Experience Downtown Blog
MKE a Splash on the Milwaukee River
June 21, 2022 /
There’s nothing more relaxing than hanging out on the water during the summer. We are lucky to have options of waterways in Milwaukee. We put together some of our favorite boat tours and rentals for this summer.
Milwaukee Boat Tours
Milwaukee Paddle Tavern
113 E Juneau Avenue
Excellent for parties and small groups, the Milwaukee Paddle Tavern can accommodate up to 14 people on the 1 hour and 45-minute-long trip. The trips are BYO-Beverages and snacks, but they have coolers on the boat to keep your drinks cool.
Milwaukee River Cruise Line / Edelweiss Boat Tours
205 W. Highland Avenue
Edelweiss offers a variety of public and private boat tours- including a concert series, Sunday Funday, Trivia Thursdays and a narrated historic sightseeing tour. The boats are equipped with a full bar and enclosed cabins.
Milwaukee Boat Line
1124 N Doctor M.L.K. Jr Dr.
Milwaukee Boat Line has three double decker boats available for narrated sightseeing tours, happy hour, concerts, and special events. Snacks and drinks are available on board. And the best part? Milwaukee Boat Lines are dog friendly!
Milwaukee Kayak Tours
Milwaukee Kayak Company
318 S. Water Street
Milwaukee Kayak Company offers guided tours and daily rentals for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Beginner paddlers can even take an introduction to kayaking class to learn basic skills and fundamentals.
Brew City Kayak
820 S. Water Street
Brew City Kayak offers tours- including a cheese curd tour that stops at restaurants along the Milwaukee River. They also have a “Best of Milwaukee” tour that lasts 4 hours and stops at some of the most loved Milwaukee establishments and hot spots
Clear Water Outdoors
318 S. Water Street
With locations in Southeastern Wisconsin, the name Clear Water comes from the Potawatomi name for Geneva Lake- “Kishwauketoe.” In Milwaukee, they are located across the street from the Public Market and offer kayak and stand-up paddle board rentals.
If you are doing a self-guided tour on canoe or kayak, make sure you have a map and are aware of rapids on the river. The Milwaukee Riverkeeper Urban Water Trail maps is available online or a water-resistant physical copy- perfect for your next water adventure!
Enter our Summer in the City staycation contest! Downtown Milwaukee employees are eligible to enter our Summer in the City staycation contest, between June 1 and July 17, 2022. Simply post a photo of you at one of downtown's several free summer events using #MKEItBack and tagging @MKEDowntown on Instagram and @MilwDowntown on Twitter. Multiple posts will increase your chance of winning. One downtown employee will be selected at random to receive a $500 gift card redeemable at Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel.