Spring Break 2024

We aren’t “take a big trip over spring break” people, but we are definitely “take a little overnighter kinda trip” to break up the monotony of the kids being stuck at home. We’ve done the Dells in the past, but this go around: we hit up Milwaukee. Hotels were cheap, and I got one easy walking distance form museums and restaurants and the public markets, so we’d have plenty to do while there.

But first, as always: hit up a spot on the way in. That happened to be IKEA this go around. The layout of the Milwaukee IKEA is especially confusing compared to the others I’ve hit up but whatever, we had a nice long walk. The kids Loooooooove IKEA. They love playing in the kitchen set-ups the most for some reason? So there was plenty of that. Scott is NOT a shopper, he spends most of his time sitting in a chair while we play, but I don’t mind it I also enjoy trying all the cabinets and drawers and marveling over the pantry organization options.

After fully exploring IKEA, we made our way downtown.

First up: 3rd St. Market Hall. This is part of what is now called “The Avenue” (a mixed use building with apartments, offices, and a food hall/entertainment area). But when I was younger, it was Milwaukee’s beloved Grand Avenue Mall. I remember going here with my family as a wee kid and watching the bear on the tightrope make his way back and forth suspended high up in the rafters.

This food hall was truly the best option for us on the regular – only about a block away, with lots of different vendors/stalls to choose from so we can all eat whatever our heart deserves.

Or, in reality: whatever we feel like eating that didn’t have a massive line, lol. Scott and I took turns sitting with the kids while the other person took a kid to find some food.

Ended up with a healthy mix of American and Mexican, although the kids were bummed that the line at the “State Fair” vendor was so long, because they sold cream puffs.

FYI, they kept the bear! He is permanently perched next to the main entrance neon.

That’s about all for that day, we got in a little late, had dinner, then back to the hotel to chill before calling it a day.

The next morning we took our time, then off to visit our favorite museum in Milwaukee: the MPM.

Again, we knew it would likely be our last time here. So we took our time and went through all the exhibits. I have been going to this museum since I was a wee kid, and it’s never lost its charm for me.

I’ll miss Old Milwaukee.

Linus will miss the dinosaurs.

But we’ll all miss the disemboweled triceratops most of all.

Photographer in training took his job very seriously on this visit. Blew a lot of film in here.

SURPRISE. Back to the food hall for an early, light lunch. Hot dogs and cream puffs for the boys, Scott and I split some tacos.

Livin the dream.

Moose approved.

Time to walk off those cream puffs. So naturally, we walked to the next downtown market.

This time we visited the Milwaukee Public Market. We stocked up on Spice House spices (again, thinking it may be our last stop, but joke’s on us – several markets carry their basic spices here, ha). And walked around, checking out all the vendors. This market is more goods based than food stalls, although they also have plenty of those.

There is a candy vendor here called Freese’s that are known for their Easter-time chocolate-covered marshmallows, which happened to be in the case that day, so of course the kids had to give them a try.

By then, the kids were full o’ sugar so we went for a nice, long walk. Headed to the hotel first to drop our shopping bags, then headed in the other direction and walked the Riverwalk for a spell.

One of the fun things about downtown Milwaukee is the large amount of public art, including metal sculptures everywhere. All shapes and sizes, some quite small/discreet. It’s fun to hunt for them.

We were going to have an early dinner at SafeHouse, the kids’ favorite spot, but because it was spring break they were only honoring reservations. So we ventured north and hit up the next best thing – a place we kept putting off as “meh, we’ll go sometime” but what better time, than when you’re unsure of when you’ll ever be back?

Mader’s, here we come.

Mader’s is an institution. Everyone eats here – visiting dignitaries, famous musicians, celebrities, tourists, locals, rich, poor – everyone.

We were hoping, since it was quite early for dinner, that we’d score an open table, which we did. Then we were taken to be seated and uhhhhh… I mean, they don’t have a dress code, but we did feel uncomfortably underdressed. We had figured there was a more casual area to dine inside but no all of the massive restaurant is white tablecloth.

Now, thankfully – other than a few couples out on a date, the rest were people that were dressed as casually as us, including other families. So we ordered some fancy wine and took it in stride.

We went whole hog in here. Pork shanks, schnitzel, kassler rippchen, sausages, rouladen… MEAT MEAT MEAT. With sides of deliciously sour red cabbage and potato dumplings and spaetzle. That German cuisine, hardy stuff.

After that we waddled our way back to the hotel (a nice, long, meat-sweaty walk). Enjoyed the hotel amenities, early night, we never were hungry again huzzah.

Next day was our last day. We checked out of the hotel and headed to another museum. I was hoping for some Art Museum action but the kiddos voted science fun over stuffy art, so off to Discovery World we went.

My favorite reflection in the place, it erases like 20 lbs.

Always love a Milwaukee museum day. After fully exhausting ourselve running amok at every exhibit, we accepted it was time to head home and back to the real world.

But not without one final stop, a late lunch at Kopps.

Love the dining area. Huge 1980s style atrium, with a few small tables in the middle and then mostly just extra-large benches for dining everywhere else. Gives groovy picnic vibes.

Burgers as big as your head, and amazing custard.

Now I want some Kopps, womp womp. Welp, there’s Spring Break in a nutshell, and we’re officially over the hump and less than a year from today 🙂 PROGRESS.

Travel gets less common as we get closer to our Big Move (also photography was pretty much neglected as we focused on making that big move) so hopefully we’re up to speed soon!