5 Things To Do In Milwaukee For A Family-Friendly Winter Adventure

If you ever start to question the wealth of things to do in Milwaukee, simply remember the number of nicknames this city has collected over the years. Brew City, Cream City, City of Festivals, Culinary Capital of the Midwest — the list goes on. Winter in Milwaukee is no exception. When the days turn colder and the snow falls thick and powdery, the city continues to attract families with various activities ideal for a wintry escape. For example, the city embraces its festive spirit with numerous Christmas light displays, including Wisconsin's beloved can't-skip festival, the Milwaukee Holiday Lights. The season carries on into January and February with basketball, musicals, and art shows, plus numerous other family-friendly experiences. While some events, such as the Christmas lights, are only on for a limited time, there are plenty of experiences available throughout the entirety of winter. 

By scouring numerous city guides online, including the offical recommendations on Visit Milwaukee, and cross-checking these with individual Google and Trustpilot reviews, we've found five fun things to do for families during winter. These experiences can be enjoyed throughout the season and cater to visitors big and small. From ice skating and market eats to hands-on learning and thrilling sport, here's where to look for some family fun.

There are few better ways to get into the winter spirit than open-air ice skating. The Slice of Ice rink opens in Red Arrow Park every year between December and February, attracting locals and visitors alike. This downtown park has a 4.5-star rating on Google, with many of its five-star reviews mentioning ice skating, including how accessible it is for children. "We took our daughter here for a modified ice skating event. Lovely facility and the people were very nice and helpful. The smile on her face the entire time is priceless," one visitor wrote on Google.

It's free to ice skate here if you have your own skates, which many parents appreciate. You can also rent gear, including skating aides and sleds, from the on-site concessionaire. Once you've skated to your heart's content, treat the family to some hot cocoa by the fireplace at the rink's adjacent coffee shop.

The Slice of Ice rink is particularly beautiful at night, when you can admire the city lights while cruising around on your skates. If you or your child has a disability, you can also get out onto the ice using one of the free ice sleds. The downtown location makes it ideal for combining with a show at the neighboring Marcus Performing Arts Center or dinner at restaurants along Water Street.

While some families may prefer seeking warmth and shelter from the snow, others treat it as Mother Nature's playground. If you're of the latter persuasion, Crystal Ridge is a must-do winter adventure while staying in Milwaukee. The ski resort is only a 20-minutes drive south of downtown, making it an easy day trip.

When it comes to fun in the snow, tubing may be your ticket to a rollicking good time here. Crystal Ridge has multiple groomed lanes for snow tubers at least 3 feet tall. You can ride down the lanes on most weeknights between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. (hours are 1 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday), or most of the day and night on weekends. It also hosts two-hour glow tubing sessions on Saturday nights in January with music, lights, and a festive vibe.

It helps that Crystal Ridge also offers skiing and snowboarding, in case not everyone is a fan of tubing. You can rent gear on the slopes and purchase all-day, weeknight, or four-hour tickets. Whether you're going tubing, skiing, or snowboarding, you can save a lot of money by booking online instead of at the park. Discounts range from 17% to upwards of 40% depending on your ticket.

Milwaukee is the home city of numerous teams in major or minor national leagues, including the American Hockey League, National Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball. One of the best ways to stay warm and entertained during winter is by watching the Milwaukee Bucks compete in the NBA at Fiserv Forum. This storied basketball arena is just over the Milwaukee River from downtown and hosts numerous home games throughout the winter months.

The games are usually exciting enough for families, but there are also some fun novelties for children, according to Milwaukee With Kids. The main concourse has a play area for kids before tip-off where they can run around a giant basketball hoop, dance to music, and get involved in crafts. You can also make signs to hold up during the game that might help you and your kids get on the Jumbotron. There's something truly electric about seeing the stars in action while surrounded by thousands of cheering fans. But, if it all gets a little too overwhelming for your child, you can take them to one of the sensory rooms for a break. These two rooms have walls, lighting, and seating specially designed to help little ones interact with the world in a calm and explorative way.

Milwaukee Public Market provides a wonderful sensory experience in a very different way. It's a popular family-friendly thing to do in the city on Tripadvisor — it even won a Travelers' Choice award in 2025. Located in Milwaukee's Third Ward in downtown, the market is open every day of the week. It's completely indoors as well, so it's a great way to escape the cold. It also has a 4.7-star rating on Google from about 12,000 reviews, maintaining a consistent track record with couples, solo travelers, and families alike. 

The market's family-friendly atmosphere often gets highlighted by visitors, but it's also highly regarded for its variety of different cuisines. If your family usually argues over what to have for lunch or dinner, you shouldn't experience that problem here. The official vendor list features almost 20 options serving everything from homemade empanadas and melt-in-your-mouth barbecue to woodfired pizzas and authentic Mexican.

You can be as healthy or indulgent as you want here. Places such as Forage Kitchen are good for the body and soul with farm-fresh ingredients in salad and veggie bowls. Freese's Candy Shoppe may not be as healthy, but boy is this family-owned and -run candy store hard to say no to. Roasted nuts, chocolate-coated strawberries, and double scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone go down easy for dessert. Don't miss a visit to the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe, one of the top-rated places for famous cheese curds in Milwaukee.

Families don't have to lean into snow sports or food when visiting Milwaukee during winter. There are many ways to stay entertained while also learning, one of which is the Milwaukee Public Museum. It's located in Juneau Town, one of Milwaukee's most vibrant neighborhoods brimming with art and history, and offers an immersive journey through the world's natural history.

As families explore multiple floors of exhibits, they can see the bones of an ancient mammoth, walk through a tranquil garden filled with butterflies, and visit a recreated European village from the late 1800s. The second floor focuses primarily on Native American cultures and their relationships with Wisconsin's environment, while the third floor transports you around the world, from Africa and the Arctic to the Pacific Islands and South America. "I've been to many, many museums around the U.S. and abroad, and this ranks as one of the best," one visitor wrote on Tripadvisor.

The museum consistently impresses families and has the seventh spot in Milwaukee's top family-focused things to do on Tripadvisor. The butterfly exhibit is one of the most talked about on Google, where the museum has a 4.7-star rating from over 6,800 reviews. The other big attraction is the planetarium, which hosts stargazing programs and screens films throughout the year. Winter visits can also be timed for special events, such as dedicated tours for children and parents on school break.

To put this comprehensive list together, we looked at a variety of official Milwaukee sightseeing guides, including Visit Milwaukee and Milwaukee with Kids. The latter is dedicated to family-friendly fun in the city. We made sure we found popular experiences with a track record for entertaining and inspiring families, big and small, by cross-checking the things to do with actual visitor reviews on Trustpilot and Google. We also made a point of choosing experiences that would provide winter joy or help people escape the cold while still experiencing the heart and soul of the city.