Girls Weekend in Milwaukee

This past weekend the Blonde Squad [Laura, Kathrine, Caroline] packed up for our annual getaway (5 years and going strong), and this year we switched things up and did a weekend in Milwaukee. It worked out great for me since I’m so close and my work hours have been crazy the past few months. I loved that I could still have a fun getaway with my friends without adding a long travel day on either end.

We stayed in an Airbnb in the Bay View neighborhood, just a few blocks from Lake Michigan. It was a great area to stay in. The neighborhood has a mix of restaurants, coffee shops, local shops, and easy access to the lakefront. We were able to walk around, explore, and enjoy the area without having to spend much time in the car.

Andrea wasn’t able to make it this year, and we definitely missed having her with us.

Dinner at Sobelman’s

After everyone arrived and got settled on Thursday evening, we headed to Sobelman’s, a Milwaukee favorite known for their over the top Bloody Marys and award-winning burgers.

The Bloody Marys are definitely something (they’re practically a meal on their own), but I was there for the burger. I ordered the Al Pastor, which features a beef patty topped with seasoned Al Pastor pork, habanero cheese, caramelized onions, mayonnaise, and fresh pico de gallo. It was such a good combination of flavors, and the little bit of spice from the habanero cheese and pico de gallo was a nice touch.

After dinner, we headed back to the Airbnb and spent the rest of the evening on the rooftop patio. We were lucky to get some time out there because the rain moved in the next day and stayed for most of the weekend.

We also tried something new on this trip—a clothing swap.

Everyone brought several pieces from their closet that they no longer wanted to wear. We laid everything out, then each took turns choosing one item at a time until everything was claimed.

I thought this was such a fun idea. It’s an easy way to give clothes a second life and add something new to your wardrobe without buying anything. I came home with a few pieces that I already wore for work this week, and I had a few items left over that I’ll be posting on Poshmark later this week.

Afternoon Tea at The Pfister

Friday morning started with a three-mile walk along the lakefront before we got ready for our reservation at Blu, the lounge on the 23rd floor of The Pfister Hotel.

I had heard about afternoon tea at The Pfister before, and it was such a fun experience. The lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city and Lake Michigan, velvet seating, and a live piano player. It felt elegant but still comfortable, which made it the perfect place to sit and hang out for a few hours.

One of the things that made the tea service unique was the tea butler. Instead of choosing from a standard menu, they bring a cart of loose-leaf teas to your table and walk you through the different options, including where each tea comes from and the flavor notes.

I chose a black vanilla tea with cinnamon, and it smelled as good as it tasted.

Of course, the highlight of afternoon tea is the traditional three-tiered tray filled with scones, savory bites, and sweet pastries. If you’re planning a weekend in Milwaukee, I’d definitely add Blu to your itinerary.

A couple of fun facts about The Pfister: it houses the largest collection of Victorian art of any hotel in the world, and it’s also known for its ghost stories. Luckily, our afternoon tea experience was completely uneventful in that department!

Shopping in Cedarburg

After tea, we drove to Cedarburg, a small town about 20 minutes outside of Milwaukee.

The historic downtown area has so much charm, with brick buildings, unique boutiques, and locally owned shops. I ended up making a pretty good dent in my Christmas shopping and picked up several stocking stuffers, hostess gifts and a black printed sleeveless top and slip skirt for myself.

If you have a sweet tooth, Amy’s Candy Kitchen is worth a stop. The enormous candy apples displayed in the window caught our attention right away and almost looked too pretty to eat.

I always enjoy finding things that feel a little different than what you see everywhere else, and Cedarburg had plenty of those kinds of shops.

It was raining by the time we got back to the Airbnb so we decided we needed an indoor activity. We stopped at Goodwill to look for a vessel to turn into a candle. Some of the ladies found beautiful teacups, while I came across a low pink glass vase with a fun shape that I thought would work perfectly.

We melted down old candles, added a new wick, and poured the wax into our “new” vessels. I have to give Laura all of the credit because she did all of the work, but it was much easier than I expected. I already have a collection of half-burned candles at home, so I’ll definitely be doing this again instead of throwing them away.

Rainy Day in Milwaukee

Saturday was a complete washout. The rain started Friday afternoon and didn’t let up all day, but we didn’t let that stop us from exploring.

We walked to the farmers market in Bay View and then stopped at a vintage shop before heading to Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward for lunch at the Milwaukee Public Market.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you already know my favorite food is a lobster roll. So naturally, that’s what I ordered.

This one earned a 7.5/10 rating from me. It was good, but I’ve had a few lobster rolls that are still hard to beat.

After lunch, we headed over to Wauwatosa for more vintage and boutique shopping before making our way back to the Airbnb.

I ended up heading home later that afternoon to get ready for work travel the following week. I’ll admit, I had a little FOMO knowing everyone else was staying for dinner and cocktails that night, but I was thankful for the time I did get to spend with this group.

Three days of catching up, exploring a new area, trying new restaurants, and doing a little shopping was exactly the kind of break I needed.

Why Stay in Bay View for a Weekend in Milwaukee?

If you’re planning a weekend in Milwaukee, Bay View is a great neighborhood to consider. It has that historic charm and there are plenty of things within walking distance.

The neighborhood is known for its local restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, and small businesses. Being close to Lake Michigan also makes it easy to start your morning with a walk along the lakefront or visit the farmers market.

For us, it was a great location because we could enjoy a quieter neighborhood while still being close enough to explore other parts of Milwaukee.

Weekend in Milwaukee: Places We Visited

Here are the stops that made our trip:

Sobelman’s for burgers
Blu at The Pfister Hotel for afternoon tea
Cedarburg for shopping
Sardines Vintage in Bayview
Clocktower Antiques in Bayview
Dandy in Washington Heights
Milwaukee Public Market
Bay View Farmers Market
Historic Third Ward
Tosa for more shopping

Milwaukee ended up being such a fun choice for our girls getaway. It was close enough to be easy, but there was still plenty to explore, which is exactly what makes a weekend in Milwaukee such a great option.

Thank you for reading!