Milwaukee's Unique Entertainment Thrives On This Enchanting Harbor With Water Sports And Brews

Milwaukee is a city working harmoniously with its surrounding environment. Magical urban parks in Milwaukee offer sledding, skiing, skating, and snowshoeing in winter, while the city's position on the western shore of Lake Michigan sets it up for picturesque warm-weather dining, activities, and entertainment. One of the best neighborhoods in Milwaukee for embracing the latter is the Harbor District, which is still being reimagined and revitalized through the city, state, and federal government initiatives.

The Harbor District is only about 2 miles south of downtown and is steadily becoming the city's trendiest waterfront neighborhood with new public spaces, environmental projects, community events, and businesses. While the area still requires more work to reach its true potential, such as environmental clean-ups and habitat restorations, it's already seen many of its less welcoming spots transformed into beautiful public recreation spaces. Miles of riverside walking and cycling paths, the new Harbor View Plaza park and picnic area, and the vibrant Greenfield Bridge Mural have helped draw people back to the neighborhood. Community events celebrating multicultural music, art, and dance also showcase this 10-plus-year transformation of a once-again treasured waterfront.

Milwaukee is no stranger to revitalization projects. The ongoing work at the Harbor District mirrors that which has revitalized the industrial Menomonee River Valley with breweries, art, parks, and riverfront trails. The Harbor District has similar sources of entertainment and nourishment along the Kinnickinnic River, with multiple ways to shop, drink, eat, and explore on land and water.

Better stormwater management and greener infrastructure are helping improve the water quality around the Harbor District so much that the neighborhood's waterways have become popular for kayaking and boating. If you're keen for a paddle, you can launch your own kayak or canoe from the new Harbor View Plaza. If you don't have your own, both Milwaukee Kayak Company and Brew City Kayak offer hourly or daily rentals of kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards between May and September. You can also book a kayaking tour with Brew City for a guided paddle during sunset, sunrise, or under a full moon.

Anyone who doesn't feel like paddling can still get out on the water aboard the Milwaukee Paddle Tavern between March and October. The company has BYOB party boats that require passengers to pedal as they drink and soak up the river views. However, these depart from The Harp, an Irish pub about 4 miles from the Harbor District, and run for less than two hours, so you might not even reach this part of town. A better option is to rent one of their Duffy Boats, which gives you more freedom to explore Milwaukee's waterways at your leisure. They're not cheap (between $250 and $600 for 2.5 hours at the time of writing), but they fit up to 12 people, let you bring your own alcohol, and offer a more luxurious way to cruise around the Harbor District.

If you prefer to stay on dry land, consider spending the morning or afternoon at Harbor View Plaza. The riverfront park has a playground and splash play space ideal for little ones. You can also find areas to sit and admire the water or have a picnic. It's particularly popular on warm, sunny days.

Revitalization work throughout the Harbor District, including grants to improve the aesthetic of buildings, has also helped local businesses thrive and attracted more business owners here. One growing scene centers around craft beer. Head to Broken Bat Brewing on Pittsburgh Avenue for an impressive range of Milwaukee ales, lagers, IPAs, and hefeweizen on tap. The brewery's tap room provides a relaxed setting for beer tasting and watching sports. They even have their own wiffleball field, which can be rented out by groups.

Down the Harbor District's southern end, just over the Kinnickinnic River, you'll find New Barons Brewing Cooperative. It's the state's first co-op brewery, which means you can find beer by established and newbie brewers on the menu. You can order beer online to collect from the tap room or pop in to try one of their craft beers in a warehouse setting with colorful artwork. If you want to pair your drinks with water views and good food, duck into Boone & Crockett. The cocktail bar is located by the river and has a rotating menu of draft beer, $10 house cocktails, and a riverside patio with a taco truck.

You can get to the Harbor District from the center of Milwaukee in about 10 minutes if you drive or just over 30 minutes if you catch the bus. A few hotels sit near its northern edge, including The Iron Horse and The Bentley. There are also numerous other options downtown, including the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, which is one of the best hotels in the world.