MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
If there's one place in Wisconsin that can truly be called Water City, it's Milwaukee.
Set on the coast of Lake Michigan and located at the meeting place of three rivers – the Menomonee, the Milwaukee and the Kinnickinnic – it offers sightseeing boat cruises, freshwater surfing, urban kayaking, fishing, jet-skiing – and the floating Milwaukee Paddle Tavern.
But it's a land-based machine – the Harley-Davidson motorcycle – that the city is more famous for. You can learn more about it at the riverfront Harley-Davidson Museum, which features more than 450 motorcycles (including one of Elvis Presley's) and an enhanced Experience Gallery that looks at epic bike journeys. Incidentally, the Harley-Davidson bike marks its 120th anniversary next July.
Also big in Milwaukee is beer. Known as Brew City because of its rich beer and brewing heritage, it offers tours of the Miller Brewing Company, Historic Pabst Brewery and the 37-room Pabst Mansion, home of Milwaukee's famous beer baron, Captain Frederick Pabst.
Also on any Milwaukee must-visit list are the shore-front Milwaukee Art Museum, with its amazing bird-like design – courtesy of Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava – and 30,000 works of art, and the hands-on science centre Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin, while Summerfest, the world's largest music festival, takes place in June and July, 2023.
GETTING THERE: There are no direct flights from Heathrow to Milwaukee, but Delta (delta.com) flies there via Boston, Atlanta or New York.
KNOWN AS BREW CITY BECAUSE OF ITS RICH BEER AND BREWING HERITAGE, IT OFFERS TOURS OF THE MILLER BREWING COMPANY, HISTORIC PABST BREWERY AND THE 37-ROOM PABST MANSION.