Last Updated on March 17, 2025 by Deanne
(This post was updated on March 17, 2025.)
Looking for fun things to do in Milwaukee for couples? Whether you’re making a day trip to Milwaukee, spending the weekend, or just need an idea for a date night in Brew City you’re in the right place.
My husband and I have lived in the Milwaukee area for many years. Recently we spent a day being tourists in our own city. We had an idea of things we wanted to see and do, but we still researched ahead of time to make sure we weren’t missing anything new and exciting.
Of course, in one day we couldn’t see everything Milwaukee has to offer, but we prioritized our list and ended up re-visiting a couple of familiar Milwaukee attractions and exploring some new ones. We even happened upon some unexpected gems!
We fit a lot into our day trip to Milwaukee. See what we recommend below! And if you have more than one day to explore – we provide a list of additional fun things to do in Milwaukee for couples, too.
Distance to Milwaukee
Coming in from out of town? A day trip to Milwaukee (or a weekend trip) is worth the drive from neighboring cities and states.
Distance Chicago to Milwaukee:
90 miles or 1.5 hours
Distance Madison to Milwaukee:
75 miles or 1 hour and 20 minutes
Distance Green Bay to Milwaukee:
115 miles or 1 hour and 45 minutes
Distance Minneapolis to Milwaukee:
335 miles or 5 hours
(Need a place to stay while in Milwaukee? Check out Saint Kate the Arts Hotel described by Conde Nast Traveler as “one of the absolute coolest hotels in Wisconsin.”)
Why is Milwaukee a fun place for couples?
Milwaukee is known by many names – Brew City, Home of Harley Davidson, a Great Place on a Great Lake, and now…
one of the top 25 places to visit in the WORLD in 2023, according to National Geographic!
Yes, you read that right! Check out the article here!
Personally, I think that’s taking a love of Milwaukee a bit too far, (I mean, C’mon “in the WORLD”???) However, even if you’re not into beer and you don’t ride a Harley – you’ll quickly realize Milwaukee is a fun place to explore. Here are some of the highlights we chose to visit during our day trip to Milwaukee.
WITNESS BASILICA OF ST. JOSAPHAT’S GRANDEUR
Touring a church may not be what you had in mind when searching for fun things to do in Milwaukee for couples, but St. Josaphat always turns up in lists of top things to do in Milwaukee, so we had to check it out.
First, this is a basilica, not just a church. If you don’t know the difference, neither did I. But according to the Basilica of St. Josaphat website, “In the Catholic Church, basilica status is reserved for the largest, most beautiful, and most historically important churches.”
When Milwaukee’s St. Josaphat attained basilica status in 1929, it was only the third basilica in the entire country. It seats more than 1,000 people just on the main floor with hundreds more in the galleries.
From the elaborate entrance and grandiose sanctuary to the dramatic and sparkling dome, this is an impressive church for sure.
The colorful stained-glass windows were the highlight for us.
According to their audio tour (which we highly recommend taking), someone once described the Basilica of St. Josaphat saying, “I’ve been to Rome. This is better.” Well… now… I’ve been to Rome, too. And I’ve toured St. Peter’s Basilica – which St. Josaphat was loosely modeled after. I would never make that comparison. But I will say if you can’t make it to Rome, this is an impressive basilica to check out especially since it fits so easily into an itinerary for a day trip to Milwaukee.
The Basilica of St. Josaphat tips and info:
Location: 2333 S. 6th St., Milwaukee, 53215, entrance to the visitor center is around back through the parking lot. Ring the buzzer to be let in.
Parking: Free lot, onsite
Cost: A donation of $5 is appreciated for headphones to listen to the audio tour, otherwise it’s free to walk through.
Open: Monday – Saturday, 10am-3pm, final tours for the day must begin by 2:15pm.
Duration: The audio tour is 35 minutes. We spent a total of 45 minutes there.
Notes: There is an interesting history exhibit in the lower level detailing the story of the Basilica.
EXPLORE THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM
You don’t have to ride a Harley to appreciate this fascinating museum. Harley-Davidson is an American icon and its motorcycles are legendary. Touring this impressive museum is a Milwaukee-must.
The displays, exhibits, and array of motorcycle models detail the lengthy history and interesting variety while celebrating the world-renown motorcycle brand. You’ll see Harley-Davidson motorcycles manufactured for war, the desert, off-road, racing, the postal service, and more.
Did you know Harley-Davidson made golf carts and boats? Neither did I. Two floors are dedicated to showcasing the collection of iconic bikes and other memorabilia – including the oldest Harley Davidson in existence: Serial Number One from 1903.
Harley-Davidson has a huge, loyal following, including internationally. True story: We were at a tiny bar in Stuttgart, Germany, and the owner, Ronnie, knew of Milwaukee because he was a big Harley fan. In fact, he was making a trip across the pond to celebrate in Milwaukee the following year for a Harley anniversary event.
If Ronnie is willing to travel overseas to visit Harley, you can be sure it’s worth your time to spend an hour or two in this interesting museum. You even get to pose on some cool bikes before you leave.
Harley-Davidson Museum tips and info:
Location: 400 West Canal St., Milwaukee, 53201
Parking: Free, onsite
Cost: General admission is $22/adult
Open: Daily 10am-5pm
Duration: We spent 1 hour touring the museum, but if you’re really into Harleys you could easily spend several hours there.
Notes: There is also a restaurant and gift shop which we did not explore.
ENJOY A FUN LUNCH BREAK
There are a variety of fun lunch venues close to the Harley-Davidson Museum. We ate pizza and drank craft beer at Mobcraft Beer two minutes away in Walker’s Point – but that place has since closed its doors. So, here are a few other great choices:
MOTOR Bar and Restaurant
Right onsite at the Harley-Davidson Museum is the MOTOR Bar and Restaurant – a fun and casual place offering up a variety of bold American classics. You can order everything from smoked brisket, BBQ shrimp, NY strip steak, burgers, and salads. Enjoy your meal surrounded by iconic motorcyle decor.
Location: 400 West Canal St., Milwaukee, 53201
Parking: Free, onsite
Open: Sundays-Wednesdays 11am-8pm, Thursdays-Saturdays 11am-9pm
Notes: MOTOR has a large, indoor dining room and bar that seats up to 250 people. An outdoor patio offers additional seating overlooking the Menomonee River.
Toast Milwaukee
Three minutes away from the Harley-Davidson Museum is Toast, a cozy, brunch-focused restaurant known for its fun twists on classic comfort food. You’ll find everything from savory sandwiches to crepes, croissants, and the most creatively decked out french toast. With a warm, inviting atmosphere, it’s a popular spot that also offers craft cocktails, mimosas, and local brews.
Location: 231 S. 2nd Street, Milwaukee, 53204
Parking: Parking available on the street or in nearby lots
Open: 8am-2pm Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 8am-4pm Saturdays and Sundays, and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Notes: This place goes all out in its 70’s retro vibe.
La Merenda
If you like to sample a variety of food when eating out, head to La Merenda where they serve a globally-inspired tapas menu. From Indonesian shrimp dishes to Spanish gambas al ajillo, each plate is crafted with locally sourced ingredients.
Location: 125 East National Avenue, Milwaukee, 53204
Parking: Valet parking and street parking available
Open: Lunch: 11am-2pm Monday-Friday, Dinner: M-Th 5-9pm, Fri.-Sat 5-10pm
Notes: This restaurant ranks #2 on Tripadvisor for all Milwaukee restaurants.
TOUR GREAT LAKES DISTILLERY
Great Lakes Distillery is well-known in the area, but I didn’t realize it was located right where we were going to be on our day trip to Milwaukee. We decided on the spot to check it out and tour the distillery. We’re glad we did. It’s a small, but interesting place. Founded in 2004, it was the first distillery to open in Wisconsin since Prohibition. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave a fast-paced and interesting tour.
After the tour we returned upstairs to the bar area for a tasting of six of their spirits. The tour plus tasting lasts about an hour. Just a warning: the samples at the end are very generous! We suggest buying a non-drinker ticket for whoever is driving. They also provide water and crackers.
Great Lakes Distillery tips and info:
Location: 616 W. Virginia Street, Milwaukee, 53204
Parking: on the street or lot
Open: Daily 12pm M-F, and at 11am on weekends.
Cost: Tour + tasting $12, Non-drinker $6
Duration: Tour is approximately 1 hour
Notes: Throughout the summer they have live music on the patio every Sunday from 3-6pm.
BROWSE THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MARKET
We’ve always wanted to check out the Milwaukee Public Market and since we were in the mood for a snack, we made our way over to this unique and bustling indoor market. With a variety of specialty food vendors and an assortment of artisan and ethnic products, the Milwaukee Public Market is a fun place for couples to explore. It’s open year-round and sells gourmet coffee, wine, cheese, sausage, bakery items, spices, olive oil, chocolate, and more.
A range of cuisines are available making this a great place for couples with differing tastes, since you can each find something you enjoy. You’ll find Mexican, Thai, Mediterranean, BBQ, seafood, and more. Seating is available on the 2nd floor overlooking the vendors down below. For us, we bought a couple of peanut butter cookies and browsed a bit before making our way to our next stop.
Milwaukee Public Market tips and info:
Location: 400 N. Water Street, Milwaukee, 53202
Parking: Surface adjacent lot, free for first half-hour, 30 min-1 hr=$4, 1-2 hrs=$6
Open: Daily at 10am
Duration: We spent less than a half-hour here. You’ll need more time if you sit and eat.
Notes: The Milwaukee Public Market would be a fun venue to set up a laptop and work while eating and people watching.
ADMIRE THE MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM
If you are into art and/or architecture, exploring the Milwaukee Art Museum is a fun thing for couples to do. We had been to the Milwaukee Art Museum many years before but wanted to visit this beautiful and popular Milwaukee attraction again.
Built on the shores of Lake Michigan, the building itself is an architectural masterpiece. The addition designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava looks like the front of a ship and includes floor to ceiling windows and its signature wings, which you can watch gracefully open and close during the day. (The wings open with the museum, open and close at noon, and then close when the museum closes in the evening.) The building and beautiful grounds overlooking Lake Michigan are my favorite parts of the museum.
The Milwaukee Art Museum houses 30,000 works of paintings, sculptures, prints, textiles, and more in its 341,000 square feet. I’m a fan of artist Duane Hanson’s life-sized realistic sculptures, so I was excited to see his believable depiction of a janitor standing in the hallway. My husband had to do a double take to make sure this guy wasn’t real.
Paintings by Monet and Georgia O’Keeffe are popular works beautifying the museum walls.
These are fun creations by artist Alex Katz.
And then there are some minimalist designs that may leave you scratching your head.
Whether you visit for the art or the architecture, the Art Museum is another Milwaukee-must for couples.
Milwaukee Art Museum tips and info:
Location: 700 N. Art Museum Dr., Milwaukee, 53202
Parking: Underground parking garage, 15 min-1hr=$6, 1-2 hrs=$8, 2-3 hrs=10, 3-6 hrs=$12
Open: Tuesdays-Sundays 10am-5pm, open until 8pm on Thursdays. Closed Mondays.
Cost: Adults $22
Duration: We spent an hour exploring. If you’re really into art, you could easily spend several hours exploring.
Notes: Outside the museum, walk the paths by the lakefront for a scenic view.
WITH MORE TIME, CHECK OUT THESE FUN THINGS TO DO IN MILWAUKEE FOR COUPLES:
Brewery Tour
As most people know, Milwaukee is famous for its beer. Boasting a long list of breweries with fun and interesting guided tours, a couple places to check out are Lakefront Brewery located at 1872 North Commerce Street and Miller Brewing located at 4251 W. State Street.
Pabst Mansion
One of the beer greats in Milwaukee was Captain Frederick Pabst. Tour his exquisite home and learn about his history, family, and details of the Pabst Mansion’s architecture and furnishings located at 2000 West Wisconsin Ave.
Historic Third Ward
Milwaukee’s historic Third Ward encompasses a revitalized neighborhood that includes art galleries, restaurants, theatres, specialty stores, and a beautiful Riverwalk. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places the Third Ward is home to more than 500 businesses selling upscale women’s clothing, children’s clothing, high-end home furnishings, and more. Easily accessible from the freeway, the Third Ward is adjacent to downtown with Clybourn Street to the north, the Milwaukee River to the west and south, and Lake Michigan to the east.
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