Top 6 Exciting Activities in Green Bay, Wisconsin

Milwaukee and Madison might get the most attention from visitors to Wisconsin, but Green Bay, the state’s third largest city, surprises with plenty to see and do. No, the home of the Packers is not simply a football destination—though the team does color the town green and yellow, even when the sport’s not in season. However, outdoor enthusiasts, history buffs, and even avid eaters will be impressed with what Green Bay offers for the Midwest explorer. Here’s what to do with a couple of days in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Eat Beef

According to the Wisconsin Beef Council, Wisconsin is home to 14,000 beef producers, so you’d be remiss to visit the state and eat beef from anywhere else. At Green Bay’s Cannery Public Market, local dairy farmer John Pagel of Pagel’s Ponderosa dairy farm is demonstrating the globally trending farm-to-table concept. At the Cannery—an actual converted cannery building from the early 1900s—Pagel serves his own Ponderosa Limousin beef from nearby Kewaunee County, in the form of burgers, steaks, and even a German-style pot roast. The restaurant’s accompanying market is perfect for grabbing the rest of the state’s specialties, from cheese curds to charcuterie. Moreover, Pagel’s Ponderosa farm is also open for tours, where you can learn all about what makes Wisconsin’s beef and dairy so delicious.

Learn About the Packers

Did you know that the Green Bay Packers are the only team in the NFL to be owned by shareholders instead of an individual owner? The team has 364,000 shareholders, many of whom are locals. Consequently, Green Bay’s pride for its football team is contagious. Join a stadium tour of the 81,441-seat Lambeau Field to immerse yourself in Packers history—you’ll learn about the team’s fascinating funding model and even get to walk the Players Tunnel. Fans will want to complete the tour with a visit to the Packers Hall of Fame, where you can sit at a replica of beloved former coach Vince Lombardi’s desk.

Drink Beer

Green Bay is home to numerous craft breweries—aim for one per day of your trip! From the former locker room of a converted factory, Badger State Brewing Company’s founders draw inspiration from everything Wisconsin. Visit the brewery’s tap room in the city’s Stadium District and choose from 24 beers on tap—most made by Badger State and all from Wisconsin. Look for the Walloon Witbier; this brew shares a name with the language spoken in Wallonia, the original home of the Belgian settlers who settled north of Green Bay. Furthermore, the colors of the Wallonian flag—red, yellow, and white—adorn the Walloon Witbier can.

Spend Time Outside

Green Bay is surrounded by stunning landscapes of all kinds. Aspiring botanists will enjoy a visit to the 47-acre Green Bay Botanical Gardens, which features impressive rose and conifer gardens, a children’s garden, and a new Grand Garden that will host performing arts events.

Alternatively, drive through the flat green farmland to Fonferek’s Glen County Park, home to an intriguing geological feature. Here, the dolomite cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment form the largest waterfall in Brown County (35 feet tall) along with an impressive natural arch. Note that hiking is at your own risk—although the reclaimed farmland was preserved in 1991 for its historic and geological importance, there are no marked trails, and the glen’s concealed cliffs can be treacherous. Nevertheless, a careful descent to Bower Creek rewards the curious with breathtaking views.

Wildlife enthusiasts should head to the De Pere Riverwalk, where spawning sturgeon, walleye, salmon, pelicans, and even the occasional bald eagle can be spotted. The short sidewalk winds through a system of canal locks before extending out into the Fox River, where ice fishermen make their appearance during the colder months.

Go Back in Time in a WWII Submarine

In Manitowoc, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum educates visitors on the fascinating history of the Great Lakes “water highway,” used for trading, immigration, and shipping. An estimated 6,000 to 10,000 shipwrecks along historic Great Lakes shipping routes are preserved due to the cold fresh water, and the Wisconsin State Historical Society is lobbying for National Marine Sanctuary designation for 40 shipwrecks across an area of 1,100 square miles.

The Maritime Museum features an extensive interactive model ship gallery, but the museum’s most notable exhibit is located in the Manitowoc River. As the town once served as a manufacturing center for submarines, it makes sense that the Maritime Museum has housed the USS Cobia WWII submarine since 1970—one of the best-preserved WWII subs in the country. In its lifetime, the Cobia sank 13 ships, rescued seven downed airmen, and served six tours of duty. Today, guests can tour the tight quarters of the 1943 sub that originally housed 80 crew members and even stay overnight!

Admire Old Cars

It’s no surprise that the owner of a successful chain of car washes transitioned into collecting classic cars. That is precisely what Red Lewis did, displaying 50 cars at the not-for-profit Automobile Gallery, located in a state-of-the-art warehouse on the site of an old Cadillac dealership. The collection ranges from a 1917 Milburn Electric—”the original green automobile”—to a 1981 DeLorean, and beyond.

(As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with some discounted services for review purposes. While this has not influenced this review, iBestTravel believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.)