Family-Friendly Things to Do in Milwaukee

Planning a family trip with hands-on museums, outdoor adventures, interactive attractions and activities for every age is easy in Milwaukee.

You can explore science exhibits on the Lake Michigan shoreline, meet animals from around the world, search for public art, or spend the day playing at beaches, parks and nature centers.

There are plenty of ways to learn and play together. Here’s how.

Top Attractions for Young Kids

Many of Milwaukee’s top attractions combine immersive learning opportunities and imaginative play for younger kids with experiences that tweens, teens and adults will enjoy, too.

Discovery World

Discovery World on Lake Michigan makes science fun for young, curious minds. You and your little ones can wander through the aquarium, touch stingrays and experiment with exhibits that bring science, technology and engineering to life. Kids can design robots, build giant foam-block forts and discover how the Great Lakes shape Milwaukee’s ecosystem.

Milwaukee County Zoo

Young animal lovers can travel the world without leaving the city at the Milwaukee County Zoo. The zoo is home to over 300 species found in photo-worthy habitats like the African Waterhole, Hippo Haven and Penguins of the Pacific. When you need to rest your feet, take the kids on the Safari Train for a scenic ride through the grounds.

Betty Brinn Children’s Museum

Designed especially for curious young minds, the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum encourages kids to learn through play. They can design their own lava course, visit a mini post office and navigate secret passageways in the Northwoods. Beyond the exhibits, the museum keeps kids and their families engaged with baby-friendly programs, story time and STEAM Lab classes.

Harley-Davidson Museum

Little riders can hop on bikes, play pretend and build their dream motorcycle at the world’s only Harley-Davidson Museum. While kids explore interactive exhibits and pose for photos in pint-sized riding gear, you can admire more than 450 motorcycles and a huge collection of memorabilia that spans the iconic bike brand’s over 120-year history. Tours and special programs offer an even deeper look into the history of this Milwaukee icon.

Milwaukee Public Market

Sweet treats and colorful displays give young foodies plenty to enjoy at the Milwaukee Public Market. The whole crowd will love the handmade, hand-dipped chocolates at Freese’s Candy Shoppe, a family-owned business with recipes passed down through three generations. If your child loves to cook, check out the market schedule for kid-friendly classes that give aspiring chefs a chance to build their culinary skills in a fun setting.

Family-Friendly Art Museums & Attractions

Milwaukee's art museums, conservatories and public sculptures combine learning and entertainment for travelers of all ages.

Milwaukee Public Museum

Find exhibits that appeal to curious kids and adults alike at the Milwaukee Public Museum. Across multiple floors, exhibits whisk you to the Arctic, Africa, the Streets of Old Milwaukee and outer space. The museum will remain open through January 3, 2027, before transitioning to the new Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin.

Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin

Set to open in 2027, the Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin will build on the Milwaukee Public Museum’s nearly 150-year legacy with galleries exploring Milwaukee, Wisconsin, world cultures and the age of dinosaurs. The new museum will also feature a rainforest gallery, the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium and the Puelicher Butterfly Vivarium, a greenhouse filled with tropical plants and live butterflies.

Milwaukee Art Museum

With hands-on activities for kids and world-class art for adults, the Milwaukee Art Museum has it all. Located on Lake Michigan, the museum features art-making projects in Kohl’s Art Studio, Story Time in the Galleries and kid-friendly maps. Young artists can channel their inner Van Gogh during monthly Play Date with Art classes.

Mitchell Park Domes

Part botanical garden, part nature adventure, the Mitchell Park Domes give families the chance to explore three different ecosystems. Kids can spot wildlife in a rainforest, wander through a forest of cacti and discover seasonal floral displays. Scavenger hunts and nature-inspired story times add even more fun to the experience.

Milwaukee’s Public Art & Sculpture Trail

In Milwaukee, sightseeing is a family-friendly scavenger hunt! Search for larger-than-life sculptures, colorful murals and hidden works of public art throughout the city.

Milwaukee’s public art includes downtown stops like “The Calling,” a 40-foot orange sculpture by the Milwaukee Art Museum, and a 100-foot mural honoring legendary Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker on the north façade of the Wintrust Financial Center. Walk down Wisconsin Avenue and keep your eyes peeled for utility box murals, celebrating the people and events that define the region, then hit the Milwaukee RiverWalk to say hi to Gertie the Duck.

More public art is on display in Menomonee Valley Community Park, home to steel silhouettes inspired by the Milwaukee Road railway, and in Black Cat Alley, where towering murals, including a 40-foot frog, await behind the Oriental Theatre.

A visit to Firefly Grove Park includes a stop at Mama Rosa, a 24-foot troll crafted from recycled wood by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. The first of Dambo’s trolls in Wisconsin, it was built using trees from Wauwatosa’s urban forest and carries a bouquet made from repurposed streetlight posts. Mama Rosa is part of a global collection of troll sculptures found in more than 20 countries, created from reclaimed materials to highlight the creative potential of recycled materials.

Outdoor Activities for Families

Milwaukee’s parks, nature centers and trail systems give you plenty of opportunities to get outside between museum visits and city sightseeing.

Milwaukee RiverWalk

The Milwaukee RiverWalk follows the Milwaukee River for 3.1 miles through downtown, offering a closer look at the public art and riverfront landmarks.

Families will find the Manpower/Elmer Winter Sculpture Garden collection of six works that includes Elmer Winter’s “To Dream the Impossible Dream,” a sculpture of car bumpers pushing skyward. The RiverWalk also passes Dream with the Fishes for Aurora, which illuminates the riverfront after dark with colorful fish swimming beneath glowing waves, and, of course, the Bronze Fonz just off Wells Street.

Boats and kayaks are always fun to watch and Pere Marquette Park boasts green space and skyline views along the route.

Lakefront Parks & Beaches

With 1,400 acres of beaches and parks, Milwaukee’s Fresh Coast gives you plenty of room to swim, play and enjoy time together on the lakefront.  

At Bradford Beach, splash in Lake Michigan and watch volleyball games from the shore. The beach is also a popular spot for birdwatching, and nearby seasonal concessions serve kid-friendly favorites like chicken tenders and cheese curds.

In South Milwaukee, Grant Park Beach is a quieter setting for sandcastle building and shoreline exploring, while South Shore Beach has sweeping skyline views with a playground and a seasonal beer garden, South Shore Terrace.

You can continue the adventure across area parks. Discover scenic trails and skyline views at Lakeshore State Park, climb the North Point Lighthouse in Lark Park, or fly kites from Gift of Wings at Veterans Park.

Other fun things to do with kids include renting Bublr bikes for a ride along the lakefront or taking a boat tour on Milwaukee’s waterways.

Nature Centers & Family Trails

Trails, wildlife viewing and up-close nature experiences help kids connect with the outdoors while keeping your whole family engaged

Six miles of hiking paths weave through 185 acres of forests, prairies and shoreline at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. You can catch hawks, owls and bald eagles in the Raptor Center. In Whitnall Park’s 220-acre Wehr Nature Center has five miles of kid-friendly treks through savannas, wetlands and woods, plus an outdoor play space buzzing with bird feeders.

Longer urban trails let families customize their adventures. With beautiful nature and city views, the Hank Aaron State Trail extends 14 miles between American Family Field and the lakefront, and the Oak Leaf Trail runs 135 miles through Milwaukee County, including a scenic stretch along the shore through the region’s oldest park, Grant Park. The park’s star attraction is the two-mile Seven Bridges Trail that winds through a forested ravine along stone pathways and wooden bridges.

Indoor Attractions for Rainy Days

Many of the museums and children’s attractions are excellent rainy-day choices. If you’re looking to mix things up, Milwaukee also has tons of indoor play spaces, specialty museums and family entertainment.

Browse toys and games at Ruckus & Glee or visit the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum to explore the world’s largest collection of bobbleheads and pick up a unique souvenir to take home with you.

The fun and play continue at The Little Village Play Cafe. Its gift shop offers finds for everyone in the group, and a Montessori-inspired indoor space gives children room to explore. Grown-ups have their own reasons to swing by, thanks to the coffee shop and wine bar.

Older kids and teens can race down giant slides at Slick City Action Park, which also includes a play area designed for younger children. You can even round out the day with dinner and a show at The Fireside Theatre. Broadway performers, fine dining and decades of hospitality have made it one of Wisconsin’s best-known entertainment destinations.

Start Planning a Family Vacation in Milwaukee

The hardest part of planning a family trip to Milwaukee may be deciding what to do first. Many of the city’s top attractions are located close to one another, and family-friendly hotels, a walkable downtown and transportation options make this destination a trip that works for every age.

Ready to build your itinerary? Check out our planning resources for your dream family getaway.