Best Weekend Getaways from Chicago, Illinois: The Knickerbocker on the Lake

By VI Staff on January 30, 2020

Resting on the shores of Lake Michigan, The Knickerbocker on the Lake is a boutique hotel that as been beautifully restored to reflect its Classic Revival style. Located in the vibrant Yankee Hill neighborhood in downtown Milwaukee opposite the Lake Michigan waterfront and Veteran's Park, this charming hotel offers distinctive accommodations, two fine dining restaurants, an exclusive spa and salon, function and events facilities, and a 24-hour fitness center.

Designed by architects Rossman & Wierdsma, The Knickerbocker on the Lake is built in the Classical Revival style and still retains much of its original charm with a grand foyer featuring original terrazzo floors, high vaulted ceilings, and exquisite crystal chandeliers. The upscale hotel boasts 160 elegant suites across eight floors, which feature varying forms of interior decor from French Country to Victorian.

Just steps away from the bustling waterfront of Lake Michigan, the beautiful hotel is conveniently located within walking distance of some of Milwaukee's top attractions, such as the Henry Maier Festival grounds, which host an impressive line-up of weekend festivals throughout the summer, including the nation's top festival, Summerfest. Explore the home field of the Brewers and Bucks, take a traditional Milwaukee Brewery tour, stroll along Bradford Beach or visit the Harley-Davidson Museum.

1.Rooms & Suites

The Knickerbocker on the Lake features uniquely designed and individually decorated guest rooms and suites that combine Old World charm with modern amenities to provide unique accommodation. Each room enjoys standard amenities, including comfortable contemporary furnishings, flat screen televisions, fully equipped kitchens or kitchenettes with stoves, refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee makers, telephones with voicemail services, and complimentary high-speed wireless Internet.

Standard Rooms are spacious and bright with queen or king-size beds in clean linens, flat screen televisions, and en-suite bathrooms with showers/baths, plush towels, and deluxe bath products. Fully equipped kitchenettes feature cooking tops, stoves, fridges, microwaves, and coffee makers with complimentary coffee and tea, and complimentary high-speed Internet is available throughout.

Junior Suites are spacious non-smoking suites with a full kitchen and dining room for easy meals. Suites feature queen-size beds with clean linens, flat screen televisions, and en-suite bathrooms with showers/baths, plush towels, and deluxe bath products. Fully equipped kitchenettes feature cooking tops, stoves, fridges, microwaves, and coffee makers with complimentary coffee and tea, and complimentary high-speed Internet is available throughout.

One Bedroom Suites offer more space with separate sleeping and living areas. Suites feature queen-size beds with clean linens, flat screen televisions, and en-suite bathrooms with showers/baths, plush towels, and deluxe bath products. Fully equipped kitchenettes feature cooking tops, stoves, fridges, microwaves, and coffee makers with complimentary coffee and tea, and complimentary high-speed Internet is available throughout. One Bedroom Suites are also offered as One Bedroom Lakeview Suites, which boast all the same amenities as the standard One Bedroom Suites with the addition of stunning views over Lake Michigan.

Two Bedroom Suites are ideal for small families or groups of friends traveling together. These suites feature two bedrooms with queen-size beds in clean linens, and two en-suite bathrooms with showers/baths, plush towels, and deluxe bath products. Fully equipped kitchenettes feature cooking tops, stoves, fridges, microwaves, and coffee makers with complimentary coffee and tea, and complimentary high-speed Internet is available throughout.

2.Dining at The Knickerbocker on the Lake

The Knickerbocker on the Lake features a variety of top-notch amenities and leisure activities for guests to enjoy from an exclusive spa and salon to a 24-hour fitness center and casual onsite restaurant. Limited parking is available for hotel guests, as well as a guest laundry service, custom tailoring services, and fax/copy services.

A state-of-the-art fitness center features cardio machines, treadmills, stationary bikes and a free weights section while the exclusive Knick Salon & Spa offers a range of massages, body treatments, and salon services in a tranquil and soothing environment. The Knickerbocker on the Lake also offers modern meeting facilities and events packages for corporate getaways and other special functions.

More ideas: Great Wisconsin Vacation Packages.

3.Amenities & Recreational Activities

Situated in the lobby of the hotel, the Knick Salon & Spa presents guests with the opportunity to enjoy a range of pampering spa and salon treatments without the hassle of leaving the hotel.

A team of talented massage therapists, aestheticians and stylists are on hand to cater for need, from signature massages and body treatments to hair styling and makeup, skin and body care, manicures and pedicures.

4.Things to Do Nearby

Resting on the western shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is nicknamed the 'Brew City' due to its rich brewing history and role in the beer industry. It has also been called the 'Cream City' because of its distinctive cream-colored brick that can be found in buildings around the city. The city spans for 22,300 square miles along the edge of Lake Michigan and features a vibrant waterfront and RiverWalk, which winds for almost three miles along the Milwaukee River into downtown Milwaukee.

Best known for its famous breweries, Milwaukee is home to a variety of things to see and do for everyone from fun at the waterfront for the kids to excellent museums and art galleries, theater, sporting events and annual festivals.

Milwaukee's rich beer heritage and culture have made the city famous with visitors from all over coming to taste some of the world's best beer. From legendary German brewers Miller, Pabst, Schlitz, and Blatz, and to contemporary craft brew masters and their burgeoning microbreweries, Milwaukee is the place to go for a great beer, food, and vibes. Soak up the sophisticated beer scene at MillerCoors, enjoy a variety of brewery tours, explore historical attractions, or simply kick back at one of the many cozy corner taverns or buzzing brewpubs and enjoy the ambiance.

Heralded as the "City of Festivals," Milwaukee hosts an array of cultural, ethnic, musical and arts celebrations and festivals throughout the summer at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park. Nearly every weekend offers an event to enjoy, from arts and culture to cuisine, entertainment, and history. The world's largest music festival, Summer fest is the city's claim to fame and takes the lakefront and the Henry W. Maier Festival Park by storm. Thousands of people flock to the city to enjoy the best regional and national bands, national headliner acts, comedy shows, daily demonstrations and activities and children's games for 11 days every June.

Milwaukee has an array of fantastic museums to explore for every age and taste. Located in downtown Milwaukee, the Harley-Davidson Museum will appeal to anyone who loves classic motorbikes, showcasing classic American culture and a touch of rebellion with its excellent range of interactive exhibits. The only Harley-Davidson museum in the world, the museum is home to more than 450 motorcycles, memorabilia, and artifacts, including the oldest known Harley-Davidson motorcycle: Serial Number One.

The Milwaukee Public Museum features 150,000 square feet of exhibit space that display more than 4.5 million specimens from around the world, including one of the largest dinosaur skulls in the world and a live butterfly exhibit. Discovery World brings science and technology to life through fun and is a must if you are traveling with kids. Located in a spectacular 120,000-foot museum complex on Milwaukee's lakefront, Discovery World features a variety of outstanding interactive displays such as a racecar simulator, 3-D journeys into different virtual environments, the world's tallest ship, and a walk-through aquarium tunnel.

Outdoor adventurers and sports fans will love this city, which has so much to offer in the way of recreational activities, professional sporting event, and exciting adventures. Milwaukee's prime lakefront location presents a wealth of land and water-based outdoor activities, ranging from beach volleyball, swimming, and sailing to windsurfing, jet skiing and freshwater surfing at Bradford Beach. The six-mile Lakefront Trail is ideal for walking, jogging, running or hiking, and features a paved, three-mile loop with a 20-station exercise course. Kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards can be rented to use on Lake Michigan, and there are a variety of cycling tracks and trails throughout the city, which offer a fun and healthy way of exploring the region. Golf lovers can enjoy a game on one of the 16 county parks golf courses in and around the city, including Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole, Par 72 championship course known as The Bog.

Catch a game at Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers and the nation's only ballpark with a natural grass playing field and retractable roof. Soak up some spectacular views with a climb to the top of the 74-foot tower of the historic North Point Lighthouse in Lake Park or from the 60-foot observation tower at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.

1028 East Juneau Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, Phone: 414-276-8500

Back to: Things to Do in Milwaukee and Weekend Getaways from Chicago.