Friday Top 5: Milwaukee Places

Top 5 places to see in Milwaukee.

Sure, I may be jaded, any top five list about Milwaukee undoubtedly has a series of bars and restaurants in it, but not mine. Bars are great, but they are not that great. No, my list doesn't have any actual consumer establishments in it, largely because these things are covered in other lists that people actually get paid to write.

5) 1622 E Irving Place

Any true list about Milwaukee wouldn't be complete without my apartment in it. It is one of the places in Milwaukee that I tend to enjoy immensely, and even though it isn't of interest to anyone else, this is the top 5 according to Adam.

4) Lake Michigan

Sure, Lake Michigan is huge, sure Milwaukee and Chicago both use it for a certain brand of sightseeing pressure, but Milwaukee has done it right. The Lake is buffered from the city by a half mile or more of green park spaces that go all the way up from the river to UWM. That's a lot of prime real estate, and the city has kept it as parks out of respect to the citizens of the city. Kudos to you, Milwaukee.

3) Gallun Tannery

Not everyone likes to poke around abandoned buildings, but I do, I do very much. Gallun Tannery is the first of my excursions into urban exploration, and one of the most memorable. This building may or may not be torn down or renovated. I'd love to see it get renovated, it's a great old structure.

2) Milwaukee River

Similar to the lake, the river has no development along the banks (at least not West of downtown) and is lined with hiking/mountain bike trails. There are a few waterfalls along the trip out to suburbia, and it is an extremely fun ride/walk.

1) Pfister Vogel Chemical Processing

This place is by far the most interesting thing that I've seen for a number of years. It has a massive plot of land just West of downtown, right near all the bars on Water St. that people are so intent upon. Filled to the brim with awe inspiring examples of urban decay, the chemical plant takes #1 easily.

Labels: top 5

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