Make it a Ski Day
Banish the winter doldrums with a ski or snowboarding adventure at Little Switzerland. This is a good slope for beginners, because the bunny hill includes skill routes. For more formidable challenges, the trio of terrain parks are a delight. Prefer to just watch? The best entertainment is the Spring Splash in March. The main event is the competitive pond skim, in which daredevils speed down the hill in an effort to skid across the melted snow at the bottom.
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It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Go Bird-Watching
Spring is migration season, prime time to pack your binoculars and scour Southeastern Wisconsin’s best birding destinations. Horicon Marsh Wildlife Area greets you with a birding checklist and boardwalks that wind past crane hangouts. Another stunner is the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center with its slice of Lake Michigan’s shoreline, prairies and forests. Stop by the Feeder Grove to see who’s snacking. Richard Bong State Recreation Area is about 45 minutes southwest of the city and attracts migratory birds as early as February.
Bask in the Sun
Bradford Beach is the closest thing Milwaukee has to a seaside paradise. In the summer, Lake Michigan shines with her lapping waves and sandy shore. The volleyball scene is bumping, The Dock’s drinks are tropical, and Milwaukeeans are out in force sunbathing, swimming or boating on the horizon. More of a beachy introvert? Walk to the north end where life’s quieter and you can find a tiny bit of shade. End your beach day with a trip to MooSa’s for homestyle frozen custard good enough to remind you that you’re still in Wisconsin, after all.
See Changing Leaves
Looking to see some fall colors? Put Grant Park and Holy Hill on your before-the-leaves-kick-the-bucket list. At Grant, take the Seven Bridges trail, which will bring you to a woodsy canopy where you’ll pass over bridges (10 of them, despite the name), through ravines and eventually out to the beach. Holy Hill’s glory is in its height. This segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail offers vistas with views of the fall foliage overlaid by the basilica. If you’re up for more climbing after, hike up the 178 stairs in the church for a panoramic view from the tower.
