten better in recent years but there is much room for improvement.
Sounds like you got a pretty decent glimpse of Milwaukee. Give a couple of weeks notice next time you are coming and maybe we can throw together a mini laefest and tour.
"I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are."
- Homer Simpson
Yeah I should have, but I only decided to go to Milwaukee on Saturday.
By the way, pictures will be forthcoming. I'm going to go to the camera shop now and drop off the film.
Sounds a bit like what we once had there. The Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee electric interurban ran through the South Side down the middle of 6th Street. That ceased to be in 1963. The tracks on the rickety old 6th Street Viaduct even remianed in place until the new bridge was built a few years ago.
What's the status on those pictures?By the way, pictures will be forthcoming. I'm going to go to the camera shop now and drop off the film.
Youse guys really have it good on your side of the Lake. I'm jealous. Since my car has aged, I no longer dare to take the 12-Cline Ave-41 tour to the upwind side.
They're around. I have a big backlog.
Quote
