18 Amazing Things To Do In Milwaukee With Kids

There are so many fun, free and unexpected things to do in Milwaukee, Wisconsin . It is a great place to bring your family or for a romantic getaway !



One of the things I love about the city is that it is a small, big city. It is by no means the size of Chicago but is a bigger than Kenosha , Wisconsin. This makes it unique and is one of the things that is so cool about it. You can visit some amazing museums, attractions and restaurants but they aren’t as busy or crazy as big city attractions.



Here is where we recommend visiting with your family in Milwaukee.



Things To Do In Milwaukee With Kids



Discovery World



This is a hands on science museum where you and the kids will learn a ton and also have a lot of fun. Sometimes you go to hands on museums and nothing works. That is NOT the case with Discovery World. Instead they have multiple workers there to make sure machines are working and to help if they are not.



We really liked the Great Lakes area that talked about the Great Lakes while also having a simulated storm where the windows closed, rain fell and you could hear the thunder and see lightning. Don’t worry, it doesn’t rain where you are standing.






We also enjoyed the virtual reality attraction where the kids (who were 10, 7, 7 and 5) could put on the headset and experience the underwater virtual reality experience. There was also a really cool flight simulator where the kids learned how to land a plane.



There is so much more to do and we could have spent all day here exploring each of the floors and pushing buttons and pulling knobs all day long! They also have food on site and a really cool store – which you shouldn’t go into if you don’t want to buy anything.



If the weather is cooperating there is also a cool walkway around the museum that gives an amazing view of Lake Michigan and downtown Milwaukee.



Milwaukee County Zoo



We have been to quite a few zoos around the US and the Milwaukee Zoo still remains at the top of the list. They have a great selection of animals to see and a lot of them you can view indoors and outdoors so you can go year round.



They also have a nice playground area for the kids and one of our kids favorite things is the train, which takes you on a ride through the zoo. Then, when you are done, you can head over to the carousel for a ride.



If you are looking for some action they also offer a ropes course which we have not tried yet. Plus the Sky Safari which takes you on a ride over the zoo and some of the animal’s habitats.



Be sure to check the schedule for Kohl’s Wild Theatre and the animal feeding schedule. We have fed the giraffes and it is always a fun time!



Milwaukee Art Museum






We didn’t last long – the kids are still just too curious and want to touch everything . . . but the things we did do were really fun and we want to go back. Plus kids are free so that is always good.



They have a hands on area where we built paper structures and also did paper weaving. One of our favorite things was renting out different activities at the activities desk.



You can choose through a variety of things like a kit with a painting on it. You then go to the painting and follow the instructions in the kit.



Our favorite thing was getting the large pieces of fabric and going to the art work and striking a pose in the fabric in front of the artwork. It was so cool and fun!



The architecture of the Art Museum building is breathtaking in itself and well worth taking a walk around the outside of the building and also taking a minute to look at the building from the inside.



Make sure to check out tips on how to make an art museum trip successful with kids !



 



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Milwaukee Public Museum



You could spend all day exploring the multiple floors of this museum. You can learn about natural history, anthropology, botany, geology, history, zoology and more! We always have fun as a family walking through the museum and seeing what we can find.



One of our favorite exhibits to visit is the European Village. It is a recreated village from around the early 1900’s and actually has shops you can walk in and a few of them you can buy things – like candy that may have been around during that time.



The Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit is another neat recreated village, but this time it is old Milwaukee being recreated with buildings 3/4 scale size! So interesting to see history in this way. This is the most visited exhibit in the museum.



The rainforest is another exhibit where you walk through and feel like you could actually be in the rainforest. I love when you have a more interactive experience like that.



They also have the butterfly experience, bugs alive, animals and dinosaurs. Can you see how you could spend a whole day here?!



Harley Davidson Museum






We aren’t big Harley Davidson fans but it was still cool to walk through this museum that is filled with history on the motorcycles and is such a big part of Milwaukee.



The kids area was a big win with our kids where they could get dressed up and sit on a motorcycle their size that made noises and sounded like they were driving down the road. They also had a few touch screens where you could design your own motorcycle.



Our family’s favorite part was trying out a variety of motorcycles. You can’t touch most of the motorcycles but in the back there is a section where you can try out and sit on about 10 different motorcycles and see which one you would like. You can also get your picture taken here with a cool background.



Betty Brinn



If your kids are under 10 years old be sure to make time to stop at Betty Brinn. It is a really nice smaller sized children’s museum that has a variety of activities for kids.



Our favorite is always the grocery store, post office, auto shop section that has multiple setups like this were you can do make believe play. I have to admit I have fun playing with the kids here too!



They also have special exhibits that change every few months, a stage area, art/maker area and different programs and events. This is always at the top of our list what to do with kids in Milwaukee !



Also, check out how to save big money with a reciprocal museum membership !



Sprecher Brewery Tour






Yes, I am recommending a brewery tour with kids. Milwaukee, WI is the brew city, so it makes sense to do one when you plan a trip to Milwaukee. The tour part itself is pretty short and, no matter what it is, I think it is so cool to see the process of how things go from the factory to ready to be sent to the shelves.



The best part is the all you can drink soda at the end of the tour and the 4 beers the parents can get. They have a variety of different sodas and the kids can walk right up to ask for refills or to try a different flavor.



They also have games that you can play as a family. We always have a great time with our family when we go to a brewery together!









The Beach



No this isn’t Florida, but Lake Michigan is still beautiful and if the weather is nice a beach day in Milwaukee is a lot of fun! The sand is perfect for sand castle building and the water is fun to splash around in. We have spend many a summer day at the beaches of Lake Michigan. Add it to your list of things to do in Milwaukee, WI!



Bradford Beach is a popular beach to check out in Milwaukee.



Historic Pabst Brewery



Hey, it is historic – so yes, another brewery tour is on the list with your family. The building is amazing and the tour will give you more history on the city of Milwaukee and beer which do go hand in hand. If you want to continue learning about the Pabst family head to the Pabst Mansion !



And while you are at it check out the Lakefront Brewery too – remember Milwaukee is known for its beer! If you are looking to hit the bar scene without the kids, check out the Bay View neighborhood, voted the best bar district in the city several years running.



Sporting Events



With Milwaukee being a small, big city it is a great place to see professional sports since it isn’t as crazy as going to a big city to see an event. Parking is pretty easy and there are restaurants within walking distance of most venues. The games are fun and offer a great atmosphere to really enjoy the city and the people.



Milwaukee Brewers



The Miller Park baseball stadium is a little outside of downtown which is nice since it is easier to get in and out of the stadium. There is a TGI Friday’s restaurant that is in the stadium so you can eat during a game (may be hard to get seats) or else go on a day when there isn’t a game and you can eat there and look out over the stadium.



Milwaukee Bucks



The venue is located in downtown Milwaukee, so get there early and walk somewhere for dinner before heading over to the game. You can usually get really good priced tickets and get them the same day as the game assuming they aren’t having an amazing season or isn’t the playoffs.



Restaurants






Milwaukee is filled with a variety of restaurants from super fancy to kid friendly, focusing on food, drinks and fun. Here are a few that we checked out when we were there.



AJ Bombers



There are a few of these throughout the city. It is a unique restaurant with yummy comfort food and good drinks. We really enjoyed the hash-brown options.



The coolest thing about the restaurant were the peanut dropping bombers! Seriously so cool. They launch a bomber from the bar and it hits your table and drops peanuts down a shoot right onto your table.



The kids (and Craig and I too) thought it was so cool. Plus after you eat the peanuts you can throw the shells on the ground. Of course, the kids loved that.



Cafe Hollander



We visited the one in Tosa and it was a great family place. The kids meals were very reasonably priced and they got a lot of food. Plus there was a great selection of beers for us to choose from. Are you seeing the beer trend here?