Planning a last minute trip up to Milwaukee to visit the HD Museum. We have a week to kill and are planning on coming back through Chicago. Anyone have any advice on things to do, where to stay etc for either location?
Thanks
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Sounds like a great trip! Where are you starting in Missouri? What's your budget? Are you looking to camp or do hotels?

My first thought is that it would be a more scenic ride if you went back through Wisconsin and avoided the eternal flatness of Illinois south of Chicago.

Happy to help out however I can. Feel free to PM me.

 

Staying in Hotel in Milwaukee and Chicago. No other plans yet. Budget is flexible lol (wife isn't going).

 

This is about the coolest place to stay in Milwaukee ->

http://www.theironhorsehotel.com/

I'd defer to someone more familiar with the Chicago area on a place to stay there. I've stayed at quite a few places, but I'm sure there are others that could give better recommendations.

What are the dates of your trip? Are you in eastern or western Missouri? I once found myself in KC about 4x a year. Haven't been to KC tho in a long time. Definitely missing some of that good KC BBQ!

I'd certainly be willing to help with route recommendations, and might even be able to take you for a ride around some of my favorite SE WI roads, depending on when you are here.

 

I would say come up the Mississippi River. Stop in Savanna IL at Poopies, then go into town and check out the museum can not think of the name of the bar it is in, but on the main drag through town. You can then continue up the river or start to cut over to Milwaukee. I would say keep going north to Prairie du Chien and then cut across on 18. I would drop south at 92/69 and stop in New Glarus and do a brewery tour. Great beer. You can then take any number of ways to Milwaukee. Chicago is cool but traffic sucks especially on a bike. There are some good side roads to get down there on, depends on where and what you want to do there. Iron Horse is a cool hotel, but rather expensive. But it is just across the tracks from the HD Museum. Every Thrus. night bike night both at the museum and iron horse.. If you have any specific questions let me know either here or PM. Just did the Iowa side of the Mississippi about a month ago and was great. I feel it is better than the IL side but you should stop at Poopies. There is a bridge near by if you just want to do a quick cross back and then back again. Have fun

 

Good day
I somewhat agree with the member who said Wisconsin is a bit better. I am from the Chicago area and I agree. In Chicago, hotels are expensive and finding a place to park the motorcycle can be problematic. I would suggest that maybe one night here is good. Try to ride Lake Shore Drive, a great view. Breakfast at Lou Mitchells on 500 block of Jackson, the start of Rt. 66 by the way. I like Gino's East Pizza the best. Go to Milwaukee via Sheridan Road. See Northwestern and the Bahai Temple in Wilmette. This will become Green Bay Road which becomes 32 in Wisconsin. Just over the border go west a few miles on 50 Just over I-94 is the Brat Stop. Got to say you did that. Go into Milwaukee. Places to eat: Miss Katy's diner and have to go to Real Chili I think the food at the museum sucks
I would suggest you tour as much of Wisconsin as you can. Two hours north of Milwaukee is Door County. The thumb of Wisconsin. Great small towns and great riding. Wilson's for ice cream in Ephraim and Greenwood Supper Club on A. Below is a great site to tour the state. Minocqua is good. The Kettle Moraine routes are good
Have fun
http://www.statetrunktour.com/index.php