Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
five decades. In fact, they set the standard for what many today take for granted in zoolo-
gical park settings. The animals' five global environments, grouped in specific continent-
al areas with a system of moats, create apparent juxtaposing of predator and prey. Almost
5,000 specimens live here, many of them also residents of the endangered species list. Per-
ennially popular are the polar bears and other aquatic leviathans viewable through subsur-
face windows. A century-old barn houses a dairy complex, giving visitors an educational
look at milk production. Zoomobiles ($3) roll about the expansive grounds, and minitrains
($2.50) also chug around. On occasion, you can even hop aboard an elephant or a spitting
camel. Animal shows take place throughout the day.
The rides and animal shows have varied schedules. All rides and activities within are
extra. Admission rates are lower October-May.
The Domes
Though it's officially the
Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory
(524 S. Layton
Blvd., 414/649-9800,
www.countyparks.com
,
9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-4pm Sat.-Sun.,
$6.50 adults), everybody knows this complex as
the Domes.
You'll know why once you
take a gander at the conical, seven-story, 148-foot-tall glass-encased buildings. The capa-
cious interiors, totaling about 15,000 square feet, are isolated into arid desert, traditional
floral, and tropical rainforest biospheres. One is re-landscaped up to half a dozen times an-
nually. Outside, the conservatory, ringed with more sunken gardens, is the only structure of
its type in the world.
Milwaukee is no Austin, Texas, but there's a lot more music and nightlife than people real-
ize.Thenagain,it'salsothecitywheresheepshead(anativecardgame)tournamentsmight
get equal billing with live music in the same bar. Milwaukee has more than 5,000 bars,
which is in the top 10 per capita nationwide, so there's something out there for everyone.
(
Forbes
called it“America'sDrunkestCity.”)AnditistheCity ofFestivals: throwadartat
a calendar and you'll hit an enormous festival of some sort.
Manyofthese places come andgo.Theonesincluded inthis guideshowstaying power.
Thefreeweekly
Shepherd Express
givesarundownofmostoftheclubs;theFridayedi-
tion of the
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
is fairly thorough.
