Travel and Leisure Magazine is a heavy hitter in the travel industry and what they say about a place goes a long way in determining how people view it. In their recent America’s Favorite Places feature, our very own Milwaukee was ranked the 6th most underrated town in the US. Of course, that’s not news to us that live here, but it’s nice to see that other folks are starting to recognize that we have a lot to offer here in Wisconsin.
The magazine said “the city has a lot of the same attractions – festivals, breweries, museums, and multi-cultural restaurants — with less of the hassle and a fraction of the expense,” which is pretty accurate. Whenever people dismiss Milwaukee, I remind them that we have all the amenities of bigger cities, but with lower taxes and cost of living and shorter commutes, among other things. The wonderful part about being in Milwaukee, in my opinion, is that we have everything I could want in a city – but if there happens to be some museum exhibition, concert or other event in Chicago, it’s conveniently right there for me to visit before coming right back home to Wisconsin. It’s the best of both worlds, in my opinion.
City life isn’t for everyone, but as far as urban living goes, Milwaukee has so much to offer:
With an emerging water technology industry as well as several other company headquarters, the job market continues to grow and open up.
Neighborhood revitalization has changed the face of many parts of town, taking them from rundown to trendy. There's more housing, more culture, more restaurants and more reasons to love the city. Rumors say that many Chicagoans come north on their weekends, as they can have waterfront property and a boat for a fraction of the cost of doing so in the Windy City.
There are more than 20 breweries in the greater MIlwaukee area, all with their own style and flavor. Beautiful locations, amazing tours, delicious food and awesome atmosphere have made these go-to places for locals.
From brand new brewers to old favorites that have been revived, breweries have always been a part of Milwaukee's fabric and that's true now more so than ever.
With one of the best urban park systems in the world, in Milwaukee being in a city doesn't mean giving up green space. There are so many spots to enjoy whether you're interested in a hike, a picnic or a game of pick-up.
Our world-class art museum gets a lot of attention for its exterior, but what's inside is just as impressive. And though it's the most prominent, it's certainly not the only museum worth stopping at in Milwaukee. The Public Museum's recent facelift has rejuvenated the space, the Harley Davidson Museum is one of a kind and there are several small art museums worth digging in to.
The revolution of Milwaukee's food scene in the past dozen years is maybe one of the most overlooked parts of the city. With multiple James Beard Award nominees, dining in Milwaukee has been elevated. But it's not just about the white tablecloths. There's this amazing mix of stellar upscale restaurants and beyond delicious burger joints to combine to make a totally underrated food scene.
Much like Chicago, we've embraced the many different ethnicities of the people that have settled here and call MIlwaukee home. There's never been such a deliciously wide array of foods and ethnicities represented. You could eat yourself around the world in Milwaukee without breaking a sweat and it's something even the locals are only starting to take advantage of.
Milwaukee has earned its nickname, "The City of Festivals." There's literally never a reason to be bored here, especially in the summer. Every weekend is chock full of spectacular events, from the large-scale ones on the lakefront to small, neighborhood and church festivals. We love a good party and we love to gather as friends.
If you're looking for an urban spot to settle, you could do way worse than Milwaukee. It has managed to retain the small-town, midwestern friendliness as it grows and locals still jokingly call it "Small-waukee" for the fact that despite its size, everyone here seems to know or be related to someone else.
