101 Family Day Trips and Staycations around Milwaukee | Kids Out and About Milwaukee <

101 Family Day Trips and Staycations around Milwaukee

**Follow each link to get details about your visit directly from your destination, since some places operate seasonally or by reservation, as well as to check each venue's COVID requirements (masks, limits, social distancing).

Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from Milwaukee. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!

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Take A Deep Breath In the Garden

Rowley Creek Lavender
Sanger House Garden
Boerner Botanical Gardens
The Gardens at Villa Terrace
Olbrich Botanical Gardens
Rotary Botanical Gardens

 

Get Wild on a Hike

  Richard Bong State Recreation Area
Havenwoods State Forest
Ice Age Trail
Kettle Moraine State Forest
Lac Lawrann Conservancy
Lion's Den Gorge Nature Preserve
Nashotah Park
Devil's Lake State Park

 

Time Travel Today

  Milwaukee County War Memorial Center
North Point Lighthouse
Old World Wisconsin
Pabst Mansion
The Civil War Museum
Milwaukee County Historical Society
North Point Tower
Wisconsin Historical Museum 

 

Make Life a Beach

Tietjen Beach
Atwater Beach
Bradford Beach
Grant Park Beach
South Shore Park Beach
Klode Park Beach
McKinley Beach

 

Splash into Some Water Fun

David F. Schulz Aquatic Center
The Springs Water Park
Cool Waters Family Aquatic Park

 

Spend the Day at a Museum

  Betty Brinn Children's Museum
Charles Allis Art Museum
Grohman Museum
Haggerty Museum of Art
Harley Davidson Museum
Milwaukee Art Museum
Milwaukee Public Museum
UMW Manfred Olson Planetarium

 

Explore These Cities

Madison, Wisconsin
Rockford, Illinois
Greenbay, Wisconsin
Chicago, Illinois 

 

All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)

  Edelweiss Boat Tours
  Riverwalk Boat Tours
Milwaukee Boat Line
East Troy Electric Railroad
Mid-Contienent Railway Museum
Gypsy Air Tours
Fly High Wisconsin

 

Grow Some Fun at the Farm

  Schuett Farms
Cedarburg Creek Farm
Creekside Valley Farm
Brynteg Farm

 

Play Ball!

  Milwaukee Admirals
Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Wave
Kenosha Kingfish

 

Treat Yo' Self

  Purple Door Ice Cream
Babes Ice Cream
Nite Owl Ice Cream Parlour & Sandwhich Shoppe
Cold Spoons Gelato
Tastee Twist
Ted's Ice Cream and Restuarant
Freese's Candy Shoppe
Burke Candy & Ingredients
Kehr's Candies
Niemann's Candies & Ice Cream

 

Connect with Nature

Wehr Nature Center
Schlitz Audobon Nature Center
Urban Ecology Center
Mequon Nature Preserve
Riveredge Nature Center
Hawthorn Glen
Havenwoods State Forest
River Trail Nature Center

 

Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks

America's Action Territory
Little Amerricka Amusement Park
Kalahari Resorts
Bay Beach Amusement Park
Chula Vista Resort

 

Talk to the Animals

  Cedarburg Creek Farm
Milwaukee County Zoo
Oceans of Fun
Bear Den Zoo and Petting Farm

 

Explore the Globe Close to Home

  Polish Center of Wisconsin
Italian Community Center of Milwaukee
Jewish Museum of Milwaukee
Grohmann Museum

 

Let's Go Chasing Waterfalls

  Lake Park
Kletzsch Park
Whitnall Park
Grant Park

 

Get Active Indoors

  Bounce Milwaukee
Adventure Rock
Sky Zone Milwaukee
JB's On 41
Ozaukee Skateland
America's Action Territory
Little Sprouts Play Cafe
Landmark Lanes
The Big Backyard

 

Challenge Yourself

  Arts @ Large
Otto's Art Academy
Creative Fire

 

Shop Your Heart Out

  Mayfair Mall
Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets®
Bayshore Town Center

 

Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!


Most of these destinations are within an hour from downtown Milwaukee. For those that are a bit farther away:

             = Less than 1 hour away

          = 1 to 2 hours away

       = 2 to 3 hours away

   = Just over 3 hours away