How to Experience Milwaukee Like a Local in 2024

Posted: 3/15/2024 | March 15th, 2024

The following guest post is by my friends Adam from the website Getting Stamped. He and his wife are long time residents of Milwaukee and, since I’ve never been, I’ve invited him on to share some tips about visiting the city.

Milwaukee is underrated, in my opinion. I love it!

The largest city in Wisconsin and only 1.5 hours north of Chicago, it is the perfect size: not too small not too big. It offers tasty food and drinks, great sports teams, and fun festivals. Plus, it’s affordable. And don’t forget the friendly locals!

I have lived here my whole life, and my wife has lived here for 20 years. We’ve traveled around the world many times, and when it came time to plant roots and start a family, we could have gone anywhere. But we choose to come home to Milwaukee, which has so much to offer.

If you want to know how to experience it like a local, here are my insider tips:

1. Stay central

I highly recommend staying downtown or the Third Ward. This is where most of the popular attractions are located. The hotels might be slightly more expensive than elsewhere, but you’ll save on transportation costs since everything is walkable.

These are two hotels I love:

2. Take advantage of free rides

Milwaukee does not have a subway system, but it does have an amazing free streetcar service called the Hop, with numerous stops downtown and around the Third Ward area. Simply hop on and off — no tickets or reservations are needed! The Hop runs every 15 minutes during peak times and every 20 minutes off-peak and weekends. Click here for the map and schedule.

Insider tip: If you are heading to a sporting event, many bars and restaurants offer free shuttles to American Family Field for Brewer baseball games and concerts, Summerfest Grounds for festivals and concerts, Fiserv Forum for Bucks basketball games, and other events around town.
 

3. Eat like a local

You might think Milwaukee’s all beer and cheese (and there is no shortage of those), but the food scene has a lot more to offer. Milwaukee has its own (sometimes quirky) food traditions and staples, like ButterBurgers and frozen custard.

It also has some incredible markets, where you can enjoy some of the city’s best food from many vendors, all in one place and in a fun and affordable food-hall atmosphere. These are two of my favorites:

• 3rd Street Market Hall – This is a must-visit destination, as it provides a place for tourists and locals alike to…