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Waukesha, WI Road Trips

Plan drives from Waukesha, WI with practical route pages for distance, drive time, fuel cost, road character, and places to stop along the way.

city in and county seat of Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Trip Routes

1

Longest Drive

231.5 mi

Eau Claire, WI

Quickest Drive

4h 16m

Eau Claire, WI

Plan Around Waukesha, WI

Popular Incoming Routes

Useful if Waukesha, WI is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.

Waukesha, WI by the Numbers

Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Population

70,779

Median Income

$81,651

Median Home Value

$286,600

Median Age

36.4

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.

Waukesha, WI at a Glance

Founded

1839

Elevation

889 ft

Area

25 mi²

Sister Cities

Kokshetau Granada

Notable People from Waukesha, WI

A sampling of people born in Waukesha, WI.

Les Paul

Les Paul

1915–2009

American jazz guitarist, country guitarist, songwriter and inventor (1915–2009)

Vernor Vinge

Vernor Vinge

1944–2024

American mathematician, computer scientist, and science fiction writer (1944–2024)

Gwen Jorgensen

Gwen Jorgensen

1986

American triathlete

J. J. Watt

J. J. Watt

1989

American football player (born 1989)

Brad Beyer

Brad Beyer

1973

American actor

Michael Ritchie

1938–2001

American film director (1938–2001)

Michelle Thaller

Michelle Thaller

1969

American astronomer

Erik Sowinski

Erik Sowinski

1989

American middle-distance runner

Elli Ochowicz

Elli Ochowicz

1983

American speed skater

Landmarks & Historic Sites

Attractions and heritage-registered places located in Waukesha, WI.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church Complex

St. Joseph's Catholic Church Complex

church building in Wisconsin, United States of America

listed in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places listed place
First Baptist Church

First Baptist Church

historic church in Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States

listed in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places listed place
First German Reformed Church

First German Reformed Church

church building in Wisconsin, United States of America

listed in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places listed place
St. Matthias Episcopal Church

St. Matthias Episcopal Church

church building in Wisconsin, United States of America

listed in the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places listed place

City data from Wikidata (Q94919), available under CC0. Photos from Wikimedia Commons under their respective licenses. See our methodology for details.

Traveler Guide to Waukesha, WI

Waukesha is a city of 62,000 people (2021) in Southeast Wisconsin. It is about 20 miles west of downtown Milwaukee.

1 Waukesha Pewaukee Convention and Visitor Bureau, N14 W23755 Stone Ridge Dr, Ste 225, ☏ +1 262-542-0330, [email protected]. M-F 8AM-4PM. (updated Feb 2025)

1 Chicago and North Western Depot. A historic former rail depot with a few railcars remaining. (updated May 2020) 2 Carroll University. Wisconsin's first four-year university, established in 1846. Home of the Pioneers sports teams. (updated May 2020) 3 Waukesha County Historical Society Museum. (updated May 2020)

Waukesha is the county seat of Waukesha County. The Lake Country area in the northwestern portion of the county offers outdoor activities such a swimming, golfing, camping, fishing, boating, etc. There is also plenty of shopping, dining, and nightlife around much of the county, and in the city of Waukesha. 1 Sky Zone Milwaukee. - located in Waukesha

1 Rochester Deli, 143 W Broadway, ☏ +1 262 522-9611. M–Th Sa 10AM–3PM, F 10AM–7:30PM, Su Closed. Selection of sandwiches, salads and wraps. Dine in, carryout and delivery (with a large minimum). $10-20. (updated Feb 2025)

Baymont Inn & Suites Waukesha, 2111 E Moreland Blvd, ☏ +1 262 547 7770. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Nov 2022) Comfort Inn Waukesha, 2510 Plaza Ct, ☏ +1 262 786 6015. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. (updated Nov 2022) Price Pointe Inn, 532 Bluemound Rd, ☏ +1 262 524 7996. (updated Nov 2022) The Clarke Hotel, 314 W. Main St, ☏ +1 262 549 3800, [email protected]. (updated Nov 2022) Extended Stay America Suites Waukesha, 2520 Plaza Ct, ☏ +1 262 798 0217. (updated Nov 2022) Milwaukee Marriott West, W231N1600 Corporate Ct, ☏ +1 262 574 0888. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. (updated Nov 2022)

Interstate 94 is the main east-west route through Waukesha. It connects the city with Madison and other points west, as well as with Milwaukee and Chicago to the east and southeast. The closest major airport is Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport, which is about 30 minutes east of the city. Also available is Chicago O'Hare International Airport, about 2 hours southeast. 1 New Berlin Trail (New Berlin Recreational Trail). Bicycle trails that connects to trails in Milwaukee near the Milwaukee County Zoo. Free. (updated Feb 2025) 2 Glacial Drumlin State Trail, 810 W College Ave. Bicycle trail to Cottage Grove in the Greater Madison Area. $6 daily for bicycling and inline skating, free for walking. (updated Feb 2025) 3 Waukesha County Airport (UES IATA). General aviation airport. (updated May 2020)

Waukesha is easily navigable by car. Non-locals may be confused by the high number of five-way intersections, but the old-one way streets are a thing of the past, which makes navigating the city much easier than it once was. Waukesha Metro Transit also provides bus service to the city, with the transfer point located at the terminal downtown. Limited bus connections are available to Milwaukee County Transit System for service to Milwaukee County and the surrounding areas. MCTS and Waukesha Metro use an integrated fare payment system; if paying with the app or card, transfers between or within both are free. 4 Downtown Transit Center, 212E E Saint Paul Ave. Main bus transfer point with indoor waiting area and public restrooms. (updated Feb 2025)

Travel tips adapted from Waukesha on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.

Trips to Waukesha, WI

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