Winter in Milwaukee brings a magical transformation, offering a wonderland of activities that promise to keep every member of the family entertained.
And we know that between the holiday season and time off of school, kids can get a little stir crazy (and so can their parents!).
As parents who have navigated many Milwaukee winters, we’ve discovered some of the best spots that turn the chilly season into a time of joy and wonder.
To help you out, we found plenty of fun ways to keep your kids busy and make Winter Break memorable without ever leaving the Milwaukee area.
You’ll find a mix of outdoor activities, indoor destinations and even things you can do at home. And some of them are completely FREE!
MUSEUMS & SPECIAL EXHIBITS
1. Frosty Free Week at Milwaukee County Zoo
10001 W. Bluemound Rd., Milwaukee, WI 53226
Dec. 26-30, 2023; 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Website
Experience the magic of the zoo in winter – it’s a whole different world when the crowds are smaller and the animals are friskier in the cool air. Plus, it’s free!
The Zoo will offer a week of free daytime admission to thank guests for their support.
Regular concessions and attraction rates apply, as well as admission rates for the Zoo’s Wild Lights nighttime event (scroll down for details).
2. Milwaukee Public Museum
800 W. Wells St., Milwaukee, WI 53233
Website
Step back in time and immerse your family in the nostalgic charm of the “Deck the Streets of Old Milwaukee” at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
This seasonal exhibit transforms the museum’s beloved turn-of-the-century streetscape into a holiday spectacle that captures the imagination of both young and old.
Plus, MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rainforest, and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater and Planetarium.
3. Holiday Show at the Domes
524 S Layton Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53215
Through Jan. 1, 2024
Website
The Domes are all decked out for their annual holiday show with nearly a thousand festive and colorful poinsettias. Plus, Santa has been known to make the occasional appearance at this holiday floral show!
This year’s theme is “Holiday Snow Globe,” with polar animals playing in a Winter Wonderland.
4. Discovery World
500 N. Harbor Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53202
Website
Did you know Discovery World is home to Wisconsin’s largest aquarium?
The Reiman Aquarium makes the underworld of Lake Michigan come alive to visitors with hands-on and immersive exhibits. Fish swim above, below, and all around you.
Plus, visit the Innovation Station and try your hand with the flight simulator, construction truck display, and more.
There’s also a model railroading exhibit, a road race simulator and the Kohl’s Design It! Lab, where families can create make and take projects together that vary in difficulty and complexity.
Towards the back of the building, you’ll find the a huge replica of the Great Lakes, where kids can cause a rainstorm or fog with the touch of a button.
Upstairs is a replica of 19th century Great Lakes schooner that you can climb on board and explore, plus an area where kids can learn about simple machines and try their hand at a few of them!
5. Milwaukee Art Museum
700 N. Art Museum Dr., Milwaukee, WI 53202
Website
Kids 12 and under are always free at the Art Museum!
Meet in Windhover Hall on Saturday mornings for “Story Time in the Gallery”, and be sure to drop in to the Kohl’s Art Studio for some family art-making activities inspired by the Museum’s collection and exhibitions.
6. Betty Brinn Children’s Museum
The Betty Brinn Children’s Museum is a non-profit organization located in downtown Milwaukee, just a short distance from the shores of Lake Michigan.
The museum features a variety of interactive exhibits designed to encourage children to learn through play, including Word Headquarters and Pocket Park for children age 4 and younger.
Our favorite exhibit is Home Town, a kid-sized city that includes a city bus, grocery store, bank, vet office, and more.
Plus, don’t miss the Be A Maker Space, where there’s always a new hands-on project to create.
Special programs, workshops and family events will be offered throughout Winter Break, including a Noon Year’s Eve party just for kids!
Don’t miss the coffee shop inside where you can take a break with a snack.
Pro Tip: Free admission is offered on the third Thursday of every month.
HOLIDAY LIGHTS DISPLAYS
*After* the holiday is a great time to see the lights without the line, and many of them run through January!
Here are 17 of the best holiday lights displays around Milwaukee. (Many of them are free!)
Some of our favorites include Candy Cane Lane in West Allis, Zeidler Square in downtown Milwaukee, Country Christmas in Pewaukee, the Wisconsin Christmas Carnival of Lights, and Wild Lights at the Milwaukee County Zoo!
Jingle Bus Tours
The Avenue, 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203
Through December 30th, 2023
Advance Ticket Purchase Required
Website
Hop on the Jingle Bus to marvel at the winter wonderland scenes throughout downtown Milwaukee. It’s a 40-minute narrated tour that highlights the main attractions of the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival (see above).
This year, Jingle Bus tickets are $5 per person and have to be purchased in advance. You can choose you tour dates and time, and there are options for Spanish tours.
The jingle bus will depart from the Warming House at The Avenue, located at 275 W. Wisconsin Avenue. Parking there is $3 for Jingle Bus riders (get your ticket validated at the Warming House.)
There will be free treats inside the Warming House, dozens of food vendors, and free activities likes shuffleboard, bags, Jenna, classic Nintendo video game, a Selfie Museum, and more.
RING IN THE NEW YEAR
If you’re hunting for fun, family-friendly ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve without keeping the kids up past bedtime, you’re in luck! Milwaukee has a lineup of fantastic “Noon Year’s Eve” events tailored just for families.
From dance parties to balloon drops, there’s something for every pint-sized party animal.
Here are 5 local New Year’s celebrations for kids >>
THEATER & SHOWS
Whether you’re a fan of the classic Nutcracker ballet, love the powerful notes of a symphony, or enjoy a heartwarming holiday play, there’s something for everyone in our vibrant local theaters and concert halls.
We rounded up a list of 5 holiday shows your kids will love over winter break.
This year, First Stage presents “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”, and annual traditions like “A Christmas Carol” and “The Nutcracker” continue. Now in its 25th year, “The Nutcracker” is completely reimagined with new choreography, sets, and costumes.
New this year, Turner Hall presents a rock concert just for kids on the last day of the year. “The Rock & Roll Playhouse” will be rocking out to the music of the Grateful Dead in its new family concert series.
For music and film lovers, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra will be playing right along to “Back to the Future” at the gorgeous Bradley Symphony Center.
CAMPS & SPECIAL EVENTS
35. Cool Fool Kite Festival (Free!)
Veterans Park, 1010 N Lincoln Memorial Dr., Milwaukee, WI, 53202
Jan. 1, 2024
Website
Soar into the New Year at the Cool Fool Kite Festival, hosted by Gift of Wings. This family-friendly event takes place every New Year’s Day at Veterans Park along Milwaukee’s downtown lakefront. Bring your own kite or purchase one from Gift of Wings, the store onsite.
Last year, there were kite-flying lessons and demonstrations in ice sculpting, as well as horse and buggy rides. Free coffee and hot chocolate are provided at the event to help you keep warm.
36. Winter Break Adventure Days (Urban Ecology Center)
Riverside Park, 1500 E. Park Pl., Milwaukee, WI 53211
Website
School is out and it’s time to play! Join the Urban Ecology Center for fun, active days of playing in the park. You’ll take a look at what makes Wisconsin Winters special through crafts, games and so much more. You might learn about native animals or how to showshoe.
Bring a bag lunch, and dress appropriately for the weather. Space is limited and registration is required. For grades 1-6.
37. Bow Wow Blizzard Camp (Wisconsin Humane Society)
4500 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53208
Website
Come in from the cold and warm up with some fuzzy friends at the Wisconsin Humane Society. This one-day camp provides a wonderful way for kids (grades 1-6) to learn all about the Wisconsin Humane Society and ways that they can help critters of all different shapes and sizes.
There will be fun activities offered, including crafts, games, an Adoption Avenue tour and even a chance to meet some of the animal guests! Camp runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is $55 per camper.
38. Rockin’ Jump Brown Deer
9009 N. Deerbrook Trail, Brown Deer, WI 53223
Website
Rockin’ Jump is extending its hours for Winter Break, so you can let the kids get some wiggles out. Besides trampolines, there are climbing walls, basketball hoops, a zip line, a ninja warped wall, parkour blox, and a Junior Jump Zone exclusively for kids 6 and under.
OUTDOOR FUN
39. Mequon Nature Preserve (Free!)
8200 W. County Line Rd., Mequon, WI 53097
Website
Mequon Nature Preserve rests on over 444 acres and offers five miles of trails, an observation tower, and a natural playground for the kids to explore.
To climb the observation tower, park in the parking lot on Swan Rd. and follow the trail around Pat’s Pond.
40. Wehr Nature Center
9701 W College Ave, Franklin, WI 53132
Website
Explore the short and flat “Family Friendly Trail” which will take you through beautiful woodlands. You’ll see lots of birds, and you may even come face to face with a wild turkey.⠀
There’s also a natural playground and a nature center to discover.
41. Lake Park Hike (Free!)
3233 E. Kenwood Blvd., Milwaukee, WI 53211
Truly beautiful in any season, the paved winding paths of historic Lake Park will bring you gorgeous lake vistas, rocky ravines, impressive statues, and the charming North Point Lighthouse.
42. Retzer Nature Center (Free!)
S14W28167 Madison St., Waukesha, WI 53188
Website
The Retzer Nature Center‘s new Discovery Trail expands accessibility into nature for all ages and abilities. The trail includes a variety of “Exploration Stations” for outdoor education, sensory-based play experiences, and STEM activities for families and school groups.
Other additions include a gateway feature, a stone seat wall gathering space, a habitat free-play area, boulder scramble, and native plant observation areas.
You can also explore “Vista Trail,” where you’ll get a good view of Waukesha, and the “Nature Trail,” where there are boardwalks and babbling brooks. There is also a nature center that is open.
43. Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium
S14W28167 Madison St., Waukesha, WI 53186
Website
Set aside some time this December to visit the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium for their seasonal holiday shows.
44. Snowshoeing (Free + Snowshoe Rental)
If you can walk, you can snowshoe! We rounded up a list of places that are great for snowshoeing with kids. Don’t have snowshoes? You can borrow from the Urban Ecology Center if you’re a member.
45. Ice Skating at Red Arrow Park (Free + Skate Rental)
920 N. Water St., Milwaukee, WI 53202
Website
Grab your skates and head to Slice of Ice at Red Arrow Park! Downtown Milwaukee’s outdoor ice rink is free to use when you bring your own skates. Affordable skate rentals are also available.
Other rentals include penguin and polar bear pals for kids just learning to skate, and ice sleds for those with mobility impairments.
If the kiddos get cold, step inside the warming house on site. Warm up by the fireplace and grab a cup of coffee or hot cocoa from Starbucks.
To find other ice skating locations in and around Milwaukee, click here.
46. Horse-Drawn Sleigh Rides at Apple Holler
5006 S. Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant, WI 53177
Website
The horse-drawn sleigh ride experience at Apple Holler’s family farm will make you feel like you stepped inside of a glistening winter snow globe. Enjoy the snow-covered orchards and 100-year-old hardwoods while you listen to the clopping of the Amish Haflinger horses (reservations required).
Afterward, enjoy s’mores around a campfire and a cup of hot cocoa or warm apple cider.
47. The Rock
7900 Crystal Ridge Dr., Greendale, WI 53129
Website
Located just 15 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, The Rock allows guests to ski, snowboard, or just slide down the tubing runs.
48. Wilmot Mountain
11931 Fox River Rd, Wilmot, WI 53192
Website
Grab a tube and let gravity do the rest!
Wilmot Mountain provides tubes to go down the hill and two surface conveyor lifts to take you back up. There are 22 tubing lanes, each more than 1,000 feet long.
You can also ski, snowboard, and more at Wilmot Mountain. When you need to take a break and warm up a bit, head to the tubing lodge for refreshments.
49. Sunburst
8355 Prospect Dr., Kewaskum, WI 53040
Website
Just 30 minutes northwest of Milwaukee, Sunburst offers skiing, snowboarding, and tubing in three terrain parks. Their claim to fame is that it is the world’s largest tubing park with over 45 lanes. It was even recognized by USA Today as one of the top ten tubing parks in the entire country!
After a long day on the slopes, you’ll appreciate their fresh food café serving up artisan sandwiches and salads, plus Starbucks coffee and espresso drinks to help you warm up.
50. Sledding (Free!)
Hit your favorite sledding hill, or switch up your regular routine! We have a comprehensive list of the best sledding hills around. Check it out!
INDOOR PLAYGROUNDS
In Milwaukee, you just never know what the weather will do.
But even if it’s freezing cold, too hot, or raining buckets, the kids will still need to get their energy out.
These fun and exciting spots offer the perfect solution for parents and guardians looking to help their kids burn off energy and beat Milwaukee weather woes.
Get the list of 25 local indoor playgrounds >>
Outdoor Playgrounds
Look at it this way: The colder it is, the more of the playground you’ll have to yourself!
We’ve got 25 of the best Milwaukee playgrounds, all in one convenient list.
DAY TRIPS
101. Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center
7001 Gass Lake Rd., Manitowoc, WI 54220
farmwisconsin.org
The Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center was named one of Time for Kid’s Top 50 Coolest Places in 2019. It’s packed with interactive, kid-friendly exhibits like a cow-milking station, butter churner, kinetic sand to learn about rainfall, a tractor simulator and more. ⠀
102. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary (Free!)
1660 East Shore Drive, Green Bay, WI 54302
Website
The Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay is open every day for hiking and wildlife viewing – and it’s free! If you’re in the Green Bay area, you can also check out Wequiock Falls, a waterfall that actually freezes in the winter!
103. Henry Vilas Zoo (Free!)
702 S. Randall Ave., Madison, WI 53715
Website
This is a 28-acre free public zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. Owned by the city of Madison, the zoo charges no admission or parking fees. It receives over 750,000 visitors annually. The zoo houses an African lion, chimpanzees, a red panda and more!
104. Mural Tour (Free!)
Buckle your seatbelts and check out the custom MKE With Kids Mural Tour! You’ll find ten murals that will make you proud to be from Milwaukee, including this leopard on the East Side.
105. Wisconsin Children’s Museums
AT-HOME ACTIVITIES
106. Easy Science Experiments
Do you have a budding scientist living in the house with you? Luckily, even simple science experiments done at home can be super educational and fun for kids of all ages.
Each of these easy science experiments will take about 30 minutes to complete from start to finish, and they each use simple ingredients from around the house.
107. Shape Activities for Preschoolers
Passing the time with a busy toddler or preschooler can be exhausting, and we can all use some fresh inspiration every now and then, especially on a rainy day!
For a variety of simple, fun preschool shape activities, click here.
There’s more!
Magical Holiday Experiences
Holiday Light Displays
Winter Hikes
Sleigh Rides
Best Sledding Hills
Places to Ice Skate
Skiing & Snowboarding Hills
Places to Go Snowshoeing
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Check out “101 Best Things to do in Milwaukee With Kids“.
