Spring Breakthrough: Spring Break Your Way in Milwaukee

This Spring Break, escape to Milwaukee! Far from the crowded beaches of Florida, the family-friendly shores of the Fresh Coast have everything you need to make the most of your vacation with the fam. Whether you’re uncovering the mysteries of the universe at the Milwaukee Public Museum or memories as you race around K1 Speedway, you’re in for a Spring Breakthrough in Milwaukee. We rounded up some ideas for you and your crew to explore the Brew City this break. Here’s what we think you should do!

Fun for Little Ones

At its heart, Milwaukee is a family-friendly city, full of fun for everyone. For parents bringing their little ones to the Good Land for the first time, you’ll want to start at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Good for kids and adults of all ages, the zoo is one of the nation's best. As you roam the 190-acre grounds, your child will marvel at over 3,100 different animals, from the mighty silverback gorilla to the recently renovated Hippo Haven and otters as they splash and play.

Immersive play awaits at the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. Ideal for children ages 2-8, this museum sparks inspiration and builds skills through hands-on exhibits. Amongst these spaces is Home Town, a kid-sized post office and grocery store with working telephones, cash registers and more. There’s also Hot Lava, which invites volcanic adventurers on an agility course, building motor skills. Then there’s Pocket Park, a sensory-rich pretend playground perfect for kids under the age of four to explore.

Energetic kids will enjoy blowing off a little bit of steam at Slick City Wauwatosa. The new 60,000 sq. ft. experience just north of downtown is a great place for kids ages 4+ to run around and slide down Slick’s many slides, crawl around in the Junior Jungle, learn the ropes at Acrobat Alley or hoop at the Air Sport Court.

Young Learners

Who says learning can only happen at school? Whether you’ve got a kid who’s six or sixteen, the thrill of discovery has no bounds, and at the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, learning has never been more whimsical. This museum is home to a jaw-dropping 10,000+ bobblehead collection spanning decades and genres, telling the story of not just sports history but pop culture as well. Rove the aisles of this tucked-away gallery to uncover your favorite bobbles—and maybe take one home for yourself.

For a more traditional educational experience, the Milwaukee Public Museum is the place to be. Packed with millions of specimens over its three-and-a-half floors, you and your fam can roam the pre-historic time of the dinosaurs or wander the Streets of Old Milwaukee, venture into the Costa Rican rainforest or watch butterflies flutter around you as you uncover some of the secrets of our planet.

Over at Discovery World, you’ll find aha moments around every turn. More than a museum, Discovery World brings the thrill and wonder of the sciences to life through a series of playful exhibits. Here, you and your little ones can discover the majesty of the world’s largest freshwater ecosystem (found just outside its doors in Lake Michigan), the wonders of automation and the history of the famed Les Paul guitar.

Teen (or Tween) Spirit

Now, a little adolescent adrenaline rush for the thrill-chasers in your family, the ones racing towards adulthood with a little bit of attitude. Let's find your need for speed at K1 Speed. The indoor go-kart track offers two courses of high-speed fun, with technical turns and fast straightaways, you can decide once and for all who the best driver in the family is.

Then there’s WhirlyBall, a sport that is best described as really a bit of everything. It’s bumper cars. It’s lacrosse. It’s basketball. It’s hockey. It’s soccer. It isn’t track, but something’s telling us that that’s not really the experience you’re looking for anyway. It’s WhirlyBall, a sport so unique that you and your crew just have to give it a whirl.

You’ve whirled, now it’s time to hurl. At 1st and Bowl, you and the family can give football bowling a try and see if your accuracy really is as good as you remember it. This fun hybrid sport takes the thunderous pin-crushing excitement of bowling and pairs it with the pin-point passing of football. Believe us, it’s harder than it sounds and more fun than you can imagine.

Inspiration Station

Okay, but maybe you’re looking for a restful retreat rather than a non-stop thrill ride. Milwaukee has that, too! Whether you’re marveling at the textured brushstroke technique at an art museum or the wonders of nature at a park, there’s a space sure to inspire.

Anytime you visit the city, the Milwaukee Art Museum is a simply must-stop attraction. From its place along the skyline as an iconic landmark to its wings that flap three times daily to the 40 galleries containing some of the greatest artists who have ever lived, like O’Keefe, Kandinsky and Warhol, inspiration lives in every square inch of this building.

The splendor of nature can be found at the city’s 150 parks, but your family can also draw creative excitement from the Mitchell Park Domes. No matter the weather, under these well-loved geodomes, the weather’s always perfect. As you move about their three distinct climates, including the humid tropics, arid deserts and a floral show dome, you’ll uncover a sensational array of plants and flowers, with over 1,800 different plant species – along with one bearded dragon named Steve. For families with young kids, you’ll want to head over to the Urban Ecology Center to learn all about the beauty that can be found in our ecosystem.

Creativity cannot be contained, and in Black Cat Alley, you’ll find 21 awe-inspiring, larger-than-life murals tucked away in an unassuming alley on the city’s East Side. Opened ten years ago, this outdoor gallery is free to explore and is located near a number of local restaurants, including Crossroads Collective, a food hall that offers a variety of delicious vendors so everyone in your crew can get what they’re craving.

Looking for even more inspiration? We've rounded up a list of Milwaukee area museums and art galleries for make your spring break extraordinary.

Family Fun for Everyone

Then, there are the classics, events that are fun for everyone in Milwaukee, like going to a sporting event. Cheer the Deer at Fiserv Forum as Giannis, Dame and the rest of the Bucks chase another piece of hardware this season. Or how about checking out an Admirals game as the AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators shoots and scores all season long? And there’s the thrill of the high-scoring indoor arena soccer at a Milwaukee Wave game at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Each of these teams competes in a family-friendly venue that’s ideal for fans of all ages.

Meanwhile, 3rd Street Market Hall has a little bit of something for everyone. From shuffleboard to darts, ping pong to pinball, Super Mario to a super selection of food vendors, your whole crew will leave this downtown food hall satisfied.

And then, there’s a classic. A staple of Milwaukee: the SafeHouse. An espionage-themed restaurant with spy-themed memorabilia decking the walls and a kitschy experience that’ll make you feel like you’ve entered your very own James Bond film. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to make memories that’ll last a lifetime.

Feeling inspired and want to explore more Milwaukee? Choose your own Spring Breakthrough and plan your visit today!

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