Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a city comprised of many different neighborhoods. The Muse Gallery Guesthouse is located in an old neighborhood called Bay View on the south side of the city along the shores of Lake Michigan. Bay View has experienced an interesting renaissance in the last few years and is now a very sought-after place to live and play.
Exploring Bay View
We’re Located along the shores of Lake Michigan
Bay View is burgeoning with things to do/see/experience during your Milwaukee vacation, and for this reason, we have decided to highlight for the most part restaurants and attractions you will find within walking/biking distance of The Muse Gallery Guesthouse. The Visit Milwaukee webpage is a great resource for a comprehensive list of things to do in the Greater Milwaukee area.
Dining in Bay View
Bay View is the new food Mecca in Milwaukee. There is an abundance of amazing restaurants to try in the Bay View area within walking distance of The Muse Gallery Guesthouse. Whether you are looking for fine dining, casual dining, great ethnic food or just a cool coffee shop to hang out in, there is something for everyone. We’ve gathered a list below of our favorite places and have sample menus in our common areas for you to see once you arrive.
Read More...Fine Dining: advanced reservations recommended
Italian/Pizza
Casual Dining
- LuLu Cafe – make sure to ask for the homemade potato chips AND the Asian slaw
- Centraal Grand Cafe and Tappery – right on the corner, and known for their vast Belgian beer selection
- Vanguard – freshly made fun sausages and a large selection of bourbon
- Palomino – close to the lake
- Barnacle Bud’s – nothing fancy but fun, fun, fun to eat on the river
- Hi Fi Cafe – fun vibe – https://www.restaurantji.com/wi/milwaukee/hi-fi-cafe-/
- Hot Head Fried Chicken – great hot chicken
- Crafty Cow – hamburgers
Ethnic
- Guanajuato – Mexican food that all the locals love
- Cafe Corazon – exotic margaritas
- Sabor Tropical – Latin fusion
- Riviera Maya – outstanding moles
- Sabrosa – our favorite for brunch
- Cafe India – wonderful lunch-time buffet
- Hungry Sumo – sushi and the like
- Hue – excellent Vietnamese cuisine
Dessert
- Honey Pie – can eat brunch and dinner here but come for the award-winning homemade pie
- Small Pie – the little sister of Honey Pie
- Babes Ice Cream – tasty homemade ice cream in great flavors and even vegan options
- Insomnia Cookies – they deliver all hours
- Mor Bakery and Cafe – new and delicious
Coffee Shops
Shopping
You will find an eclectic variety of places to shop in Bay View – something for everyone!
The Muse Gallery Guesthouse: Thanks to our wonderful art curator, Amy Schmutte, we have gorgeous art for sale in every room of the house as well as a fun gift shop of smaller arts and crafts made by local artists to collect a souvenir of your time with us.
Read More...Retail:
- Tippecanoe Herbs and Apothecary
- Voyageur Bookstore
- Sparrow Collective – handcrafted items for men, women and kids by over 100 artists
- Brass Rooster and The Hen House – hats for men and women – a must visit!
- Halo Skin Care
- G’Day Gallery
- Collectors Edge Comics
- URSA – boutique for men, women and home
- Sky High – skate shop
- Big Foot Bike and Skate
- Tasha Rae Jewelry
- Commonplace Shop – functional design objects, ceramics and personal accessories
Vintage:
- Tip Top Atomic Shop – mid-century modern antiques and more
- R Vintage N More – Bay View Resale – https://www.loc8nearme.com/wisconsin/milwaukee/r-vintage-n-more-llc/3145804/
- Alive and Fine – resale shop
Music:
- Rushmor Records
- Acme Record Shop
- Top Shelf Guitar
- Dave’s Guitar Shop
- Distinctive Guitar
- Korinthian Violins
Food:
- Groppi Food Market – old neighborhood Italian grocer turned gourmet deli – wine tastings on Friday nights
- Outpost Natural Foods – wide variety of natural, organic and gluten-free food
- Pick N’ Save -grocery store on Holt Avenue
Beer & Spirits
Bay View is home to a vibrant microbrewing and distillery scene and has many fun bars for craft beer and craft cocktails.
Microbreweries
Distillery
Read More...Every Place Else
- TheSugar Maple – 65 craft beers on tap – a few steps from us
- Voyager Wine Bar – great selection of interesting wines by the bottle or glass
- Tonic Tavern
- Highbury Pub – great place to watch English football
- Lost Whale – cocktails, cocktails, cocktails!
- The Backyard Bar
- Revel Bar
- At Random – funny “Rat Pack” themed ice cream drink and cocktail bar
- Burnhearts – where the locals hang out
- Lee’s Luxury Lounge
- Puddler’s Hall – historic neighborhood bar – one of the oldest in the city
- The Mothership
- The Newport
- The Stone – great place to pick up a shuttle to Brewers games and Summerfest
Lake Michigan, Neighborhood Parks & the Milwaukee River
The Muse Gallery Guesthouse is located in Bay View which is on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is a mile walk or bike ride to get to the beach. South Shore Park located at the beach hosts a farmers’ market every Saturday in the summer. It also has a beer garden overlooking the lake called South Shore Terrace open spring to fall. The pavilion at South Shore Park is a very popular venue for wedding receptions, so if you are thinking of getting married in Milwaukee, you may want to host your wedding there and have your guests stay with us!
Read More...Humboldt Park is the other neighborhood park within walking distance of The Muse Gallery Guesthouse. It boasts a wine and beer garden called The Vine also open spring to fall. On Tuesday evenings in the summer at the Humboldt Park chalet there is a free music concert series sponsored by the Bay View Neighborhood Association called Chill on the Hill. It showcases Milwaukee musical talent who play original music. There are food and beer trucks, and you are welcome to grab a folding chair from our porch and head over there each week June – September for what promises to be a very fun evening.
The Milwaukee River runs through downtown Milwaukee and meets Lake Michigan close to The Muse Gallery Guesthouse. Kayaking and walking the Riverwalk which ends where you can have your picture taken at The Bronze Fonz Statue is a fun way to spend the day. River cruises are also available. Charter fishing on Lake Michigan is another great way to enjoy the water.
South Shore Farmer’s Market – entertainment line-up each Saturday morning of the season at 10:00 a.m.
Music and Festivals
Milwaukee has a very vibrant music scene – from local bar shows to internationally known music festivals such as Summerfest and Irishfest at our Henry Maier Festival Park along the shores of Lake Michigan. There is plenty of good music around town all year long for your stay at The Muse. You can walk to Club Garibaldi and Cactus Club from our place. The 75-acre Henry Maier Festival grounds are a short trip over the Hoan Bridge. Other music venues like The Riverside Theater, the Pabst Theater, Turner Hall and Fiserv Forum are all a short Uber ride away. And in the summer, many parks host free music concert series. Most notable are Chill on the Hill in Humboldt Park – Tuesdays and Jazz in the Park at Jackson Park – Thursdays
Read More...Club Garibaldi – weekly events
Cactus Club – fantastic music for indie music
And So Much More!
As we mentioned above, Milwaukee has many attractions that are a must-see while visiting. To list a few, there is the Milwaukee County Zoo, the Harley Museum, the Pabst Mansion, Mitchell Park Domes, the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Milwaukee Public Market, the Third Ward, St. Josephat’s Basilica, the Milwaukee Symphony, the Milwaukee Rep Theater, the Milwaukee Bucks, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Oak Leaf Bike Trail, the Wisconsin State Fair, various brewery tours and so much more. There is no way we could feature them all, but will be happy to tell you about them when you come to stay. You can find out more at the Visit Milwaukee website.