The area west of the Milwaukee River was once known as Kilbourntown after its businessman founder Byron Kilbourn. Kilbourn recognized the area as a prime location for commerce, and that history shows through today. Westown remains a hub for retail, entertainment and conventions in Milwaukee.

As you walk through Westown, you'll notice a "big city" vibe, with a main retail strip once housing large department stores, downtown theaters, grand public buildings, a large convention center and two large sports arenas.

Westown also includes the Old World Third Street Entertainment District, with Milwaukee's German heritage on full display, as well as much of Milwaukee's RiverWalk. For more on those areas, please see our RiverWalk Tour. This tour will feature Westown west of the RiverWalk.

Westown is bounded by the Milwaukee River to the east, Interstate 43 to the west, McKinley Avenue to the north and St. Paul Avenue to the south. The area has undergone significant redevelopment in recent years, with additional residential buildings, new restaurants and bars.

During our Westown tour, you'll get a good sense of Milwaukee's civic and cultural vitality. The tour length is approximately 1.9 miles.