Milwaukee, Wisconsin Weekend Getaway

This is where we parked. During the event, they raise the rate to $25, but if you get here before noon, it’s only $5 for the whole day. 

As soon as we exited the parking lot, we turned left, crossed the traffic light, then made a right with the flow of traffic. From there, it was a straight path, and we could see the Summerfest sign in the distance straight ahead.

Before you plan your visit or head to the event, make sure to check the app or website because they often run different promotions—including free entry. When we arrived on Friday around 3 PM, entry was free, but we chose to make a donation to charity. We saved some money, but you could probably save even more if you plan ahead. Like I said, there’s always something going on during the event, especially with all the big companies sponsoring it. 

Crowds usually don’t start picking up until early evening, when most of the big-name performers hit the stages across the festival grounds. It’s a good idea to check the schedule, note the artist and performance time, and plan to grab a seat early. It’s first come, first served—otherwise, you’ll likely be standing for over an hour. 

We didn’t plan on having dinner before heading in, and honestly, we weren’t in the mood for anything fancy or a sit-down meal. There’s a wide variety of food options inside, but prices can be on the higher side. A 20oz bottle of water costs nearly $6, and with the summer heat, you’ll definitely need to stay hydrated. Since outside drinks aren’t allowed, a good tip is to buy one bottle and refill it throughout the day—there are water fountains near every restroom. You can find it in every corner where the stage are. It's cleaned and well maintained, considering there's so many people in one place and restroom can be the nastiest. It's a regular restroom not a porty potty, which is nice!

Our initial thought was to simply unwind by the lakefront, perhaps people-watch or even go kayaking. We even queued up for the kayaks, but a forgotten waiver derailed our plans – we would've had to leave the line, complete the form, and then start over. Rather than dealing with that, we decided to explore on foot, which led us to discover more areas and eventually, a great spot with music. 

With bands playing on 12 different stages, you can explore at your own pace until you're ready to rest, check out some games, or grab free samples. There are tons of activities happening! Summer's officially here, bringing a diverse mix of people and a lively young crowd to every stage. 

The BMO Pavilion, the biggest stage, is at the far end near the Amphitheater. 

This was playing at the big stage by the BMO Pavilion. 

Next up was another band, and we decided to stay put since the seats were comfortable. Later in the evening, the band scheduled to perform at this stage required an additional ticket, which had to be purchased in advance. They cleared everyone out while the next band was setting up, but if you don’t mind standing, you could easily stay outside and still see and hear the performance. There’s even a giant screen just outside the pavilion. It all comes down to your comfort level—no need to spend extra if you’re fine with standing.