What’s OPEN During Milwaukee’s Extreme Cold: 65+ Refuges

When dangerous cold grips southeastern Wisconsin, knowing where to find warmth can mean the difference between a miserable day and a manageable one. This comprehensive guide covers 65+ locations across Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, Washington, Racine, and Kenosha counties—places that historically stay open during extreme winter weather and welcome families seeking indoor refuge.

Critical resource: Dial 2-1-1 anytime for real-time warming center information and emergency shelter referrals.

Related: List of area school closures

Indoor entertainment for all ages

When cabin fever strikes during a multi-day cold snap, these venues keep kids entertained and families warm.

Museums and educational attractions

Discovery World at 500 N. Harbor Drive, Milwaukee (414-765-9966) combines interactive science exhibits with a living aquarium featuring a Caribbean tunnel, live animals, and "Mermaid Echo" shows. Open daily 9 AM–4 PM. Admission: Adults $24, Children/Seniors $20, Under 2 free. Wisconsin families on benefits (FoodShare, WIC, BadgerCare) can access $7 admission.

Betty Brinn Children's Museum at 929 E. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee (414-390-5437) specializes in hands-on learning for ages 0–10. Open Wednesday–Monday 9 AM–4:30 PM (closed Tuesdays). Admission: $14 general, $12 seniors, under 1 free. Free admission on the third Thursday of each month until 7 PM. "Tot Time" Thursdays at 10:30 AM feature sensory play for the youngest visitors.

Milwaukee Public Museum at 800 W. Wells Street (414-278-2728) houses dinosaurs, the beloved Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit, live butterflies, and a planetarium with Saturday morning shows. County residents receive a $2 discount. Free on first Thursdays (Kohl's Thank You Thursday). Families with EBT cards pay just $3/person through Museums for All.

Dinosaur Discovery Museum at 5608 10th Avenue, Kenosha (262-653-4450) showcases the nation's largest collection of meat-eating theropod dinosaurs, including life-scale T. rex replicas. Open Tuesday–Sunday noon–5 PM. Admission is free (suggested $5 donation). The interactive dig site keeps young paleontologists engaged for about an hour.

Trampoline parks and adventure centers

Sky Zone Waukesha at W229N1420 Westwood Drive (262-696-1600) features Wisconsin's largest trampoline surface. Hours: Monday–Thursday 1–8 PM, Friday noon–10 PM, Saturday 10 AM–10 PM, Sunday 9 AM–8 PM. Tuesdays cost just $12 for 90 minutes. Family Pack: $64.99 for 4 jumps plus pizza and drinks. Required socks: $4.99. Little Leapers sessions accommodate toddlers.

Urban Air Adventure Park at 2440 E. Moreland Boulevard, Waukesha (414-216-9485) packs indoor go-karts, trampolines, ropes courses, climbing walls, warrior obstacle courses, and a designated toddler area into one facility. Premium pass approximately $28; socks $3.99 required. Best for ages 3+.

AirCity 360 Adventure Park at 5320 S. Moorland Road, New Berlin (262-505-5300) offers an aerial ninja course, 60-foot dual zip line, 26-foot climbing tower, Wisconsin-themed laser tag, and trampoline area. Approximately $21 for 90 minutes. Height requirement of 48"+ applies to most attractions; a toddler area serves younger children.

Bounce Milwaukee at 2801 S. 5th Court, Milwaukee (414-312-4357) combines inflatable bounce houses, obstacle courses, rock climbing, laser tag, an indoor playground with glow ball pit, and free-play vintage arcade games. "Everything" admission: $27; Guest admission: $7. Best for ages 3–14.

Slick City Action Park at 1435 N. 113th Street, Wauwatosa features Wisconsin's first indoor "dry-slide" park spanning 60,000 square feet. Giant slides ("Big Wave," "Off Ramp," "Mega Launch"), mini cart track, zip line, trapeze, and swing appeal especially to ages 3–12. Admission: $26 for 90 minutes.

Bowling, gaming, and family entertainment

WhirlyBall Brookfield at 185 S. Moorland Road inside Brookfield Square Mall (262-786-7777) offers Wisconsin's only WhirlyBall courts—a wild combination of bumper cars, lacrosse, and basketball. The facility also includes 8 bowling lanes, VIP bowling suite, multi-level laser tag arena, and HyperBowling. Hours: Monday–Tuesday 3–10 PM, Wednesday–Thursday noon–10 PM, Friday noon–11 PM, Saturday 10 AM–11 PM, Sunday 10 AM–9 PM. WhirlyBall court rental: $250/hour for up to 10 people; Laser Tag: $15 (30 min) or $25 (1 hour).

Dave & Buster's Wauwatosa at 2201 N. Mayfair Road (414-454-0100) features a 40-foot "WOW Wall" TV, racing games, VR experiences, and classic favorites. Eat & Play Combo starts at $19.99 (entrée plus $10 Power Card). Happy Hour Monday–Friday 4–7 PM.

Bowlero Wauwatosa at 11737 W. Burleigh Street offers 72 bowling lanes, bumper bowling for kids, glow bowling, and a full arcade. Special deals include Jingle Bowl unlimited ($17.99) and HoliDAY Fest unlimited ($9.99).

K1 Speed Milwaukee at W229N1400 Westwood Drive, Waukesha (262-232-6700) provides European-style electric go-karts reaching 50 mph for adults, with junior karts available for children 48"+ tall. Hours: Monday–Thursday noon–10 PM, Friday noon–midnight, Saturday 10 AM–midnight, Sunday 10 AM–10 PM. Omni Arena VR experience and arcade games round out the offerings.

Round1 Bowling & Arcade at 5200 S. 76th Street, Greendale (inside Southridge Mall) brings Japanese entertainment style with exclusive rhythm games, crane games, bowling, karaoke, and billiards. Open daily 10 AM–2 AM. Note: arcade area is 18+ after 8 PM Monday–Thursday and after 10 PM Friday–Sunday.

Climbing and active play

Adventure Rock operates two Milwaukee-area locations. The Milwaukee Riverwest location at 2240 N. Commerce Street features 42-foot walls with 11,100 square feet of roped climbing and auto-belay systems safe for beginners. The Brookfield location at 21250 W. Capitol Drive offers Wisconsin's largest climbing gym with 35-foot walls and 40+ top-rope routes. Day passes run approximately $15–$20 with harness included; shoe rental additional. Both locations offer youth programs, Scout merit badge classes, and winter camps. Best for ages 6+.

Kids Empire Bayshore at 5794 N. Bayshore Drive, Glendale provides 11,125 square feet of interactive indoor playground featuring climbing structures, slides, ball pits, and themed play areas designed for ages 0–12. Typically $10–$15 per child.

RecPlex Indoor Water Park at 9900 Terwall Terrace, Pleasant Prairie operates year-round with 17,000 square feet of water fun including zero-depth entry for toddlers, lazy river, activity pool, and slides. Indoor/outdoor hot tub, arcade, and fitness facilities provide options for the whole family.

Places to shop: Enclosed malls beat the cold

Fully enclosed shopping malls provide hours of warm, dry entertainment with food courts, family restrooms, and often built-in activities.

Milwaukee County malls

Mayfair Mall at 2500 N. Mayfair Road, Wauwatosa (414-771-1300) ranks as Wisconsin's largest enclosed shopping center with 160+ stores including Build-A-Bear, LEGO, and Barnes & Noble. AMC Mayfair Mall 18 provides movie options. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10 AM–8 PM, Sunday 11 AM–6 PM. Mall walking begins at 8 AM Monday–Saturday and 9 AM Sunday. Free parking; family restrooms located on the first floor near the food court.

Southridge Mall at 5300 S. 76th Street, Greendale (414-421-5600) combines shopping with genuine entertainment: Round 1 Bowling & Amusement, 60 to Escape escape rooms, and Marcus BistroPlex dine-in theater. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10 AM–8 PM, Sunday 11 AM–6 PM. At 1,177,783 square feet, it's Wisconsin's second-largest mall. Free parking; complimentary wheelchairs available.

Milwaukee Public Market at 400 N. Water Street in the Historic Third Ward (414-336-1111) houses 18 independently owned food merchants, a second-floor Palm Garden seating area, and cooking classes in the Madame Kuony Demonstration Kitchen. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10 AM–8 PM, Sunday 10 AM–6 PM. 30 minutes free parking in the Water Street lot with Market validation. The winter "Market Unplugged" music series offers free family events. Accessible by the free HOP Streetcar.

Waukesha County malls

Brookfield Square Mall at 95 N. Moorland Road, Brookfield (262-797-7245) earns top marks for family entertainment. WhirlyBall provides bumper car basketball chaos, while Movie Tavern by Marcus offers dine-in films. Eight bowling lanes, laser tag, and HyperBowling keep kids engaged for hours. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10 AM–8 PM, Sunday 11 AM–6 PM. Free parking.

Racine County malls

Pritchard Park Mall (formerly Regency Mall) at 5900 Durand Avenue, Racine serves as Racine County's only fully enclosed mall. A major 2025 renovation added a 243,600 square foot Woodman's Market, making it ideal for combining grocery shopping with indoor browsing. Total footprint: 872,409 square feet. Hours: Monday–Friday 10 AM–9 PM, Saturday 10 AM–8 PM, Sunday 11 AM–6 PM. Mall walking begins at 9:30 AM Monday–Saturday and 10 AM Sunday.

Ozaukee County shopping

Cedar Creek Settlement at N70 W6340 Bridge Road, Cedarburg (262-377-4763) occupies an 1864 woolen mill converted into a charming shopping destination with 20+ boutiques, Cedar Creek Winery, and family-friendly restaurants including Anvil Pub & Grille and Cream & Crepe Café. Generally open daily 10 AM–5 PM. Children's holiday crafts during seasonal events; named by Metro Parent Magazine as a top destination for kids in Cedarburg.

Washington and Kenosha County shopping

Washington County lacks major enclosed malls, but Meijer Supercenter at 1600 S. Main Street, West Bend (262-334-8900) offers 24-hour shopping combining groceries with general merchandise, toys, electronics, and home goods in one climate-controlled environment.

In Kenosha County, Pleasant Prairie Premium Outlets at 11211 120th Avenue (262-857-7900) operates as an outdoor outlet mall but includes the Eatery Dining Pavilion—a heated indoor food court with seating, fireplace, and phone charging stations. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10 AM–7 PM, Sunday 11 AM–6 PM. Free parking; outlet savings typically 25%–65% off retail.

Places to eat: Restaurants that weather the storms

Several restaurants have earned reputations for staying open through Wisconsin's worst weather. Call ahead during extreme conditions.

24-hour options

George Webb Restaurants have served Milwaukee since 1948 with the slogan "Two Burgers Beat a Blizzard." The Downtown location at 812 N. Old World 3rd Street (414-278-0225) and South Side location at 6181 S. Howell Avenue (414-764-4880) operate 24 hours daily. Budget-friendly at under $15 per person, they serve classic American diner fare including Wisconsin fish fry.

Ma Fischer's Diner at 2214 N. Farwell Avenue, Milwaukee (414-271-7424) has anchored the East Side since 1975 with 24-hour Greek diner service. Huge portions of pancakes, waffles, and omelets run $10–$18 per person.

Family-friendly chains

Cracker Barrel at 7015 122nd Avenue, Pleasant Prairie (262-857-2995) near I-94 serves comfort food classics from 6 AM–10 PM daily (until 11 PM Friday–Saturday). Kids Eat Free specials, breakfast all day, and the country store keep families entertained. Budget $10–$18 per person.

Culver's locations throughout the region maintain operations during most weather events. The Wisconsin-born chain offers ButterBurgers, cheese curds, and frozen custard with kid's meals typically running $8–$15 per person. Check culvers.com/locator for nearest location.

Denny's and IHOP locations in Racine and Kenosha maintain extended hours as national chains with policies of remaining open during extreme weather. Both offer dedicated kids menus, senior menus, and breakfast served all day. Budget approximately $8–$18 per person.

Local favorites

The Machine Shed at N14 W24145 Tower Place, Pewaukee (262-523-1322) earned "Best Breakfast in America" recognition from Travel Channel's Food Paradise. Farm-themed décor, famous cinnamon rolls, and family-style sides welcome families. Hours: Monday–Thursday 6 AM–9 PM, Friday–Saturday 6 AM–10 PM, Sunday 7 AM–9 PM. Budget $15–$30 per person.

Copper Penny Family Restaurant at 1700 E. Washington Street, West Bend (262-338-6788) provides Washington County's coziest diner atmosphere with fluffy pancakes and the area's best corned beef hash. Hours: Monday–Saturday 6 AM–2 PM, Sunday 7 AM–2 PM. Budget $8–$14 per person.

Frank's Diner at 508 58th Street, Kenosha (262-657-1017) operates in a historic railroad car designated a National Historic Landmark. Featured on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," this 1926 institution serves famous "Garbage Plate" breakfast and giant pancakes. Hours: Monday–Friday 6 AM–1:30 PM, Saturday 7 AM–1:30 PM, Sunday 7 AM–12:30 PM. Budget $8–$16 per person.

Georgie Porgie's Treefort Restaurant at 5502 Washington Avenue, Mount Pleasant (262-635-5030) features an actual treehouse built inside the restaurant, arcade games, specialty burgers, and Wisconsin-made sodas. A unique family experience since 1991. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10:30 AM–10 PM (closed Sunday). Budget $10–$20 per person.

Before you venture out

Even during dangerous cold, many of these venues remain operational—but conditions change rapidly. Always call ahead to confirm hours before traveling. Check road conditions at 511wi.gov and monitor local news for warming center activations. Keep blankets, water, and a charged phone in your vehicle. Even short walks from parking lots can be dangerous when wind chills plunge below zero.

When temperatures become truly dangerous, prioritize the official warming centers listed above. They exist specifically to protect families during Wisconsin's harshest weather—and they're free.