Beer bars:
1. Palm Tavern in Bay View, cool bar, best bottle list
2. Nessun Dorma in Riverwest, great food cheap, good beers tap and bottle
3. Sugar Maple in Bay View, incredible tap list 48+
Brewpubs:
1. Milwaukee Ale house, third ward
2. Hinterland, third ward
3. Water Street, water street
High end food:
1. Roots, brewer's hill
2. Coquette Cafe, third ward
3. Hinterland, third ward
Cheaper food:
1. Nessun Dorma, Riverwest
2. Milwaukee Soup Co. (lunch), Downtown
3. La Fuente, southside (my favorite mexican and city famous margaritas)
Other cool things going on:
http://www.radiomilwaukee.org/goout.asp?u=http://www.meijergardens.org
Check out the lake front.
Have a burger (and a bloody mary) at Elsa's cafe on Cathedral square.
Listen to some live music at some weird Riverwest bars.
http://www.milwaukeefoodtours.com/ (Teresa is awesome and gives great tours). Really fun, informative and delicious.
PM me, I am full of awesome and might grace your stay with a visit
Seriously though, I would come hang out for a bit. If your family is coming, maybe Danika and Sibella could come with... who knows.