Living in Milwaukee is great if you take advantage of all it has to offer. This is probably true in most large cities. One unique aspect of Milwaukee is its location on the shores of Lake Michigan which is like a freshwater ocean. There are many beautiful parks along the lakefront and across the whole city. There are hundreds of excellent restaurants serving nearly every ethnic food and many fusion choices as well. Milwaukee is a city of festivals. Beginning with the Lakefront Festival of Arts in May, to Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival, lasting 10 days, and finally to ethnic festivals celebrating the major groups that settled in Milwaukee, Germans, Polish, Irish, Italian and Mexicans, Milwaukeeans eat, drink and have fun at The Maier Festival park on the lakefront . Milwaukee Irish Fest is the largest Celtic music festival in North America.

The people of Milwaukee are friendly and down to earth. It is a large small town, so nearly everyone has some connection through their relatives, where they went to school, where they or their parents worked. This gives the residents a sense of identity but it can also make it challenging for newcomers to feel part of the scene. There are large African-American and Hispanic populations, who have contributed much to the city but have not shared in the benefits to the degree of others. The city is very segregated. There are a few culturally mixed neighborhoods, where the people who value diversity choose to live.

Milwaukee was historically was a blue collar city with a strong industrial base to the local economy. Through the years, many of the large employers were bought out, went bankrupt or moved to the suburbs. This has made employment for those living in the city a challenge. At one time, four of the largest breweries in the country were located in Milwaukee. Molson-Coors Miller Division is the only remaining major brewer, although dozens of microbreweries have sprung up. The economy is now more diverse, being the home of Kohl’s Department Stores, Harley-Davidson, Northwestern Mutual Insurance, Milwaukee Tool, and Johnson Controls.

The downtown of Milwaukee has experienced a renaissance over the past decade. Many apartments have been built and many older buildings renovated and turned into apartments, condos, and businesses, especially in the 3rd and 5th wards which are directly south of downtown. Milwaukee is one of the more European of American cities with a blend of old and new architecture. A river walk along the Milwaukee River now extends more than a mile on both sides of the river. Milwaukee has an excellent symphony, ballet, Reparatory Theater and may other acting groups. There are the Brewers and Bucks for sports fans and the Packers are the home NFL team even through their stadium is in Green Bay. The airport has many direct flights to other cities and is served by all the major airlines.