There’s More to Green Bay Than the Packers

Oh my Lord…I’m going straight to hell with that headline, but there it is…there IS more to Green Bay than the Packers. Who knew?!

First of all, let’s clear up exactly where Green Bay is located. Believe it or not, there are some people who don’t have a clue… “Ah, that’s in Wisconsin, right?” Seriously? Yeah, I’ve heard that more times than I’d like to admit. Now, work with me on this one.  Hold your left hand up in front of you with the back of your hand facing you. Make your hand look like a mitten. See the bottom crook of the thumb? That’s Green Bay!

The whole area, not only northeast Wisconsin, but the whole state, really has an amazing and colorful history. I’ll save that for another piece. Suffice to say, there’s no shortage of really cool things to do, see and experience, historical and otherwise, when visiting Wisconsin.

So, let’s talk Green Bay

French explorer Jean Nicolet was the first European settler to Green Bay in 1634 with his landing at Red Banks on the east side of Green Bay. The city’s name came from its original French “La Baye” or “La Baie Vert”… The Green Bay. Nicolet’s settlement was one of the oldest European settlements in America. When he arrived, he met with Native American tribes called Menominee and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago tribe), and established fur trade with them. Those tribes continue to flourish in this area.

Weird Words

As you travel through Green Bay, you’ll encounter many words that date back to our original founding people – Allouez (al-oh-way); Langlade (lang-lade); Nicolet (nick-oh-lay); Grignon (green-yo); Porlier (poor-leer); along with many Native American words like Ashwaubenon (ash-wau-ben-on); Potowatami (pot-a-wat-a-mee); Oneida (oh-nigh-da); and Shawano (shaw-no).  And by the way…we don’t have an accent, I’m just sayin’!

Of course, you can’t miss the city’s tie to the Green Bay Packers, dating back to 1919. You’ll find players’ names on our streets around Lambeau Field in particular. Finally, know that a simple river, the Fox River, has always and will forever divide the city into East and West.  I was born and raised on the west side, and I will die on the west side…that’s just the way it is, and a long-standing joke to us natives. We pack a lunch when we need to go across the river!

Weather Center

Summers are beautiful; winter is a weather crapshoot. Be sure to pack clothing you can layer. Mornings and evenings can be cool. Daytime can reach well over 90° F in the summer. Winters, well…they’re just damn cold, usually snowy, sometimes icy…generally miserable. What more can I say except that if you visit in winter, don’t be a whiner, ‘kay?

If you’re coming July 1 through at least January 1, watch the Packers schedule for training camp and game dates. While we have a ton of hotels, space is sketchy once Packers are in motion, especially game days. Packers training camp is pretty cool, and you can learn more in my Packers Immersion post.

Getting There…Getting Around

It’s easy to get around Green Bay, whether by rental car, Lyft, Uber, cabs or city bus line. We even have an international airport (airport code: GRB)!  Check your flights – it’s sometimes less expensive to fly into Milwaukee (airport code: MKE) and drive to Green Bay (about 1.5 hours), or even into Appleton (airport code: ATW), which is just 30 minutes south. Just make sure you’ve updated your map apps. As the saying goes, we have two seasons – Winter and Road Construction. Street names, roadway routing and new developments are the name of the game. I sometimes feel like a tourist in my own town! Have no fear though…we’re a might friendly bunch, happy to give you directions.  And, we’ll try not to direct by landmarks…fair warning!

So, besides you-know-who in green & gold, what else can you do in Green Bay? Here are my favorites, in no particular order. All are free or very inexpensive, all have a historical twist to them, are terrific if you’re a photography nut,  are easy drives in and around Green Bay, and are guaranteed to give you insight into the people and generosity that built this Midwest community.

Top 10 Things to Do & See in Green Bay Besides the Packers

1. Green Bay Botanical Garden – oh my, this place is a peaceful place; a photographer’s dream. GBBG is 100% community supported, 47-acre site. Its history dates back to 1968 when a handful of community citizens formed the
   

   Green Bay Botanical Garden Copyright: Untamed Parody

   Gardener’s Club. The Garden opened to the public in 1996 after years of hard work by many community hands. Just 23.5 acres are currently developed, but the garden changes and grows every season. They have phenomenal programs, whether educational or entertaining. http://www.bggb.org

2. NEW Zoo – back in the 1800s, Brown County purchased nearly 1600 acres which became known as the Reforestation Camp. It became part of the county park system, and by the mid-1950s ponds were dug and stocked, hiking and ski trails developed, and native animals like deer, bear, and timber wolves were exhibited. In 1985, the county ceased capital funding, and since then all animal exhibits and improvements are funded by the NEW Zoological Society, and private donations. They also have an Adventure Park, which includes an adventure course, zip lines and climbing tower, and miles of woodland hiking trails. The NEW Zoo is one of only seven Association of Zoos & Aquariums accredited in the country that does not receive any local or regional tax support. It is a beautiful place to spend a day. When you go, be sure to check out the giraffes and lions (my favorites!)…such amazing animals…but watch out for the peacocks. They’ll appear when you least expect it! www.newzoo.org
3. Bay Beach Amusement Park – the park opened in the 1890s, originally intended to be a summer cottage rental spot. The original owner added a dance hall, bar, and bathhouse, but because the area was swampy, mosquitoes ran off the visitors! In the early 1900s, the next owner built a long pier and starting giving steamboat rides from a downtown bridge to the Beach. At the time, it was a sandy beach area and swimming became popular. In 1911, the Beach was sold again, then ultimately 11 acres were donated to the City of Green Bay, along with the buildings and attractions. It then became known as Bay Beach Park. Folks, if you want a super inexpensive, super fun, old-fashioned amusement day with your family, this is it! Bay Beach has all the traditional, old-timey rides, concessions, bumper cars, and a ton of green space and picnic area. And…it has the Zippin’ Pippin’, the 100-year old wooden roller coaster, transported from Memphis, Tennessee, that was Elvis’s favorite! But get a load of this….tickets are 25-cents each, with the most expensive ride at $1.00 (4 tickets!) That’s crazy, man. When I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, rides were ten-cents! There are more new rides coming, as part of a multi-year master plan. But the focus right now is re-opening the beach area for swimming.  Oh, my dad would be so happy to hear that. He spent his childhood at that park and on that beach, year-round!  https://greenbaywi.gov/445/Bay-Beach
4. Heritage Hill – now this is an interesting one. This is a 48-acre “open-air” museum in the heart of Green Bay (technically in Allouez), that’s a partnership between with Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Heritage Hill Foundation. The site has over 30 endangered buildings and structures, dating back to the 19^th century, that were moved to that site starting back in 1977. The feeling was that if these structures where in one place, with ongoing and diligent maintenance and preservation, they could stand the test of time. Today, there are over 6,000 artifacts housed at Heritage Hill, and it’s a fabulous place to learn Wisconsin history. They have many events throughout the year, including reenactments. And the cool things is that the property is arranged much like a small township. Really cool place… http://www.heritagehillgb.org
5. Neville Public Museum – the museum was started in 1915 by the Green Bay Art Club, and initially was a one-week art exhibit that took place at the library. In 1925, money was donated by Mr & Mrs George Mason of New York City with the stipulation that it be called the Neville Public Museum in honor of Mrs. Mason’s mother and father who lived in Green Bay. The new museum building opened in 1927. A new museum was finally built in the early 1980s, through the passing of a county-wide referendum, after years of argument between the City of Green Bay and Brown County. The Museum has done a great job of preserving the history of Green Bay area, and has some pretty amazing archives. As well, they bring in outside exhibits on a regular basis and they are the trail head of the Packers Heritage Trail. Until 2019, the first to-scale replica of the Twin Towers erected in the United States after 9-11 sat outside the Neville. Wear and tear has now crumbled and faded the memorial monument, and it was taken down in April 2019. http://www.nevillepublicmuseum.org
6. National Shrine of our Lady of Good Help – located approximately 25 minutes northeast of Green Bay, the Shrine is the only Marion shrine in the US. The site is over 150 years old, and is where the Blessed Virgin Mary made an appearance to a young girl named Adele Brise. The site was once a school, convent, and an orphanage. In 1871, when the Peshtigo Fire devastated much of northeast Wisconsin, it spared the site of the Shrine. Let me tell you…regardless of your faith, this is one of the most peaceful places on earth. This is well worth the visit. https://www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com/
7. The Land of Festivals – Green Bay and the surrounding area is filled with festivals throughout the year, with summer being the “heavy” season. Here, you’ll find everything from juried art shows to music festivals, heritage festivals, Civil War reenactments, harvest festivals, and car shows. There are so many events, each with their own website, that the easiest thing to do is ask “the Google” for “Green Bay Area Festivals.”
8. Fox River Tours – the cities that line the Fox River, which begins at the mouth of Green Bay (the body of water) and travels south to Lake Butte des Morts. How’s that for a funky word?  It’s pronounced Butte, like “view” with a “b” – duh – more. Wisconsin’s papermaking history, dating back to the mid-1800s, centers largely on the Fox River. Take the Fox River Tour to learn not only about the paper industry, but the settlements established along the river, the Fox Locks system and much more. The beauty of this is it’s via riverboat! Dinner cruises and motorcoach tours also available. You can pick this up either in DePere, Wisconsin or Appleton, Wisconsin. https://www.foxrivertours.com/
9. Oneida Nation – the Oneida Nation is a Native American tribe that is one of the first inhabitants of the area. Over the years, the tribe has done amazing things to recapture and preserve their language, dance, art and heritage. If you’ve never been to a pow wow, this is a must-experience. If you’re a gambler, their main casino is located in Green Bay, right across from the airport. They also have satellite casinos throughout the area.  https://exploreoneida.com/
10. The Great Chocolate Debate – if you’re from Green Bay, you’re bound to meet someone who likes “the other chocolate.” Seriously, we have three AMAZING family-owned, local chocolatiers that have been around forever. Truth be told, they’re all out of this world. But, it seems people’s choice is based on what they grew up with. My family was a Beernsten’s family (we pronounce “Bern-steens” but that’s a whole other debate!), and I remember going there with my dad specifically for their homemade suckers (butterscotch was awesome!) on a wooden stick. When they built their new building, all the original wood cabinetry was brought from the old building which dated back to 1925. https://chocolatecandies.net/ Second stop needs to be Seroogy’s, with two locations – DePere and Ashwaubenon. Their history began in 1899…My history began with a giant chocolate fudge egg, with my name written on it, for Easter as a small girl…I still love those! And, their meltaways are mouth-watering! Seriously good chocolate, and they roast some pretty great coffee, too! https://www.seroogys.com/s/ Your last comparison stop should be Kaap’s Old World Chocolates. They’ve been delighting folks since 1907, and their butter toffee and caramels are my favorites…hands down!

So, there you have it…10 GREAT things to do and see when you visit Green Bay. Be sure to plan a long weekend…you’re going to want to experience it all!