After I interviewed Palatine mayor Jim Schwantz about drawing tourism to the suburb of Chicago, I wanted to pursue that topic. Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson was the perfect mayor to further the discussion.

Assuming office in 2021, lifelong Milwaukee resident Johnson became the 45th mayor and second African-American mayor of Milwaukee. The next year he won a special election to become the first African-American to be elected mayor of Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is the fifth-most populous city in the Midwest. It is only 90 miles away; it is the closest big city to Chicago. That creates a natural rivalry in tourism, sports, entertainment and more. While acknowledging that rivalry, Johnson stated his staff focuses more on what Milwaukee has to offer rather than comparing things.

Known as the City of Festivals, Milwaukee hosts events all year, including Summerfest, the world’s largest music fest. The Milwaukee Art Museum is one of the largest art museums in the country. The long lakefront contains many parks and pathways. There is also the historic Pabst Theater, American Family Field, outdoor art, Fiserv Forum and much more. Johnson eagerly discussed these attractions, further proving it is more about what Milwaukee has than how it compares with Chicago or anywhere else.

Johnson had interesting thoughts on sports, discussing the impact of a player like NBA All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo. No longer a secret, Fiserv Forum is a great place to watch basketball. During the Michael Jordan era, I made many trips to Milwaukee as an alternative to Jordan’s home games. Also, the Brewers–Cubs rivalry is good for both cities.

Before ending our interview, Johnson spoke about his favorite destinations outside of Wisconsin. He also was kind enough to mention his favorite things to do in Chicago.

As someone who makes many trips to Milwaukee for entertainment, it was a pleasure talking to Johnson. He passionately spoke of all Milwaukee has to offer. Having just been to Milwaukee a couple weeks ago, I already feel the urge to go back and explore the lakefront area. Milwaukee is such an underrated city, but Johnson is doing his best to raise awareness, and he is succeeding. Plus, we didn’t even get to the refreshing frozen custard or the delicious cheese curds.

What I learned in talking to both Mayor Schwantz and Mayor Johnson is there is a natural competition for tourism, but focus is more on what each city has than how it compares. Each has a lot to offer, and folks in the areas are the real winners.

Talking Travel is an interview series on Global Traveler. Subscribe to the GT YouTube channel to be notified of all future interviews and other travel-related videos.

— John Wroblewski, online writer