Wisconsin · best-of list
14 Top Things to Do in Wisconsin
All 14 things to do our route editors picked in Wisconsin, across 4 destinations, gathered in one list. 9 come with an insider tip, and 4 cost nothing to visit.
Our curated picks
14 things to do in Wisconsin, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Milwaukee 5 picks
Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route + 1 more
Calatrava's lakefront pavilion with moving 'wings' and a strong collection.
Tip: Catch the wings opening at 10am, noon or closing.
Photo: Julia · Google
Milwaukee RiverWalk
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route + 1 more
Riverside path linking the Third Ward and downtown, passing the Bronze Fonz.
Photo: Original uploader was Sulfur at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Pabst Mansion
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route + 1 more
1892 Flemish Renaissance mansion of beer baron Frederick Pabst.
Photo: Sailko · CC BY 3.0
Cathedral Square Park
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Milwaukee route
Downtown park at the center of the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival, filled with lit trees and displays.
Tip: The festival also lights Pere Marquette Park and Red Arrow Park; walk between all three after dark.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Harley-Davidson Museum
Milwaukee · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Over 100 years of motorcycles in the company's hometown.
Photo: Dori · CC BY-SA 3.0 us
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront 4 picks
North Point Lighthouse
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
1888 lighthouse in Lake Park on the bluff above the lake, now a small maritime museum.
Tip: The grounds are open year-round; check museum hours before you plan to climb the tower.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0Oriental Theatre
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
1927 movie palace on Farwell Avenue with an elaborate East Indian-style interior, still showing films daily.
Tip: A warm way to finish Jan 1 after the plunge.
Polar Bear Plunge at Bradford Beach
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Free New Year's Day plunge into Lake Michigan at noon, a Milwaukee tradition that draws hundreds every year.
Tip: Watch from the bluff path above the beach if you would rather stay dry.
Photo: Dori · CC BY-SA 3.0 usVilla Terrace
Bradford Beach & the Lakefront · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
1920s Italian Renaissance-style villa above the lake, now a decorative arts museum with terraced gardens.
Tip: Check Jan 1 hours; the garden stairs give a long view over the lakefront.
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee 3 picks
Deer District New Year's Eve Fireworks
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Free 15-minute fireworks show at 8 p.m. over the Deer District plaza outside Fiserv Forum.
Tip: Stand on the plaza facing The Trade Hotel; the shells go up from the lot across the street.
Photo: SidewalkMD · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pabst Theater
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Ornate 1895 opera house that books concerts and comedy, often including a New Year's Eve show.
Tip: Check the Pabst Theater Group calendar in November; holiday shows sell out.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Red Arrow Park Ice Rink
Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee · On our Milwaukee New Year's Eve route
Downtown outdoor skating rink across from City Hall, open late through the holidays with skate rental.
Tip: In 2025 the rink stayed open until 11 p.m. on Dec 31.
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Door County 2 picks
Cana Island Lighthouse
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
1869 lighthouse on an island reached by wading or a hay wagon across the causeway.
Photo: Neal Letteney · CC BY-SA 4.0
Washington Island Ferry
Door County · On our Chicago & Great Lakes route
Ferry across Death's Door strait to a quiet island with beaches and lavender farms.
Photo: John Pozo · Google
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the things to do in Wisconsin?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 14 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Wisconsin has the most things to do on this list?
Milwaukee has the most (5 of 14), followed by Bradford Beach & the Lakefront (4) and Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee (3).
Are any of these free?
4 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: Milwaukee RiverWalk, Cathedral Square Park, Deer District New Year's Eve Fireworks and Polar Bear Plunge at Bradford Beach. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Wisconsin
Top things to do nearby
Destinations on this list
- Milwaukee 5 on this list
- Bradford Beach & the Lakefront 4 on this list
- Deer District & Downtown Milwaukee 3 on this list
- Door County 2 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.