What to do with kids in Milwaukee over Christmas break, from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. We read the holiday hours posted by four museums, zoos and play places: none of them opens on Christmas Day. Plus four dated outings on Christmas Eve and the days in between.
Dec 24 · Dec 25 · Jan 1
Holiday hours from each place’s own page, side by side. Many are standing rules (“closed Christmas Day”) that hold year to year, but a quick check that morning is worth it.
“Not posted” means the place’s own page doesn’t say. Call or check the morning of.
Day by day
Pick a day to see what’s on. Many places close early on Dec 24 and Dec 31, so check each card’s times.
Mayfair Mall · 2500 N. Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Good to know: Walk-ups welcome; booking a 15-minute slot online is encouraged (a few families share each slot). Pet photo nights on 8 evenings (Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 7, Dec 8…).
Milwaukee County Zoo · 10001 W Bluemound Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226
Good to know: Walk the forest paths lit with hundreds of thousands of lights.
Brown Deer Park · Brown Deer Park, Milwaukee, WI
Good to know: Mile-long route; all ages.
Downtown Milwaukee parks and streets · Downtown Milwaukee, WI
Good to know: 500,000+ bulbs; Santa’s Celebration Square at Zeidler Union Square; Jingle Bus.
Meadow View area, Oconomowoc · Oconomowoc (about 35 minutes west)
Good to know: A family fun run before noon.
West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreation Center · West Allis
Good to know: A special event from West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreation & Community Services for ages 4 and up.
Brown Deer Park · Brown Deer Park, Milwaukee, WI
Good to know: Mile-long route; all ages.
Downtown Milwaukee parks and streets · Downtown Milwaukee, WI
Good to know: 500,000+ bulbs; Santa’s Celebration Square at Zeidler Union Square; Jingle Bus.
If it snows
Every hill here depends on snow, so check the park’s status page the morning you go. Tubing hills set height minimums, listed on each card. The full list is on sledding hills and snow tubing near Milwaukee.
7835 N Green Bay Rd, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗3535 N Mayfair Rd, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting. Lighted daily 4:30–8:30 p.m.
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting. One of three lighted hills.
Official page ↗4235 S Lipton Ave, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗5765 S New Berlin Rd, Hales Corners
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗3000 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting. Lighted daily 4:30–8:30 p.m.
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting. One of three lighted hills.
Official page ↗7301 W Courtland Ave, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗6560 N Milwaukee River Parkway, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗9418 W Washington St, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗8214 W Cleveland Ave, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗5400 N 51st St, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗4001 S 20th St, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting.
Official page ↗5879 S 92nd St, Milwaukee
Daytime, weather permitting. Lighted daily 4:30–8:30 p.m.
Feet first. The county article, updated June 5, 2025, does not state a price. Daytime hills are weather permitting. Lighted hill. The clubhouse has concessions; those hours depend on the weather.
Official page ↗
Rainy-day backup
These don’t post holiday hours yet, so check before you go. More on our indoor play page.
Keep planning
November: things to do in MilwaukeeEvery dated listing for the month, by weekDecember: things to do in MilwaukeeEvery dated listing for the month, by week
Free things to do in MilwaukeeFree days, free events and places that never charge
Free museum days in MilwaukeeFree days, Museums on Us and EBT discounts, with who gets inIndoor play in MilwaukeeIndoor playgrounds, toddler times, museums and classes, with prices
Library storytimes in MilwaukeeStorytimes for ages 0–6, by day and branch
Ice skating in MilwaukeeHoliday and indoor rinks, skate aids and pricesSledding in MilwaukeeSledding hills and snow tubing, with height rules
Thanksgiving weekend in MilwaukeeParades, turkey trots and what’s open on Thursday
Christmas parades in MilwaukeeParades and tree lightings with dates and start timesChristmas trains in MilwaukeePolar Express, Santa and lights trains with datesThe Nutcracker in MilwaukeeBallet and touring shows, sensory-friendly flagged
Christmas markets in MilwaukeeChristkindlmarkts and winter wonderlands with hours
Christmas tree farms in MilwaukeeChoose-and-cut farms, wagon rides and kid notesTree lighting in MilwaukeeDates, times and what the organizer posts for kids
Birthday party places in MilwaukeeStarting prices, ages and what’s included
Youth soccer and T-ball in MilwaukeeSoccer and T-ball for kids under 6, with sign-up dates
More things to do with kids in Milwaukee this weekDated outings for ages 0–6, checked every ThursdayGood questions
Of the four places we checked, none posts Christmas Day hours as open; Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center and Milwaukee Art Museum are closed. A park or a drive past the lights is the easy plan.
Open with posted hours: Milwaukee Public Museum (Open until 3 p.m.), Milwaukee Art Museum (Open until 3 p.m.). On the calendar: Santa Photos at Mayfair Mall.
None of the places that post New Year’s Day hours says it’s open.
On the calendar for Jan 1: Winter Glow Experience and Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival. Check each one’s own page before you go, since holiday hours can change.
Brown Deer Park, Currie Park and Greene Park and nine more. All of them need snow, so check the park’s status page first. The full list, with height rules, is on sledding hills and snow tubing near Milwaukee.
Wild Lights, Winter Glow Experience and Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival. Check each one’s calendar for the exact nights; some close on certain days.
The month’s dated listings are on the December page, and rink dates and skate aids are on the ice skating page.
Choose-and-cut farms within about 40 miles, with wagon rides, Santa, cocoa and kid notes, are on the Christmas tree farms page.
Dates, times and what each organizer posts for kids are on the tree lighting page.
Each listing comes from the venue’s or organizer’s own page and links to it. We only list a date, time or price when that page shows it, and anything we can’t confirm stays off. These were last checked Oct 21, 2026, and we recheck them in early December and again the week before Christmas. How we choose and check.
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