Milwaukee Magazine | Milwaukee Winter Staycations

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Milwaukee Winter Staycations Why leave Wisconsin when you can enjoy concerts, museums, restaurants and more at these local destinations?

Luxe Hotel Stays HILTON MILWAUKEE CITY CENTER Built in 1927, the Hilton Milwaukee City Center is an Art Deco landmark hotel in the thick of it all Downtown. You’re less than a mile from the Pabst Theater, Fiserv Forum and the Milwaukee Public Museum. This central hub is an ideal home base for a weekend of exploration.

509 W. Wisconsin Ave.

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THE PFISTER HOTEL The historic Pfister Hotel is one of the most luxurious in the city.

Booking an all-inclusive package gets you chilled champagne upon arrival, two hourlong visits to the on-site WELL Spa

+ Salon, and late-night dessert delivered to your room. If that isn’t enough, consider stopping

by Blu, the 23rd-floor cocktail bar with a skyline view, or hang out in the first floor Lobby Lounge. 424 E. Wisconsin Ave.

SAINT KATE – THE ARTS HOTEL Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel is unlike any other hotel in Milwaukee. Curated from top to bottom, it boasts multiple art exhibition spaces. If you’re looking for a special night out, you’ll want to try booking one of its four rooms custom-designed by local artists – the “Leopard Room” is particularly eye-catching. Plus, you won’t want to miss the delicious dining and drink options, like the restaurant

ARIA, featuring artisinal American cuisine and Giggly Champagne & Wine Bar, Milwaukee’s only champagne bar.

139 E. Kilbourn Ave.

Concerts, Performances and Events HOLIDAY POPS MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Dec. 8-11 | Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W. Wisconsin Ave.

This holiday tradition is a highlight every year. MSO is decking the halls for an allout musical celebration, with carols, classics, sing-alongs and more. Audience-favorite conductor Jeff Tyzik is returning to lead the ensemble.

A DINING DESTINATION Explore the rising stars in Milwaukee’s culinary scene at Crossroads Collective food hall. The food hall boasts nine vendors serving up delicious food and drinks: Egg & Flour Pasta Bar, Triciclo Perú, Ruta’s Vibrant Indian Café, Scratch Scoop Shop, Dia Bom, E&F Pizzeria, The Pharmacy, Hot Wax and the newest vendor, Discourse Coffee. Whatever your preference, you can find it here. Try a remarkably inventive caffeinated drink at Discourse, a delicious empanada at Triciclo, a Latin-Asian fusion dish at Dia Bom and more.

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PHIL KLINE’S “UNSILENT NIGHT” PRESENT MUSIC Dec. 14 | Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn Ave.

In Present Music’s second annual “postmodern holiday caroling event,” the local music organization is leading a walk through the city with speakers to create a “constantly morphing sound sculpture” by versatile and experimental modern composer Phil Kline.

The participatory musical art piece is free, but you can reserve your spot at presentmusic.org.

CHANUKAH FESTIVAL AND GELT DROP BAYSHORE, Presented by Lubavitch of Wisconsin Dec. 18 | 5800 N. Bayshore Dr., Glendale

BAYSHORE is hosting the second annual Chanukah Festival this month at the shopping destination’s event space, The Yard. Kicking off at 4 p.m., there will be a giant menorah lighting, live DJ, photo booth, crafts, food and drinks, Chanukah gifts available, and a traditional gelt drop (a scattering of chocolate coins to celebrate the season). Plus, Israeli singer Gad Elbaz will be performing.

For more information, visit mkechanukah.com.

COST OF LIVING RENAISSANCE THEATERWORKS Jan. 20-Feb. 12 255 S. Water St.

Renaissance Theaterworks is hosting the Midwest premiere of this 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama. The story follows the relationships between people with disabilities and those without. Unemployed truck driver Eddie struggles to rebuild his marriage after 118 milwaukeemag.com

his estranged wife becomes a quadriplegic; and Jess works as a caregiver for John, a man with cerebral palsy. The story is touching and surprisingly funny, examining how we all rely on each other. For tickets, visit r-t-w.com or call 414-278-0765.

VOICES RISING PRESENT MUSIC Feb. 17-18 | Jan Serr Studio and Present Music Digital Stage, 2163 N. Prospect Ave.

Composer and singer Leila Adu is joining Present Music to perform “Freedom Suite,” a piece she created. Plus, the Present Music ensemble will be performing new work by the composer collective Kinds of Kings, as well as music by South Korean composer Unsuk Chin. The performance on Feb. 18 will also be available on livestream. For tickets and information, visit present music.org.

MUSIC OF CLYNE, TCHAIKOVSKY AND SHOSTAKOVICH MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Feb. 24-25 | Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W. Wisconsin Ave

Cellist Zlatomir Fung is coming to Milwaukee for his first performance with the MSO. The young musician is a rising star in the classical world, and will be performing under conductor Han-Na Chang, a cellist herself who is also making her MSO debut. They’ll be performing Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme,” a piece honoring the 18th century rococo style of cello playing. The symphony will also play modern composer Anna Clyne’s “This Midnight Hour” and Shostakovich’s epic Symphony No. 5.

Museums MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM Take shelter from the Wisconsin winter inside MPM, which has plenty of events happening this season. Until Jan. 22, the museum’s beloved Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village exhibits will be decorated for the holidays.

Every Saturday at 11 a.m., the museum will host docent-led tours covering different topics.

For parents, Dec. 26-31 is Winter Break at the museum, with programming to keep kids entertained and educated while they’re out of school. Another kid-friendly event is on Jan. 7, when the museum hosts Snow Day from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., a day of educational programming covering how “people and animals adapt to frigid conditions to live, work, play and celebrate during the cold months.”

“Survival of the Slowest,” a traveling exhibition, opens in February. The show brings live (and very slow) animals to the museum, including a sloth, turtles and hedgehogs.

EAA AVIATION MUSEUM The EAA Aviation Museum in Oshkosh is a fun spot for history buffs, families and anyone who can appreciate the sight of a remarkable piece of machinery.

The museum opened a new exhibit this year honoring the late Thomas Hudner, a Korean War Medal of Honor recipient

who intentionally crash-landed his aircraft in an attempt to save his wingman. The museum is displaying the Corsair aircraft that replaced Hudner’s crashed one. The exhibit is on display at the Eagle Hangar, a space that’s open year-round showing fighter planes, bombers and liaison aircraft, as well as German and Japanese aircraft. The museum’s sizable collection dates back decades, all starting with engineer Steve Wittman’s 1934 air racer Bonzo, a plane that has been on display at EAA since 1962.

MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM Whether you want to explore art together or create your own, the Milwaukee Art Museum is your home for the holidays.

If you’re bringing little ones, star t with the museum’s ArtPack Station, where you’ll find costumes, family guides, sketching materials and other activities to bring the art in the galleries to life. Continue a day of creativity in the Kohl’s Art Studio, where you can make art together, inspired by what you’ve seen in the collection and exhibitions. And you can always recharge with coffee, salads, sandwiches, and kid-friendly dishes in the museum’s lakefront cafe.

Consider planning your visit during MAM’s extended holiday hours. The museum and the Kohl’s Art Studio will be open every day Dec. 26-Jan. 1. ◆

A ZOO EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER This year, the Racine Zoo is once again offering its popular Winter Picnic in a Snow Globe private event. From Dec. 16-Feb. 12, you can book a private snow globe for up to eight people on zoo grounds. The heated, see-through dome comes with food, drinks and animal encounters.

Over 90 minutes, you can enjoy delicious entrées, desserts, wine and beer, tabletop games – and admission to the zoo.

To book a spot, visit racinezoo.org.