This fall, I took a job in Chicago, Illinois and, lucky for me, a friend of mine took a contract in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She came to visit me for a couple of days, and I just went up to visit her! Here’s what we did for the 3-ish days I was there.
Chicago to Milwaukee
Since my trip was from Chicago, I just took the Amtrak train. It was about an hour and 45 minutes and very comfortable. It cost me about $50 round trip, which with gas prices these days, probably saved me money versus if I’d driven. Not dealing with traffic or getting my car out of the parking garage made the Amtrak an easy and convenient way to get there. Plus, my friend was there with her car so we could get around.
The Third Ward
She is staying at an Air B’n’B, and there is another bedroom there that she is allowed to have guests stay in, so it was a really nice set up! When I arrived, she picked me up at the station (right in downtown Milwaukee) and we went to dinner at The Wicked Hop. It’s a cute place with some outdoor seating, a downstairs and upstairs area, and a nice bar. Apparently known for its Bloody Mary’s-not my drink of choice any time of day let alone for dinner- we both enjoyed a cocktail called “S’moregasm”. It lived up to its name; delicious and very sweet!
We shared some cheese curds as an appetizer because, Wisconsin. I got the breaded chicken sandwich with a side of fruit for my meal. The breading was so light I barely noticed it, which was perfect. And the fruit was super fresh and ripe despite it being the start of the cooler weather. I would definitely go back here if I am in Milwaukee again.
Madison, Wisconsin
My friend really wanted to see Wisconsin in the fall, and a part of that included going to the capitol building in Madison. Did you know, Wisconsin’s capitol building is the second largest in the country? You can see in my photos that it is really impressive outside, and very grand inside. Marbles of all different kinds, from all over the world were used to build it. If you’re ever in the area, it’s worth a visit and it’s free to go in. You can also go on a free tour, but we chose to roam around on our own.
One of the best parts was climbing to the very top and looking out over the city. It was so cold and windy that day, and outside at the top of the building was even worse! But it was beautiful and worth the steps it takes to get there. Note: there is an elevator that takes you up a few stories, but you do have to walk part of it up some narrow steps.
Lake Manona
From the capitol building, you can see both lakes that envelop Madison. We could tell from the top of the capitol which side was less windy because one lake had white caps on it and one didn’t! So we decided to walk down a few blocks to Lake Manona. There is a pretty big walking/biking trail right along the lake, so we decided to sit on one of the benches and relax for a bit before finding some lunch. It was very peaceful and some of the trees were changing colors in the area. I’m sure in a few weeks it will be even more colorful!
A Quick Bite
When we walked back up towards the capitol where we parked, we found a little Mexican restaurant called Belair Cantina. It just happened to be Tuesday, and they had $2 tacos on the menu, so we both got 2 to try. Their website says they are a Wisconsin staple for tacos, but I didn’t love either of mine. I got the bean and corn vegetarian one and the carnitas taco. I wouldn’t order them again, but they had a lot of other options. We weren’t drinking, but the list of margaritas sounded delicious and you can even get a flight of margaritas to try!
Lapham Peak
Wisconsin has quite a few state parks and forests. One is called Kettle Moraine State Forest, which holds a unit called Lapham Peak. This “unit” is a man-made wooden structure that stands at 45 feet. There are flights of stairs that lead you up to the top of the lookout and you can see miles of forest. You can even see downtown Milwaukee.
We made it there just by sunset, which was gorgeous! One thing that could’ve made it better (besides the cold wind) was for the colors to be changing more than they were. I think if we were to have gone 2-3 weeks later it would’ve been so amazing! The other bummer was that it cost $11 to enter the park as a non-resident. I understand the fee for the park system, but we were only in there for 30 minutes, so it felt a bit expensive.
Warming Up
Since we froze our butts off all day, all I could think about was a steaming cup of hot chocolate! We ended up finding a place in Waukesha, on our way back into Milwaukee. The Steaming Cup is a quirky little cafe on the corner with tons of drink options as well as tasty bakery goods. I got a hot chocolate and a caramel oat bar and was in heaven. Since we ate a later lunch, we just went home after relaxing at the cafe for a little while.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
As I said before, we were in major search of Wisconsin in the fall, so we had another place to visit on my last day in the area. Before heading there, we decided to go to the gym in the morning, and then grabbed lunch at Cafe Hollander. Another quirky-cute place with delicious food, and surprisingly, lattes! Here I got a caramel latte, a BLT with avocado and basil aioli, and sweet potato fries. I wanted to go back there immediately after we left. 10/10 would recommend.
Holy Hill Basilica
The Holy Hill Basilica is a Catholic Church and Parish with 2 beautiful towers, one of which you can access to see views of the entire area. It is out in the middle of nowhere and took about 45 minutes to drive from Milwaukee, but I am so glad we did! The views up there were the best we saw this week. I’m sure they are even more amazing now. It is free to enter, and there is mass and confession there at scheduled times on their website.
Note: You have to climb a few flights of stairs. There is an elevator to a mid-level, but there are quite a few stairs that are required to climb to see from the top. They are very skinny flights of stairs as well. Did I mention it was cold and windy this weekend?!
A Last Stop
Before heading back to to the train station, we decided to stop at the Milwaukee Public Market. It is only about a mile from the station, so it was a perfect last stop for a few treats! They have vendors of all kinds; from fresh fish, to chocolates, to souvenirs. You can find it there. I got a caramel apple and a Milwaukee magnet (I collect magnets if you’re seeing a trend in my posts). Then I was dropped at the station and headed back to Chicago.
If you’ve made it to Wisconsin, any time of year, I’d love to hear about the things you’ve done!
