Here are 5 ways you can get to Milwaukee's Summerfest without driving

Alex Groth, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Updated ·4 min read
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One of the largest music festivals in America is gearing up for its 55th anniversary at Milwaukee's lakefront. Summerfest runs from June 22-24, June 29-July 1 and July 6-8 this year.

Here's your guide to how to get to the festival (hint: you don't have to bring your car):

You can take the bus to Summerfest

Here are the three Milwaukee County Transit System transit options for Summerfest:

  • MCTS Shuttles: Two shuttles will run approximately every half hour from the College Avenue or Brown Deer Park and Ride lot. Shuttles offer non-stop direct access to festival grounds entrance outside the Summerfest Mid Gate. Shuttles are now cashless and you can pay using the Umo app, WisGo card, M-card, VISA, Mastercard, American Express or Discover card when you get to Summerfest. Round-trip fare is $10 for riders 12 and up, and $5 for reduced fare. The first shuttle will depart the lot at 11:30a.m. and the last will leave 12:30a.m. Parking at College Avenue and Brown Deer Park and Ride lot is free on a first come, first served basis.

  • MCTS Connect: The Connect 1 BRT line, which you can ride for free this summer, will drop you off on the corner of Wisconsin and Van Buren, and you can walk a couple blocks to the Summerfest North Gate. The route runs every 10 to 15 minutes along Wauwatosa's Watertown Plan Road Park and Ride lot to downtown Milwaukee.

  • MCTS Regular Service: Several MCTS local routes will get you close to the grounds. For an extensive list of routes, visit ridemcts.com. Some pick up and drop off locations for MCTS regular routes include the Greenline, Route 14, Route 15, Route 18 and Route 30.

Several Milwaukee bars run shuttles to Summerfest

Some bars run shuttles to festival grounds during Summerfest. Here's a list of bars offering shuttle service:

North side:

South side:

Rent a Bublr bike or ride your own

Festivalgoers can rent a bike from nonprofit bikeshare program Bublr Bikes at one of the more than 100 stations in Milwaukee, Wauwatosa and West Allis and ride to Summerfest. Dock your bike at the Discovery World station and walk over to the Summerfest grounds.

If you're taking your own bike, bicycle parking is near the Mid, North and South gates.

You can ride an electric scooter

If you see an electric scooter, you can download the app on your smartphone and pay for rides. Users can park the scooters essentially anywhere in an upright position, without blocking traffic.

You can ride your electric scooter in the road and also in bike lanes or multiuse trails that allow them.

The Hop Street Car will drop you off near Henry Maier Festival Park

The Hop streetcar will stop at Broadway and St. Paul in the Third Ward and you can walk to the festival from there. The service is free and operates until 12a.m. on Friday and Saturday and until 10 p.m. on Sunday. Streetcars arrive every 15 minutes during peak hour and every 20 minutes on weekends.

Where can I park my car at Summerfest?

Parking lots are open daily at 9a.m. at a first-come, first-served basis. You can get a pre-paid parking pass for a specific date during Summerfest online at the Summerfest store. Preferred parking is $30 per day.

For an extensive list of public parking lots near the Summerfest grounds, visit Park Milwaukee.

If you're parking at Summerfest for a show at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, make sure to allow for extra time to navigate traffic and park.

If you're driving, make sure to plan ahead to re-route around any construction, and check the WisDot site ahead of time for road construction and traffic updates.

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Contact Alex Groth at agroth@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @grothalexandria.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How to get to Milwaukee's 2023 Summerfest without driving