12 things to do outside in Milwaukee on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year

It’s all downhill from here, fellow Wisconsinites.  

Friday, June 21 is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky. In Milwaukee, the sun will rise at 5:12 a.m. and set at 8:34 p.m. — that’s more than 15 hours of daylight. 

After Friday, our days get shorter as we plod toward its evil twin, the winter solstice in December.  

The summer solstice technically marks the start to summer. Temperatures might not be summerlike in Wisconsin yet — there was still a snow pile in Appleton as of June 17 — but if there’s one thing Wisconsinities know how to do, other than beat up on the Bears and the Cubs, it’s to make the most of the season, no matter the weather.  

So pull a Ferris Bueller, take a long lunch, or plan an after-work soiree and make the most of the longest day of the year around Milwaukee. Here are 12 ideas.

Beaches

If you're a morning person, start the longest day of the year watching the sun rise over Lake Michigan at Bradford Beach, Milwaukee's most popular. It opens at 4:30 a.m.

If you're a normal person, visit during the exact time of the solstice, 10:54 a.m.

If you're visiting later in the day, you'll be able to enjoy all Bradford has to offer: volleyball, tiki bars and MooSa's, which took over the Northpoint Custard stand this year.

Lake Michigan water temperatures are still in the 50s, but if you do venture into the lake, do it when life guards are on duty, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Paddle boat

While you're in the area, rent a paddleboat from Wheel Fun Rentals to tool around the lagoon in Veterans Park. New this year are swan paddle boats, which fit five and sit higher in the water than regular paddle boats. They cost $11 per hour per adult and $6 per child.

Kayak

Rent a kayak, canoe or standup paddle board for a paddle down the Milwaukee, Kinnickinnic or Menomonee rivers. Rentals are available from Milwaukee Kayak Company, Brew City Kayak and Clear Water Outdoor. The Urban Ecology Center also lends kayaks and canoes to members. 

Brew City Kayak offers a guided paddle, the City Skyline Tour, at 1 and 3 p.m. for $55 per person. 

Retro boats

For a more leisurely water excursion, rent a restored 1950s cruiser or donut boat from Retro Boats MKE. The electric-powered motor boats are available for cruising down the Milwaukee River for $200 for 105 minutes for Laverne or Shirley, the retro boats, or $400 for two hours on the donut boat.

Patio lunch

If lunch is the only time you can get outside on the solstice, make the most of it on a patio. The new "Deer District" around Fiserv Forum has a few options, including the Mecca Sports Bar and Grill, Punch Bowl Social and Good City Brewing. The plaza also has fountains for kids or kids-at-heart to splash around in. 

Beer gardens 

To all the other cities trying to pass their concrete patios as beer gardens: Come get a taste of the real thing in Milwaukee, where we tap kegs in parks, like the Germans intended.  

There are more than 20 beer gardens in the Milwaukee area to choose from.

On the solstice, pair your beer garden trip with a classic Friday fish fry at Estabrook or Hubbard parks — both are off the Oak Leaf Trail in Milwaukee County.  

Fish fries 

Beer gardens aren't your only fish fry options. Our dining critic scoped out the best ones for Lent, and like all good Wisconsin restaurants, most serve their fish fries year-round. 

There's likely to be a wait at those popular spots, but on the longest day of the year, at least you'll be waiting in sunlight. And at spots like Natty Oaks, you can enjoy your food outside on the Pawtio.

Riverwalk 

There's plenty of time to burn off some of that fish and beer, and on the longest day of the year, you could do it by walking the entire Riverwalk.

The 3.1-mile system follows the Milwaukee River through three neighborhoods from the Beerline south through downtown and finishing in the Third Ward.

From its northern terminus at N. Humboldt Ave. to its southern end at Maier Festival Park, you'll pass a handful of riverfront restaurants and businesses along the way. Walk it south to north, and you'll finish near Lakefront Brewery, which offers brews with a view from its Riverwalk seating, plus a food truck dubbed the Curd Wagon that sells everything you need to undo the work you just did: cheese curds, brats, pretzels and more.

Sculpture Milwaukee

Another walking option: Stroll Wisconsin Avenue from N. 5th Street to N. Prospect Avenue (about 1 mile) to see the more than 20 artworks part of Sculpture Milwaukee. All are for sale, and our arts editor thinks at least six are worth keeping permanently, including "Gild the Lily (Caribbean Hybrid I, II, III)," which he says is "a grand slam" from Chicago artist Carlos Rolón.

Bike trails

If biking is more your style, rent a Bublr or take your own for a roll on the paved Oak Leaf Trail, which keeps you off most city streets but is busy with other cyclists and pedestrians in the summer, especially near the lakefront. 

To avoid some of the crowds, check out other trails in the area, including the Hank Aaron and the Glacial Drumlin.

And because this is Wisconsin, there are breweries along some of those trails as well. 

Nightcap with a view

Finish the longest day of the year with a cocktail on a rooftop. The Outsider, on the ninth floor of the Kimpton Journeyman in Milwaukee's Third Ward, is the highest public rooftop lounge in the city, with views to the west to catch the setting sun. Get there early if the weather is good — there's usually a wait to get in. 

Festivals and events

Summer festival season is underway in Milwaukee, and it continues with the Lakefront Festival of Art beginning at 10 a.m. June 21. Wauwatosa's Hart Fest celebrates the longest day of the year with the shortest run: 0.621 miles at 7 p.m.

The Wisconsin Bike Fed's Polish Moon Ride begins with a party at 5 p.m. at Fuel Cafe in Walker's Point, followed by a family friendly 8-mile ride around the city's south side.

Summit Players Theatre will perform Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" at Havenwoods State Forest at 7 p.m., with a workshop before the show at 5 p.m.

Here's to hoping the weather is nice enough for the roof to be open at Miller Park, where the Brewers take on the Reds at 7:10 p.m. Either way, residents of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Washington and Waukesha counties get 50% off tickets for 5-County Friday.

Contact Chelsey Lewis at (414) 224-2144 or clewis@journalsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter at @chelseylew and @TravelMJS and Facebook at Journal Sentinel Travel.

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