Milwaukee: Lakefront, Museums and Trails

Lake Michigan, extensive trails, and museums with a range of focuses give Milwaukee many sides to explore on a trip. You can tailor your experience of nature, art, history, and food culture to your interests—from walking across bridges to visiting a historic home or taking a cooking class.

Lakefront and Trails

Milwaukee County Parks includes several miles of Lake Michigan shoreline. The system comprises more than 150 parks. Milwaukee County Parks also has the longest paved trail network in Wisconsin. The Oak Leaf Trail is a multi-use trail network stretching more than 135 miles.

For a specific bike ride, the Lake Park Loop offers a different option: it is a scenic ride of about 8 miles along Milwaukee’s lakefront promenade. The South Shore Line of the Oak Leaf Trail is about 16 miles long. It begins at Cupertino Park, initially follows the Lake Michigan shoreline through South Shore Park, Warnimont Park, Sheridan Park, and Grant Park, then follows the Oak Creek Parkway and returns to the lakefront through a section in Bender Park. If you compare the routes by length, they are about 8 and 16 miles respectively; the South Shore Line passes through several parks and along a parkway.

A shorter trail option is the Seven Bridges Trail: two miles in total, it leads over ten bridges to a secluded beach area. In winter, conditions may affect access; check conditions before your visit. It is also worth checking access conditions before a paddling trip. The Milwaukee Urban Water Trail identifies access points for canoes, kayaks, and other small, non-motorized boats along the urban sections of the three rivers and the Milwaukee County lakefront.

Museums, Architecture and History

The Milwaukee Art Museum has a 24-acre lakefront campus and a collection of more than 34,000 works of art. Pabst Mansion offers a different architectural experience: it is a historic house museum and an architectural landmark in Milwaukee. Docent-led tours last 60 minutes and cover the mansion, the Pabst family, and the architecture and furnishings; they include the first through third floors. A tour for adults explores the development of Milwaukee’s brewing industry and includes a toast with Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Other attractions offer their own highlights. The Milwaukee County Zoo grounds cover 190 acres, and the zoo opened in 1961. At the Milwaukee Public Museum, butterflies from around the world fly in a 76-degree indoor garden. At the Harley-Davidson Museum, visitors can get a look at the archive work areas and see the so-called “Vault,” where motorcycles are stored. Museum visits can therefore range from art and architecture to nature, motorcycles, and the history of the brewing industry.

Market and Cooking Classes

The Milwaukee Public Market offers artisan and ethnic products as well as freshly prepared food. Ongoing cooking classes include printed recipes and tastings of the dishes prepared. This turns a market visit into a hands-on activity: you can try the food on offer or learn to prepare it in a class.

Discover More Destinations

South Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Wauwatosa, Glendale, Brown Deer, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood, St. Francis, Cudahy, West Allis, Milwaukee, Greenfield, River Hills

For the main travel overview: Wisconsin.