A look at Milwaukee’s best Lake Michigan getaways.

By Kristine Hansen

Lake Michigan, the sixth-largest lake in the world, is 307 miles long and 118 miles wide. During spring and summer, this large body of water hugging Milwaukee pulses with new energy after icing up during the cold winter months. Bicyclists zip down Lincoln Memorial Drive; sailboats cut through waves; and on beaches from Cudahy to Kohler, sunbathers know very well the art of lounging with a good book and a chilled beverage.

The summer days are long and sunny—and Milwaukee residents know how to use their time wisely. Recreational options range from bicycling and jogging to sailing and beach volleyball.

Enthusiasm for the city’s lakefront setting is on par with cities on the East and West coasts. It may not boast luxury beach clubs like those in Southern California or white-sand beaches like Florida, but the beaches of Milwaukee are rugged and gorgeous. A plus: Parking is rarely a problem near the shore. Here are some of the ways to get in or near the water.

The suburb of Fox Point (about a 20-minute drive from downtown), is home to some of the region’s most beautiful stretches of Lake  
Michigan shoreline.

Schlitz Audubon Center’s 185 acres are nestled against the beach, which is accessible by foot. The property includes six miles of trails, a 60-foot observation tower with lake views and a five-year-old LEED-certified “green” building where events are often held. Contact the center to learn about scheduled bird-watching hikes, interpretive nature hikes and workshops that promote sustainability.

Also in Fox Point is Doctors Park, where you can relax at a picnic table in a quiet, woodsy setting. Take the paved road down to the beach, where it’s even quieter and the sandy beach is wide enough to play on before you run into the lake’s roaring waves. Take the scenic route to the park, traveling north from Milwaukee on Lake Drive, through the towns of Shorewood and Whitefish Bay until you reach Fox Point.

Near the Summerfest grounds is Lakeshore State Park. Formerly known as Harbor Island, the park reopened last summer after a $17-million renovation. Visitors can cross an artsy, silver footbridge to the 17-acre island and enjoy hiking, bicycling and bird-watching. Both the Hank Aaron and Oak Leaf bicycle trails (which start in downtown Milwaukee) connect to the park, and if you’re paddling a canoe or kayak nearby, you can approach the island from any side. A visitors center is still under construction, so be sure to follow the pack-in, pack-out rule with any trash. Camping is not allowed on the island but there is plenty of exploration to fill a day.

Milwaukee’s lovely easternmost street, Lincoln Memorial Drive, is accessible from most hotels and downtown attractions. “Driving down the street feels like a mini vacation,” says Milwaukee resident Elke Sommers-Johnson. “The lake reminds me of the Mediterranean. I get to soak in modern architecture and even get to enjoy plenty of nature. What makes Lincoln Memorial Drive so special is the diversity: nature, architecture, people, solitude and plenty of water. It’s all right there at your finger-tips.” Stop at Bradford Beach and take advantage of the sand volley-ball court, then hit the Milwaukee Art Museum. After a recent $121-million renovation, the building is now accessible to the waterfront in part by Reiman Bridge, a 250-foot-long suspension foot bridge that features a 200-foot angled mast with cables and reflects architect Santiago Calatrava’s modern perspective on design.

The museum hosts the Lakefront Festival of Arts from June 20-22, when you can bask in the lakefront breezes while checking out local and national art.

Keep driving on Lincoln Memorial Drive and you will find the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center. One of the nation’s best places for affordable sailing instruction for more than 30 years, the center has beginner and intermediate classes and offers single use of the center’s boats or the entire fleet. Committed to making the water available to most anyone regardless of economic earnings, classes are also offered for at-risk youth and teens in the Milwaukee area.

Summer is the prime time to visit Grant Park in South Milwaukee, about 20 minutes from the heart of town. With 381 acres, it’s Milwaukee County’s second largest park. In the summer, you can dip your toes into the cool water and walk barefoot on the sand. Plenty of public-use amenities (snack bar, beach-house with restrooms, a playground and picnic tables) make it possible to spend an entire afternoon here.

No matter what your definition of a good time is, fun for all waits on Milwaukee’s fantastic waterfront. So kick back with a cold drink as the day comes to a close, savoring the best the summer has to offer.

IF YOU GO

Fox Point
414-351-8900  
www..em>vil.fox-point.wi.us

Schlitz Audubon Center
414-352-2880
www.schlitzauduboncenter.com

Doctors Park
www.county.milwaukee.gov

Lakeshore State Park
414-263-8570

Milwaukee Art Museum
414-224-3220
www. mam.org

Milwaukee Community Sailing Center
414-277-9094
www.sailingcenter.org

Grant Park
414-257-7275

TAKE IT INSIDE

Get out of the sun at Discovery World (www.discoveryworld.org), an aquarium-museum on Pier Wisconsin. Inside, it holds a replica of the first Great Lakes schooner, while the dock outside is summer home to Coast Guard-certified sailing school vessel Denis Sullivan.

If it’s not there, the three-masted schooner is out at work—it logs about 18,000 nautical miles a year.

The museum’s Reiman Aquarium focuses on marine life in the Great Lakes and Northeast Atlantic. There are many non-aquatic exhibits, too, like labs that host weekend-long programs and exhibits about Milwaukee landmarks and innovations. Like the lakefront, the museum has a bit of everything.

“Milwaukee’s lakefront provides an opportunity to do almost anything you would want to do,” says Discovery World President and CEO Joel Brennan. “It’s a microcosm of the state of Wisconsin. You can enjoy wonderful venues, be immersed in an educational hands-on learning experience and get an opportunity to view world-class architecture and works of art.”

HUNGRY?

Take a break from the activity and grab a bite to eat, or just a cup of java.

SCHLITZ AUDUBON CENTER/DOCTORS PARK
Pandl’s in Bayside
414-352-7300
www.pandlsinbayside.com
Tucked into a residential neighborhood, lunch and dinner include hearty items like thinly sliced prime rib with au jus and fried lake perch.

LINCOLN MEMORIAL DRIVE
Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro
414-962-6300
www.lakeparkbistro.com
Dine on French cuisine (escargot, pâté or French onion soup, for starters) near Bradford Beach.

MILWAUKEE COMMUNITY SAILING CENTER
Beans & Barley
414-278-7878
www.beansandbarley.com
Since the 1970s, this natural-foods deli and café has cooked delicious breakfasts. Salads, soups, smoothies, fruit tarts and cream pies are also available.

GRANT PARK
Sheridan House & Café
414-747-9810
www.sheridanhouseandcafe.com
This Art Nouveau-style inn and café has its own culinary garden. Drop in for a glass of wine with dinner, or kick-start the day with breakfast that includes French toast topped with coconut, almonds and orange zest.