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Where to stay in Milwaukee

Milwaukee sits on Lake Michigan where three rivers meet, and its main areas are a short walk apart along the Milwaukee River. Stay Downtown and in East Town for the lakefront, the Milwaukee Art Museum and grand old hotels; in the Third Ward and Walker's Point for warehouses full of restaurants, the Public Market and the Harley-Davidson Museum; or in Westown and the Deer District for Bucks games, beer history and good value. The Hop, a free streetcar, links downtown and the Third Ward.

Find your area, then your hotel

Tap one of our picks, or any area, to see its hotels on the map, what it costs, where we'd book and how long it takes to get around.

In short: our pick for each kind of trip. Tap one to see why.

Should you stay in

Downtown & East Town?

The lakefront, Art Museum & grand hotels

What a night costs

Budget
$140
Mid-range
$240
Luxury
$285

2nd cheapest of 3 areas, about $20 a night less than Third Ward & Walker's Point.

Where we'd book

The verdict

The centre of Milwaukee east of the river, with the lakefront, the Milwaukee Art Museum's winged pavilion, the Riverwalk, historic hotels like the Pfister and restaurants along Water Street.

  • Stay here if
  • First-time visitors
  • Couples
  • Business travellers
  • Look elsewhere if
  • You want lively bars on the doorstep
  • You want warehouse character
  • You want to walk to the Brewers' stadium

Minutes to the sights

  • Pfister Hotel3 minwalk
  • Milwaukee Art Museum11 minwalk
  • Milwaukee Riverwalk11 minwalk
  • Milwaukee Public Market12 minwalk
  • Discovery World14 minwalk
  • Historic Third Ward15 minwalk

Stations and airports

0 min to Milwaukee City Hall. The Hop, a free streetcar, runs through downtown to the Third Ward and the Intermodal Station, with a branch to the lakefront. MCTS buses cover the rest of the city.

  • From Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE)bus33 min
Read the full Downtown & East Town guide →

Typical rates for a double outside peak events, not live prices. Updated Oct 2026 · How we rate areas · Minutes planned with the Transitous (MOTIS on published GTFS timetables and OpenStreetMap) for a weekday, including walking and waiting · Booking through our links costs you nothing extra and may earn us a commission. Learn more

Milwaukee questions

What is the best area to stay in Milwaukee for first-timers?

Downtown & East Town puts the big sights within easy reach and is 0 minutes from Milwaukee City Hall. Third Ward & Walker's Point are good alternatives.

Which area of Milwaukee has the cheapest hotels?

Westown & Deer District and Downtown & East Town, with budget hotels from around $140 and mid-range around $170–$240 a night.

Where is the best nightlife in Milwaukee?

Third Ward & Walker's Point has the most bars, restaurants and late nights. Westown & Deer District are good alternatives.