Cliche, but I may be moving to Milwaukee... (Madison, Green Bay: fit in, schools)

[Randy@Tacoma]

You all are so wonderful! Thanks for your information. If your kindness is anything like that of Milwaukee's, I'm in for a good time. Personally, I love winter! But, I hate it here in Seattle, because all it does is rain. I'm not exaggerating, you may see one or two days with sunshine in January. It can be brutal on my mental stability. And, it never snows in Seattle. Is Milwaukee sunny during the winter? How bad is the snow there? I like it, but I'm not used to driving in it... Also, just to mention it again, if anyone has been to or lived in Seattle or Tacoma, please compare Milwaukee to either or both if possible! Again, thanks so much for all your help!

[karfar]

Originally Posted by Randy@Tacoma

You all are so wonderful! Thanks for your information. If your kindness is anything like that of Milwaukee's, I'm in for a good time. Personally, I love winter! But, I hate it here in Seattle, because all it does is rain. I'm not exaggerating, you may see one or two days with sunshine in January. It can be brutal on my mental stability. And, it never snows in Seattle. Is Milwaukee sunny during the winter? How bad is the snow there? I like it, but I'm not used to driving in it... Also, just to mention it again, if anyone has been to or lived in Seattle or Tacoma, please compare Milwaukee to either or both if possible! Again, thanks so much for all your help!

The last 2 winters have been brutal here, as in TONS of snow. Main roads are usually fine to drive on once the plows get thru, side roads are a different story. I had to get my car towed out of a snowbank this past winter, it was totally buried once the plows came thru. Sunniness just depends on the day, it can be sunny or cloudy, but it is COLD! We had one day this past winter where it got down to I think 20 below, not fun. Spring is very rainy, I swear it's been raining almost every day for a couple weeks. Summer gets extremely humid, it makes me very lazy. Fall in my opinion is the best season but you blink & you miss it. Doesn't last long enough. BUT, the reason I like living here is definitely the change in seasons. I'd get pretty bored if I lived somewhere where it was constantly sunny & warm. People here get very happy once winter is done & spring starts arriving, same w/fall. Good moods all around.

[kimberlykeno]

I love Milwaukee, but if you're a "treehugger," you may feel more comfortable in Madison (which I hated). Madison is way too granola for me. Don't get me wrong, Madison has a ton to offer, but we moved there from Metro Detroit so it was a bit of a culture shock.

[karfar]

Originally Posted by kimberlykeno

I love Milwaukee, but if you're a "treehugger," you may feel more comfortable in Madison (which I hated). Madison is way too granola for me. Don't get me wrong, Madison has a ton to offer, but we moved there from Metro Detroit so it was a bit of a culture shock.

This is true, Madison is much more open-minded & liberal than Milwaukee is, but like I mentioned, you've got pockets of areas in Milwaukee that you'll fit right in with.

[ggggoat]

The 3rd ward is do you hair up and drink martinis kinda gay, doesn't sound like your scene. Riverwest is probably the most similar to a pacific northwest kinda feel (in terms of culture), very liberal, while not a 'gay area', probably one of the most gay friendly parts of town. It also has the benefit of being within a mile or two of campus, definitely bikeable (however for about four months of the school year almost unbearably cold to do so). And public transportation in Milwaukee really blows, not having a car is definitely an inconvenience.

While overall Milwaukee may not be the most environmentally friendly/liberal, it's definitely a city of neighborhoods, and the whole east side/riverwest is very much so, and really, as a student, it's big enough that you wouldn't really ever feel the need to leave this area. Of course, if you do, there if plenty to do outside of it as well.

As someone else mentioned, Milwaukeeans are all about Milwaukee, and many people live here their whole lives and cultivate deep friendships (a little different than the socializing style I've seen in the northwest), and as such for an outsider it can be tricky to break through that barrier, but with a little effort and some social grace definitely doable, and once you get there they will be some of the most rewarding you will find.

On the seasons, kinda what people are saying, I find myself every year muttering during winter, I can't this anymore, winters are soooooooo bad, but then summer hits, and I remember why I stick around this city.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by karfar

Madison is much more open-minded

Only more open-minded to like-thinking liberals. If one is a conservative (or other), Milwaukee metro is much more like-thinking where you will find folks of many political and ideological stripes (unlike the singular-thinking Madison).

[Empidonax]

Originally Posted by Randy@Tacoma

Thanks so much guys (and gals)! Yeah, my research has led me to believe I'd like Riverwest, Brady Street, or Third Ward. Not to add to the flaming liberal impression that I may be presenting to y'all, but I'm also gay. I hear the Third Ward is kinda the place. Is that true? Is Milwaukee gay-friendly? How bout the UWM? From the photos I've seen, I really liked the Third Ward with all the warehouses (there's nothing like here on the West Coast!). Is it affordable for someone on a college budget? But hey, anything really helps... I need to know a ton about Brew town...

UWM is a very gay-friendly school with a very liberal student/faculty population. As others have mentioned, the East Side is ground-zero for the tree-hugging crowd, though some neighborhoods (Brady Street and Riverwest) are more so than others. Shorewood, a suburb right to the north of UWM, is a very liberal and tolerant (though more "mature") place.

Most of the gay bars are clustered in the Walker's Point area, south of downtown. However, some gay and overtly gay-friendly bars are located in the East Side-Downtown corridor, too.

The gay people in Mke are fairly dispersed; there is no "boystown" or anything like that. However, many gays live in the East Side/Downtown/Riverwest areas. The areas around UWM (especially south and southwest of campus) can get very noisy and overrun with boisterous undergrads. The sections to the east and southeast of campus are quieter.

Many gays live in Walker's Point, but it seems that the real hotspot for gays is Bay View ("Gay View"). It's a residential and generally liberal community (used to be a separate entity, and still has many blue-collar, family types) to the south of downtown.

Many gays have set up in other neighborhoods, such as Concordia (near downtown) and Washington Heights (on the west side). These areas are popular with couples who like to refurbish old houses. Sherman Park is perhaps Milwaukee's most diverse neighborhood (whites, blacks, Jews, Asians) and is home to many gay people.

Shorewood is a popular place for gay singles and couples who prefer a quieter (but still left-leaning) vibe. (Parts of the East Side can get quite noisy and "busy.") And gays (mostly couples, but some singles) live in other areas such as Whitefish Bay, Wauwatosa, Mequon....

In general, there's a strong gay presence in Milwaukee and at UWM. Though the gay scene isn't quite as vibrant as I'd like it to be, there are plenty of groups, organizations, events, etc. to explore. Pridefest (every June) and the UWM LGBT Film Festival are great venues.

[Empidonax]

Originally Posted by karfar

This is true, Madison is much more open-minded & liberal than Milwaukee is, but like I mentioned, you've got pockets of areas in Milwaukee that you'll fit right in with.

From the stats I've seen (marketing and voting records), Milwaukee has at least as many left-leaning and tree-hugging people as Madison does. However, Milwaukee also has a sizeable population of moderates and conservatives thrown into the mix, whereas Madison is not quite so diverse. As you say, Randy will find lots of like-minded people in Mke, and won't miss a beat.

[Allan Trafton]

At some point somebody has to set the record straight on the definition of open minded. Open minded is to have the mind set that an individual is willing to listen and evaluate a variety of opinions and make a decision with a clear unbiased prejudice. Madison doesn't fit this description. Pine Bluff Ark. is about as open minded as Madison. Almost any city in the Midwest is more open minded then Madison. Milwaukee, Chicago, Green Bay just about any of them. Madison is about as closed minded as they come. It all comes down to associating with like minded people which you feel comfortable. People confuse this with having an open mind.

[militarymom]

Mke is gay friendly and leftist so you'll feel at home I have a few gay friends still living there and they all like it
I am a conservative white chick who is now married to a military man and I went to UWM and I also felt at home LOL. That said, everyone at uwm got a long more or less, liked my years there and got a good education. I left milwaukee for the west coast (san diego, monterey cali areas) and much prefer them to the cold winters but mke has a place in my heart forever since it was where I grew up. You being from the washington area-I think you'll like mke, although it won't be as large as seattle it is very pretty, has friendly people, good eats, fun things to do and lots to explore. Its really a beautiful state.
As others have mentioned summer is very popular but if you're already used to cooler weather fall is awesome as will be winter and spring. There are alot of activities year round, lots of outdoor stuff as well. Venture 'up north' to door county sometime if you end up coming--alot of outdoorsy stuff there as well. Milwaukee is not as diverse as far as where you live goes. What I mean is it still is fairly segregated. Yes third ward=gays, south side=latinos, suburbs=white, inner city=black etc. Its kind of sad after having moved how well people get along in other areas of the country (living next to people who may not be like you, not just hanging out in a bar together) but mke is what it is.
I have family in riverwest, and also brady street area (family owns a business and lives on brady street). Its a hopin place Brady. Riverwest has more families now than years ago. IMO milwaukee is very affordable no matter where you're living. The cost of living probably will be less than what you're used to on the west coast so you should be fine!
Have fun!