Five Tips for Living in Downtown Milwaukee

Whether you're moving to Milwaukee from a smaller town, or you've just moved into the downtown area, you may be a little bit nervous and bewildered by what this active area has to offer. Getting settled can be a bit of a pain, however, so take a look at some tips to help you get comfortable a little bit faster.

1. Get your parking situation dealt with- right now!
If you know anything about Milwaukee at all, you know that the city tickets and tows with reckless abandon. If you are living in downtown, make sure you go the police department and get your parking permit taken care of. One nice thing about living downtown is that you can park on either side of the road no matter what day it is, something that you can't do in other parts of Milwaukee. Remember that in the winter, some of the places you parked in the summer will be inaccessible; it might be a good idea to idea to secure parking in a lot while you can!

2. Know your bus lines
It is very possible to live in Milwaukee without the use of a car. There is plenty in walking distance and for everything else, there's a bus. If you are a student who needs to make it up to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, keep an eye out for the 30; both the 30 Maryland and the 30 Downer will get you where you need to go.

3. Wireless wherever
If you've got a laptop, you'll be happy to note that Milwaukee is the first of several US cities to start putting wireless at public access points. At this point, Milwaukee has two parks that will provide users with wireless access. The first is Cathedral Square Park in the heart of downtown and the second is Pere Marquette Park, just west the river. While this is less usable during Milwaukee's long winter (who wants to type with frozen fingers?) this is a great way to check your email and enjoy a beautiful day during the summer

4. Remember to eat.
If you have just moved in, you might not know where to go for your essentials. Luckily, downtown Milwaukee has a couple of places that are terrific for groceries and supplies if you happen to live near the lake. Check out Metro Market on Van Buren for pretty wide selection of groceries, and if you get interested in more exotic fare, head to Asian Mart that lies on the west side of the river on Third street.

5. Walk around
To really get an idea of what this exciting area has to offer, make sure that you get outside and just walk the streets. You can catch the Milwaukee Art Museum folding its wings for the night (the new addition has a sun screen that is lowered at the end of the day), join one of the many summer festivals that occur on the shore, or take a look at some of the small quirky music stores that are hidden in basement storefronts below street-level.

There's plenty to do in downtown Milwaukee, so once you get here, hit the ground running and find out everything it can do for you!