Is MKE "outdoorsy" or a good fit for (hopefully) soon to be ex - Chicagoans?

[bnioe]

We moved here from Chicago several years ago for pretty much exactly the reasons you described, and have never once regretted it. Milwaukee is not Denver or Portland, but you can still get to some pretty decent hikes within a 45-minute drive, and plenty more within a two-hour drive. Unlike Chicago you don't have to endure an hour of traffic and blight on your way, and once you get to your destination the place is not overrun by fellow Chicagoans desperate for a breath of fresh air.

In the day-to-day, Milwaukee has a good parks system that is accessible. It's a very good place to bike. There aren't as many ethnic restaurants as you will see in Chicago, but overall the food scene here is very good for a place its size. We lived in Oak Park for several years before moving to Shorewood. There are a ton of people here who grew up in or moved from Chicago. Same with Whitefish Bay, and probably Tosa. I've often heard the complaint about Minneapolis that it is too insular, and that has definitely not been the experience in Milwaukee.

[MortonR]

Living in Wisconsin for a number of years I was always impressed with the emphasis and funding that the various municipalities gave to parks. Even when I lived in Sheboygan in the late 1980s I was stunned that such an insular town (oh, yeah, believe me it was!) had, of all things, a Frisbee golf course in one of the parks. While a bit of a cultural backwater, I couldn't believe that something like Frisbee golf had made it to Sheboygan...

RM

[annagene12]

Thank you so much for your post - this is a huge sigh of relief for me! I am glad to know that others have found respite from the hustle and bustle in MKE...it's funny how inhospitable people are to the very notion that someone would want to leave Chicago from the exhaustion of it, despite it being a fabulous city. Many people I have spoken to have truly not been very understanding, so it's nice to relate! I can't wait to be closer to outdoor areas that aren't overrun...it's a unique phenomenon, and I find cities like Denver, Austin, Portland, Seattle, Oakland etc., unappealing because I have heard that they are suffering from a similar density issue (albeit for different reasons). I'd be perfectly happy to have a good quality of life (at lower costs with less crowding) in a hidden gem Midwestern city that may lack some of the trendiness and hype.

The biggest turn off for Minneapolis is the insularness - I certainly don't want to fight my way tooth and nail into a friend group...I am very friendly/open so am glad to hear that there might be other Chicago transplants as well, and that you've settled in nicely. I should definitely check out Shorewood too - do you find it similar in "feel" to Oak Park? I love Oak Park - it is one of the areas we looked at if we were to stay in Chicago.

Bike trails would be excellent, and the parks...all very great! Thank you again!!!

Originally Posted by bnioe

We moved here from Chicago several years ago for pretty much exactly the reasons you described, and have never once regretted it. Milwaukee is not Denver or Portland, but you can still get to some pretty decent hikes within a 45-minute drive, and plenty more within a two-hour drive. Unlike Chicago you don't have to endure an hour of traffic and blight on your way, and once you get to your destination the place is not overrun by fellow Chicagoans desperate for a breath of fresh air.

In the day-to-day, Milwaukee has a good parks system that is accessible. It's a very good place to bike. There aren't as many ethnic restaurants as you will see in Chicago, but overall the food scene here is very good for a place its size. We lived in Oak Park for several years before moving to Shorewood. There are a ton of people here who grew up in or moved from Chicago. Same with Whitefish Bay, and probably Tosa. I've often heard the complaint about Minneapolis that it is too insular, and that has definitely not been the experience in Milwaukee.

[annagene12]

Originally Posted by Master Jay

Although I was never much of a Bay View or Brady Street hanger-outer, I would maybe lean towards Bay View. It has been developing nicely with pretty trendy/hip coffee places and restaurants. Brady Street has them as well, but the last couple of years I have seen more "riffraff" hanging out on Brady Street. They both have an Italian presence historically in our city (the southern Italians near Brady Street, and the northern Italians in Bay View) and you will find Italian delis/restaurants in these areas. Just MY opinion. You mentioned Wauwatosa and Shorewood, which are both good areas (Wauwatosa is better the further west you go, I believe). I know the people that owned Sweet Pie's in Skokie, and they did the drive down from Wauwatosa, before finally closing down Sweety Pie's, to start a family. Good to know you have some decent choices! I wish you the best!- Master Jay in Milwaukee

Thank you for some of your suggestions! We will definitely check out Bay View...it looks nice! I am open to different types of areas for sure, having lived in a lot of different types of neighborhoods across NYC and Chicago. Appreciate your thoughts and well wishes!

[Master Jay]

annagene12, what neighborhood in Chicago are you? And are you looking for a Milwaukee neighborhood that has a similar style and vibe? Master Jay in

[AminWi]

Originally Posted by MortonR

Living in Wisconsin for a number of years I was always impressed with the emphasis and funding that the various municipalities gave to parks. Even when I lived in Sheboygan in the late 1980s I was stunned that such an insular town (oh, yeah, believe me it was!) had, of all things, a Frisbee golf course in one of the parks. While a bit of a cultural backwater, I couldn't believe that something like Frisbee golf had made it to Sheboygan...

RM

I didn’t realize how amazing Milwaukee’s park system is until I moved away. It really is impressive!

[Master Jay]

The only thing I found ironic. Chicago public parks did not charge to use their public pools, and yet Milwaukee DID (years ago I went to Jackson Park and was surprised there was an entrance fee to the pool)! ... In Chicago, Norwood Park was free (and one of the only public parks with a slide), and then they started charging a fee for those without an Illinois ID... It's been a year or two since I've used a swimming pool in a park in Chicago. Not sure if they changed to charging a fee. Does Milwaukee still?- Master Jay in Milwaukee

[MortonR]

Originally Posted by AminWi

I didn’t realize how amazing Milwaukee’s park system is until I moved away. It really is impressive!

Absolutely. And having lived both in several places in SE Wisconsin (Sheboygan and Port Washington) as well as another states, I can say without exception that the city and county parks in Wisconsin are well above just about every place else.

RM

[bnioe]

Exactly. No bad feelings for Chicago, happy for our time there and still like to visit. Being near Chicago is a big plus for Milwaukee. That said, after several years there, moving here almost felt like re-connecting with the natural world.

Oak Park is a fantastic place too, and I miss it. Shorewood is similar in many ways: Very walk-able, a semi-urban feel right next to the city limits, pretty liberal politically, people are interested in the arts. You can walk to some bars and restaurants, though everything is on a smaller scale here. Oak Park is more bustling for sure, but both have a mix of very expensive houses, somewhat expensive houses, and multi-family buildings. Taxes are also very high in both places. Schools are good or excellent depending on who you ask.

The biggest difference is what you have proximity to: direct access to Lake Michigan at a stunningly beautiful beach to the east, and direct access on the west side to a wooded bike trail that takes you right downtown. Also whereas in Oak Park you are technically next to the city but separated from much of what it has to offer (kind of like Hyde Park), Shorewood is right next to UWM, a short drive or bike ride from MKE's Eastside, and a 10-minute drive downtown.

Originally Posted by annagene12

Thank you so much for your post - this is a huge sigh of relief for me! I am glad to know that others have found respite from the hustle and bustle in MKE...it's funny how inhospitable people are to the very notion that someone would want to leave Chicago from the exhaustion of it, despite it being a fabulous city. Many people I have spoken to have truly not been very understanding, so it's nice to relate! I can't wait to be closer to outdoor areas that aren't overrun...it's a unique phenomenon, and I find cities like Denver, Austin, Portland, Seattle, Oakland etc., unappealing because I have heard that they are suffering from a similar density issue (albeit for different reasons). I'd be perfectly happy to have a good quality of life (at lower costs with less crowding) in a hidden gem Midwestern city that may lack some of the trendiness and hype.

The biggest turn off for Minneapolis is the insularness - I certainly don't want to fight my way tooth and nail into a friend group...I am very friendly/open so am glad to hear that there might be other Chicago transplants as well, and that you've settled in nicely. I should definitely check out Shorewood too - do you find it similar in "feel" to Oak Park? I love Oak Park - it is one of the areas we looked at if we were to stay in Chicago.

Bike trails would be excellent, and the parks...all very great! Thank you again!!!