MIL Public Transit Guide – Getting Around this Summer 

Summer in Milwaukee is finally upon us, and it’s truly our favorite season of the year! As the temperature rises, beaches fill up, and music fills the air, Milwaukee is anything short of boring. We’ve been so excited to get out and explore everything this city has to offer. Our central location on The East Side is a great launching point for fun and festivities.

To anyone visiting this summer with an itinerary longer than our brunch menu, we got you! For this May blog edition, we’ve compiled a handy guide for getting from A to B in the MIL using our city’s public transportation the next time you visit. Getting around the city has never been easier!

The Hop

The Hop first began shuttling passengers in its electric streetcars in 2018. Since then, it’s expanded to a second line and continues to run daily every 15 minutes from each of its numerous stops. The best part of all? It’s free!

Two stops are within a few minutes’ walk from The Plaza: Jackson at Juneau and Cathedral Square. Both can take you as far west as the Intermodal Station, which provides access to Walker’s Point, downtown and the Third Ward, and as far east as N Prospect, which offers lake access via a walkway to N Lincoln Memorial Drive. The new Hop line can also take riders from the Third Ward and riverwalk areas to Discovery World along the lakefront.

A few minutes walk from The Plaza, and the whole city is at your fingertips!

Bike Share

At the end of the previously mentioned Hop stop on N. Prospect lies another excellent option for getting around the city; Bublr bikes! You can mount a comfortable steed for just a few dollars and peddle your way to wherever your heart desires. You can take paved bike paths along the lake all the way to Bradford Beach and beyond, or hop on the Oak Leaf trail and whisk yourself up the river to one of Milwaukee’s hidden beer gardens. Another nearby Bublr location includes Cathedral Square, which is only a few minutes from The Plaza. Power to the pedal! 

Milwaukee Connect 1

The CONNECT 1 is Milwaukee’s new bus line. This rapid transit option can whisk riders all the way down Wisconsin Avenue — from downtown Milwaukee to the far side of Wauwatosa!

For only $2 a ride, riders can find their way out of the city to another Milwaukee Gem. The Bluemound & N95 station is just a few minutes walk from the fabulous Milwaukee Zoo, where they can enjoy an exciting day in the sun away from the bustle of the city.

To ride the CONNECT 1 from The Plaza, walk south from The Plaza a block to North Van Buren and then four blocks south to East Wisconsin Ave. The line starts here and runs out to West Watertown Plank Road and North Swan Boulevard and back, making stops about every 10 minutes. You can download the official riding app from their website at https://www.ridemcts.com/how-to-ride to track your bus and connect your phone to pay.