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Historic Third Ward
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Historic Third Ward

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See all things to do
Historic Third Ward
4.5
#9 of 176 things to do in Milwaukee
NeighborhoodsPoints of Interest & Landmarks
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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About
Every trip to Milwaukee should start in the Historic Third Ward. Explore our locally owned restaurants, spas, theaters, galleries, and boutiques all in a historic warehouse setting. The neighborhood is home to the award-winning Third Ward Riverwalk, the nationally acclaimed Milwaukee Public Market, and the world's largest music festival, Summerfest. Located just south of downtown Milwaukee.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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The area
Neighborhood: Historic Third Ward
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
701 within 5 kms
St. Paul Fish Company
1,041
44 m₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • American • Seafood • Gluten Free Options
Swingin' Door Exchange
582
0.3 km₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • American • Bar • Pub
Stella Van Buren
409
0.5 km₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • Italian • American • Vegetarian Friendly
Café Benelux
1,097
19 m₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • American • Belgian • Bar
Wicked Hop
427
7.1 m₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • American • Bar • Pub
Mo's A Place For Steaks
362
0.6 km₱₱₱₱ • Steakhouse • Gluten Free Options
The Social Milwaukee
86
0.3 km₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • American • Gluten Free Options
Onesto
281
0.2 km₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • Italian • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Cafe at the Pfister
238
0.5 km₱₱ - ₱₱₱ • American • Cafe • Vegetarian Friendly
Carnevor
322
0.5 km₱₱₱₱ • American • Steakhouse • Gluten Free Options
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Attractions
170 within 10 kms
Milwaukee Public Market
1,115
69 mFlea & Street Markets
Central Standard Crafthouse & Kitchen
43
0.2 kmDistilleries
Milwaukee Pierhead Lighthouse
12
0.2 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Mitchell Building
1
0.3 kmHistoric Sites • Architectural Buildings
Milwaukee RiverWalk
1,050
0.5 kmHistoric Walking Areas
Skylight Music Theatre
11
0.4 kmTheaters
Artasia Gallery
9
0.3 kmArt Galleries • Speciality Museums
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
4
0.4 kmTheaters
Henry Maier Festival Park
356
0.7 kmParks
Harley-Davidson Museum
3,148
0.8 kmSpeciality Museums
See all
See what travelers are saying
  • Kelly Cathcart
    Valparaiso, Indiana1,230 contributions
    Great time
    This is a great neighborhood. There are lots of food and shopping. The mix of shops is resale to boutique paper shops. There are a few well priced parking lots. The Public Market is right here as well, a great place to grab a bite and people watch.
    Visited January 2023
    Written January 31, 2023
  • Barbara F
    Atlanta, Georgia36 contributions
    Great food in the public market and Onesto Italian
    St Paul for fish at their bar and Onesto down the street for Italian. Best bolognaise ever. Instead of plain ground beef in the meat sauce, they use beef brisket and a LOT of it. Wonderful as are the bar staff where we ate both times we went this week
    Visited June 2023
    Written July 1, 2023
  • Mary Ann P
    13 contributions
    Third Ward has something for everyone of all ages!
    Third Ward is a fun experience if you can stand crowded space. The Market has too many sellers to even try mentioning. There is a little bit of everything for sale from bloody marys to jewelry.
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written September 5, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,306 reviews
Excellent
770
Very good
401
Average
114
Poor
17
Terrible
4
Mary Ann P
Fox Lake, Illinois13 contributions
Third Ward has something for everyone of all ages!
Sep 2023 • Couples
Third Ward is a fun experience if you can stand crowded space. The Market has too many sellers to even try mentioning. There is a little bit of everything for sale from bloody marys to jewelry.
Written 6 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Iris H
Rye Brook, NY76 contributions
Great walking
Jun 2023
We stayed close enough to this part of the city to visit multiple times. The restaurants there are plentiful and outstanding and there is a definite buzz in the area each evening with people walking, drinking and dining.
Written 2 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara F
Atlanta, GA36 contributions
Great food in the public market and Onesto Italian
Jun 2023
St Paul for fish at their bar and Onesto down the street for Italian. Best bolognaise ever. Instead of plain ground beef in the meat sauce, they use beef brisket and a LOT of it. Wonderful as are the bar staff where we ate both times we went this week
Written 1 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Happy Traveler
Chicago, IL655 contributions
Great day spent here!
Jun 2023 • Couples
The historic third ward (HTW) as it’s called is located in the downtown area off the river. It’s Milwaukee’s oldest center of commerce area in the city.

There are many very neat buildings including the original firehouse and the commerce building among others. There’s many great little shops, theaters, eateries and parks to enjoy too.
Written 21 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brandon
Pittsburgh, PA463 contributions
Wonderful Ward
Jun 2023 • Family
This is a great opportunity to walk around and see Milwaukee. The public market is in the ward and it is very clean & nice to visit. The waterfront is right next to the market as well!
Written 11 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kelly Cathcart
Valparaiso, IN1,230 contributions
Great time
Jan 2023
This is a great neighborhood. There are lots of food and shopping. The mix of shops is resale to boutique paper shops. There are a few well priced parking lots. The Public Market is right here as well, a great place to grab a bite and people watch.
Written 31 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ogsprr
Muskego, WI70 contributions
Well worth while
Dec 2022
Has really improved over the last few years. It has become a Milwaukee gem area.Plenty to see and do and some great restaurants. Spend some time on the riverwalk.
Written 18 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LouAnn R
Wauwatosa, WI247 contributions
Great place to wander
Dec 2022
Third Ward is great whether you are looking to wander, shop or eat. So many places of interest! We love going there. Off the usual hours make it more easy to find parking.
Written 15 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RonL40
Utica, NY3,545 contributions
Great place to browse, take a river walk, find a great place to eat
Oct 2022
First time in Milwaukee, we visited the spectacular art museum and then walked to the Third Ward. Great place for people watching, the river walk, the public market, great restaurants and for us, a beautiful place to hunt books at Downtown Books. Excellent rethinking of what a historic neighborhood can be while retaining its character. If you're looking for a great rooftop bar, try the Benelux Cafe!
Written 28 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jet129480
12 contributions
Average
Sep 2022
I was kinda disappointing about the district as a whole but with the construction going on I think it will get better in time. Still it's a historic district in Milwaukee and easy to walk to along the Milwaukee river which is a nice walk in what felt like a safe neighborhood.
Written 29 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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HISTORIC THIRD WARD: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Historic Third Ward
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