Floating Sauna Coming To Milwaukee’s Lakefront

Floating sauna rendering presented to Board of Harbor Commissioners.

A floating sauna is set to drop anchor in Milwaukee’s harbor this fall.

Television producer turned entrepreneur Zoe Lake is preparing to launch Kiln, a 10-person floating sauna.

The sauna would be attached to the Discovery World building, Pier Wisconsin, in a spot formerly occupied by the Denis Sullivan tall ship.

“In January, I visited family in Norway and was inspired by the way that Norwegians embrace winter. I was introduced to floating saunas there and I fell in love. It was fun, social and relaxing and I knew I had to find a way to bring the experience home,” said Lake in presenting the idea to the Board of Harbor Commissioners Thursday morning.

She said the concept is prevelant in northern Europe and would be a natural fit in Wisconsin. Lake said only four other U.S. cities currently offer such an experience.

“With our expansive shoreline and Nordic climate, Milwaukee is the perfect location for Wisconsin’s first floating sauna,” said Lake.

The sauna will operate in Milwaukee from November through April before floating up to Bailey’s Harbor in Door County for the summer.

Owen, Wisconsin-based Viking Floating Saunas is manufacturing the boat. A series of steel cables will keep it permanently moored to the dock and provide a fully accessible connection. It will comply with all U.S. Coast Guard regulations said Lake.

An outdoor deck will include a propane firepit and seating area. A six-foot-wide plunge area will include ladders, railings and a deicer to prevent freezing.

The indoor sauna will include two stoves, one electric and one propane. The inside of the structure, said Lake, will also including changing rooms and lockers.

Guests will be provided with towels and aroma therapy for each session.

“This is not your average gym sauna,” said Lake.

A 90-minute session will cost $85. Repeat discounts will be available and Discovery World members will also receive a discount.

Presenting her business plan, Lake said that there are about one million potential customers in the area and that expands to more than 22 million when considering tourists.

“At Kiln, we hope to appeal to those visitors who come to Milwaukee looking for a unique experience,” she said. “Our target markets include health and wellness groups like run clubs, bachelor/bachelorette and wedding parties as well as people who frequent downtown for entertainment, dining and shows.”

She said similar operations exist on Lake Superior in Duluth and Grand Marais, Minnesota. But, she said, the Duluth sauna is not Downtown, limiting its audience, and the Grand Marais is in a much smaller community. Floating saunas also exist in Seattle and, later this year, Connecticut.

A land-based sauna, Hot Spell Sauna, already operates in Milwaukee with portable saunas deployed at Zocalo Food Park, lakefront parks and private events. “I think there is plenty of room in the Milwaukee market for multiple Nordic saunas,” said Lake.

She told the board she hopes to book 300 to 500 sessions per month.

The proposal requires Board of Harbor Commissioners approval as terms of the Discovery World lease require anything attached to the building be board approved. Kiln Milwaukee will rent dock space.

The commission had plenty of questions about the concept, including why she isn’t staying year round.

“[Discovery World] leases their dock space out to paddle boat rentals and, actually, I think the fire department,” said Lake.

Alderman Peter Burgelis, serving in his first meeting as the council’s board representative, asked if she had considered testing the water quality in that area.

“I haven’t explored that yet,” said Lake.

There is also the issue of using the bathroom.

“There is an outhouse a couple feet of way in the park by the Summerfest grounds,” said Lake.

But she said she hadn’t spoken with whomever owned the portable toilet.

The commissioners encouraged her to get Discovery World to allow her customers to use its indoor restrooms. After publication, Lake told Urban Milwaukee that the Discovery World bathrooms would be used.

Burgelis also encouraged her to explore ways to make the experience accessible to “marginalized communities” who may not have even seen the lake.

“You have a great business plan, but it’s not going to relate to any of those demographics,” said Commissioner Ron San Felippo.

“It’s not that I haven’t thought about the things you brought up before, I just haven’t made those partnerships yet,” she told the commission.

The commission granted her a one-season approval.

“I think it’s a very creative, imaginative, colorful feature and again, I think will encourage people to get down there,” said board chair Timothy Hoelter. “This is exciting.”

“It’s a shame we lost the Denis Sullivan, but I think this will be a nice replacement,” said Commissioner Claude Krawczyk.

Lake is also working to make a special stop in Green Bay on the trip north. She hopes to make the sauna available during the 2025 NFL Draft, which is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors to the city.

She previously lived in New York as a producer for multiple news outlets before relocating to Chicago. “When I decided to relocate back to the Midwest, one of the huge draws for me was proximity to the lake,” said Lake.

UPDATE: This article has been updated to reflect that the Connecticut sauna is not yet operational.