The Kettle Moraine State Forest consists of northern and southern units that frame Milwaukee. The Northern Unit is less than an hour's drive away from the city and features several biking and hiking trails (including part of the famous Ice Age Trail), campgrounds and fishing and hunting sites.
Not all Milwaukee festivals occur during the summer. Party for four weekends after Labor Day at the Bavarian Inn's annual Oktoberfest, the oldest and most authentic Oktoberfest in the Midwest. Enjoy delicious food and local brews, as well as music, dancing and live performances.
Engage in hands-on learning about science, nature and sustainable living at the Urban Ecology Center. The center has two outdoor "laboratories," located in two urban parks, which feature 15 acres of woodland, a lagoon and riparian habitat on the east bank of the Milwaukee River. The parks also house a habitat-themed playground, as well as seasonal swimming, boating and skating.