Cheese, History and Fun in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

It’s easy to get flustered when planning for an epic family getaway, even if just for the weekend. Here’s why we love Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

In the last few years, we have embarked on a dozen or more road trips, fly-away trips, and around-the-corner trips as much as we possibly could. From Key West to Seattle, we’ve developed a deep passion for all the incredible places and people in which these places are home to. More importantly, we love to travel with our kids to see and experiences these places as well.

That being said, we know there are many great summer break destinations across the country, but Milwaukee quickly became one of our favorites places to visit in the midwest. We counted down the days until our trip with excitement and were more than ready to tackle everything Milwaukee had to offer. With a full itinerary of activities and only a little over 48 hours in town, we knew it’d be a fun and action-packed trip.

Stoked about visiting a city we’ve never been to, museums we’ve yet to explore, and getting the opportunity to eat food new to us, we packed up our suitcases in a hurry and ran out the door. The drive from Indianapolis to Milwaukee was a pleasant one considering we were driving the 2018 Dodge Durango SRT. And since we left at night, we thankfully missed all of the crazy Chicago traffic so it took us approximately five hours to reach The Pfister Hotel – located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Where to stay:

The Pfister Hotel

For 125 years, The Pfister Hotel has stood as an icon of prestige, history and timeless excellence in Milwaukee. Pfister associates strive to ensure that when guests arrive, they come to a warm and friendly place that is much more than a hotel – it’s an experience. As Milwaukee’s renowned luxury hotel, The Pfister has brought history, a celebration of art and a philosophy of exceptional hospitality to locals and visitors alike.

Read the entire review!

What to do:

The Harley Davidson Museum®

No stuffy, keep-your-voice-down museum experience here. The Harley-Davidson Museum^® is all about fun and
freedom – for every member of the family. When Jerry suggested we visit the museum, I was actually really disappointed I didn’t think of this idea myself. HA! Afterall, the kids did watch the three-part miniseries on the Discovery channel which is based on the true story of how the birth of this iconic bike came about during a time of great social and technological change beginning at the turn of the 20th century.

We couldn’t have been more pleased with our visit and I am so glad we decided to go. It was such a wonderful experience taking a walk through history and the bumpy journey to success. It was fun to show the kids the serial number one and how with innumerable obstacles, ruthless competitors and extraordinary risks, Harley Davidson was able to accomplish the American dream.

With 12 can’t miss family activities, The Harley-Davidson Museum is a must-see when visiting Milwaukee.

Discovery World

Discovery World is Milwaukee’s premier, non-profit science and technology center that is jam-packed full of fun for the whole family. The 120,000 sq. ft. center offers fun and educational experiences and features interactive exhibits, the Reiman Aquarium, educational labs and programs, and other exciting activities.

Discovery World was so much more than I could have ever imagined. We all had such a great time that they had to practically kick us out. There was something new to be explored, discovered and touched on every inch of the building.

Ready to inspire the next generation of engineers, designers, scientists, innovators, community leaders, and makers? Take a look at their website and let me know what you think!

Where to eat:

Milwaukee Public Market

After many hours of traveling through time at the museum, we headed down the street a few blocks to the Milwaukee Public Market to grab some lunch. While doing some research I learned that this was Milwaukee’s most unique downtown food destination – and rightfully so!

With so many high-quality selections of artisan and ethnic products, and freshly-made prepared foods as well as independent merchants for buying local goods, we had plenty of choices when it came to choosing. Since we can never really agree as a family on what we should eat, I am so thankful we didn’t have to!

AJ Bombers

The best way to sum up AJ Bombers is with three simple words – P-Nuts, Burgers & Beer! The environment is super chill and it was a fun place to go after a long day at the Discovery Center to eat and unwind. The menu has a wide variety of bar-type food and of course, cheese! Lots and lots of cheese.

The kids really loved seeing peanuts sent to the table bomber style and they left a little piece of history on the walls. If you’re looking for a reservation-free, amazing food, fun atmosphere kinda place… AJ Bombers is where it’s at.

If you are planning a trip to Milwaukee, be sure to take these places into consideration or head over to VisitMilwaukee.org and check out a few others you want to visit while in the cheese state.