Shipping Containers for Sale in Milwaukee, WI

Get out for some family-friendly fun this weekend with these top picks!

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These are the kinds of things that make Milwaukee… Milwaukee.

Want to get out of the city for the day? These family-friendly trips are worth the drive.

Looking for something beyond this weekend?

Easy, low-pressure fun you can do right at home.

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Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.

Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.

Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.

Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.

It took a while – but with icy temperatures and snowflakes back in the forecast, we've officially entered the wicked Wisconsin winter. But have no fear! Whether you're game for braving the blustery outdoors or would rather be plopped in front of the fire in layered-up long johns, we've got the goods to make the most of a Milwaukee winter.

Enjoy again – or for the first time – this classic OnMilwaukee "100 things list," updated for the current winter season. Be sure to be safe, be smart and be courteous when doing anything on this list!

1. Venture inside the warm and illuminated Domes 2. Take a warm and cozy stay-cation to the Irish escape that is County Clare 3. Enjoy a romantic carriage ride Downtown 4. Ski on the frozen Milwaukee River (at your own risk) 5. Cross country ski in Grant Park

Partner Pick

A magical, movement-driven reimagining of the beloved classic, Peter Pan & Wendy transports families to an immersive, physically dynamic Neverland filled with imagination, courage, and theatrical magic. This show takes flight February 20 - March 22, 2026.

6. Go sledding at Northpoint (again, the risk is your own) 7. Toboggan at your favorite park 8. Reserve yourself an ice skating session at Red Arrow Park 9. It's still pickleball season thanks to these indoor courts around the city 10. Bumper ski behind a friend's car (carefully in a parking lot, please!) 11. Rent a heated hut at Zócolo

12. Do donuts in a Pick 'n Save parking lot 13. Warm up with soup from one of these excellent options 14. Pick up hot chocolate from Colectivo 15. Cheer on the Milwaukee Admirals at UWM Panther Arena 16. Go ice fishing 17. Snowmobile at Bong Rec Area 18. Build an igloo on the lakefront (or at least try) 19. Dive into one of Milwaukee's hidden gem bars 20. Rock your snow suits and moon boots 21. Take a bite out of one of the city's newest restaurants 22. Make breakfast in bed for you and your sweetie. 23. Pick a concert or show to see around town this month – whether it's a favorite band or a new discovery 24. Warm up with spirits from Central Standard Distillery 25. Watch the classic Milwaukee-made movie "American Movie" 26. Slurp some tasty matzo ball soup at Benji's

27. Kick it over to a Milwaukee Wave game 28. Write a Milwaukee limerick 29. Roll over to one of the city's iconic bowling alleys 30. Watch "Song Sung Blue" and work on your best Thunder & Lightning impression 31. Find a heated patio for a night out 32. Rewatch highlights from when the Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA Finals 33. Find the perfect local gift from one of our Unique Boutiques 34. Celebrate some recent crowd-pleasing blockbusters back on the big screen thanks to the Times Cinema 35. Make snow angels in the front yard

Partner Pick

Confidence, creativity and community Guided by the motto, “Life skills through stage skills,” First Stage Theater Academy encourages bravery, curiosity and leadership through the arts. Led by professional teaching artists, every class offers a safe, supportive space where students build confidence, collaborate and discover the joy of storytelling—all while being celebrated for who you are.

Winter & Spring sessions held in Milwaukee & Mequon.

36. It's never not the season for giving, so donate to a good cause – like one of these or another of your choosing 37. Winterize your car 38. Check out the Milwaukee Public Library's sensational TikTok posts – and then check out a book or more from them 39. Take an intoxicating trip to Tied House's "Aurora Borealis" winter patio

40. Learn about all the new Brewers as they head off to spring training 41. Treat your pet with a special gift 42. Stay at home and snuggle up 43. Ride The Hop around Downtown and stay warm inside 44. Get out the snow blower and go to town 45. Shovel your elderly neighbor's sidewalk 46. Grow a beard for warmth 47. Take down your Christmas tree ... eventually. Maybe sometime next month 48. Bring a group out to a Milwaukee Bucks game. 49. Get a reservation for Gene's Supper Club, Barnacle Bud's winter transformation 50. Be happy you don't live further up nort, eh 51. Eat tacos and more tacos 52. Ride a sled down a hill 53. Do you want to build a snowman? It doesn't have to be a snowman

54. Don't eat the yellow snow 55. Play some snow football 56. Learn to curl 57. Bake cookies from WE Energies famous holiday cookie book 58. Donate to your favorite local charity 59. Prepare for a blizzard when the weather forecasters predict just a "dusting" 60. Dig your car out of the post-plowed snow 61. Fetch yourself the hottest treat of the season: hot chocolate bombs 62. Snow shoe at the Urban Ecology Center 63. Turn up the heat and have a Hawaiian party 64. Pack on the pounds, then hide it with big sweaters 65. Count down 'til Opening Day!

66. Order a delicious pie for your winter gathering 67. Go to Door County 68. Rent or enjoy an outdoor dome, yurt and more 69. Frolic with your dog at a dog park 70. Stock up on Carmex for winter 71. Make your way through Lori's 52 restaurants for 2026 72. Have yourself an Edgar Allan Poe moment and curl up with a spine-tingler from a local bookshop 73. Spark up a snowball fight with the neighbor kids 74. Treat your wind-burned skin to a day of pampering at a spa 75. Have an NA night (with no hangover!) with one of Milwaukee's various mocktails 77. Take up yoga, or at least try to. 78. Find a bar with outdoor fireside drinking on the menu

79. Play pond hockey on Lake Ernie in Franklin 80. Clean up around the house for the season while listening to your favorite MKE bands 81. Invent a new snow sport. Snow croquet? Ice bowling? 82. Call your grandma, grandpa or some other relative you haven't seen in a while 83. Put a snowball in your freezer to throw at someone (gently) in July 84. Drink mulled wine 85. Hike in Doctor's Park 86. Cheer on the Bucks, UWM and Marquette 87. Roast chestnuts on an open fire 88. Puzzle your puzzler with a puzzle 89. Warm up with a nice shower – complete with a shower beer

90. Insulate your attic 91. Pack up your skis and head to Da U.P. 92. Make a music performer wish list for Summerfest 93. Plan a full weekend around Potawatomi Casino Hotel's pub crawl. 94. Figure out the difference between winter storm watch and winter storm warning 95. Concoct a cocktail called the wintry mix or something a little more classic: a Tom & Jerry 96. Throw away your scale 97. Craft your own special candle with Glassnote Candle Bar 98. Help the St. Benedict ministries feed the hungry – or donate to one of these food banks 99. Croon away the cold at Amped's private suite karaoke 100. Say hi to your neighbors. Be the change.

Cargill is permanently closing its ground beef processing facility in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley

MILWAUKEE —

A long-standing Milwaukee meat plant is shutting down.

Cargill announced it's permanently closing its ground beef processing facility in the city's Menomonee Valley, resulting in 221 job losses.

According to a WARN notice sent to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, the global company alerted workers to the closure on Tuesday. Production will end in mid-April, and the plant will fully close by the end of May.

"This came out of nowhere," BizTimes editor Andrew Weiland told WISN 12 News on Wednesday. "You never like to see job loss in the city or in the area at all. Certainly, it's not a drastic number, but it's a sizable number. And certainly for each and every one of those families affected, it's a big problem."

When asked why it's closing this location, the company sent a statement saying:

"Cargill has made the difficult decision to close its Milwaukee ground beef facility to better align our portfolio with current customer demand and prioritize investments where they are needed most for the future. We recognize the impact this decision has on our 221 employees, and our focus is on supporting them with respect, care and assistance as they navigate this transition. Moving forward, we will shift ground beef production volume to our other North American beef processing facilities, including the nearby Butler, Wisconsin plant, to continue reliably serving our customers."

Weiland called Cargill's closure a business decision, saying, "At the end of the day, the business is trying to be more profitable. And they look at the facility and say the cost of operating this just isn't worth it to us. They're going to close it. That's really what it comes down to."

Milwaukee's mayor said he has been in touch with Employ Milwaukee to help those now left looking for a new job.

"That part of Milwaukee was once a center of meat packing with thousands of jobs at various plants, and Cargill's departure marks the end of an era," Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in a statement.

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If you feel like it's snowing more this winter than the past few years, you're not wrong.

So far this winter, Milwaukee has already logged more snowfall than it did in all of the 2024-25 season, according to data from the Wisconsin State Climatology Office.

The city got a couple more inches this week amid an extreme cold snap, on top of a snowy December and a Thanksgiving weekend storm that kicked off the winter.

Here's how much it's snowed in Milwaukee and other Wisconsin cities so far this winter:

How much has it snowed in Milwaukee this winter?

As of Jan. 27, Milwaukee has gotten 30.6 inches of snow so far this winter, per the Wisconsin State Climatology Office.

According to climate data between 1991-2020, Milwaukee typically logs 25.8 inches by this point in the season – meaning it's already snowed more this year than it usually does by late January.

In general, Milwaukee averages 48.7 inches of snow per season, per the Climatology Office. The 2024-25 season was significantly less snowy, with 30.3 inches recorded for the winter as of May 2025. The season prior to that Milwaukee saw 32.6 inches of snow.

How much has it snowed in other Wisconsin cities this winter?

Like Milwaukee, most southern Wisconsin cities have already surpassed 30 inches of snow this season, according to USA TODAY's snowfall tracker, which is based on data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Some parts of far northwest Wisconsin – like the city of Hurley, which is one of the snowiest cities in the country – have seen upward of eight feet of snow this winter.

Here's how much it has snowed in other Wisconsin cities as of Jan. 28:

Snowfall tracker for Wisconsin

Enter your address in the USA TODAY graphic below to see how much snow your area has gotten over the past few days and over the season so far:

USA TODAY reporter Melina Khan contributed to this report.