Above 63

If you’ve followed my writing or my social media, you know that place matters to me. While I love to travel and explore new parts of the world, I’m going to spend some regular time on this blog talking about my hometown of Milwaukee.

So why Milwaukee?

In the past decade, Milwaukee has become “cool”—but it’s still largely unknown as a travel destination. It’s gotten good press recently and drew in over $4 billion in tourism spending in 2023. What really made me stop and take notice, though, was when National Geographic named Milwaukee one of the top 25 places to visit in 2023.

That got me thinking: What would I tell a visitor to see and do here over 1 to 7 days? That question led to a series of social media posts for my friends—and now, I’m revisiting and expanding on those posts here, with more depth and flavor.

Rick Steves often talks about visiting second cities—lesser-known places that offer rich experiences without the crowds and costs of the “big name” places. I’ve enjoyed London, Amsterdam, Berlin, and Madrid. But honestly, I’ve had memorable and meaningful visits to places like Bath, Utrecht, Oldenburg, and Salamanca.

The same is true for Milwaukee. It’s big enough to be fun and interesting, yet small enough to explore without being overwhelmed. It doesn’t demand your attention the way a global capital does—it earns it.

Part of the joy in writing about Milwaukee will be seeing the city differently—or seeing it again for the first time. I’ll be exploring places I thought I knew but haven’t visited in years. And there are new spaces in my own backyard that deserve a closer look.

Here’s a taste of what’s coming:

• Food is a big deal here—Season 21 of Top Chef was filmed in Milwaukee. I’ll share some of my favorite spots that locals love.
• Beach culture thrives—even The New York Times took note. I’m not much of a “beach guy,” but I’ll admit the lakefront has a great vibe.
• Condé Nast named Milwaukee one of the top three U.S. cities to visit in 2023. Earlier this year they said now is the time to visit. That might sound like hype—until I compare my “must-see in Milwaukee” list with what I’ve seen in so-called “cool” cities.
• It’s a cruise port—20–30 ships stop here each year. Unlike many cruise cities, I can point you to local gems that aren’t tourist traps (though we have a few of those too—and some are worth it).
• Arts and culture thrive—It is home to a lot of museums, theaters, and music venues. Summerfest alone brings in 250,000 out-of-town visitors, not including locals. But music and art spill into the rest of the year too.
• It’s a city built by immigrants—and their influence is still visible in our neighborhoods, food, architecture, and public spaces.
• Not all sunshine and light–like all places, there are issues and problems–some of those will appear.

I’m looking forward to writing more about this place—and maybe convincing you to visit. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I’ll still be writing about other places too. But this is home, and I want to tell you about it.