Milwaukee's scenic running routes and bike trails, a wide range of water sports, world-class golf courses, breathtaking lakefront and nature sanctuaries that invite you to experience adventure in the great “urban” outdoors.

Lake Michigan

Milwaukee's back yard is filled with more than 22,000 square miles of open water – lots of space to play. Boat launches in convenient harbor locations give easy access to Lake Michigan for jet-skiing, sailing, windsurfing and freshwater surfing. Bring your own equipment or take advantage of beachfront lessons and rentals.

Pick up a game of beachside volleyball, enjoy Tiki drinks in your cabana or spread out your towel at Bradford Beach –THE place to be in Milwaukee's hot summer months. Grab lunch at the retro beach house concession window, or pop next door to North Point Custard for charbroiled burgers and authentic Milwaukee frozen custard!

The popular, six-mile Lakefront Trail runs along the shoreline and includes a paved, three-mile loop and a 20-station exercise course. The one-mile Lakeshore State Park Loop (“Summerfest Island”) is the perfect place to check out the city's warm weather festival scene.

The gentle breezes at Milwaukee's lakefront make it a kite flyer's delight. Gift of Wings at McKinley Marina in Veterans Park features kites of all shapes and sizes to suit your fancy. Free flying lessons help novice pilots get off the ground like pros.

Juneau Park Paddleboats offers paddleboat, hydro-bike and remote control sailboat rentals at the park's picturesque, tree-lined lagoon along Lake Michigan.

Milwaukee River

Milwaukee's RiverWalk extends for more than 12 city blocks, linking the city's downtown district with the Historic Third Ward along the Milwaukee River. You'll see a variety of public art displays along this scenic promenade of restaurants, cafes, pubs and shops.  Stop for a thumbs-up photo with the “Bronze Fonz” – a life-sized statue of Henry Winkler's iconic character “Fonzie” from the Milwaukee-based “Happy Days” TV show.

View the city and its architecture from the river level and rent a kayak, canoe or paddleboard from Laacke & Joy's. Rentals are available for this unique, urban paddling experience for the afternoon, entire day or overnight.

Unwind and watch the world float by on one of the city's many cruise boats along the Milwaukee River and out into the Lake Michigan harbor. The European-style Edelweiss boats offer a full line-up of cruise and dinner/event options. River Walk Boat Tours & Rentals operates the country's only “pub crawl by boat,” a popular tour of the city's riverside microbreweries, in addition to renting out small pontoon and paddleboats. Ninety-minute narrated city tours of Milwaukee's history & architecture are offered on the Milwaukee Boat Line.

Life's a breeze when you join the crew or sit back and relax on the deck of a Catalina 34-foot sailing yacht operated by Sea Dog Sailing.

For the more adventurous, the Milwaukee Urban Water Trail is a 35-mile kayak and canoe “liquid parkway” that runs through the urban portions of the city's three rivers: Milwaukee, Menomonee and Kinnickinnic. The water trail provides access points, portages and resting sites.

Fishing

Sports and hobby fisherman can angle for Coho, King Salmon, Lake Brown and Rainbow Trout with Blue Max Charters,located on the river, or Crabby Charters at McKinley Marina. More than 100 species of fish have been recorded in Lake Michigan, making it the largest sport fishery of all the Great Lakes.

Biking in Milwaukee

The Oak Leaf Trail is a 100+mile biker's, runner's and walker's paradise encircling Milwaukee County. The scenery along this spectacular trail network is outstanding and ever-changing, including wooded sections of the Milwaukee River. Enjoy a mix of urban settings and nature scenes on the Hank Aaron State Trail, stretching west along the Menomonee River Valley. Historical markers, artworks and wetlands preservation mark the trail.

Where else but in Milwaukee can you find a 16-person bicycle-powered-party on wheels? The Milwaukee Pedal Tavern is the city's only pedaling pub crawl through the Historic Third Ward and Walker's Point. It's always happy hour on the pedal tavern, with drink specials included at all stops.

Milwaukee's award-winning nature centers

Located just 15 minutes from downtown Milwaukee on the shores of Lake Michigan, the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center boasts six miles of trails through 185 acres of pristine natural beauty and a spectacular view from its 60-foot observation tower. Meet the resident raptors (eagles, owls, and more!) and commune with deer, wild turkeys and turtles.

Internationally known for its picturesque walking paths, ecology programs and educational outreach, the Urban Ecology Center sits on 15 acres of wooded land on the east bank of the Milwaukee River.

Golf

Home of 15 county courses, more than 55 public courses and 10 private clubs, Greater Milwaukee has a rich golf tradition.  As the former host of  the PGA's U.S Bank Championship (formerly Greater Milwaukee Open) for more than 30 years, Brown Deer Golf Course is a beautiful and challenging course, attracting golfers of national and international ranking. 

Arnold Palmer designed the championship layout of The Bog, just a half hour north of Milwaukee on 300 acres of wetlands, woods and rolling hills.

One of the most challenging courses in the Midwest, The Brute at the Grand Geneva Resort (approximately one hour from Milwaukee), features spectacular natural views, 68 bunkers, and greens that average 8,000 square feet. The Highlands is a Scottish-style course with strategically placed sand traps and mogulled fairways on smaller greens.

Host of the 2011 U.S. Amateur and the 2017 U.S. Open, Erin Hills is a natural, Irish-links-style championship public course. It's known for its challenging, undulated fairways and greens on rolling terrain. The bunkering includes small, traditional pots and the more fashionable free-form bunkers. Test your skills at the course built to test the very best players in the world.

VISIT Milwaukee markets Greater Milwaukee to tourists, and convention and meeting planners, both nationally and internationally. VISIT Milwaukee has approximately 600 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services and area businesses. Total business sales related to tourism amounted to $4.25 billion in Greater Milwaukee in 2012 and supported more than 48,000 local jobs. The City of Wauwatosa, Delta Air Lines, Inc., Potawatomi Bingo Casino and the Wisconsin Center District are strategic partners with VISIT Milwaukee, providing funding support for conventions and tourism programs.  For more information call 1-800-554-1448 or visit www.visitmilwaukee.org.

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