Milwaukee, Take a Break on the Lake
Written: Jun 05 '00 (Updated Jan 24 '02)
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Pros: Fun, Friendly, Lots to see and do, great food
Cons: Very very cold in the winter
The Bottom Line: There's a lot more to Milwaukee than beer, Harley-Davidson Motorcycles, and the Brewers
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| Howard_Creech's Full Review: Milwaukee |
The first time I visited Milwaukee, I fell in love with the very first Wisconsin girl I ever met. We're still together after almost thirty years. I soon fell in love with her hometown too.
Jerry Lee Lewis' famous song, "What's made Milwaukee famous" pays tribute to the best known export from the "Cream City", but Milwaukee has lots more to offer than beer.
The downtown area features the Milwaukee Public Museum, which has exhibits like the "Streets of Old Milwaukee", a European village, a native American Pueblo, a T. Rex Skeleton, and a Costa Rican Rain Forest. My nephews absolutely love this place. The Pabst Mansion and the Pabst Theatre are both nearby, along with dozens of lovely old churches, and the Potawotomi Bingo Casino.
Milwaukee is famous for it's festivals, and several ethnic festivals are held each year, featuring food and culture from Italian, Mexican, Irish, and other ethnic groups. Milwaukee's most famous festival is the eleven day Summerfest Music Festival with famous performers on multiple stages (much like "Jazzfest" in New Orleans) at the Henry Maier Lakefront Festival grounds. Summerfest runs from the end of June through the July 4th weekend. George Carlin was arrested for obscenity at Summerfest for saying the "seven words you can't say on TV", evidently you can't say them at Summerfest either.
On the west side of town is the Harley-Davidson Factory (tours 414-343-4056) where the engines for the world famous "Hogs" are made. The Milwaukee County Zoo (414-771-3040) has more than 3,000 animals on display in "natural habitat" environments. Miller Brewery (tours 414-931-BEER) brews more than 40,000,000 barrels of beer each year, samples are available at the conclusion of the tour.
On the north side is the "Brooks Stevens Automobile Collection" (call 414-241-4185) with more than seventy classic cars on display. Fans of antique autos will love this place. Stevens was a major force in automotive design and racing for the the American auto industry in the fifties and sixties.
Milwaukee has some of the finest parks and gardens of any city in the country. Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory (414-649-9800) or as the locals call it, "The Domes", features three seven story geodesic "Greenhouse" domes. When I lived in Milwaukee, I loved the "Domes" in the winter. It was really a treat to visit the desert or rain forest for a couple of hours and get a break from the freezing cold outside. The Schlitz Audubon Center features prairie, wetland, and forest areas with walking trails, on the shores of Lake Michigan. This preserve (which was a gift from one of Milwaukee's famous "Beer Barons") is especially beautiful in the fall because of the many old trees.
Milwaukee is justly famous for its food, and the residents of Milwaukee love to eat. One treat not to be missed is the local ice cream, an especially rich and creamy variety unique to Milwaukee, called frozen custard. The best place to have frozen custard is at Leon's, (414-383-1784) a Milwaukee landmark for decades. Leon's looks like something straight out of the fifties, with a huge neon American flag atop the tiny little drive up ice cream stand. Be sure to try the Raspberry Frozen Custard. Another famous frozen custard purveyor is Kopp's with three locations and some of the best (and largest) cheeseburgers in town. Kopp's has more flavors than Baskin-Robbins, call (414-282-4080) for the flavor of the day and location information.
Attractions near Milwaukee include the "Smith Brother's Fish Shanty" in Port Washington, famous for their Friday night fish fry and the scrumptious Mile High Lemon Pie. Call (414-284-5592) for reservations and directions. Baraboo, about two hours west of Milwaukee, is the home of Circus World Museum. This is Barnum & Bailey's winter home, the location of the "Circus Clown School", dozens of antique circus wagons, and Circus performances under the "big top" all summer. A paradise for children. Call (608-356-0800) for times, dates, cost, and information. Five miles north of Baraboo (just off Hwy 12) is the "International Crane Foundation" dedicated to preserving the world population of cranes and the unique habitats where they live. The ICF has the most complete collection of Cranes anywhere in the world. Tours are available from May 1 through October 31. For more information call the Baraboo Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-BARABOO.
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Recommended:
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Epinions.com ID:
Howard_Creech
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Member: Howard Creech
Location: Louisville, KY
Reviews written: 333
Trusted by: 1274 members
About Me:
Photographer/Writer fascinated by Movies, Music, Books, American Diner Food, History, "Popular Culture", and Travel.
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