MILWAUKEE — National Geographic named Milwaukee one of the best places to travel in 2023 in its annual ranking “World’s Best” list..
The city is one of only five destinations listed in the United States and one of 25 others.
“Milwaukee has every reason to be proud of this,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson. “There is much to love about our city, and we should never lose sight of the fact that Milwaukee is a truly great place.”
“It is truly an honor to have Milwaukee recognized as one of the best places to visit in the world in 2023, especially by the publication known around the world as National Geographic,” added Marty Brooks, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Center District.
Milwaukee Art Museum. (Spectrum News 1/Rachel Ryan)
All locations on the list are selected by National Geographic Traveler editors, experts and expedition leaders. This list includes destinations and experiences grouped into five categories: Family, Adventure, Culture, Nature and Community.
Milwaukee was included in the Community category, with the magazine describing it as “a blue-collar, breathtaking city with a tight-knit creative community that is turning heads beyond the Great Lakes.”
The article also called the Wisconsin community “a vibrant Great Lakes city that celebrates its cultural community as much as its breweries.”
“Milwaukee is home to many hidden gems that don’t get enough attention. Whether it’s our museums, sports teams, breweries, restaurants, summer festivals, beaches or Milwaukee County park system, we truly have something for everyone,” said County Executive David Crowley.
National Geographic highlights several notable locations in Milwaukee, including the Harley-Davidson Museum, the “vibrant” Deer District, Bronzeville, the Riverwalk, the Historic Third Ward, the Milwaukee Public Market, the Milwaukee Art Museum and several other locations.
Milwaukee Public Market in Historic Third Ward. (Spectrum News 1/Brooke Brighton)
VISIT Milwaukee President and CEO Peggy Williams-Smith said the distinction will generate conversations about the city in boardrooms and social settings for years to come.
Crowley added that it will likely bring more events and tourists to Milwaukee, and the city is already eyeing it as the site of the 2024 Republican National Convention.
The recognition is also an opportunity to remind people that they can be ambassadors for the city, VISIT Milwaukee said.
“Let us use this recognition to remember what we all know: Milwaukee is a dynamic cultural melting pot, filled with world-class amenities, stunning wildlife and even better people,” said Dr. Eve M. Hall, chair of VISIT Milwaukee’s Board of Directors and president and CEO Greater Milwaukee Municipal League. “Whether it’s in our personal or professional lives, we should be shouting it from the rooftops every day and inviting others to experience what makes our community so great.”
Fireworks fly in front of the Fiserv Forum after the Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 championship. (Photo file)
