American Family Field Overview
If you don’t know anything more about Milwaukee than beer, cheese, brats, and Laverne and Shirley, you’re about to be pleasantly surprised (though we’re definitely going to show you why they’re so easy to love, too).
Lovingly known as “the birthplace of beer goggles,” Mill-e-wah-que, aka The Good Land – and American Family Field – have a ton to offer. Even Alice Cooper says so.
Sure, some of them are stereotypical, as we do have an entire castle outside of town dedicated to cheese. And we do like to polka (and you can join us in the 7th inning when we Roll Out the Barrel). And we tailgate for nearly everything. And, as Lloyd Christmas might say, the beer flows like wine here, and the beer is GOOD. Ever heard of Spotted Cow? You will.
But we also host Summerfest, one of the biggest music festivals in the country. We have bar shuttles that take you to the ballpark for free (and with a drink in-hand). We have one of the best and most storied announcers in baseball history, Bob Uecker. And most importantly, we know how to have fun (which is a necessity when you only get five months of nice weather). And despite being one of baseball’s smallest markets, we have a passionate fanbase that ranks in the top half of attendance and rarely fails to field a competitive team.
So grab a beer and a sausage, polka with some new friends, and find out why That 70s Show’s intro so enthusiastically exclaims “Hello Wisconsin!”
Our five-part guide to American Family Field will help you plan the perfect trip to experience baseball in Cream City. The guide includes:
- Travel: How to get to Milwaukee
- Lodging: Where to stay in Milwaukee
- Local Transit: How to get to the ballpark
- Seating/Ticketing/Premium: Where to sit, including our premium and seating reviews, and ticketing tips
- Gameday: What to do before/during/after the game
We hope you enjoy our American Family Field Insider guide. Please be sure to sign up for our free newsletter to keep informed about events, schedules, onsales, ticket deals, and everything else you need to know to plan the best fan experiences.
Why you should visit American Family Field
Buses and Brews
You can bring your beers/drinks on the bar shuttles and enjoy them on the way to the stadium.
Guaranteed Play
The roof is usually open, but if it is closed for bad weather, you’re still guaranteed to see the game.
Tap into Favorites
Like in the rest of Wisconsin, expect a great beer selection and high quality cheese curds.
Mascot Race
Sample and/or root for your favorite racing sausage: Brat, Chorizo, Italian, Hot Dog, or Polish.
Dance Wisconsin-style
Cheers and polka with 40,000 people in the 7th inning while you Roll Out the Barrel.
How many games should you see?
We recommend seeing a minimum of two games at American Family Field. This will allow you to take in at least a few of its most unique experiences, both pregame and within the ballpark itself. American Family Field has diverse seating options including seating in the standard bowl, X-Golf and Casamigos, the club level, or one of their all-inclusive areas. Plus, a great kids area, tons of food and drink options, the Selig Experience, and more. With the game day options inside and outside of American Family Field, each game of your trip will be distinct and memorable.
When should you go to American Family Field?
The short answer is anytime. With the retractable roof, you can be assured inclement weather will not get in the way of your baseball fun. That said, there are better times than others to travel to Milwaukee and enjoy the ballpark.
Wisconsin weather can be unpredictable in April and May, increasing the chance the roof will be closed. From June to early September, you are more likely to find the roof and the huge bay of windows in the outfield open. The Brewers attempt to leave the roof open at or above 60 degrees. That said, 60 degrees in April can bring a distinct chill with a cold breeze from Lake Michigan and the roof will most likely be closed (though it’s plenty warm inside). Whereas 60 degrees in September can bring relief from the summer humidity and oftentimes the roof is still open. Games during the week are much more relaxed while weekend games can have more of a party feel to them. American Family Field will feel most charged up with a weekend series against division rivals St. Louis or Chicago.
To maximize your experience, you can pair your trip with other events that are happening in the area. Milwaukee is home to Summerfest, one of the largest music festivals in the world, which takes place over three weekends from late June to early July. In most years at least one of those weekends will overlap with a Brewers homestand. The same holds true for the Wisconsin State Fair, which is 11 days in early August and takes place just a few miles to the west of American Family Field, as well as Harley Davidson’s yearly Milwaukee Rally Labor Day weekend, which features festivities throughout the city. There are festivals and celebrations, major and minor, most weekends between Opening Day and the end of the season throughout the city.
Where is American Family Field located?
American Family Field is located on the west side of the city and the center of Milwaukee County. It is south of interstate 94 at highway 145. The park is a 5-10 minute ride from downtown and the lakefront to the east and 5-10 minute ride from the Milwaukee County Zoo to the west. Mitchell International Airport is only 15 minutes southeast of the ballpark. The ballpark is in the middle of a large parking lot which means if you are traveling by car there is plenty of parking.
It also means there is a healthy tailgating culture to enjoy. If you are using public transit, ridesharing, or walking, the stadium being located away from the bars, restaurants, and hotels presents its own set of challenges and possibilities. While these will be covered in more detail in the Local Transit chapter, know that there are plenty of ways to access the ballpark without a car despite the large moat of a parking lot, including ridesharing and shuttles.
Bluemound Road, just north of the stadium, is where the largest collection of local fans congregate prior to the game. Except for one lone option attached to a shopping center south of the ballpark, there really aren’t any hotels immediately surrounding the ballpark, but given the options to get to the ballpark, that should not be a concern. In the Lodging chapter, you’ll find out about places to stay that have or are near shuttles to transport you to and from the ballpark. And given that Milwaukee is the smallest market in MLB, no destination is too far away.
About your American Family Field Insiders
Hey, I’m Jonathan. Born and raised in Wisconsin, I’ve been a Brewers fan my whole life. Living in Milwaukee the last 10 years, I’ve been spoiled by the most successful period in team history and relished being only minutes from the ballpark – my second home. Sure, it’s a bit industrial and there’s little fancy about it, but when the roof and windows are open on a sunny summer day, there’s simply no other place I’d rather be.
It’s played host to some of my fondest memories, like watching Woody take Kershaw deep in Game 1 of the 2018 NLCS or watching Lo Cain pull back a game-tying home run on Opening Day. I’ve partied in the 400 Level, eaten myself into a coma in the suites, and taken it all in behind home plate – and never failed to tailgate.
Milwaukee and the Brewers will always be underrated, but I hope to help you discover and appreciate this place as much as I do.
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We hope you enjoy this insider look at American Family Field.
