Bradley Estates - Milwaukee, WI

Bradley Estates shares a history with the Milwaukee neighborhood of Granville and its bordering suburb of Brown Deer. While Native Americans were the first people to live in the area, French fur trappers and missionaries opened the door for more European settlers in the 1700s. A group of Pennsylvania Dutch migrated west to the area in the early 1800s and established the town of Granville. The town would eventually be annexed by Milwaukee and Brown Deer and lose its status as an independent town.

Today Bradley Estates exists as a quiet residential neighborhood, but its close proximity to downtown Milwaukee gives residents the chance to enjoy cultural institutions like the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Milwaukee has a rich German history, so residents enjoy celebrating Oktoberfest here, and the city is also home to the Wisconsin State Fair, which attracts visitors from all over the state.

While there aren't a lot of restaurants in Bradley Estates, you will find a few. For a taste of northern India and Pakistan, a trip to G Mirch Masala may be in order. With a variety of grilled kabobs, tandoori chicken, paneer and curry dishes, G Mirch Masala also serves a tasty and spicy house specialty called nehari, which features tender pieces of beef in curry sauce.

For a fun night out on the town, residents of Bradley Estates can head east to Brown Deer Lanes for a variety of activities. Bowling remains a popular choice, of course, but karaoke singing provides a suitable entertainment option as well. Brown Deer Lanes has a variety of domestic beers on tap and also serves pizza, sandwiches and appetizers in case you work up an appetite after bowling 10 or 20 frames.

The southern section of Bradley Estates lies between the Tripoli Country Club and the Wisconsin Club. The Tripoli offers its members choices for golfing, tennis, swimming and social events. As well, the Wisconsin Club has multiple options for dining, golfing, swimming, tennis, parties and business networking. These members-only institutions provide many high-end amenities, but residents of Bradley Estates have many more choices in great dining and nightlife spots located in downtown Milwaukee.

For transportation options in Bradley Estates, residents can walk and bike safely within the borders of the neighborhood, but caution should always be used on busy city streets. Many bike trails run through Milwaukee County, which can be used for transportation or recreation. The Milwaukee County Transit system serves the area with bus routes throughout the city and suburbs. Uber ride sharing can be found here, as well as a choice of cab services, although it may be better to call for service than to try to flag one down in Bradley Estates.

Free parking can be found on residential streets, although attention must be paid to parking restrictions that may be in effect during certain times of the week. A trip north to Green Bay can be accomplished by taking Brown Deer Road east and connecting with Interstate 43. US Route 41 can be accessed to the west of the neighborhood and taken north to Fond du Lac or to make connections to I94 for trips west to the state capital of Madison, or south to Chicago.

Brown Deer County Park, in the neighboring suburb of Brown Deer, allows visitors the chance to engage in some competitive group sports, such as soccer and softball, or solo pursuits of disc golf. Parents can bring the kids along for boating and swimming activities, and the Oak Leaf Trail can be accessed for short or long bike or hiking trips or for jogging or rollerblading. The different trail segments add up to over 100 miles of paved pathways.

For a dog exercise option, residents of Bradley Estates bring their mutts to the Granville Dog Park where they can run off leash. For outdoor summer fun, it’s hard to beat Milwaukee’s world-famous Summerfest. Held over 11 days every summer at Henry Maier Festival Park, this festival hosts hundreds of bands and close to a million fans every year.

The overall cost of living in Bradley Estates is about 4 percent lower than the national average with groceries and housing falling below and health care and utilities sitting above. A one-bedroom apartment rental costs $710. Fuel prices in the area sit at almost 10 percent below the national average. Residents can enjoy a beer at their neighborhood bar for about $3 for a bottle of domestic and around $4 for a bottle of imported beer or pint of draught, and a trip downtown by bus costs adults $2.25, but seniors and kids under 12 qualify for discounted fares.

While residents of Bradley Estates do need to travel outside the borders to find a concentration of retail options, they won’t need to go far. Mayfair Mall, located to the southwest in Wauwatosa, has specialty shops for men and women. For men, The Art of Shaving provides a great selection of aftershaves and high-quality razors and other shaving equipment. A little closer to home, just north in Fox Point, I See London Ltd. is a women's boutique offering a wide selection of clothing and accessories.

Pick 'n Save and Sam’s Club are nearby outlets for residents to stock up on everyday household groceries or to buy in bulk. In the warmer months, locals can obtain fresh fruits and vegetables from the Brown Deer Farmer’s Market on West Brown Deer Road and 66th Street.