Outside of Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, WI

24 hours for Couples in the Downtown Milwaukee Theater District

Where to stay

We stayed at the Saint Kate-The Arts Hotel in downtown Milwaukee. The name Saint Kate is a nod to St. Catherine, the patron saint of artists. It’s located in Milwaukee’s theater district which was the perfect location since we saw one of our favorite comedians, Sebastian Maniscalco, at The Riverside Theater. We parked our car at the hotel and walked to the theater which was about a 20ish minute walk. The hotel was definitely a splurge for us, but well worth it. Since we were only staying for the night, I figured we should live a little. The Saint Kate did not disappoint. It’s a modern boutique hotel with an artsy vibe. The soap was in the shape of a pink eraser. It was so cool. There are a few small art galleries to walk through right inside the hotel as well as art throughout the hotel. There was a table in the lounge area with some busts popping out of it- not creepy, just fun (see the photo below). We stayed in a room with a king size bed and sitting area. It even had a record player with some records to play. We had a pretty cool vibe in our room when we got back from dinner and the show. It was a great way to relax and unwind and something I’ve never experienced in a hotel before.

Other area hotels near The Riverside Theater are The Pfister Hotel and the Hilton Milwaukee City Center hotel.

Where to eat

We had a hard time finding somewhere to eat after the late show so we went into a chain restaurant (I can’t remember the name and it’s not coming up in Google so I think it may have closed). It wasn’t great anyway so no loss there. I recommend eating before a show because like I said it was hard to find somewhere to eat at about 10PM. A really cool restaurant I’ve been to on a previous trip was the SafeHouse and wish I could’ve gone back this trip too. This is a spy themed restaurant with lots of spy memorabilia all around. Our table was inside what looked like a jail cell. After dinner we walked around the different rooms to “investigate” the memorabilia. It’s definitely something to put on your list when visiting Milwaukee. To get in, you need to find the red door in an alleyway near the Milwaukee River. If you don’t know the password, they make you do some silly thing like hula hooping or singing to get in.

In the morning we walked to Fiddleheads Coffee at the BMO Tower. It’s only a couple minute walk from Saint Kate. The coffee and breakfast sandwiches were delicious. I had the toasted avocado croissant with bacon and Dominic had the toasted bacon sandwich. We bought a bag of coffee to take home and they grounded the beans for us.

What to do

Like I mentioned before, we were in Milwaukee for a comedy show. We went to The Riverside Theater which is named for its location along the Milwaukee River. There is discounted parking near the theater if you want to drive. Interstate Parking at the Gimbels Structure costs $7 on weekdays and $10 on weekends and must be purchased in advance.

Less than a mile from the hotel and Fiddleheads Coffee, is the Bronze Fonz. If you were a fan of Happy Days, you know who I’m talking about. You can get a picture with the Fonz giving his famous thumbs up. It’s located on the RiverWalk just south of Wells Street.

After we checked out of the hotel, we drove to the Lakefront Brewery which was not even 5 minutes down the road. This was such a cool brewery location and tour. Our guide was extremely personable, funny, and knowledgeable. The tour lasts about 45 min. and you get 4 tokens, each good to try an 8 oz. glass of your choices of beer. The tokens and a souvenir pint glass are included in the tour price. The tour ranges from $12-$15 per person depending if you go during the week or on the weekend. We’re not big drinkers, so we ended up keeping a couple of tokens as a souvenir. I thought the coolest part of this tour was watching the bottling line that was used on the Laverne and Shirley TV show. They asked for volunteers to come up and help- I didn’t volunteer and am soooo sorry I didn’t. These volunteers got to put a glove on a bottle as it moved around just like in the opening credits to the show! They turn the machine on and play the theme song and someone gets to live out the beginning of the Laverne and Shirley show. If you get the chance- do it!! Afterwards, stay and have something to eat at their Beer Hall restaurant.

On our way home we stopped at Grebe’s Bakery in West Allis, WI which was less than a 20 min. drive from the brewery. I can’t resist a good bakery and Grebe’s has been around since 1937 so it has stood the “taste” of time. Their famous crullers were delicious, but their donuts and bread were also yummy. We bought a bunch of treats to bring home with us and the kids loved everything as well. What a great way to end our trip. There may or may not have been some sampling of everything on the drive home too:)

Add-on

If you have time and enjoy trying to live a natural lifestyle- I try and love the idea, but I’m nowhere near perfect- stop by Tippecanoe Herbs store. It’s less than a 15 min. drive from Grebe’s bakery or Lakefront Brewery. They have a website and ship their products so if you’re not in the neighborhood, you can still check them out. They have no idea who I am and I don’t receive a commission from them. I just really like their products and they have really helpful, knowledgeable people if you do find yourself there. Their elderberry syrup tastes great and is wonderful at keeping your immunity strong. They also sell natural teas, tinctures, and bath and body products. Dominic likes their beard oil. They also hold multiple classes and events that always sounds intriguing if you have the extra time.

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