Fun Time
When her children were young, my friend Francie would promise them one fun thing every day. The kids would look forward to it – it seemed to help them get through the drudgery of homework and everyday chores. Sometimes, when the day was coming to a close, they would moan, “But Mom! There wasn’t one fun thing today!” – and Francie would magically come up with something on the fly.
This idea seems genius to me. Don’t we all deserve at least one fun thing a day? But as adults, life gets in the way, and all of our obligations and responsibilities can leave us running on a fun deficit. Let me propose a New Year’s resolution: If 365 fun things seems like a tall order, how about at least resolving to devote Saturdays to the pursuit of fun?
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Our feature “52 Perfect Saturdays” offers inspiration to get you in the fun groove (page 30). Find the ones you like, then tailor them to your own taste. For instance, No. 11 is very similar to an annual winter ritual I share with a friend, but our take on it is a little different: We head to Sheboygan and visit either the Kohler Art Preserve or the John Michael Kohler Art Center.
Then, we head to the American Club for a late afternoon cocktail in a cozy setting. After that, it’s dinner at Stefano’s, one of my all-time favorite restaurants in Wisconsin. A summer fun favorite is a trip to the Great Lakes Dragaway in Union Grove followed by dinner at the wonderful Hobnob supper club in Mount Pleasant. In the fall, I like to hike in the Kettle Moraine, then stop at a pumpkin farm.
And if you think that fun is frivolous, think again: It’s a scientifically supported contributor to better health. Activities that spark joy, creativity and social connection can reduce stress, improve mood, enhance cognitive function and even positively impact physical health.
I hope the ideas we offer are just a starting point, and that your fun factor grows sevenfold until every day contains at least one fun thing. Here’s wishing you a 2026 filled with fun!
— Carole Nicksin, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher
@CaroleNicksin | carole@milwaukeemag.com
In This Issue
Features:
- 52 Perfect Saturdays: You have 52 ideal opportunities to make the most of 2026’s weekends. Consider this your road map to explore, sip, nibble, ride and paddle your way through them.
- The Big Story: Two sides of Wisconsin’s popular uprising against the data center boom – and why it’s happening in the first place.
- 2026 Wedding Guide: Our annual guide for local couples
- Our Love Story: Five local couples share the magical moments that led to their unforgettable weddings.
Your 414:
- Style: History is stitched into the fabric of The Brass Lady’s vintage workwear.
- People Places Things: The joys of painting in the Racine Art Museum’s “Watercolor Wisconsin,” a prolific ice sculptor, a slingshot bar and more
- Olympics: Meet Jordan Stolz, Wisconsin’s speed skating phenom and America’s next superstar athlete.
- Music: There are niche sounds aplenty at Bay View’s Acme Records.
- Roundup: Are these novels set in Milwaukee in name only, or Cream City-certified?
The Dish:
- Balance: A wellness “nook” in the Third Ward offers plentiful and tasty drink alternatives.
- Tidbits: Tooling around the new PanAsia Supermarket; devouring a Turkish doner kebab; plus, more goings-on in the local food world
- Review: Mother’s in Bay View is only like your mother’s cooking if that was imaginative, layered and so good.
- Shop: Who better to guide us through an exotic meat and seafood store than two chefs?
- Foodways: This Wisconsin invention is like fried chicken, only better.
Insider:
- Reckless Driving: Are red- light cameras the right way to go in Milwaukee?
- Windfall: How the former Fiserv CEO saved himself some $300 mil by going to Washington
- We Were Wondering: Is something happening with lake-effect snow?
Explore:
- Explore Door County: An homage to the off-season by someone who calls the peninsula home year-round.
- Weird Wisconsin: A good-natured hoax is the basis for a 97-year-old Burlington club devoted to fibbing.
- Outdoor Adventure: Once you get beyond the cold part (and boy, can it be), winter camping is pretty darn spectacular.
