Get away from it all

I'm definitely convinced that I couldn't live in a more primo spot.

From where I live in Shorewood, downtown Milwaukee is less than ten minutes to the south, full of restaurants, bars, theaters, festivals, events and people.

Less than a mile east of me is Lake Michigan – I can walk there in ten minutes, bike there in four, or drive there in one.

And finally, about ten minutes north is a place that is absolutely beautiful and feels incredibly secluded and cut-off from city life – even though it's practically in our backyard.

Last week, in doing some more research for a piece I was writing on Milwaukee's outdoors, I found myself alone out in nature on a sunny afternoon. Normally, I wouldn't venture into such sparsely-populated areas on my own – hey, I've admitted before that I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat – but since the article's deadline was a mere two days away, I really had no choice.

I set out for the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center to get a feel for its layout and offerings. (Dave and I visited it once back in October, but we didn't spend too much time since we rushed home for trick-or-treaters who never came.)

Before I ventured out onto the trails, I spoke with a woman inside the learning center and picked up some literature. I found out that the Center, which currently covers 185 acres, was donated in 1971 by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. Before that, the land had been used to rest the brewery's draft horses.

I proceeded to walk along the trails, which cover more than six miles throughout the area. Trails range from flat, paved pathways to steep, dirt paths. The Nature Center borders Lake Michigan so visitors can enjoy walking along the secluded beach, or they can climb the 100-foot lookout tower to get a breathtaking view of it from above.

I climbed the tower with the intention of spending some time up there to reflect and appreciate the view, but I quickly climbed back down once my pictures were snapped – it was windy and pretty scary up there all by myself!



I crossed several bridges and sat on one of many benches and just stared around and breathed in the fresh air. The trees are so tall and thick that even in the hot summer, the air is cool there, and the breeze that rustles the leaves of the trees and the birds that sit in them sound very far away. It's very peaceful – and if you didn't know any better, you probably wouldn't think you were just 20 minutes from downtown Milwaukee.



It costs just $4 to visit the Schlitz Audubon Center, or yearly memberships are available, too. It's an ideal place to spend an afternoon hiking or bird watching (for those who like that sort of thing), and it's also perfect for those who just need to get away from it all for awhile.

Comments

[Christi]

And don't forget that a mere hour and a half drive or train ride gets you to the third largest city in the country, Chicago. Full of Broadway musicals, fabulous museums, gorgeous parks, and of course plenty of shopping =) Milwaukee rocks.

That place looks great by the way. Your little solo nature excursion reminds me a lot of my days in London. I took many a trips by myself there, touring around the city and the countryside....and many a trips getting lost and scared as well =)

[Christi]

PS: Where are the pictures from Saturday. I want to steal some of them =)

[Alba]

Seven Bridges in South Milwaukee is now open, if you want to give it another try.

[Erin]

Hey, I appreciate the info. I'll have to get out there soon! Thanks!