Enjoy a wonderful weekend in Milwaukee
Share with others:
The news that I was going to Milwaukee for a weekend -- for fun -- was greeted by groans and rolled eyes by some ignorant acquaintances who will remain nameless. To those who haven't been there recently, I can only extend pity.
In the course of three days in Cream City, I swam in my underwear on an empty beach (it beckoned with the force of any sand in the Caribbean) and basked in the ethereal atmosphere of what I consider America's most spectacular modern building (the Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum).
Those, I believe, are reasons enough to head to Milwaukee before the snow flies, but even since I left there a few weeks ago, the number of reasons to go back has multiplied. A major new museum/aquarium just opened (Discovery World), as has an art show that will end up at the Louvre (at the Milwaukee Art Museum).
Why go now
Milwaukee's urban renaissance centers on its revitalized public spaces and parks; September and early October beckon with the last chances for a swim in Lake Michigan, a meal outside along the downtown Riverwalk or a Brewers game at Miller Park.
Our little secret
Milwaukee's lakefront is appealing any time of year, but this summer's heat warmed the waters of Lake Michigan to ideal swimming temperature. There may still be time to splash on the busy beaches just north of downtown or in more secluded spots like Doctors Park Beach (where I jumped in). Doctors Park is at 1870 Fox Lane, just off Lake Drive.
A little Italy in brat country
Even among the other mansions perched on the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, Villa Terrace stands out. That's because it looks like it belongs on a hill in Tuscany surrounded by a vineyard. The house now serves as an excellent decorative-arts museum. (2220 N. Terrace Ave.; 1-414-271-3656; www.cavtmuseums.org.)
Art and architecture
The expansion of the Milwaukee Art Museum in 2001 has earned it a place on the world stage. The soaring Quadracci Pavilion designed by Santiago Calatrava has become a symbol of the city's new spirit, and it creates a powerful connection between downtown and the lakefront. The museum just opened the first major North American show of works collected from the Biedermeier period in northern Europe. Biedermeier is synonymous with elegant, simple design and art that predated modernism in the early 1800s. The show's stops include the Louvre in Paris. Catch it in Milwaukee through Jan. 1. (1-414-224-3200; www.mam.org.)
Discovery World
The newest draw on the waterfront is Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin, a category-busting attraction that includes a working schooner, a full-blown aquarium, a giant model of the human genome, replica underwater laboratories and a variety of other exhibitions and attractions. It opened Sept. 9. (1-414-765-9966; www.discoveryworld.org.)
First Published October 2, 2006 12:00 am
