If you are looking for the best places to take family photos, then look no further. Here are some of the top locations near Milwaukee, WI, that are my favorite places to take family photos.
Milwaukee is such a great city! It has so many things to offer, and it’s also full of great places for family photos. So if you want some suggestions on locations around Milwaukee that are perfect for family pictures & photoshoots, then look no further!
*And side note, you can book me for your family photos HERE: Studio 29 Photography. All photo credit to Ren Lenhof of Studio 29 Photography (me).
The Best Locations for Family Photos Near Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Downtown Milwaukee and Within the City of Milwaukee
Third Ward Riverwalk
The Riverwalk is an excellent location for family photos because it has fun and unique features that will pop your pictures. I love the ivy, the cream city brick, and all of the boats floating down the river!
Lake Park
Located on the east side, Lake Park is another excellent location for family photos because it has tons of gorgeous scenery, including the fantastic Lake Michigan. I like to meet my clients outside of the Lake Park Bistro restaurant and then walk around from there.
Lakeshore State Park
Located on Lake Michigan next to Discovery World, this park is an excellent choice if you want to take your family photos while enjoying the beauty of nature.
Milwaukee Art Museum
The Milwaukee Art Museum is a fantastic spot for taking pictures with your loved ones! This location is very popular for photographing families, weddings, and high school senior portraits because of the beautiful architecture, Milwaukee skyline, and lakefront.
Milwaukee Public Market
The Milwaukee Public Market is a beautiful place to visit, and it also has great family photo opportunities.
Iron Horse Hotel and the 6th St Bridge
The Iron Horse Hotel is a great place to take pictures with your family because of its unique architecture. The outside bar area is full of hanging plants and excellent patio furniture. I love photographing on the nearby 6th St Bridge and just East of the hotel near the Ivy-covered walls or top of the parking garage. The 6th Street Bridge is beautiful and has a great view of the Milwaukee city skyline.
Brewhouse Inn & Suites
The Brewhouse Inn & Suites is another great spot for family photos because of the cream city brick and the small Zilber Park next door! You’ll want to be sure to take a picture under the iconic Pabst Brewery sign!
Harley Davidson Museum
The Harley Davidson Museum is a great place to visit and also has lovely photo opportunities. In addition, the outside garden area offers lush landscaping perfect for summertime shoots with your loved ones!
Atwater Beach
Atwater Beach is a fun location for photos because it has a beautiful view of Lake Michigan, and you can even take pictures right next to the water!
Turner Hall Ballroom
Turner Hall is a fantastic spot for family photos because of the impressive architecture, unique wall textures, and giant balcony! Turner Hall Ballroom downtown Milwaukee has a special place in my heart because Caleb proposed to me here!
West of Milwaukee
Hoyt Park
Hoyt Park is an excellent location because it has many picturesque features, including a beautiful bridge and a hiking path along the river! Parents, be sure to stop by the beer garden afterward! 😉
Jacobus Park
Jacobus Park is a beautiful backdrop with so many photo opportunities. The trees, flowers, and lily pad pond make for great pictures! This park is dog-friendly and is usually very empty, which makes it perfect for family photos!
Retzer Nature Center
Retzer Nature Center is an excellent location for family photos. The tall pine trees and hiking trails are beautiful no matter the time of year! About 30 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, it is totally worth the trip! I love this park so much, and all of my clients do too! The only downside is that this park is not dog-friendly. I recently photographed Lola’s first birthday family session, you can see more photos HERE.
Lisbon Park
Lisbon Park in Hartland Wisconsin is a beautiful park no matter what time of year. The bugline bike trail winds directly through it, which is great for walking or group shots.
Mitchell Park Domes
The Mitchell Park Domes is an excellent location for family photos because it offers unique scenery that you can’t find anywhere else! I love the Milwaukee Domes, especially during the winter, because it is so warm and cozy! The entrance fee is around $10 per person and they offer discounts to seniors and students.
Hart Park
Hart Park is an attractive option because it has such beautiful scenery in downtown Wauwatosa.
Lapham Peak
Located within the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Lapham Peak is an excellent location because of its gorgeous views and unique features, such as the Lapham Peak tower!
Cushing’s Memorial Park
Cushing’s Park in Delafield, Wisconsin, is about a 30-minute drive West of the city of Milwaukee. There is a cute boardwalk, cattails, cement benches, and a fantastic wooden playground!!
Wirth Park
Located in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, Wirth Park is a fantastic place to take pictures! It has a beautiful wooden bridge, gorgeous green grass with tall trees surrounding it for shade, and many unique photo opportunities.
South of the City
Grant Park
Grant Park is one of Milwaukee’s most popular parks, and it makes for a fantastic backdrop! If you haven’t been here during the fall, it is a MUST!!! The trees create a gorgeous fall foliage canopy!
Wehr Nature Center
Wehr Nature Center is an excellent location for family photos! Not only will you get amazing images, but you’ll also enjoy the wildlife! There are so many birds, bees, butterflies, squirrels, and more during the summer for kids to point out and enjoy! See more photos from this adorable Wehr Nature Center maternity session HERE.
St. Francis Seminary
They are pretty strict about photos taken on the grounds, so please be sure to call and get a photography permit in advance.
Bay View Park
I love this park because there are usually no bystanders! Just south of South Shore Park, Bay View Park offers trees above, and then a quick walk down the bluff opens up to the beach with views of the Milwaukee city skyline.
Falk Park
Falk Park is a great place to hike with your doggies and is a beautiful park to take family photos. It is located in Oak Creek near the Airport.
North of the City
Schlitz Audubon Nature Center
Located in northern Milwaukee, WI along Lake Michigan, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center is a charming park with breath-taking scenery and a 60ft look-out tower.
Cedarburg Covered Bridge
Fun fact! The Covered Bridge in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, is one of the last remaining covered bridges in that state, which once had about 40 covered bridges. It was constructed in 1876 to cross Cedar Creek! It is a unique place for family photos and there is a smaller bridge just to the east and plenty of greenery along the creek.
Doctors Park
Located in the great neighborhood of Whitefish Bay, Doctors Park is one of my favorites! There are so many lush green trees surrounding this park that you could shoot here all year long! Plus, there’s access to the lake if you want! You can see more from this recent family session at Doctor’s Park HERE.
Kletzsch Park
Kletzsch Park is an excellent location for family photos because it offers unique scenery, including a small waterfall! This park is easy to get to, has tons of parking, has a cute small playground, and is an excellent location for any season!
Garrison’s Glen Park
Garrison’s Glen Park is a great spot for family photos because is just outside of downtown Cedarburg and offers a hiking trail and access to the Milwaukee River. You can see more from this adorable session with Paige and her mom and dad HERE.
Kohler Andrae State Park
About an hour north of the city, this park is definitely worth the drive! When you are here, you forget you are in the Midwest! It doesn’t feel like Wisconsin! The wide-open sky and beautiful bluffs overlooking the lake make for great family photos. Check out more pictures from Devari + Matt’s engagement session on the Studio 29 Photography Blog HERE.
I hope you enjoyed our blog post on the best places for family photos near Milwaukee! These locations offer a wide variety of photo opportunities and are sure to be perfect for your upcoming family photography session. I hope this article has been informative and that it helps make choosing where to take pictures easier for you!