Getting around Milwaukee
One benefit of traveling to the smallest market in MLB is the ease and speed of traveling around the city. Traffic is usually light, destinations are never very far away, and there are multiple options for getting around the city. The same is true for getting to the game. Despite American Family Field being located in the middle of an immense parking lot, there are still multiple convenient ways to get to the stadium.
A Milwaukee specialty: Bar Shuttles!
O'Lydia's Brewers bar shuttle
While American Family Field is only a few minutes from downtown, it’s surrounded by parking lots and doesn’t have a hotel within easy walking distance – barring the Fairfield Inn & Suites we mentioned in the Lodging chapter, which we’d still consider more doable than easy. From the look of it, you’d think that transportation to the game would be difficult and limited to driving. But the fine people of Milwaukee came up with a clever solution: bar shuttles!
Many bars (and a few hotels) in the city have designated shuttles that transport fans to and from American Family Field. Whether you decide to have a full pregame meal or just a single beverage, any purchase at a shuttle bar will get you access to roundtrip transportation to the ballpark. And not only that, you can take your drink with you on the shuttle!
While mostly straightforward, there are some things to consider when choosing whether to take one, as well as which to select.
First, the basics: shuttles generally begin transporting people 1-2 hours before the game starts until approximately the 2nd-3rd inning. They pick up from the ballpark beginning in the 7th inning and continue until approximately an hour after the game ends, or until there aren’t any more people waiting. So if you plan to show up unusually late for a game, the shuttles may not be an option on the way in, and if you’re in a time crunch on the way out, you may need to leave the game early to beat the shuttle crowds.
Second, it’s important to know that bar shuttles come in several shapes, sizes, and numbers depending on the bar. Some bars only have one, while others have several – and they can be anything from large passenger vans to short buses to full-sized school buses. So the shuttle you choose can impact how quickly and easily you can get to or from the game. We would tell you which bars have multiple shuttles, but the reality is that on any given day they may not be running them all, so it’s really just hit or miss at the discretion of each bar – but we still find the convenience of the service well worth it in most cases.
Third, know that where it drops you off is the same spot it will pick you up. There are two different locations for this, the larger of the two being on the 3rd base side near the home plate entrance, the other directly outside of 1st base. Regardless of what bar/shuttle you choose, take note of the dropoff area when you head into the park, as this is where you’ll want to return to when looking to depart.
Finally, many but not all shuttles require tickets to return from American Family Field to the bar. This is done so the bar does not strand its customers at American Family Field, and also to make sure priority is being given to those customers that spent money at their bar before the game.
TSI TIP: With the above said, you don’t necessarily have to grab the same shuttle you rode in with on the way out. Some shuttles don’t have any means of verifying this outside of those that issue tickets (and even then, it’s often a matter of priority). So if you want to check out a new bar or area after the game, you can try to hop on whichever shuttle takes you closest to your destination – just remember they will be located in their respective pickup/dropoff zone. Those that do use tickets or wristbands may still allow you to ride if you ask politely (though they may ask you to wait for ticketed customers to board first). Should they allow you to do this… be kind and tip the shuttle driver well. (You should tip them anyway, but it’s even more recommended in this scenario.) Shuttles are a complimentary service and we feel the bars that provide this incredibly handy option deserve to be rewarded for their efforts.
On the other hand, if you’re the impatient type and don’t want to wait your turn for your shuttle, you could take a 15-20 minute walk to the Bluemound Road bars (Kelly’s Bleachers, J&B’s Blue Ribbon Bar, Dugout 54) or a 20-25 minute walk to Magoo’s on the Mound or McGinn’s. By the time you get there, traffic will have had a chance to die down, and rideshare prices will have usually fallen as well. These bars are really popular with the locals, so you could grab yourself a drink and then order an inexpensive rideshare to your hotel. While this plan won’t necessarily save you any time (and is no longer free if you’re ordering a rideshare), you’ll at least get a good/new experience out of it.
One final note on bar shuttles: Most, but not all, shuttle providers continue their seasonal services year after year. But occasionally a bar will discontinue their shuttle operations, and even the Brewers website is sometimes not up-to-date with who is actually running shuttles. So before you make plans to take a shuttle from a specific bar, it’s never a bad idea to call and confirm that they still have one. If you’re going to a location where there are multiple bars with shuttles, then you can always just show up and call an audible if a bar no longer runs theirs.
TSI Bonus tip for bar shuttles: Some bars provide shuttles to more than just Brewers games. Some also provide transit to events at American Family Field, some to Bucks games, and better yet, if you happen to come late in baseball season, we know of at least one (Jack’s American Pub) that also offers coach buses with a tailgate package for Lambeau Field.
Ridesharing
American Family Field has made it easy to use ridesharing to and from the ballpark by setting up a designated pickup and dropoff zone that has direct access for Uber and Lyft to enter without fighting through other gameday traffic. The Ganter parking lot is located beyond the outfield wall of the stadium, about a 10-minute walk to the south of centerfield. To get there, you will need to walk to the back of the stadium and cross over the highway on the walking bridge – it’s the first lot to the right once you’re over the bridge. It is one of the least stressful and most effective rideshare experiences you will encounter among MLB stadiums, and we highly recommend this as a transit strategy if you don’t want to use the shuttles.
Taxis
Taxi pickup/dropoff near Halfaer Field
Taxis, if available, pick up patrons after the game near Helfaer Field, just behind the bar shuttles. But there’s no guarantee that there will be any taxis at the taxi stand, which is probably why Uber and Lyft exist in the first place. So we would suggest sticking with rideshares, especially since they depart from a dedicated parking lot that is away from the rest of the gameday traffic.
The only exception might be if surge pricing makes ridesharing unusually expensive, so check your app first to make sure that it’s an appropriate option. But still… If there are no taxis, then Uber/Lyft would be your only option, even if they’re expensive. In this case, you could try to get on a bar shuttle, even if you did not take one to the game. As mentioned, it’s possible that the driver might still allow you to ride if you ask (especially for a nice tip).
Walking
If you’re heading to the game from a bar on Bluemound Road or 4th Base on National Ave, you can also take a 20-minute walk to the ballpark and take in the pregame atmosphere among the tailgaters in the parking lots. It’s a festive atmosphere with welcoming people and has been a part of Milwaukee since the Braves arrived in the 1950s.
Walk from Bluemound Bars
Walk from National Ave
The walk from Bluemound
The walk from Bluemound, which starts at the corner of Bluemound and General Mitchell Blvd, will take you through Mitchell Boulevard Park, along a paved path to the outer lots, and then down the sidewalk through the parking lot and up to the gates – you can’t really get lost, as there are signs guiding you along the way and the stadium is nearly always in sight.
The walk from 4th Base / National Ave
The walk from 4th Base will take you through the wooded Veteran Affairs Campus and into the parking lot. It can be a great way to enjoy summer weather in Wisconsin and add to your experience, as the park is beautiful, green, well-kept, and there are plenty of signs to get you to the stadium.
Note: The walk back after a night game is much better for getting back to Bluemound. We’d suggest sticking to N General Mitchell Blvd, as it will be heavily trafficked by foot and vehicle after the game and walks through a small park in a safe neighborhood.
Conversely, the walk back through the VA Campus can be dark in spots, despite having lampposts to light most of the way, and won’t have as many patrons. There are rarely ever incidents here, so it’s doable, but we wouldn’t necessarily suggest it for the sake of comfort and safety.
Parking at American Family Field
As you may have guessed by the vast parking lots surrounding American Family Field, driving directly to the stadium is a popular option. If traffic on I-94 is particularly bad, you can take W Wisconsin Ave or W Wells St (after 70th St) on the west side as a less-crowded shortcut when entering or leaving. East of the stadium, you can take Frederick Miller Way/Canal Street to do the same.
Parking options at American Family Field are pretty straight forward – General or Preferred, the options of which can be found on the Brewers Parking Map. Saturday and Sunday (and Cubs games) have an increased rate vs. the Monday-Friday price, but you can save money by buying your parking pass in advance on the Brewers website.
The General Parking has two areas: the Molitor Lot (accessible at Bluemound Rd and Story Hill Pkwy) which offers convenience entering and leaving the grounds. The Uecker and Yount lots often have entertainment (DJs, bands, etc) on the weekends and offer the biggest party atmosphere for tailgating. Lots open three hours before the game for tailgating and you will find many people grilling wherever you park.
2024 American Family Field Parking Updates
The Brewers significantly changed their parking process for the 2024 season. From now on, all parking will be tied to registering your car on their parking app rather than having a parking pass scanned by an attendant.
When you arrive at the ballpark, you’ll just drive in – no stopping, no showing anyone your pass. If you’ve purchased parking in advance, you’ll drive into your lot, park, and then “activate” the pass on the app. Then you just walk away and head for the stadium.
If you haven’t paid for parking in advance, you’ll still drive right through, but once you park you’ll need to scan the nearest parking QR code in the parking lot with your phone, or walk to a parking kiosk in the lot, and pay for parking. You’ll enter your license info, activate the pass, and walk away.
Without question, paying in advance is the way to go. Not only is it a few dollars cheaper, but it’s less hassle once you get to the ballpark.
The entire point of this is to get people into the parking lot faster, removing the obvious choking point that is the parking attendant. It’ll be interesting to see if this reduces some of the traffic coming into the ballpark, especially during busier games.
Getting around Milwaukee
The biggest advantage of a city the size of Milwaukee is that nothing is far away. A short taxi or rideshare can transport you efficiently and quickly between your destinations. It is the best way to travel between destinations that are not walkable. We do not recommend the bus due to the inconvenience and safety issues, especially if you are unfamiliar with the neighborhoods as you may need to transfer buses in areas with higher crime rates.
Best option for downtown: The Hop
The Hop Light Rail
If you’re staying downtown, especially on the east side of the river, there’s one ultra convenient and FREE option you should consider – The Hop, Milwaukee’s light rail – as it’s a safe, easy, reliable, and well-used mode of transportation for locals and visitors alike. Because of its relatively short route, it arrives every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 during off-peak and Sundays, and almost always has space.
The Hop’s route stretches from the Intermodal Station on the west side of the river to the Public Market on the east before turning north and passing many of the hotels charted in the Lodging chapter. It ultimately ends near Lake Michigan just a short walk from Lake/Veterans Park, before returning on a similar route back to its starting point, providing fast, easy access to most of the attractions on the east side of downtown.
Note: When riding The Hop, know that nearly every stop has a separate station for southbound and northbound routes. Some are just across/down the street, while others are a block away, so get the free The Hop app – which operates in real-time – or check the map of station locations before you jump on, so you don’t end up going in the wrong direction. It’s also worth noting that the hop has two lines. The M Line stretches the full length of the route from the Intermodal Station (southwest) to near Veterans Park (northeast), while the L Line completes a smaller loop downtown before looping out towards the lake/festival grounds. They use the same stations, so make sure you’re hopping on the right line. Worst case, you can simply hop off and then back on the right line.
Bottom Line
Traveling between destinations in Milwaukee is usually quick and efficient. If your destination is not walkable, ridesharing is plentiful and an easy, inexpensive way to travel – as is The Hop for those staying in most areas of downtown – while bar shuttles provide a unique, fun, and highly recommended gameday travel experience. Ultimately, you will be able to spend more time enjoying your trip than traveling between destinations.
