"When this beer garden opened in 2012 as an offshoot of Milwaukee County Parks, it was the US’s first public beer garden since Prohibition—but Milwaukee had quite a few of these in the early 1900s. Order Hofbräuhaus beer in a dimpled-glass, super-heavy mug and grab a seat at a shared picnic table. The food menu is limited, and you’re welcome to pack a picnic (which is a good idea for fussy eaters or vegetarians). Still, you’d be remiss not to order a brat and a huge baked pretzel with a side of sweet mustard for some zing. Adjacent to the garden, and also in Estabrook Park, is a fenced-in dog park and Estabrook is dog-friendly, too. Because this is also a popular bicycling, canoeing, and kayaking route along the Milwaukee River, some people arrive on two wheels or by water." - kristine hansen