Post w Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

Hi Abhishek Munigial,

Welcome to Wisconsin! Sorry about the weather - it gets better, I promise.

Milwaukee is teeming with things to do so your biggest problem will be deciding, not finding an activity that meets your interests. I'll start with Milwaukee then move into Waukesha, organized by category:

SPORTS Milwaukee Brewers, Major League Baseball -- Games happen regularly and tickets are reasonably priced (starting at $10, average cost for "good" seats $45). There are also Theme Nights such as Marvel Super Heroes Night (4/21), Star Wars Night (5/4), Cinco de Mayo (5/5), Zubazpalooza (5/26) --> you can find a full lineup on their website, just Google "Brewers Theme Nights"

Milwaukee Admirals, Professional Ice Hockey -- Again, games happen pretty regularly, and the tickets aren't too bad, plus they offer a Student Pass (a free app you download) that you can get tickets for $9.

Milwaukee Bucks, National Basketball -- Same as the others, tickets start at around $20.

ARTS & HISTORY Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory a.k.a. the Domes -- The Domes are giant greenhouses, each set up as a different biome. Here you can see various plants both native and foreign to the United States - it's a great way to see what different parts of the country are like without leaving WI. They are also hosting a two-day art festival May 5-6 that will feature local art and food. Tickets are only $8.

Milwaukee Art Museum -- Admission is $19 and you can see a collection of over 20,000 works of art including Ansel Adams, Pablo Picasso, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Plus, they've got a special photography exhibit about American Road Trips on display until 4/22.

Milwaukee Public Museum -- Admission is $18, but the first Thursday of each month is free. It has great exhibits an geology, botany, an archaeology from WI, the United States, and around the world. But I think the coolest thing to someone visiting Milwaukee is their Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit where you can walk through a recreation of a 1900s street complete with shops and houses of the time. Definitely worth a visit!

Summerfest -- Outdoor music festival -- If you're still here at the end of June, Summerfest is amazing! It's a huge, outdoor music festival right on Lake Michigan and, in June, will feature artists like Imagine Dragons, James Taylor, Halsey and Florida Georgia Line.

The Historic Third Ward -- A general area rather than a specific place, it’s downtown between Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River. It’s a hub for the arts, including the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and Broadway Theater Center. Also, has tons of great food like the Milwaukee Ale House, Kanpai Izakaya, the Milwaukee Public Market, and Red Elephant Chocolates.

FOOD Any kind of food you want you can find in Milwaukee. I'd personally recommend the following: -- AJ Bombers: serves American standards like burgers, fries and peanuts in a fun atmosphere; located on Water Street in downtown Milwaukee near all kinds of other shops. -- Cubanitas: serves Cuban tapas and drinks; small building, easy to miss from the road so it’s best to park and walk to it. So. Good. -- Engine Company 3: serves breakfast/brunch, farm-to-table style with an international spin; located in a refurbished firehouse.

Brewery Tours -- We’re Wisconsin, we’re kind of known for drinking…like a lot. We have a ton of breweries in Milwaukee (hence the nickname “Brew City”) and almost all of them offer tours where you get to see how they operate and taste-test some of their beers. -- Lakefront Brewery is the one I’d hit if you only have time for one; plus, they have amazing cheese curds. My #2 choice would be the Milwaukee Brewing Company tour. Great Lakes Distillery is good for spirits (e.g. vodka). The Historic Pabst Brewery and the Sprecher Brewing Co. tours are good to show more historic, old-school breweries. There are also a ton of craft breweries that make small batch beers and ciders.

WAUKESHA & NEARBY -- Downtown Waukesha is great to walk around. Also, every Friday night from June 2nd-September 15th there is live, outdoor music – for free! Local favorites include Allo Chocolat, Devino Gelato, Taylor’s People’s Park, and Tofte’s Table (yes, those are all restaurants…I like food lol).
-- My favorite shops downtown are Plowshare Fair Trade Marketplace and Antiques & Uniques which is a two-story antique store (you never know what you’ll find!).
-- Frame Park has a great walking trail around the Fox River and in the summer, there is a stand where you can rent kayaks and paddleboats; nearby Minooka Park has great walking trails as well. particularly

Saloon on Calhoun With Bacon (Brookfield, WI) -- Standard, American-style bar with AMAZING food - literally everything I've had here has been fantastic. They also have live music on Friday and Saturdays.

Milwaukee Beer Society meets every Wednesday evening for a beer tasting. http://milwaukeebeersociety.com

I agree with Amanda's ideas. In addition, on a nice day, you can go for a walk along the lakefront near the Milwaukee Art Museum. It's a very nice park. Also, walking through Bayview (Lincoln Ave + Kinnickinnic Ave) would be nice, with stores, restaurants galleries and coffee shops.