Milwaukee walking tour & city guide

A brewing city on Lake Michigan with a riverwalk and a winged museum.

6 videos · uploaded 2023–2026

Public Market to Downtown and the RiverWalk

Video by Walking Girl · Sep 2026 · All rights belong to the creator

All rights belong to the creator.

About this video

A walk with no talking that starts inside the Milwaukee Public Market, among its food stalls and local vendors, then crosses the Historic Third Ward to the Milwaukee RiverWalk. It follows the river and its bridges through downtown and ends on the streets heading towards the Milwaukee Intermodal Station.

In this video

Markets & bazaars

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More Milwaukee walks

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Explore Milwaukee

City guide

Milwaukee on foot

Milwaukee spreads along the western shore of Lake Michigan where three rivers meet. German immigrants made it America's beer capital in the 19th century, and the brick breweries, warehouses and taverns are still part of its character. Today the lakefront, a long riverwalk through downtown and a strong food and festival culture make it an easy, friendly city to explore on foot.

The lakefront and the art museum

The Milwaukee Art Museum stands on the shore of Lake Michigan, and its pavilion by Santiago Calatrava has a sunscreen of steel 'wings' that open and close during the day. Around it, Veterans Park and the lakefront paths stretch along the water, with the Summerfest grounds, home to one of the world's largest music festivals, just to the south.

The RiverWalk and the Third Ward

The Milwaukee RiverWalk follows the river through downtown for several miles, lined with restaurants, public art and bridges, and passes the bronze statue of 'the Fonz' from the TV series Happy Days. To the south, the Historic Third Ward is an old warehouse district of galleries, boutiques and the Milwaukee Public Market, an indoor hall of food stalls.

A classic Milwaukee walk

Start at the Public Market in the Third Ward and follow the RiverWalk north through downtown, then turn east along Wisconsin Avenue to the lakefront and the art museum. Return along the lake through Veterans Park. The loop is about 6 kilometres; the free streetcar connects the Third Ward, downtown and the lakefront.

Visiting tips

Summer is festival season, with lakefront events almost every weekend from June to September. Winters are long and cold, with wind off the lake. Friday fish fries are a local tradition all year, and many old breweries and the Harley-Davidson Museum offer tours.

Don't miss

Top sights in Milwaukee

1
Milwaukee Art Museum
A lakefront museum with moving steel wings.
2
Milwaukee RiverWalk
A riverside path through downtown.
3
Historic Third Ward
Warehouses turned galleries and shops.
4
Harley-Davidson Museum
The story of the motorcycle maker.
5
Veterans Park
Green space along Lake Michigan.
6
Lakefront Summerfest grounds
Home of the big summer music festival.

Eat

Food markets & where to eat in Milwaukee

Milwaukee Public Market
An indoor food hall in the Third Ward.
Brady Street
Cafés, bars and restaurants on the East Side.
Walker's Point
A neighbourhood of breweries and restaurants.

Taste

Food to try in Milwaukee

Frozen custard
Dense, creamy and a local obsession.
Cheese curds
Fried or fresh, Wisconsin's signature snack.
Friday fish fry
Fried fish with coleslaw and rye bread.
Bratwurst
Grilled sausage from the city's German heritage.

On foot

Walking guides by travel writers

Hand-picked walking routes for Milwaukee from independent travel writers. Preview the streets in the videos above, then follow their route on foot.

A Stairway Walk in Milwaukee (opens in a new tab)
by David Ryan · Gentle Art of Wandering
A short stair-hunting loop north of downtown near the Milwaukee River, from the Vine and Hubbard steps onto an old rail line turned walking path, under and over a viaduct and up the Booth Street stairway, past brick taverns from the city's brewing days.

Opening hours and prices change often. Please check with each place before you visit.

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