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Welcome to Southeastern Wisconsin, the home of beautiful scenery and friendly people. Milwaukee has been nicknamed "A Great Place on a Great Lake," a name that really applies to the entire region, from Ozaukee County south to the Illinois state line and from Lake Michigan west to the glacial hills of Waukesha and Washington counties. Nestled on the western shores of Lake Michigan, this region is the hidden jewel of the Upper Midwest. It blends small town ambiance and big city excitement into a way of living that quickly captures the hearts of newcomers, many of whom never want to move away. Southeastern Wisconsin offers a wealth of business and social opportunities. Its diversified economy is built on a firm foundation of industrial, high-tech and service jobs. The area's rich ethnic heritage has spawned a variety of colorful events and award-winning restaurants. But this is no news to people who live here. Southeastern Wisconsin has been a great home town since Native Americans arrived hundreds of years ago.

For festivals and fun, Milwaukee can't be beat. From May through September the city vibrates with a dizzying array of activities, including parades, music festivals, ethnic celebrations and church socials, bicycle races, sailing regattas, block parties and art fairs.

Sports fans can attend professional basketball, baseball, soccer, hockey and arena football games, or they can watch Marquette University or University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's basketball teams battle their NCAA opponents.

Milwaukee is also a cultural center. It boasts a symphony orchestra, one ballet and two opera companies, a repertory theater, experimental theaters and several nationally recognized dance troupes. It has several acclaimed museums, including the Milwaukee Art Museum, the Milwaukee Public Museum and the brand-new Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin.

Nature abounds. In addition to the impressive Lake Michigan shoreline and the rolling hills of the Kettle Moraine, plenty of land has been set aside for the public's enjoyment. There are more than 15,000 acres of parkland in Milwaukee County alone, including several miles of public lakefront along the eastern edge of the downtown.

Surrounding counties have their own special charms. Washington County is home to the Ice Age Trail and Pike Lake State Park, which provide plenty of peaceful trails for hiking and cross-country skiing. Sparkling lakes and fish-filled rivers are sprinkled throughout Waukesha County, which is one of the fastest growing counties in the state, with new residential developments continually springing up in communities on either side of I-94 and I-43.

Ozaukee County features a wealth of historic treasures. The Cedar Creek Mill and the Wittenberg Woolen Mill are located amid a cluster of specialty shops, art galleries and restaurants in Cedarburg. There's Wisconsin's last covered bridge at Covered Bridge Park in the Town of Cedarburg; Port Washington's Pebble House, which was built in 1848 with 20-inch thick rubble stone walls; and Ozaukee County Pioneer Village, a living museum that features homes, barns and outbuildings constructed in the 1800s. Mequon, the county's largest municipality, is one of the region's most affluent and rapidly growing communities.

Racine County is an economic and cultural center of its own, home to several international corporations and a beautiful 1,000-slip marina and festival park that is the social center of the city. Here you will find the inspiring creations of world-renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, a bustling street market known as Seven Mile Fair and a lakefront zoo.

And for those who are itching to drive, there are many nearby attractions, both man-made and natural. Chicago and Madison are less than 90 minutes away, while Wisconsin's North Woods, Michigan's Upper Peninsula and beautiful Door County can be reached in just a few hours.

Before we begin extolling the area's virtues, let's get an idea of what is meant when people talk about metropolitan Milwaukee.

The city of Milwaukee is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, about 90 miles north of Chicago. With a population of 590,370, it is the largest city in Wisconsin and the 22nd largest city in the nation.

The metropolitan area, which includes Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha and Racine Counties, is home to 1.7 million residents. About half of the population lives in the area's five largest cities - Milwaukee, Racine, Waukesha, Wauwatosa and West Allis.

Southeast Wisconsin is a comfortable blend of urban, suburban and rural communities that is ideally located in the heart of the Upper Midwest. Nearly 64 million people, or one-fourth of the nation's population, live within 600 miles of Milwaukee. Yet nature is always close by - whether you want to sail on Lake Michigan or hike a bluff that was carved out by glaciers more than 11,000 years ago.