Milwaukee
Find the neighborhood that fits
Milwaukee has eight neighborhoods and a lakefront, from the Third Ward to Riverwest, each with its own mood.
Photo: SecretName101, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The Riverwalk at Trestle Park, June 2024.
Photo: SecretName101, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Updated
About this guide
Eight neighborhoods and the lakefront are worth knowing, from the Historic Third Ward to Riverwest and Wauwatosa. Here is the feel of each one and who will like it.
Plan your day
Start in the Historic Third Ward: Milwaukee Public Market is open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wauwatosa is 10 minutes from the action at AmFam Field, says Discover Wauwatosa.
Eight neighborhoods and the lakefront
Historic Third Ward
Ten square blocks of historic buildings, galleries and boutiques, steps from the lake. Do the Public Market, then the river. Suits wanderers.
Arts and food
What to do in the Third Ward (Historic Third Ward)
Downtown and Old World Third Street
Rooftop bars and a walkable core. Old World Third keeps Victorian storefronts that go back to 1855. Suits game weekends and first‑timers.
East Side
Chic, artsy and known for trendy dining. Walk Lake Park to the North Point Lighthouse, whose history dates to 1855. Suits strollers.
Brady Street
The Brady Street Business Improvement District describes “9 blocks that run east to west from Lake Michigan to the Milwaukee River.” Restaurants, bars and shops; Glorioso's Italian Market has been a local staple since 1946. Suits an easy night out.
Walker's Point
Diverse eateries, nightlife and a craft cocktail scene. The taproom at Urban Harvest, in a building from 1897, has Cream City brick walls. Suits night owls.
Bay View
Art, parks, community events and a laid‑back mood. Bay View Bash is a community festival with live music. Suits slow, local evenings.
Laid-back
What to do in Bay View (Bay View)Riverwest
Diverse and artsy, with watering holes, eateries and quirky shops. Lakefront Brewery started in a Riverwest bakery. Suits the curious.
Wauwatosa
Laid‑back charm minutes from downtown: five walkable districts, boutiques and good food. Suits a quieter base.
Quiet base
Plan a Wauwatosa visit (Wauwatosa)
The lakefront
1,400 acres of beaches and parkland on the water. Bradford Beach is downtown. Lake Park has a waterfall, a lighthouse and a staircase down the bluff. Suits walkers and families.
Photo: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
| Area | Start with |
|---|---|
| Historic Third Ward | Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St. Open Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. |
| Downtown | Old World Third Street, with Victorian storefronts that go back to 1855 and a short walk to the rooftop bars. |
| East Side | Lake Park and North Point Lighthouse. Tour the lighthouse grounds and museum, then climb to the top. |
| Brady Street | Glorioso's Italian Market, a local staple since 1946. |
| Walker's Point | The taproom at Urban Harvest, with Cream City brick walls in a building from 1897. |
| Bay View | Bay View Bash, a community festival with live music. In summer, Chill on the Hill is a weekly outdoor concert series at Humboldt Park. |
| Riverwest | Lakefront Brewery, which started in a Riverwest bakery. Check its site for tour times. |
| Wauwatosa | Five walkable districts. Discover Wauwatosa says you can stay 10 minutes from the action at AmFam Field. |
| The lakefront | Bradford Beach and Lake Park, where the Grand Staircase takes you down the bluff. |
Hours and dates change. Check each place before you go.
Where we fit in
Oak Barrel Public House, Who's on Third and 3rd Street Retreat are on Old World Third Street downtown. It is the last relatively intact part of the old German retail district, with Victorian storefronts going back to 1855.
Who's on Layton is our third bar. Whichever area you pick, we would send you to the others too. Milwaukee rewards a walk.
Sources
Visit Milwaukee, the city tourism bureau 8 facts
- Visit Milwaukee: Third Ward galleries
- Visit Milwaukee: Downtown rooftop bars and a walkable core
- Visit Milwaukee: East Side
- Visit Milwaukee: North Point Lighthouse, the Grand Staircase and the park's seasons
- Visit Milwaukee: Brady Street, a local staple since 1946
- Visit Milwaukee: Bay View Bash and Chill on the Hill
- Visit Milwaukee: The lakefront, 1,400 acres, Bradford Beach
- Visit Milwaukee: Milwaukee Public Market hours and address
venue sites and local publications 6 facts
- Historic Third Ward Association: The Third Ward's ten square blocks
- Wikipedia: Old World Third Street Historic District, going back to 1855
- Urban Harvest Brewing Company: original hardwood floors and Cream City brick
- Lakefront Brewery: a shuttered Riverwest bakery
- Milwaukee Magazine: Riverwest, 2019
- Discover Wauwatosa: Five districts and a stay 10 minutes from American Family Field
Brady Street Business Improvement District 1 fact
North Point Lighthouse and Museum 1 fact
Milwaukee Public Market 1 fact
Keep going
Oak Barrel Public House
Dinner and drinks on Old World Third Street, with a free Brewers shuttle with any purchase.
More Milwaukee guides
A Milwaukee weekend
Forty‑eight hours of real places.
Old World Third Street
The street and its German roots.
Not sure where to start?
Text us. Tell us the trip and we will point you to the right neighborhood and the right table.