Holiday Lights Sights and Delights
By Visit Milwaukee
06/11/2008
Enjoy the holiday sights, lights and delights of Milwaukee during this joyous season. Marvel at the festive displays at the Milwaukee Public Museum, the Pabst Mansion, the "Domes" and more. Downtown Milwaukee and it's parks are decked out with thousands of lights. Find that unique gift item for that someone special at the Milwaukee Public Market, House of Harley and the Reiman's Outlet Center.
Contact Information:
t: view phone 414.287.4222
e: view email wdobrzynski@milwaukee.org
w: view URL http://www.visitmilwaukee.org
- Milwaukee Public Museum
- Reiman's Publication Visitor Center
- M&I Bank Holiday Display
- Milwaukee Festival of Lights
- Captain Frederick Pabst Mansion
Tour Dates:
Number of Days: 4
Day One:
Start your visit to Milwaukee by strolling a desert oasis, a tropical jungle and a special floral garden decked out in all of its holiday splendor were thousands of poinsettias are the focal point of this changing display each year at the Mitchell Park Conservatory (The Domes). For dinner, choose among a variety of unique, ethnic and inviting restaurants in downtown Milwaukee. After dinner, take a leisure drive through the downtown and enjoy the city dressed with millions of twinkling lights and animated sculptures, downtown Milwaukee is pulling out all the stops to shine bright during the holiday season. Be sure to visit M&I Bank (Wisconsin largest financial institution) lobby for a delightful and whimsical holiday display taking a nostalgic look at the holidays featuring Steiff stuffed animals. You’ll be drawn to the costumed, animated animals and colorful scenery and caught up in the magic of the season. Then check out the transformation of three downtown Milwaukee County Parks into fairytale scenes, making this a must–see holiday attraction.
Day two:
Today take a city tour and enjoy the architecture and history of this uniquely-diverse city on Lake Michigan. Include a stop at St. Josephat’s Basilica and step back in time as you marvel at the history and beauty, especially during this holiday season. Among the fantastic collections housed at the Milwaukee Art Museum, be sure to stop and enjoy the unique and modern architecture of the main entrance designed by Santiago Calatrava. Spend a few moments to watch the “wings” open of the Burke Brise Soleil, which is a moveable, wing-like sunscreen that rests on top of the Museum’s vaulted, glass-enclosed Windhover Hall. Continue on to the Milwaukee Public Museum for a stroll through its darkened, gas-lit lanes of the Streets of Old Milwaukee, peer into the windows of its twenty-five shops, businesses, eating and drinking establishments, and pay your respects to Granny patiently rocking on the front porch of one of two residences to grace the Streets of Old Milwaukee (the other being the Watson Family Home, a tribute to one of Milwaukee's first prominent African American families). Then enjoy a look at the holiday traditions in the European Village. An imaginative recreation of carefully selected examples of homes and shops as they may have appeared at the turn-of-the-century from 33 European cultures. The Village provides a picture of daily life, skills and traditions that were characteristic of many Europeans who came to the United States at the time. Tonight take in more holiday lights as your motorcoach drives west to the Country Springs Resort for a drive through the Christmas Spectacular or perhaps enjoy a drive through “Candy Cane Lane” a neighborhood celebration of the season with a variety of displays created to help raise money for a local charity.
Day three:
Begin your day with a visit to the quaint village of Greendale and stop by the Reiman’s Publication Visitor Center learn more about the company and magazines. Enjoy the Taste of Home Test Kitchens and shop at the Taste of Home Outlet Store and the Shops of Greendale for great bargains for those special people on your holiday list. Next stop at the House of Harley, the largest Wisconsin Harley-Davidson dealer, to learn more about this beloved motorcycle that proudly calls Milwaukee home. Get decked out in Harley-Davidson gear and have your picture taken on this true American icon of the road. Need that special treat for the holidays, visit the Milwaukee Public Market in the Historic Third Ward where you can shop for Milwaukee and Wisconsin products such as chocolates, cheese, sodas, fresh bakery, coffee and so much more… Tonight enjoy a performance of “A Christmas Carol” at the historic Pabst Theatre.
Day four:
This morning visit the 20,000 square foot Pabst Mansion decked out in Victorian-era holiday splendor. Enjoy a docent led tour celebrating this Captain Frederick Pabst home and his legacy to the brewing history of Milwaukee. No tour to Milwaukee would be complete without a brewery tour. Visit Miller Brewing or perhaps one of two micro-breweries, Lakefront Brewery or Sprecher Brewery. Prost! to the spirit of the holidays and to this jewel of the Great Lakes… Milwaukee
