Where to stay in Milwaukee

Downtown Milwaukee – East

Distance to American Family Field: 4 miles
Attractions: Lake Park/Veterans Park, Milwaukee Art Museum, Public Market, Marcus Performing Arts Center, Summerfest grounds, The Pabst Theatre, Bobblehead Museum

If we HAD to choose between east and west, we’d lean east for three reasons: it’s a little nicer, there’s a greater variety of attractions, and most of it is covered by The Hop, downtown Milwaukee’s free streetcar. 

Just a 20-minute walk to the northeast of most hotels is Lake/Veterans Park, a 138-acre, tree-laden shoreline park with plenty of outdoor activities, complete with rentable paddle boats and covered group bikes, concessions, and even a kite shop. If you’re feeling the summer heat, a few additional walking minutes north are McKinley and Bradford Beaches, the latter of which has rentable water sports gear and vehicles, a shore-side ice cream/fast food stand, tons of volleyball nets, and bars. You read that right, Milwaukee has a beach. And it’s NICE!

On the southern tip of Lake Park is the Milwaukee Art Museum, an architectural marvel with a great brunch/lunch cafe and top-notch exhibits. About a block further south is Discovery World, a science/tech museum for kids, and the Summerfest grounds (Henry Maier Festival Park), which hosts one of the country’s largest music festivals (late June/early July) and cultural fests all summer long. 

Directly south (and part of) downtown is the Public Market, where you can find plenty of Wisconsin sausage/cheese, Milwaukee merch, bars/restaurants and even an outdoor pickleball court. One block further south and you’re in the Historic Third Ward, which boasts great shopping options. And for sports and pop culture memorabilia nerds, just over the Milwaukee River to the southwest is the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum (and it’s only $5!).

On the river’s eastern edge, you’ll also find the Marcus Center of Performing Arts, which puts on both local and world-class shows, and the gorgeous Pabst Theater, which draws a variety of national and international bands, comedians, and theater productions. 

To save walking, you can grab a FREE ride on The Hop, Milwaukee’s streetcar, to reach most parts downtown (more on this in the Local Transit chapter). Plus, there are plenty of bars that offer shuttles to/from the ballpark – and allow you to bring your drinks aboard – making transit a breeze.

We consider downtown perfectly safe walking during the day. At night, especially during weekends, it has a lively nightlife and the streets are often populated, but like any major city, it’s always best to keep your wits about you to maximize safety. 

Pros

• Closest to Milwaukee’s best attractions
• Best variety of attractions
• Highly walkable
• The Hop can take you nearly everywhere in the area
• Numerous nearby bar shuttles nearby to take you to the game

Cons

• One of the pricier options in terms of hotels

Downtown Milwaukee – West

Distance to American Family Field: ~4 miles
Attractions: Fiserv Forum/Deer District, 3rd Street Market Hall, Harley Davidson Museum, Best Place at the Pabst Brewery, Pilot Project Brewing, Riverside Theater

The best parts of the western side of downtown can best be summed up in four words: beer, basketball, bikes, and bands.

In the northwest corner, tucked between Hwys 145 and 43 is the Brewery District, where the original Pabst Brewery was located. While the brewery itself no longer produces beer here, the complex offers tours, shops for beer merch, indoor/outdoor events, and, thanks to the Brewhouse Inn and Suites, a stylish place to stay and gameday shuttles through its bar, On Tap. 

In addition, Pilot Project Brewing is just a block down the street, which serves as a brewery incubator and restaurant, complete with a beer garden, patios, game space, and rooftop deck to enjoy drinks, while Central Water Brewing Company, another Wisconsin staple just down the street, houses an incredible brewhouse bar in a converted church. 

Just a few blocks east/southeast, a few hotels sit near Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee Bucks) and its recently renovated Deer District. On top of having a good collection of bars and restaurants (several of which provide gameday shuttles), the Deer District also hosts markets, as well as live music in the beer garden, and just across the street is the storied multi-level venue Turner Hall.

A majority of the downtown west hotels reside in its southern half, where you’ll find the 3rd Street Market Hall, a converted mall complete with games, golf simulators, local vendors, bars/restaurants, and best of all, the City Fountain, a 24-tap self-serve beer wall. In the same building, you’ll also find Plankinton Clover’s Luxury Apartments, which are rented out as vacation stays. There’s also the Milwaukee Public Museum, which is great for all ages, just a few blocks west.

Finally, while technically in the Walker’s Point neighborhood across the Menomonee River, you can also check out the Harley Davidson Museum or stay at The Iron Horse, Harley’s iconic hotel. 

While daytime walking on this side of town is perfectly safe, at night, you’ll want to stick to main streets and be mindful of your surroundings. As a well populated and more touristy part of town, it’s still a good place to be, but the western side of this area is a bit more industrial, so barring the Brewery District, we recommend staying east of N 6th St and south of Highway 145. 

Pros

• Best spot if you’re into beer/breweries
• Highly walkable
• Can still access The Hop on the southern end and explore the east side of downtown
• Several bar shuttle options within walking distance, no matter which part you stay in

Cons

• Some hotels here are also pricy
• Slightly less safe
• Slightly less to explore than the east side of the river

Staying in Wauwatosa

Distance to American Family Field: 5-7 miles
Attractions: Tosa Village, Mayfair Mall, Hoyt Park, Milwaukee County Zoo

If you’re looking for a quieter area or traveling with kids, Tosa, as it’s known by locals, is a suburb just northwest of American Family Field. A handful of hotels are just steps from Mayfair Mall, the area’s largest shopping center, and are just a few blocks from Hoyt Park, which features hiking trails, an outdoor beach volleyball court, and a swimming pool and beer garden with food/drinks and often live music.

On the edge of the area to the east is also Tosa Village, a walkable area with a plethora of shops, bars, and restaurants. It contains Hart Park, which has tennis courts, a skate park, a playground and splash pad, a curling club, and like Hoyt, live music. 

On the southern edge of Wauwatosa (and bordering West Allis, below) is the Milwaukee County Zoo, which is also just blocks away from the bars with ballpark shuttles.

In general, hotels here are often cheaper here than they are downtown, but they also require more transportation to get around town. For the easiest trip to the ballpark, Mo’s Irish Pub and Jackson’s Blue Ribbon on Bluemound Road are just a short ride from most hotels and offer gameday shuttles. 

Pros

• Much more laid back
• Great for family travel
• Good for those who like suburban areas better than cities
• Hotels are cheaper than downtown
• A little more upscale than West Allis

Cons

• Requires ridesharing to get to most other attractions
• Less variety of attractions/activities
• Furthest area from the ballpark

Staying in West Allis

Distance to American Family Field: 2-6 miles (depending on your hotel)
Attractions: Milwaukee County Zoo, Wisconsin State Fair Park, Greenfield Park

West Allis, or “Stallis” to locals, is a suburb about two miles west of American Family Field and south of Interstate 94. Bordering Milwaukee, it’s an older suburb inhabited by blue collar families and populated with corner bars. In the last decade, the entertainment landscape has shifted, setting new brew pubs and diverse eateries next to long established bars and burger joints. 

Like Tosa, it’s close to the Milwaukee County Zoo, has a main street-styled downtown area with shops, bars, and restaurants, and also contains Greenfield Park, which has a heated pool, water slides, interactive water features, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, and even a baseball field.

In addition, West Allis also hosts the Wisconsin State Fair for just under two weeks in early August, and the grounds offer other events, expos, and live music throughout the MLB season. 

The bonus of staying in West Allis over Wauwautosa is that it’s slightly closer to the ballpark and also has a hotel, The Hampton Inn and Suites, that offers its own shuttle to/from the game (as does Paulie’s Pub, just one block east). Plus, it’s only a short ride to 4th Base on National Ave, where the playoff bar scenes in Major League were filmed. While 4th Base does not have a shuttle, it’s only a scenic 20-minute walk through the Veterans Affairs grounds to the ballpark, which is perfect on a nice day. More on this in the Local Transit chapter.

Pros

• More laid back
• Great for family travel
• Good for those who like suburban areas better than cities
• Hotels are cheaper than most other areas
• Blue collar area makes eating/drinking slightly cheaper than elsewhere

Cons

• Requires ridesharing to get to most other attractions
• Less variety of attractions/activities

Vacation Home Rentals

For those that spurn hotels in favor of room or home rentals, there are two primary areas you should search. The first is Story Hill and eastern Wauwatosa, the neighborhoods just north of the stadium. This will give you the best opportunity to stay near the stadium and experience gameday close to the ballpark. The bars and restaurants with shuttles are easily accessible by foot and the rest of the city is quickly accessible by vehicle, as you are surrounded by all the major expressways in the metro area. 

If you are booking in Story Hill, we recommend staying west of 49th St and south of Wells due to safety concerns and remaining within walking distance to the bars with shuttles. The east side of Wauwatosa is just to the West of Story Hill, on the other side of Hawley Rd.

The second location to consider for a vacation rental is Bay View. Bay View is located to the south/southeast of downtown, and is one of the hippest neighborhoods in the city with the largest variety of bars and restaurants. The main artery is S. Kinnickinnic Avenue, so try to find a property located within walking distance of it between Lincoln Ave. and Oklahoma Ave.

That said, if you still want to grab a bar shuttle near Bay View, the closest option is about two miles southeast, at Redbar.