Milwaukee anyone?

Off to a wedding in Wisconsin in June & with lack of direct flights from UK, am hoping aboard VS to NYC & making our own way from there...
We want to see a few "new" places, so following the "compulsary" couple of nights in NYC [8D], its on towards Wisconsin.

Will be in La Crosse & Madison anyway & were looking at a couple of nights in Chicago & the wife fancies a couple nights near MSP to visit some shopping mall (cant think why??[?]).
Onyhoo , weve a few nights "free" of plans so far & after casting my eyes on a map of the wider wisconsin area had been looking at maybe Milwaukee - can anyone shed some advice on things to do here?
Clearly I can find a bar & entertain myself with the local brew, but any suggestions on local attractions for the wife & I??
Hardly a place that features on tourist brochures over here [:0]

[Nottingham Nick]

We did that trip a few years ago when VS flew to Chicago. We flew into Chicago, the drove up to Green Bay (for the Packers) in Wisconsin and then across into Iowa so that I could visit the Field of Dreams - from the movie.

I have to say that the area is one that we look back with fondness. The people were great, the food was great and you do get to see some of 'real America'.

I can't say much about Milwaukee, as we drove through it without stopping [:I]

When we are touring like you are going to be doing, we usually use roomsaver.com to pick out our hotels en route.

If you want good shopping - how about Gurnee Mills?, which is just north of Chicago off I-94 on the way to Wisconsin.

Nick

Shame they dont still go there. Couldve with AA from GLA, but then we wouldnt get back to NYC for a couple of nights...[:w]
Had been looking at NYC-MKE then CHI-NYC (with continental / continentalexpress).
Mall of Americas is the tourist thing more than the need-to-shop thing. Gurnee has been bookmarked though, always a fan of discount designer malls. Think this is maybe the place my brother was trying to tell me about & couldnt recall the name.
Had been looking at 1 of the 2 Hilton's around Milwaukee (gotta fit in a couple of stays by October and/or get 25000 HH base points), likewise the one just along from the MoftAs. If there was a few things to see/do in Milwaukee Id have booked the centre one, if there was just a few day-trip sights then Id book the outskirts one & hire a car a couple of days sooner.

Who did you hire with?? Ive been looking at Avis/Hertz but the extra cost doesnt seem worthwhile for the bonus FC points (presuming they are per rental and not per day[}:)] ). Thrifty seem to have better prices.

[Nottingham Nick]

My Brother went to the Mall of America and wasn't too impressed with the prices. It is quite a place by all accounts though, so probably worth doing the tourist thing.

With regards to car hire, after years of avoiding them like the plague- I have used Dollar for may last dozen or so rentals, and haven't had a single problem with them.

I will PM you a phone number of a mate of mine who sorts all my car hire out for me. Give him a ring, see what he can do for you.

Nick