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Quiet Suburban Hotel North of Downtown Milwaukee

From a distance, what looks like the tail of a giant whale juts out near the shore of Lake Michigan near downtown Milwaukee—only there aren't any whales in Lake Michigan. This massive, fan-like structure was constructed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and added to the Milwaukee Art Museum in 2001. The unique building exemplifies how the city has evolved into a modern cultural center while still retaining its beer-brewing roots. Just north, Radisson Milwaukee North Shore lies less than a mile east of the Whitefish Bay’s sandy shore. The setting is peaceful, but Milwaukee's multitude of arty attractions, sporting events, and microbreweries are a short drive away.

The onsite Zambonie's restaurant sets up a hot breakfast buffet in the morning, then transforms into a sports bar at night; it features 11 televisions. The hotel also has an indoor swimming pool inside a verdant garden atrium, where trees and plants loom above the water.

An olive-and-tan color palette lends an earthy feel to the king and double guest rooms, which each come with a 27-inch cable TV.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Art, Breweries, and Motorcycles along Lake Michigan

About 10 miles south of the hotel, the iconic Milwaukee Art Museum sits right on the lake and borders the Milwaukee River. More than 20,000 works line the walls here, ranging from antique pieces to contemporary art, including a large collection of Georgia O'Keeffe paintings. Just south down the street, a river walk snakes through the historical Third Ward, where galleries, boutiques, up-and-coming restaurants fill the space left from century-old warehouses.

Milwaukee has been synonymous with beer brewing since the mid-19th century, when Miller, Pabst, and Schlitz dominated the landscape. Several microbreweries also call Milwaukee home: At Lakefront Brewery, you can sip four 6-ounce samples of freshly brewed beer while taking a lighthearted guided tour of the facility. Popular Lakefront beverages range from the amber, Vienna-style lager Riverwest Stein to its award-winning gluten-free beer, New Grist.

The Harley-Davidson Museum is positioned on a 20-acre campus, comprising three buildings that chronicle the iconic motorcycle's evolution and its culture. More than 450 motorcycles and thousands of artifacts make up the displays, including a collection of engines and the oldest-known Harley in existence. Visitors can peek into the design lab, featuring several early prototypes and sketches. The experience gallery lets guests climb aboard real motorcycles and test out the season's most adorable skull bandannas.

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