Beer, bratwursts and bowling? Of course Milwaukee has them. But attractions like the eye-popping art museum, bad-to-the-bone Harley-Davidson Museum and kicky eating and shopping 'hoods have added a groovy layer to Wisconsin's largest city. In summertime, the place goes wild with festivals by the lake each weekend.
Submerge into caves, gawk at the vast packaging plant and sip samples on the free Miller Brewery Tour. The Milwaukee Art Museum sports Santiago Calatrava's stunning "wing" design; inside are renowned folk art and German Expressionist galleries. Milwaukee is Harley-Davidson's headquarters, so no surprise the H-D Museum shows off uber-cool motorcycles through the ages. Baseball fans must catch a Brewers’ game at Miller Park, where the Racing Sausages steal the show.
Neighborhood hotspots range from downtown's Old World 3rd Street with German sausage shops and beer halls, to stylish Brady Street with indie stores and ethnic eats, to the gentrified Third Ward with gastropubs and art galleries. Bay View brims with swank bars and cafes to the south.