This past year has been one of the most joyful and exciting, yet challenging and transformative years of our lives, let alone our marriage. It brought with it the unexpected and we passed much of it a mere 20 minutes at a time! But just recently we celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary and it was an awesome time to reflect on where these years have brought us. I love and respect my husband more today than ever before and am overjoyed that we continue to choose each other!
It also didn’t hurt that we were also able to sneak away for an overnight, which is no easy feat with four children five and under…any takers? Mmmmhmmm. Yeah. We don’t foresee relaxing week-long beach vacations or tours of Europe in our immediate future, so we’ve decided that trying to get away locally would offer us the relaxation and time together without having to waste time, money, or precious childcare moments on the actual travel. So, we divided the children amongst grandparents and off we went. First up, Milwaukee!
We spent the vast majority of our time eating our way through the Historic Third Ward (and only covered a fraction of it, let alone Milwaukee).
We started out at one of the most prominent features of the Third Ward, The Milwaukee Public Market. It was buzzing with energy and packed with vendors offering great food, desserts, giftables, and more – think Farmer’s Market meets specialty grocery store. They also host classes and other events!
Next, we set out window shopping and popped into The Wicked Hop for a drink during the Badgers game (another perk of staying local 🙂 It is a really beautiful area to walk: streets lined high end shops (from which we didn’t actually purchase anything), dotted with adorable cafes – and a stone’s throw from the RiverWalk.
We capped off the evening with dinner at Elsa’s on the Park – one among countless dining options – and, thankfully, we had a gift card so we stayed close by at the beautiful InterContinental Milwaukee.
Of course, what getaway would be complete without Sunday morning brunch? Benelux it is! The guests all looked delightfully disheveled and tired, but relaxed and happy. We sat rooftop sipping our coffee and then headed to the the lakefront for a walk on our way out of town (we totally crashed a couple 5K’s). It was a gorgeous weekend!
We’ve gotten to do some traveling together and that was one of my favorite getaways! It offered all that were were looking for on vacation without any of the cost or stress normally associated. Even as we walked and talked, we could have been anywhere, it was a matter of experiencing and enjoying new things together (no matter how close they are to home).
We only had one day to spend there, and barely scratched the surface with all there is to see and do. If we had more time (or even if the kids were along for a day trip!) there is the Milwaukee Public Museum, The Milwaukee Art Museum, Discovery World, the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Brewery Tours, and the incredible Milwaukee County Zoo. You could plan ahead for shows at the Pabst or the Milwaukee Ballet, go during Summerfest or your favorite Festival season, or you could even tack on a Brewers or Bucks game!
I can’t wait to explore more of what my beloved WI has to offer! What is your favorite local getaway?
