Group Travel
Created specifically with Group Travel in mind.
Group travel or bank travel leaders may select from any of our public neighborhood walking or bus tour routes, or from one of our themed tours created especially for larger groups. These options involve minimal walking and are fully-customizable.
Multi-day, full-day, half-day itinerary options available. Simply in need of a step-on guide? If so, we’ve got you covered. Our tour guides are professionally trained, each with a passion for Milwaukee and experience in group travel. Available on an hourly basis, our step-on guides will show off the key neighborhoods and sights of downtown Milwaukee to fit with your itinerary and needs.
Have Questions?
Give us a call 414-255-0534 ext 5
MILWAUKEE - Group Travel Itineraries
Bakery Bus in a Box (Care Package with Educational Seminar)
If there is one thing that you can count on from Milwaukee Food & City Tours, it is our love for sweet treats from ethnic bakeries from across the city. In this unique time of social distancing, let us bring the sweet treats to your travelers in the comfort of their own community with our Bakery Bus in a Box.
Included:
- Taste Milwaukee's Italian heritage with a half-pound box of Peter Sciortino's Bakery on historic Brady Street
- Delve into Mexican culture with a mini Three King's Cake from woman-owned La Flor de Trigo
- Enjoy a dozen of National Bakery's famous German pecan fingers.
- Savor 6 madeleines as a French delight from Greige Patisserie
- Always a favorite on our Bakery Bus, Ultimate Confections has been making homemade, hand-dipped chocolates for 30+ years. Enjoy chocolate dipped treats from this staple of the Milwaukee community.
- You take the RSVP's and give us a list of attendees with their home addresses. We'll ship them directly a Bakery Bus in a Box complete with pastries from authentic Italian, German, Danish, Mexican and French bakeries. Learn more about the box from our Founder, Theresa Nemetz, HERE!
- In addition, we'll schedule a time for all of your guests to tune in for an interactive 1.5 hour discussion about Milwaukee's immigrant past and a chance to meet the makers behind the treats in the Bakery Bus in a Box. Some coordinators are choosing to schedule a location for everyone to pick up their boxes in person and then watch the presentation together. Others are having us ship the boxes directly to each attendee with a printed information sheet about the bakeries and access to a virtual group presentation. This experience requires coordination with bakeries and shipping therefore the days that we can offer the presentation sessions are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Participant shipping addresses are due one full week prior to the presentation. We can host this presentation on a Zoom or through a very user-friendly and private page on our website.
Cost: You get all of these items for $66, which includes items noted in box, shipping, the educational seminar and gratuity to your tour guide. This works out to be $33 per person for a household of two.
Churches & Chocolates - Together in Spirit (Care Package with Educational Seminar)
Milwaukee has been long known as the “City of Steeples” and we love showing it off on our popular Churches & Chocolates Tour. Let our Tour Guide take your group on a virtual tour and to sweeten the deal, we’ll dive into a chocolate tasting with Indulgence Chocolatiers that we will send to your guests ahead of time.
Included:
- Each guest will receive a box of chocolates from Indulgence Chocolatiers prior to the presentation that includes an assortment of chocolate confections.
- As the coordinator, you'll schedule a time for all of your guests to tune in for an interactive 1.5 hour discussion about Milwaukee's faith communities.
- We will virtually visit three churches for docent-led tours that explore the history and architecture of these unique places of worship.
- One of the highlights of the virtual experience is an exclusive chocolate tasting class using the items received in each care package with Indulgence Chocolatiers.
- Some coordinators are choosing to schedule a location for everyone to pick up their boxes in person and then watch the presentation together. Others are having us ship the boxes directly to each attendee. Participant shipping addresses are due one full week prior to the presentation. We can host this presentation on a Zoom or through a very user-friendly and private page on our website.
Cost: You get all of these items for $66, which includes items noted in the box, shipping, the educational seminar, donations to each church “visited” on behalf of your group and gratuity to your tour guide.This works out to be $33 per person for a household of two. The box of chocolates is perfect to split between two people in a household. This experience requires a minimum of 10 purchased boxes for the presentation to occur.
Fudge Around The World (Fudge Flavors Paired with Educational Seminar About History of Milwaukee's Immigrant History)
Join us on a journey through some of Milwaukee Food & City Tour’s favorite stories across all of our tour offerings. From their home, your guests will hear the stories of Milwaukee’s Irish, Italian and Mexican immigrants while enjoying Milwaukee Fudge Company’s uniquely themed flavors.
Included:
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Each guest will receive a box containing 1/4 lb samples of each of the following fudge flavors:
Chocolate Whisky Fudge- A nod to the world’s largest Irish music festival, Irish Fest, our creamy chocolate fudge is infused with Milwaukee’s own Kinnickinnic Whisky from Great Lakes Distillery. Take a moment to cheer some of Milwaukee’s first immigrants to settle in the Historic Third Ward, the men and women who made Milwaukee, with this decadently rich Whisky Fudge.
Cannoli Fudge - Cannoli are a Milwaukee Italian treasure just like Festa Italiana, the Little Pink Church, and the most delicious bakery on the corner of Humboldt and Brady Street that inspired this fudge. Our twist on this favorite dessert is an ultra smooth white chocolate fudge base topped with rich chocolate chips and tart diced candied cherries - fudgetaboutit! Cannoli originated in Sicily, and we thank the Sicilian immigrants for bringing them to Milwaukee!
Apple Strudel - The echoes of Milwaukee’s German heritage are still felt throughout the city in cuisine, architecture, polka and, of course, beer! Milwaukeeans give nod to the changing of the seasons with German Fest, leisurely afternoons at one the Brew City’s many biergartens and celebrating Oktoberfest! Our luscious caramel fudge is infused with brown sugar, apples, raisins, cinnamon, and walnuts to highlight the flavor of a classic German apple strudel. We think the Beer Barons who made Milwaukee famous would agree that the perfect ending to a long day would be homemade apple strudel fudge and a cold brew. Prost!
Churro Fudge - Inspired by our favorite churro in Milwaukee's Latin Quarter, Walker’s Point, our Churro fudge is lighter than our classic fudge and made with rich caramel swirled with cinnamon and crisp pecans for a heavenly taste right out of the bakery! The Milwaukee Walker’s Point community has always played a crucial role in the development of our city and is home to the largest Spanish speaking community in Wisconsin. - As the coordinator, you'll schedule a time for all of your guests to tune in for an interactive 1.5 hour discussion about Milwaukee's immigrant communities.
- Some coordinators are choosing to schedule a location for everyone to pick up their boxes in person and then watch the presentation together. Others are having us ship the boxes directly to each attendee. This experience requires coordination with bakeries and shipping therefore the days that we can offer the presentation sessions are Fridays, Saturdays, Mondays or Tuesdays. Participant shipping addresses are due one full week prior to the presentation. We can host this presentation on a Zoom or through a very user-friendly and private page on our website.
Cost: You get all of these items for $42, which includes items noted in the fudge sample box, shipping, the educational seminar, and gratuity to your tour guide.This works out to be $21 per person for a household of two. The box of fudge is perfect to split between two people in a household. This experience requires a minimum of 10 purchased boxes for the presentation to occur.
Progressive Ethnic Meal (Lunch or Dinner)
Length of time: 5 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 10 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $70 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Begin on Old World 3rd Street with overview of Milwaukee’s German history. Enjoy sausage, cheese and beer/root beer plus shopping time on Old World 3rd Street.
- Enjoy a generous family-style lunch at Milwaukee’s last remaining Polish or Serbian restaurant. Polish meal is served family style complete with green salad, cheese pierogi, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, Polish sausage, pork cutlets, and red cabbage. Serbian meal is served plated with individual guest choices of Beef Goulash, tender bone-in Chicken Paprikash, layers of eggplant and beef in Serbian Musaka, Stuffed Zucchini, and Burek (buttery phyllo leaves stuffed and baked with meat and vegetables).
- Continued city tour along Milwaukee's lakefront; see Milwaukee Art Museum and North Point Lighthouse.
- Visit Brady Street, Milwaukee’s Italian enclave; stop at Peter Sciortino's Bakery for cookies and shopping; visit Glorioso's Deli for continued shopping and visit their test kitchen for a demo.
- Conclude in the Historic Third Ward with a narration of Milwaukee's Irish history. Your tour guide will depart and the group will have time at Milwaukee Public Market for shopping time.
Bikes, Brats & Beer
in collaboration with Harley-Davidson Museum & Lakefront Brewery
Length of time: 6 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $85 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Start at the Harley-Davidson Museum for a 45-minute, exclusive tour; afterwards, explore museum on-own for 45 minutes.
- Depart on your bus for a city tour focused on Milwaukee Beer Baron history, highlighted with driving through the Menomonee Valley, Miller Valley and down "Sauerkraut Boulevard," where all of the German beer makers lived.
- Stop for generous sit-down lunch complete with a selection of Milwaukee's finest Usinger brats. Shopping time on Old World 3rd Street allotted as well.
- Visit Lakefront Brewery for a one-hour brewery tour and enjoy up to 4 beers per person in beer garden.
- Conclude tour with a Milwaukee treat for dessert.
Milwaukee's Fish Fry Tour
Length of time: 5 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $70 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Sample the classic Milwaukee fish fry!
- We'll begin our day with a docent-led tour of one of Milwaukee's beautiful Catholic Churches.
- We will take to the streets to sample our favorites with two stops for a generously portioned half-sized classic Milwaukee fish fry along with all of the sides and fixings.
- Additionally, we'll visit a brewery for a tour and two beers to celebrate the original Milwaukee beer brewers that helped make the fish fry what we know today .
- Conclude by celebrating another staple - frozen custard!
Churches & Chocolates - Milwaukee
Length of time: 5.5 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $75 per person, including donations to each church visited on behalf of group (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Visit three churches for 30-minute docent-led tours. Typically, we visit a Lutheran, Episcopal and Catholic church. If desired, your tour can be customized to feature a specific religion, or theme like stained-glass windows.
- Enjoy a generously portioned, sit-down lunch.
- Conclude by visiting a local chocolatier to learn more about their craft; receive in-store samples to enjoy along with take-home treats and shopping time.
Christmas Around Milwaukee Bakery Bus
Length of time: 4 hours without lunch; 5 hours with lunch
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day and must be able to stand at locations
Cost: $65 per person without lunch; $72 per person with lunch (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Visit 4 – 6 bakeries and shops during our extremely popular Christmas Bakery Bus! At each of the stops, your guests will receive treats, samples, and shopping time.
- In route to each location, your fully narrated tour includes the history of Christmas holiday traditions of the Polish, Germans, Italians, Irish, and more.
Christmas Lights & Desserts
Length of time: 2.5 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 4 pm
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times
Cost: $45 per person. If desired, dinner can be arranged prior to the tour for an additional cost. (Priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- For groups staying overnight in Milwaukee, our Christmas Lights & Desserts tour is a perfect way to cap off your night. This Santa-approved tour is the perfect mix of history, Milwaukee Christmas traditions, tasty treats and a dash of light-hearted holiday spirit.
- On our tour, we'll visit holiday displays at Cathedral Square, Pere Marquette Park, Red Arrow Park and Zeidler Union Square. If desired and appropriate for the mobility of the group and winter weather of the day, we can exit the coach to spend some time in the park as well.
- You'll sample hot chocolate (or coffee) and desserts from two local restaurants, plus some special treats on the bus as well.
- To quote Buddy the Elf, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear." Therefore, your SINGING TOUR GUIDE will lead the bus in a Christmas caroling sing-a-long. It's like a moving Christmas concert on wheels!
Christmas Crafting and Old World Market
Length of time: 7 hours
Start Time: Tour can start anytime after 9 am – you pick the date and start time. Only available in 2019 on December 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14.
Cost: Using your coach bus—$40 per person without an escort provided / complete itinerary and talking points will be provided for your escort. $53 per person with an escort and breakfast pastry provided by Milwaukee Food & City Tours
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Your trip begins with a visit to a holiday wonderland in Plymouth WI for a wreath demonstration and shopping time, complete with discounted purchases.
- We’ll continue via your coach bus where we visit the 22nd annual Old World Christmas Market at the Osthoff Resort where you may purchase lunch on your own. This market in Elkhart Lake was just ranked #2 in USA Today’s Best Holiday Market contest!
- Next, head to a cheese factory for shopping. Be sure to stock up on your favorites because every Christmas party needs cheese, plus the store has many adorable decor items perfect for stocking stuffers!
- Lastly, we’ll enjoy a tour at the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts and get in the spirit by creating our very own fiber art Christmas ornament! The project is perfect for beginners and includes everything you need to walk away with a finished treasure.
- If you would like to add on an overnight stay at the Osthoff Resort and build a larger itinerary, please let us know!
Nutcracker in the Castle
Length of time: 7 – 8.5 hours
Start Time: Tour can start anytime after 8 am – you pick the date and start time. Only available in 2019 between November 15 – December 31. Not available on Sundays, Monday, Tuesday or on Christmas Day.
Cost: Using your coach bus—$62 per person without an escort provided / complete itinerary and talking points will be provided for your escort. $75 per person with an escort and breakfast pastry provided by Milwaukee Food & City Tours
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Your Christmas spirit filled trip begins with a visit to a chocolatier and a cheese factory for samples and shopping in Theresa, WI along with a chance to see Solomon Juneau’s family home.
- Your group will have shopping time at two - three stores in Fond Du Lac which might just be the perfect time to finish up Christmas gift shopping. At one stop, we’ll explore a 6th generation business and visit their poinsettias greenhouses. Guests will receive discounted shopping at each location.
- For lunch, we will stop by the Red Cabin at Green Acres. This family-owned and operated business was featured in Wisconsin Foodie in 2017.
- The cornerstone of this day is stopping by the 13th annual season of the Nutcracker in the Castle at the Paine Art Center for a self-guided tour where a famous story comes to life. Every year, this historic and ornate estate decorates to represent scenes from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker during throughout the house and the gardens.
- If you would like to add on an overnight stay and build a larger itinerary, please let us know!
Burgers & Custard Capital of the World
Length of time: 5.5 – 6.5 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $60 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Enjoy lunch at a classic Milwaukee diner complete with poodle skirts
- Give two thumbs up with a visit and photo opportunity to Fonzie along the Milwaukee RiverWalk. Ayyyyy...
- Delve into a “custard crawl” with stops at 2 - 3 historic custard stands and narrated, guided city tour throughout day
- Your choice for the group - Visit the brand new National Bobblehead Hall of Fame & Museum OR take a brief historical tour of the Village of Greendale along with shopping time in this quaint village.
Craft Beers of MKE
Length of time: 6 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 11 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day and must be able to stand at locations
Cost: $85 per person with lunch (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Begin the day with a sit-down lunch that pays homage to Milwaukee's brewing past.
- After lunch we will explore a craft brewery to meet with the masterminds behind their location and learn more about their craft philosophies while sampling their products.
- As the coordinator, you can choose the next stop for your group! Plan to take the group to visit one of these 3 locations: Pabst Mansion for a docent tour of the historic former home of Captain Pabst, tour the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, or dig further into Milwaukee're beer history by stopping for a tour at Best Place in the Historic Pabst Brewery complex.
- Conclude tour with your guests choosing between a unique beer and chocolate truffle pairing at a local chocolatier or some delicious small-batch ice cream located right next door.
Trick-or-Chocolate Halloween Adventure
Length of time: 5 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $70 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- The day features a haunted city tour via your bus with ghost stories through the Historic Third Ward, along Brady Street, and down Wisconsin Avenue in the Concordia neighborhood.
- Next, enjoy a sit-down lunch at historic – and perhaps even haunted – hotel in Harry Houdini’s former neighborhood.
- Begin with your choice to visit a local distillery for tour and samples (did someone say Spirits?), or to see an art exhibit celebrating the Day of the Dead complete with churros
- Trick-or-Chocolate through Milwaukee for spooktacular treats with stops at two local chocolatiers; receive treats to in-store samples to enjoy along with take-home treats.
Civil Rights & Black History in Milwaukee
Length of time: 6 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $90 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Our day will begin by visiting a church significant in Milwaukee’s African American community
- Narration throughout the day will be expert led commentary on segregation and Milwaukee’s role in the civil rights movement.
- Enjoy a stop for a sit-down lunch at a black owned restaurant
- Visit either the Wisconsin Black Historical Society or America’s Black Holocaust Museum
- Conclude your day with dessert at a black owned bakery, and shopping at a local market.
- If desired, an optional stop in Racine, WI to learn more about the Underground Railroad can be added.
RACINE - Group Travel Itineraries
Pews & Pastries - Racine
Length of time: 5.5 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $80 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Visit three iconic Racine churches for 30-minute docent-led tours to learn about the historical context, traditions, and architecture of the congregations. Churches, dating as far back as the 19th century, will reflect Racine’s Danish heritage, Civil War history, and progressive roots.
- Enjoy a generously portioned, sit-down lunch.
- Enjoy a visit to a local kringle shop to learn more about their craft; receive in-store samples to enjoy along with take-home treats and shopping time.
- Conclude with samples and additional shopping time at another local kringle bakery.
Kriss Kringle Racine Christmas Bakery Bus
Length of time: 4 hours without lunch; 5 hours with lunch
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day and must be able to stand at locations
Cost: $65 per person without lunch; $72 per person with lunch (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Visit 4 – 6 bakeries and shops during our extremely popular Racine Kriss Kringle Christmas Bakery Bus! Bus! At each of the stops, your guests will receive treats, samples, and shopping time.
- This could be called the "everything you always wanted to know about kringle but were afraid to ask" tour. We will delve into the infamous Racine kringle, the official Wisconsin State Pastry, and visit multiple kringle shops and Danish bakeries.
- In route to each location, your fully narrated tour includes an explanation how Racine came to be known as "Little Denmark", entertaining stories of Danish holiday customs and traditions, Racine history and more.
- From the comfort of your motorcoach you will see some of Racine's most stately neighborhoods, architectural gems, and historic landmarks.
- If your group opts for lunch along the way, you will be treated to a sit-down meal at one of Racine's most popular downtown restaurants.
- This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate the holidays with friends while sampling treats, learning about Racine's Danish heritage, and exploring the city.
- Please note: Kringle pre-orders are available so your selection can be assured
Racine City Tour & Kringle Experience
Length of time: 6 hours
Start Time: Tour may begin anytime after 9 am
Level: Minimal walking; must be able to enter / exit bus multiple times during day
Cost: $65 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- Start at your choice of the following for a 1.5 hour tour: SC Johnson, Racine Art Museum, Windpoint Lighthouse; or CASE Agricultural Equipment Center Factory Tour (2.5 hours)
- Depart on your bus for a city tour focused on Racine’s Danish history, landmarks and founders
- Stop for a generous sit-down lunch at a stop such as Reefpoint Brewhouse or Murray Mansion
- Visit three iconic kringle stops for a kringle making demonstration, samples, treats and bakery shopping
Spring in Racine: Where Marshmallow PEEPS Reign Supreme
Length of time: 5.5 – 6 hours in Racine, WI
Start Time: Tour can start anytime after 9 am – you pick the date and start time. PEEPS exhibit only available April 2021
Cost: $65 per person (priced using your bus; we are able to secure quotes if you are in need of transportation too).
Tour Stops and Activities:
- International marshmallow PEEP art, brunch in a historic home, sweet treats and a personal greenhouse tour is the perfect day-cation for anyone looking to brush off the cobwebs of winter. Of course, history and narration is provided by our very own Racine resident and tour guiding specialist.
- We will start the day with an exclusive curated tour of the 11th Annual International Peeps Art Exhibition at the Racine Art Museum.
- Next we’ll enjoy brunch at historic home, mansion or restaurant in downtown Racine.
- We’ll visit some of the 90+ greenhouses at Milaeger’s for shopping at this iconic mecca of decor.
- And not to forget the sweet time of Easter, your craving with be satisfied with one final stop for a sweet treat.
- Have more time? Want to do something different than the chocolatier? We can set up a visit to the Jelly Belly Warehouse located 30 minutes south of Racine for a tour, shopping time and a shopping discount for your guests for no additional charge. The latest tour time is 4:00pm, so tour start time must be set accordingly.
We Offer Groups
No deposit required
No cancellation fees
Available for groups of all sizes
One comp per 25 attendees for your driver & escort
All-inclusive pricing for food, drinks and guided tour
Our Process:
We do not ask for a deposit or signed contract. Once you are ready to book the date, you just email us grouptours@milwaukeefoodtours.com or call 414-255-0534 ext 5.
Let us know your desired date / time / route and then we’ll put the reservation in the books for you. As the date gets closer, you’ll want to let us know your tentative numbers so that we can alert the locations as we confirm our reservations with them. Then one week prior, we will need a final head count, list of any vegetarians or food allergies, and payment via credit card or check.
For all of our tours as noted above, taxes, gratuity at restaurants and food/drinks are included in the total cost. Our Group Travel offerings have pricing reflective of utilizing your bus and driver for the tour. If you need a bus, please ask and we’re happy to provide pricing to utilize our buses.
Tour guide gratuity for Group Travel / Bank Travel is up to your discretion. We recommend a $5 per per person, or 10% of overall invoice, gratuity for your guide.
We Want to Make it as Easy as Possible
We do not ask for a deposit or signed contract, who else can say that? Just follow these three easy steps.
- Fill out our tour request form below with as many details as possible.
- We will contact you to confirm your booking. At this time, we ask you provide your tentative head count so we can confirm reservations with your selected locations.
- Five days prior to your tour date we will need a final head count, list of any allergies or dietary restrictions, and payment via credit card or check. Payment (cash, check, credit card) is due by the beginning of the tour.
Have Questions?
Give us a call 414-255-0534 ext 5
Our Fantastic Partners
Our Fantastic Partners
