Forbes Magazine recently ranked the Nations metros on a five point scale for partying and it turns out Milwaukee, Wisconsin is tops when is comes to drinking and having fun. In fact 4 out of the top 5 are in the Midwest, proving that the heartland rocks. This really comes as no surprise to me, having spent two wonderful, partially inebriated years at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. The School is consistently ranked as top party school and Madison as a top city for quality of life. Hardy drinkers populate the whole state of Wisconsin. In 1992, when UW made it to the Rose Bowl, Wisconsin fans drank up all the brandy in the LA Basin.
Only a hour down I-90, Milwaukee is the know as the city of festivals, the most famous is the annual Summerfest Music Festival. This 10 day music, beer and food festival that takes place in an awesome setting on Lake Michigan brings the whole state out to party (and a few FIBS from Chicago). With top music acts, great Midwestern fare and a many drinking pavilions each featuring a different beer from Wisconsin (and few other places), Summerfest may rival Munich’s great Octoberfest, I’ll need to investigate that.
The cities were ranked on a five point scale, but Milwaukee’s ready access to the best beer, brats and cheese in the world make it a obvious winner.
Rounding out the top 10 are
#2 Minneapolis/St. Paul
#3 Columbus
#4 Boston
#5 Austin
#6 Chicago
#7 Cleveland
#8 Pittsburgh
#9 Philadelphia
#9 Providence
My home town, San Francisco, squeeks in at #20. We got work to do!
