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    Recommended Reviews - Riverwalk

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    7/26/23 FYI
    Lee D.

    Quality/Quantity - Milwaukee's riverwalk has NOTHING on Chicago's riverwalk! It was nice and surrounded by many other districts, but NOBODY was here...? Boring. Well there are a few beautiful architecture buildings and churches. Other nearby attractions - Historic 3rd ward (much better place to hang out), Free M Line Tram (see picture), Milwaukee Public Market. Atmosphere - Nice short river walk. Nice to see all the different types of bridges get raised for the boats, etc. Nice to visit the neighboring neighborhoods, etc. Art throughout, events, concerts, river cruises, boat rentals, park, theater, city hall, convention center, cathedral square, war memorial, etc. Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a week. Service - Self service, and depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Thanks for such a beautiful riverwalk, but please spend some time studying Chicago, Texas, even Reno, NV to see what they do to attract people.

    Jeremy J.

    I love Riverwalk and this is a nice one that I got to experience in very cold winter Milwaukee weather unfortunately anyway, it was awesome to check and awesome to visit and we had a great time walking around taking pictures and seeing in the sites

    Helen H.

    The RiverWalk connects three downtown neighborhoods (Beerline, Downtown, & Third Ward). It is 3.1 miles in length. It's a nice stroll, but there wasn't much to see. One of the main highlights is the Bronz Fonz.

    Jessica S.

    The Riverwalk is beautiful here, especially since I will always compare things to the Chicago Eiver since I'm from Chicago. I know they redid the Milwaukee Riverwalk and made it better recently, and I wish I knew that it was so long because my husband and I didn't even see half of it! We went toward the Lakefront Brewery part of the walk, but some parts are dead-ends so you have to find your way to maneuver through the whole thing, which would take much time since you'd hop onto Water St at certain parts and we wanted to stop and drink or eat while walking so we can recharge and enjoy the views. The area that we were near was gorgeous, but all we really saw on the outskirts was all of the new apartment and condos. If you go further down, it looks like there are more restaurants and things which would be nice to see, so looks like we'll have to be back. Lakefront Brewery does sit off the river though, and that was so nice! All down the river, people rent boats, kayaks, and paddle boats, and its fun to watch. We saw PLENTY of cute dogs on these boats, too!!

    Kathy V.

    A lovely free way to take in the city. A curated, clean, and well-maintained walk along the river that runs through downtown Milwaukee. There is plenty of public art and sculptures to see along the way (Eyyyy, Fonzi!). We got to enjoy live jazz being played by a band floating on a boat in the middle of the river, going up and down along the riverwalk. Restaurants and bars are plentiful on the blocks surrounding the river and walkway. A great way to spend an evening or afternoon (or any time really...). I saw places to rent kayaks and boats to paddle up and down the river. Good public space for both residents and tourists alike.

    Joyce T.

    Lovely river walk, there's boats rides and lots of nice trails to walk around. Bridges open for vessels to passby.

    Ashley S.

    Beautiful in the summer! This is perfect for running and walking! Absolutely loved it!! Beautiful scenery. Lots of restaurants and bars around too.

    Vic C.

    When visiting Milwaukee, people say that you should check out the riverwalk. So that is what my husband, our little girl dog and I did during our visit. We came on a Tuesday afternoon and set out to find Fonz the Bronze and Gertie the Duck. Which we did find but I do want to mention that it was a challenge initially to find Bronze Fronz since there was construction being done on parts of the riverwalk. So parts of the paved pathway was closed. The riverwalk is more than 20 blocks that allows for people to walk between the historic third ward, through downtown and onto the lower east side of Milwaukee. So on a good day, it would be nice to go for a nice long stroll/ walk with your loved one (4 legged pup included) and check out some of the restaurants and bars along the river front. There are also some interesting art along the riverwalk to look at to keep your walk interesting.

    the Riverwalk
    J Warren R.

    While in Milwaukee I had to find the Bronz Fonz. It wasn't hard but getting there proved almost impossible. There is construction all through that area and after trying to enter from each block on the north and south of it, I ended up crawling over and through some of the construction barriers. And yep we found Fonzie. Happy Days!! The Riverwalk is a great addition to downtown and worth a visit, whether you are on a mission to hang out with Fonz or just stroll one afternoon. The river while interesting is dirty, that's just the way it is. Lots of shops along the way. Worth a short visit.

    Nancy G.

    Ah, the river walk. It's not the fanciest thing in this fair city of ours, but it is worth checking out. Keep your eyes up, look at the architecture and artwork surrounding you and wave to the boaters as they motor by. Marvel at the bridges as they lift to let larger boats pass underneath and smell the flowers in the various planters along the way. Check out the Bronze Fonz and Gertie the duck. Stop at one of the various restaurants along your stroll for a drink and a bite to eat and contemplate where you want to go next in the city. My only complaint is that the river walk passes through the patio seating at Rockbottom Brewery and John Hawk's Pub and I always feel a little weird walking through a bunch of people dining. Other than that, the river walk is a nice way to see a different side of the city and cool off while doing it. 98/2015

    Jamie L.

    My husband and I really loved walking along the river. We thought it was pretty romantic minus having to cross busy streets with crazy people trying to run us over. (It's a shame the trail doesn't just stay by the way the whole way). We saw a lot of places to eat and have fun, the duckies, and of course the Fonz... ehhhh ^_^ Also I don't know if we got crazy lucky or what but there wasn't a ton of bugs. I would caution against going around dark. It got a bit sketchy as vagrants started converging on the trail.

    Kayaking on the river. You can rent them right downtown.
    Dana L.

    Loved this area of Milwaukee there are so many things to do within walking distance. The artwork is beautiful and you HAVE to kayak down the river.

    Vibrant signage denotes the walk.
    Carrie G.

    This is a pretty awesome continuous pedestrian walkway along the Milwaukee River Downtown. One can walk from McKinley Avenue (think Schlitz Park) on the north end to Lake Michigan (think Marcus Amphitheater) on the south. Along the way you'll encounter the Bronze Fonz and various other sculptures. Brochure are in boxes along the way to explain the art and provide other points of interest. One of the more fascinating things I found about traversing the city on this footpath is the magnificent insider views of the iconic landmarks that comprise our fair city. During the most recent Doors Open, I was fortunate enough to be on the Riverwalk South Tour. We assembled on the west side of the Chase Tower at Water and Wisconsin. The Historic Milwaukee Tour Guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the city. At many points on the walk he stopped the group and directed our attention to the skyline. He was able to provide a brief history of each building in view. These snippets, when stitched together, created an awesome verbal fabric of yesteryear. For those interested in the history of Milwaukee, or just an alternate and exciting view of the city, the River Walk is most certainly worth your time!

    Riverwalk area

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    2 years ago

    The Riverwalk is beautiful in Milwaukee. There are a lot of good eateries, watering holes, and things to do!

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    7 years ago

    Beautiful path to see the city of Milwaukee. I really enjoyed the trail. It's clean and smooth.

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    11 years ago

    Great place to let your mind wonder and unwind. Take a pic with "The Fonz" before you leave!

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    Review Highlights - Riverwalk

    The Bronze Fonz is an obligatory photo op and there are benches and tables to sit near it if you need a break.

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    Holton Viaduct Marsupial Bridge - July 2023.

    Holton Viaduct Marsupial Bridge

    (9 reviews)

    Beerline B, Riverwest

    Some may say this is the bridge to nowhere, but I personally think this is the bridge that connects…read morethe Eastside to Riverwest or vice versa. It does all that in style as it was built right below the Holton Street Bridge making it a part of that structure. Not only is this spans' eye appealing but it allows you to see the area in a way you normally could not. Perched well above, or below take your pick, the Milwaukee River and running next to the Mighty Lakefront Brewery this bridge makes pedestrian traffic across the river a breeze. We walk from our Riverwest home down and across the Viaduct regularly. It connects the two sides and are known to some as part of the Oak Leaf Trail or by others as the Marsupial Bridge or to even those as simply the bike path under Holton. Either way this project helped connect two dissociated neighborhoods into an accessible thoroughfare that is used by so many. This is the essence of taking full advantage of the urban landscape and turning it into something so useful.

    All I know is Lake Front Brewery is on one side and I felt very animal like as I took the short cut…read moreand scampered up the side of the bridge landing versus taking the long way down east and back up to cross the bridge. If i were more into fitness I would have enjoyed the cardiac value of being chased by street thugs. Be careful at night I don't talk to strangers, so sorry if I seem curt and impolite. As I make my way back home. I have bad memories of billy goats gruff and trolls under the bridge. Not internet trolls the real living breathing diseased, TB flea infested trolls that carry all kinds of hepatitis, STD's and whatnots. I recommend lawful carry for personal safety.

    Bronze Fonz

    Bronze Fonz

    (84 reviews)

    Downtown, East Town

    A life-size bronze sculpture of the happy days legend Henry Winkler. I was curious why he's here…read moresince he's from New York City and understand. I read the "Bronze Fonz" statue is in Milwaukee because the popular TV sitcom Happy Days, which starred Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, was set in 1950s Milwaukee. The statue, located on the city's RiverWalk, was erected in 2008 by Visit Milwaukee to honor the iconic character and boost tourism, becoming a popular landmark and selfie spot. However, we walked and walked and walked, and I never found him. We saw another strange set of Riverwalk statues. I'm glad we came back in the morning and found the Fonz. He was surrounded by tourist and sad people talking to them themselves passed out on the bench. My GPS said there's a safe house around the corner.

    The Fonz: "AYYY!" [Milwaukee WI]…read more It was a bit challenging finding parking here since there was construction going on at E Wells Street. We circled the area for a while trying to find a spot and couldn't find one nearby. We eventually found street parking at the Milwaukee City Hall and walked across towards the Pabst Theater on E Wells Street and there by the Milwaukee River... is the Bronze Fonz! "Whoa" LoL! Flashback!! there he was, a life-size statue of Fonzie doing the double thumbs up while saying his iconic catchphrase "AYYYYYY!" ahhh! These Days Are Ours... Happy Days! For the younger generation, Happy Days was one of the most iconic TV shows of all time, featuring Ron Howard as Richie, Anson Williams as Potsie, and Donnie Most as Ralph Malph, but the star of the show was Henry Winkler as Arthur Fonzarelli. The show aired from January 15, 1974 to July 19, 1984 "Ayyyyyy!" Review #3835

    Wisconsin Gas Company - Main Entrance. The patina on the sunburst sculpture has been polished off and the sculpture is now shiny.

    Wisconsin Gas Company

    (2 reviews)

    East Town, Downtown

    This beautiful Art Deco building was constructed by the Milwaukee Gas Light Company in late 1929…read moreand opened in 1930. It was constructed in a remarkable nine months! The building designed by a premier Milwaukee architectural firm, Eschweiler & Eschweiler. The design of the Milwaukee Gas Light Company building includes different materials to enhance the appearance. The first two floors are clad with Coldstone granite from Minnesota, starting with the third floor, bricks are progressively lighter in color toward the top of the building. The cornices of the setbacks and the upper floors use Milwaukee's famous Cream City brick to make the Art Deco styled building seem taller and sunnier. Beautiful copper sculptured panels adorned the spandrels and large bronze doors served the main entrance. All the artful works proclaimed the building to be the headquarters of the Milwaukee Gas Light Company. In 1966, with the era of gas lights lost for decades, the company changed its name to Wisconsin Gas Company. All the identifying marks of the Milwaukee Gas Light Company were removed at that time, and sadly, were lost. In 2001, the Wisconsin Gas Company was acquired by WICOR, the holding company that also owned Wisconsin Electric Company. The two firms that had been bitter rivals for so many decades were now under the same ownership. Employees of the old gas company, today known as WE Energies, were moved out of the building and merged into the WE Energies facilities. The Wisconsin Gas Company building was sold to a private developer, who found and restored the copper sculptures as well as the bronze entrance doors. The building is partially occupied and space is available for lease. In 1956, a large sign was added to the peak of the roof top. The sign is in the shape of a gas flame and was added primarily to promote the use of gas for cooking and heating. It was also lit at night to make weather forecasts. The flame is lit with neon and will show red, blue or gold, either solid or flashing. Several mnemonics were published over the years to help viewers remember the key to interpreting the forecast, such as this one: When the flame is red, it's warm weather ahead! When the flame is gold, watch out for cold! When the flame is blue, there's no change in view! When there's a flickering flame, expect snow or rain! For many years, Wisconsin Gas Company sponsored weather forecasts on a local television station. At the end of the forecast, a slide of the lit flame was shown on screen with the personality stating the flame on top of the Gas Company Building was blue, red or gold and explain what that meant. Since it was a slide, with no animation, if the flame was flashing to indicate precipitation in the forecast, the station simply flashed the entire slide off and on, so the entire building went dark, too! The flame was visible for miles and was even used as a navigational aid by ships on Lake Michigan. As taller buildings began to surround the Wisconsin Gas Company Building and weather forecasts became readily available from radio and television, the flame lost its significance as a weather forecasting tool. In 1973, at the peak of the energy crisis, the light was extinguished. It returned to use in 1985. The current owner of the building maintains the tradition, and the gas flame shines from sundown to midnight every night. (Author's note, a similar sign predicts weather on the roof of the American Trust and Savings Bank in Dubuque, Iowa. It is a tower, not a gas flame!) http://www.yelp.com/review_share/_7gSgdhiP7RfGNrmRHR04w/review/zNnPhqVfmefdFMFKTdokyA?fsid=NOOmFnQ1N3iUWwhdtsFpyg

    The Wisconsin Gas Building is under new management and they are working hard to spruce things up…read more The exterior planters have fresh and beautiful flowers. New security cameras are being installed. Some new seating and flowers have been placed in the lobby. The coolest thing however has been the polishing of all the brass trimmings and fixtures. This always beautiful building is really shining with all the face lifting!

    Tomato Romp! - Every year great times...

    Tomato Romp!

    (5 reviews)

    Lower East Side, Riverwest

    Won a ticket from good ole Yelp! First thing wife says "we aren't doing the tomato fight are we?"…read moreWell as a matter of fact, hell no we aren't. I'm a bit to old to get in a caged ring with a bunch of youngsters chucking rotten tomatoes at each other. It does make for a good watch though and that we did. First this 2017 11th Eastside Annual Tomato Romp couldn't have dreamt up better weather. It was sunny and crisp out and so it began, the jaunt around to hit up 8 different pubs and enjoy a 5 oz. sample at each location. That's 40 oz of the goods! If you didn't walk away full or buzzed... well that's your problem. As expected some bloodies weren't nearly as good a s others and thus why they call it a contest. Still trying to figure out who won the damn event. Voting was as easy as 1, 2, 3 so that was a plus. All the places to try the juice were centrally located except Buddha Lounge which was a little further walk away. No matter I crowned one of favorite local spots Vintage as the Bloody Mary Champ. We'll see if it holds true. After that Vitucci's, Hooligan's and Landmark Lanes all had tasty bloodies, in that order. Fun event, good weather and lot's of people roaming around MKE make for a great day!

    The Eastside Tomato Romp enters it's 7th year as an awesome fundraiser for the North Avenue BID…read more And it's a pretty cool one at that! For years my friends and I have been marking this September event date on our calendars when it's announced in early spring. And as with any annual event, it's great to see improvements made each year. The two largest draws are the Tomato Fight and the Bloody Mary Crawl. The Tomato Fight takes place at 4pm($10 entry fee goes to a local food pantry). A chain link cage (less the roof) is assembled in the parking lot between Farwell and Murray just north of North Avenue. The cage is filled with donated tomatoes and eagerly awaits the throngs of most costumed tomato fighters. Even spectators getting unwittingly pulled into the act when errant tomatoes fly past the 15 foot sidewalls. As fun as watching this spectacle is the many rookie fighters that are ill-prepared for life after the fight. Tomatoes are juicy, and therefore wet. And wet means cold, especially when the high temp this year barely crossed 64 degrees. But these gladiators of produce are unfazed. Some set out to the nearby sponsoring credit union that offers a "hose off" station. And some begin what is likely to be a very long walk home, no matter how close they live. New in 2012 and every since it the Tomato Plate Crawl. For $2-$8 for a tasting plate the 12 participating restaurants will regale your tastebuds with all things tomato. The other major draw is the Bloody Mary Tasting Crawl. Pay $20, get a wristband and scorecard, and embark on a self guided tour of some of the divey-est, hipster-esque, popular, and trendy places on and around North Ave. The participating bars must follow three rules: Use the sponsor vodka (SKYY in 2014), use the sponsor chaser beer (Milwaukee Brewing Company Outboard in 2014) and garnish with only a lemon and or lime wedge if at all. From the start there seem to be issues with the chaser beer and we estimate we received the official beer at about half of the 14 stops. But this was about the bloodies and they ranged from solid (Divino, embracing basil) to over-spiced (Rascals) to culinary (Hooligans cumin based bloody tasted like a great chili starter), to one dimensional and overdone (BBC- black pepper, Replay - teriyaki) to downright undrinkable (note to School Yard, please balance your overly infused with pickle juice bloody with a little tomato flavor next year). Yield Bar took home the double crown as the Choice of both the People and the Judges even though no one in our group would choose to order it again. Go figure. But the point was fun and the Tomato Romp packs that year after year. So mark your calendar early and get it on it.

    Burns Commons - Sculpture

    Burns Commons

    (3 reviews)

    Lower East Side

    Indulge me for a min while I talk Milwaukee history: Once…read moreupon a time, maybe 10+ plus years back, the Park East freeway ran from the west exit of the East point parking lot to I-43. Myself and many others got our coffee and were scooped up and whisked on to our morning commute by a huge double decker freeway that rose up over what is now the Aloft and that one lonely Ace hardware. (C'mon, MKE, its been over a decade.) What even I didn't know until recently was that for 20+ years before, from 1970 to 1990 the land from east point to the lake, between lyon and ogden was completely razed of homes/buildings and sat vacant for 2 decades. (This is why if you walk down lyon st. one side is cute Victorian houses and the other side is all new apartments.) The plan was to continue the freeway right through the lower east side, to the lake where it would cut through veterans park and meet the hoan bridge & 794. (This may also explain the one oddly placed shell gas station at the end of farwell.) All I can say to all this is how *^/@ed up would the lower east side, the lakefront, (& quite frankly, my home) be if this monstrous freeway had been constructed? Instead of the lagoon at veterans park and the stairs at ogden it would have been all concrete pillars and exhaust fumes. So, in closing there's nothing particularly special to me about this little park/square/green space. But its nice and I'm very glad history was written the way it was and this park is therefore actually able to exist.

    I love my "park across the street". I'm not sure what crawled up Stephen's pant leg, but this park…read moreis nice for taking my puppy out to do his business, sitting and people watching, and whatever else you like to do in a park. It is really like a little oasis on the busy eastside. AND, as Sam C points out, what a great history and tradition!

    Riverwalk - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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