Milwaukee Sports & Outdoors

Koz's Mini Bowl is one of the few remaining miniature bowling lanes around! Balls are the size of grapefruits and the pind are the size of coke bottles! Pins are set by neighborhood kids who want to earn some tips. Very unique fun!

Hollar house is the nation's oldest sanctioned bowling hall! It's in the basement of a cute, old lady's house and the pins are set by hand! This is Graceland for bowling enthusiasts!

Equipment: Bring your own shoes.

the stadium is! I took my very first trip out to Miller Park (I know, I'm a little slow with stuff like this) and had a blast! I hadn't been to a Brewer's game since I was 7 and it was played in the old stadium so I thought... even if I don't like baseball I had to at least see the park! Passing the stadium on the freeway all the time, it looks spectacular from the outside so I was excited.

I got free tickets (awesome seats... front row behind the first base dugout), a free parking pass and free tickets to the .300 club. So now that I'm spoiled I doubt I'll make it back unless there is an equally good offer! :) We got to park in the VIP section so the walk was short and it didn't hurt that it was the first Packer game of the season so the crowd was a bit thin. The dome was closed since it was raining outside, but I would love to go to a night game with the roof open.

There are all sorts of vendors set up in the halls... consessions are insanely expensive (as they always are) and I've heard not to eat the hotdogs... just passing on my little tip. The game was a good one even though our best players weren't playing. Brewers took it 4-1. We only stayed for about 6 innings and then headed to the .300 club for a quick peak then back home for the football game.

The stadium is sprawling and the fans were in the mood for a good time. I can only imagine the insanity when the stadium is actually fuller. The .300 club was on the other side of the stadium so I got to walk through most of it and it is a very cool place. The .300 club would be fun if you were in the mood to party during the game (be advised there is a dress code!)

There's no smoking in the stadium except for 2 designated smoking patios and a couple of the bars. Outside there was a small baseball diamond and a playground with kiddie equipment. Lots of shopping available inside from gift stores to kiosks. Tickets are pretty cheap depending on the game and seats. You're in Wisconsin... tailgate like there's no tomorrow!!

Equipment: A giant foam finger... ??? ;)

The Pettit National Ice Center is a U.S. Olympic Training Facility that provides ice sporting fun for the entire family. The facility is huge and very well maintained. It opened in 1992 and was the training facility for 2 gold medalists from the 1994 Winter Olympics... Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen (both speedskaters.) Since then it has maintained it's importance as a training and competing center for Speedskating. If you're in town during a competition be sure to check it out!

If you're not quite at the Olympic level however, the Pettit can provide a fun place to practice your figure skating or hockey skills! They also just opened up a track that can be used for walking or running. Whether you go just for fun or want to join a club that practices there, the Petit is definitely state of the art. You can also have parties and events at the center.

I'm a horrible skater (you know the type, must slam into wall to stop) and while I haven't been there in a couple of years I always had fun here and people seeing it for the first time are always in awe of the facility.

Equipment: You can bring your own skates or you can easily rent them for a fee. There are lockers inside the building to hold your valuables and a food stall for after you burn all those calories. Remember to dress warmly though... obviously the building is kept cool! Check out the website for free skating time.

Miller Park is unique among other MLB ball parks because of its architecture.

The park's retractable roof lets the sun in on good days, and keeps the rain out on bad ones.

This is a massive ballpark, but was definitely built for watching baseball. The outfield bleachers are faced directly toward home plate, while the seating areas down each line curve in toward the infield. Brewers boast that the seats closest to the catcher in back of home plate are actually closer to him than the pitcher is: the seats are 56 seat behind home plate, and the rubber on the pitching mound is 60 feet 6 inches from home plate. (The Brewers say that this is the closest seats are allowed to the playing field, per MLB rules.)

Miller brew flows throughout the stadium, and you can see the Miller Brewing Company from it's parking lot.

If you're hungry visit the Hot Zone, where you can grab a full meal at TGI Friday's Front Row Sports Grille.

The team actively encourages tailgating: it won't crack down on you if you take an extra spot or two in the parking lot and set up chairs and a grill, and scattered throughout the parking lots are concrete containers for placing your hot coals. And if you don't bring your own food, you can still tailgate: the Klements Sausage Haus in the East River parking lot sells brats and other food items before and after the game.

Equipment: The only downfall of going to a Brewers game is that realistically, it will cost a family of four almost $200 to attend a game,(once you factor in parking and concessions). That is unless the family sits in the absolute cheapest seats in the house.

Club Infield, $35; Loge Diamond Box, $30; Loge Diamond Box Family Section $30; Field Outfield Box, $28; Loge Infield Box, $26; Loge Outfield Box, $20; Terrace Box, $17; Terrace Reserved, $12; Field Bleachers, $10; Loge Bleachers, $10; Bernies Terrace, $5

There is no free parking. Preferred Parking in a huge parking lot that's not really close to the park is $12. You can also park for $6 farther away from the ballpark.

Not sure I want to recommend this. Miller park was fabulous inside. But its in the middle of nowhere and the services around the park are nonexistant. Nothing to do until the park opens. No shops/bars/get out of the weather places.

But that said I saw it. So time to move on.

The Milwaukee Bucks are a basketball team. They have not been very good for a long time, but again it is very fun to watch a game live. Pick a good night when they are playing a good team and invite some friends with you and you should have a great time. They are in the playoffs this year, so they are not that bad.

The Brewers are now in Miller Park which has a retractable dome and is still played on real grass. Even though the team is not good, it is still fun to watch a good old fashioned baseball game. It is very entertaining so pick a night and have fun.

"The House That Bud Built" opened to much fanfare in 2001 and then reality sunk in. The retractable roof is flawed and can only be opened or closed when the facility is empty. Nothing like watching a game with a closed roof when it's sunny and warm outside. Oh, and the Brewers stink! Think I'm being harsh? That's nothing compared to what Milwaukee residents and Brewers fans are saying...

   Miller Park does feature excellent sightlines, is well lit and the prices are reasonable. Parking is plentiful and the tradition of tailgating is strong. Despite its many flaws, I have a good time visiting here. The Sausage Race rules!!

This is a view of Miller Stadium, with its retractable roof, from Interstate 94. The Milwaukee Brewers play here.