by Green Bay, Wisconsin is known around the world primarily because the Green Bay Packers puts this city of just over 100,000 on the map; it’s the smallest city in the United States to host a professional team in one of the four major sports. Lambeau Field is the major destination for visitors, with stadium tours, the Packers Hall of Fame, the tasty 1919 Kitchen & Tap, and walking the Packers Heritage Trail around the Titletown District to explore the team’s unique and storied history in the great outdoors all fun options. But there are many ways to discover Green Bay – the city and region – beyond the Packers games, Training Camp, and more.
As Wisconsin’s oldest city, third largest, and one of its more storied, Green Bay offers plenty to enjoy. No matter the season, it’s a great time to dive in and explore it all: museums, heritage sites, zoos, gardens, natural wonders, trails, a casino, and a bevy of breweries and wineries. Let’s explore!
Here’s your handy State Trunk Tour guide to enjoying Green Bay beyond Packers games with these fun attractions:
National Railroad Museum
2285 S. Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54304
(920) 437-7623, Website
Train enthusiasts HAVE to check out the National Railroad Museum, sitting about a mile east of Lambeau Field just off Highway 32/Ashland Avenue. This remarkable indoor/outdoor museum hosts locomotives you can tour, including the famous Union Pacific “Big Boy,” the famous electric GG-1, the sleek 1950’s-era General Motors Aerotrain, the Dwight D. Eisenhower (the only A4 Class locomotive in the U.S.), a historic Pullman train outfit inside the way it was for passengers and porters – and more. The National Railroad Museum is open seven days a week, although times vary throughout the year. The Polar Express train rides run November 17th – December 10th this season!
You’ll find the National Railroad Museum a few blocks east of Highway 32/Ashland Avenue, just north of the Highway 172 freeway. And yes, you’ll have to cross some railroad tracks to get to it.
Bay Beach Amusement Park
1313 Bay Beach Road, Green Bay, WI 54302
(920) 448-3365, Website
Bay Beach dates back to 1892, making it one of the oldest still-operating amusement parks in the nation. It featured a roller coaster as early as 1901! Still sporting “retro charm,” Bay Beach Amusement Park is home to the catchily-named and fun Zippin’ Pippin’ roller coaster, the design of which dates back to the 1920s; it was reconstructed with new materials using the original design in 2011. A series of older rides are decked out with signs tracing their history, such as the Tilt-A-Whirl. A Ferris wheel offers great views of the park, the city, and the waters of Green Bay; bumper cars, concessions, games, and more help complete the experience and it’s all tied together with train rides on a small gauge line which runs through much of the park area. Bay Beach offers family fun and really good prices – rides are only 20 CENTS each!
The park closes after Labor Day and we’ll have to wait until late April or early May to enjoy the rides again. But keep this in mind for later this year!
Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
1660 E. Shore Drive, Green Bay, WI 54302
(920) 391-3671, Website
Literally next door to the amusement park, you can commune with nature in Green Bay. The Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary covers nearly a full square mile, serving as an urban refuge for tons of birds and animals, many of whom use the area as a stop while on migrating patterns (it makes sense, since it’s at the foot of the long waters of Green Bay at the end of Lake Michigan.) Along miles of walking and cross-country skiing trails, you’ll find live animal exhibits, educational displays, and observation spots. Along with trails, you go fish in the sanctuary at certain times in designated spots; call ahead for specifics. The Sanctuary is open daily from 8am to 4:30pm. There’s also an Observation Building (where you can buy corn to feed the wildife) and the Nature Center; both are open 10am – 3pm and face masks will be required for the time being while inside those buildings. It’s a great spot to appreciate nature and relax, and it’s just blocks off I-43.
Green Bay Botanical Garden
2600 Larsen Road, Green Bay, WI 54303
(920) 490-9457, Website
Green Bay Botanical Garden is on the west side of town off Packerland Drive – an appropriate street name for the area – at the west end of Larsen Road, just a little west of I-41 and southwest of Highways 29 & 32. GBBG, and it abbreviates to, opened in 1996 and features 47 acres of gardens blooming with roses and native plants… even apples! This fall’s flora includes Japanese bloodgrass, Cool as Ice fescue, blue cardinal flowers, Little Goldstar black-eyed Susans, Bad Hair Day switchgrass, Jazzberry Jam hibiscus, and a lot more.
During summer, The Gardens are open daily from 9am – 8pm. By September, they close at 6:30. From October-November 13th, they’re open 9am-5pm; by November 16th, it closes at 4pm (timing with when it gets dark out, of course.) From Thanksgiving weekend through New Year’s, Green Bay Botanical Garden hosts the exceptional WPS Garden of Lights, which is a truly spectacular show of colored lights to go with the splendor of the gardens, even in the late fall and early winter months.
Here’s a video tour of the grounds to help you prepare:
Heritage Hill State Park
2640 S. Webster Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54301
(920) 448-5150, Website
Perched above the Fox River on the southern end of Green Bay, Heritage Hill is a living history park that evokes the era of early settlement and 19th century life in northeastern Wisconsin. Covering 56 acres, the park includes 24 historic and reproduced buildings. The complex is fantastic for walking and exploring, and very family-friendly. Heritage Hill has more than 6,600 artifacts in its collection, some on loan from the Green Bay & De Pere Antiquarian, Brown County Historical Society, and Wisconsin Historical Society. This includes original artwork, books, clothing and furnishings dating from the 17th century to present. One unique piece in Tank Cottage is a hand painted screen that belonged to the Tank family. Overall, you get to see the structures, walk the paths, and enjoy beautiful views that reveal the Fox River, Lambeau Field in the distance, and a lot of the surrounding area. It’s right next to junction of Highways 57 & 172.
NEW Zoo & Adventure Park
4378 Reforestation Road, Green Bay, WI 54313
(920) 434-7841, Website
“NEW” (which stands for “NorthEast Wisconsin”) Zoo & Adventure Park is just northwest of the city of Green Bay, west of I-41/U.S. 141. The Zoo offers a wide variety of animals to see and learn about. Sections include the Northern Trails, where you can see the likes of moose and tamarins; the Wisconsin Trails, with sandhill cranes, turkeys, and white-tailed deer; Australia, featuring emus, snow leopards, and macaws; Africa, with lions, goats, sheep, and alligators; a Children’s Petting Zoo, with accessible llamas and alpacas, plus goats and sheep. They include pygmy goats Brennan and Dale; you can even feed them treats! They also have a red wolf, a mountain lion, lynx and bobcats, and penguins – plus, they just got a fire-bellied toad in their reptile section. The grounds also offer a multitude of trails for biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing. The NEW Zoo Boo, a fun event for the whole family, runs Fridays and Saturdays through October.
Neville Public Museum
210 Museum Place, Green Bay, WI 54303
(920) 448-4460 , Website
Located right in the heart of downtown Green Bay where Dousman Street (U.S. 141) crosses the Fox River, the Neville Public Museum of Brown County champions history, science and art with a focus on collecting and preserving significant objects relevant to both Northeastern Wisconsin and Michigan’s U.P. They just opened their Generations Gallery, which offers a fascinating look at archeology and how the land and those living here adapted and changed over millennia, from the Ice Age through the Fur Trade into the Industrial Age to today. Cooperation and conflict are examined, and over 1,000 artifacts share the story. They even move into the recent past with an exhibit showing the typical American home kitchen from the 1930s to the 1950s so you can see what’s changed – or what’s still the same. Other temporary exhibits can include things like Amazing Dinosaurs, which offers like-like recreations of both younger and older dinosaurs across multiple settings. Kids (and you) can discover when various species roamed the Earth, dig for hatchlings and adult dinosaur fossils, explore a dinosaur habitat, and more.
Hazelwood Historic House Museum
1008 S. Monroe Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54301
(920) 437-1840, Website
Hazelwood is Green Bay’s only historic house still open to the public that remains on its original site, and it offers a great look into the 19th century. Constructed in 1837 by the Martin family, this Greek Revival house features 10 rooms filled with much of its original furnishings, all decorated to fully reflect on the 1880s and 1890s Victorian period. Located in the historic Astor District, it’s right along Highway 57 (Monroe Avenue at this point) just east of the Fox River’s banks. Tours are available; some walking tours, some involving tea… you have choices. Check out the options here or call (920) 437-1840.
The Automobile Gallery
400 S. Adams Street, Green Bay, WI 54301
(920) 437-9024 , Website
The Automobile Gallery is a fantastic, well-maintained classic car collection that includes some one-of-a-kind models, all on display. The building was a Cadillac dealership from 1958 to 1997, so it was no stranger to showcasing vehicles; “More Guggenheim than garage” is a description they have on their website. Vehicles on display range from a 1912 Maxwell to a 1963 Corvette to a 2016 Shelby Hertz; fans of Back to the Future can sit in a 1981 DeLorean DMC-12. As of this writing, guest collections on display include a 1953 Hudson Hornett; a 1923 T-Bucket; a 1949 Buick Super Sedanette; a 1965 Porsche 356C; a 1989 Camaro Iroc, a 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo, and the 1967 Bart Starr MVP Convertible Corvette. The Automobile Gallery is usually open seven days a week and typically 9am – 3pm, although private events sometimes take the space. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for Children 7-17, Seniors (62+), Veterans, and Students with ID. Active military and kids 6 and under are admitted free. The Gallery is just west of Highway 57 and just north of Highway 54 (Mason Street), which is like a mini-freeway briefly as it leapfrogs the Fox River.
Children’s Museum of Green Bay
1230 Bay Beach Road, Green Bay, WI 54302
(920) 432-4397, Website
The Children’s Museum of Green Bay offers programs designed to be fun and interesting. Interactive, learning-oriented exhibits include The Fire Station, The Diner, The Farmer’s Market, The Vet Clinic, The Backyard, The Imagination Station, the Outdoor Discovery Center, and one that will generate giggles for kids and adults alike on the Digestive System – and yes, all the words are there describing gastrointestinal reactions.
You can call (920) 432-4397 or go to gbchildrensmuseum.org to get more details. The Bay Beach Amusement Park and Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary are both just a few blocks away, too!
Oneida Casino
Main location: 2020 Airport Drive, Green Bay, WI 54313
(800) 238-4263, Website
Hosted by the Oneida Nation, Oneida Casino sits right across from Green Bay’s Austin Straubel International Airport and is attached to the newly renovated Radisson Hotel & Conference Center. It’s their flagship location; additional locations with slots and games can be found at 2522 W. Mason Street (Highway 54) and a stone’s throw away along Airport Drive at the Irene Moore Activity Center. Oneida offers numerous slot machines, table games, and bingo. Poker games are available, too. Their Sky World Coffee and Custard is a draw in itself!
Meyer Theater
117 S. Washington Street, Green Bay, WI 54301
(920) 433-3333, Website
This beautiful, historic venue opened as the Fox Theater in 1930, the first theater in the Midwest affiliated with the FOX Theaters Corporation – the same company that owned 20th Century Fox Productions. Originally a house for vaudeville as well as showing movies (remember, “talkies” were only three years along at this point), the theater has hosted many performers through the years including Liberace, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Roy Rogers (and his horse Trigger), Dale Evans, The Mills Brothers, Lawrence Welk, The Beach Boys and Johnny Cash. The theater was also called the Bay Theater and for twenty years was a movie theater tri-plex. In 2002 after a remodel largely funded by a local foundation, it re-opened as the Robert T. Meyer Theater. Today, it hosts a variety of productions including plays, music concerts, comedians, and movies. You can also enjoy the largely original light fixtures, marvel at the ornate decor, and perhaps even hear the original Mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ. See their schedule here. The Theater is just off Highways 29 and 57, downtown.
Ariens Hill & Skating Rink at HyVee Plaza
1941 True Lane, Green Bay, WI 54304
(920) 569-7505, Website
Located in the heart of the Titletown District on the block north of Lambeau Field, HyVee Plaza offers the chance to go up high on Ariens Hill or skate below on a beautiful rink that’s better than your standard oval. Ariens Hill opened in 2017 and immediately added a cooler vibe to Green Bay winters. Punctuated by a 46-foot incline offering snow-covered grass for tubing in the winter, the area is essentially a multi-use park complete with a playground, football fields, and the rink will make you want to skate for hours. There’s a restaurant called 46 Below under Ariens Hill, and a refreshment stand is often open. You’re also wedged right in between Kohler Lodge and Hinterland Brewing. Kroll’s West (one of the two classic Kroll’s burger joints in the city) and a ton of restaurants and stores are right on the other side, so there’s a lot to do and see right around you in the shadow of Lambeau.
Fox River Kayaking Company
The Draw, 800 S. Lawe Street, Appleton, WI 54915
(920) 931-4311, Website
The Fox River follows a northward flow into the city of Green Bay and waters of Green Bay into Lake Michigan; it’s one of the few northward-flowing rivers in North America. Harnessed by a series of locks from Lake Winnebago to Green Bay itself, the Fox River is great for kayaking and canoeing. Fox River Kayaking Company offers rentals and guides for a pleasure paddle up and down the waters of entire rivers, rapids and locks included, but that last big stretch from the lock in De Pere to downtown Green Bay offers the calmest waters and some great views, including of St. Norbert College, Heritage Hill, downtown bridges and buildings, even Lambeau Field on a clear day. For $60/person, you can paddle all day and cover some serious ground… or, to be more accurate, water. You can get details on the Green Bay paddle stretch and book online here.
Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries
Green Bay and the surrounding area has seen an explosion of fermentation over the past 5-10 years. Craft breweries, wineries, and even a distillery have opened their doors to a thirsty public taking advantage of all the great science and artistic skill the makers of these fine products apply to their offerings. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Titletown Brewing Company
320 N. Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54303
(920) 437-2337, Website
Titletown Brewing opened in 1996, flush with excitement during Green Bay’s first championship run since the 1967 season. They launched in the city’s Rail Yard District, right inside the original classic train station where so many passengers arrived to and departed from the city – including many Packers players through the early years on their way to and from games. You can still enjoy Titletown taps in this space today at 200 Dousman Street, right along U.S. 141. Titletown’s larger Tap Room, restaurant, and brewery initially expanded, then full moved into an adjacent building at 320 N. Broadway, right across the parking lot. This complex, now dubbed the Titletown Beerworks, also includes event space and a terrific rooftop deck with downtown views. Their signature beers include the Johnny “Blood” Red Irish Irish Red Ale, Green 19 IPA, 400 Honey Ale, Boathouse Bohemian Pilsner, Dark Helmet Schwartzbier, and Hopulation American Pale Ale. They also make their Sno-Cap Root Beer, a great old fashioned root beer. Titletown offers tours starting in their Roof Tap room. It’s $10 for adults, which includes four 6-oz. pours and a souvenir pint glass. Designated drivers can tour for $5 and get three root beers and a glass; under 21s can get the tour for free along with one free root beer.
Copper State Brewing Company
313 Dousman Street (U.S. 141), Green Bay, WI 54303
(920) 489-8575, Website
Copper State Brewing opened in what was originally Hinterland’s space in downtown Green Bay. Across the street you’ll find Titletown Brewing; across the lawn towards the river you’ll find the Neville Public Museum. So yes, the location is pretty darn good. So is the beer, with a variety of styles available. They also brew coffee; the building actually opens up at 6:30am to serve hot java for thirsty patrons who want to shale the cobwebs off, as well as chais and teas, milk and other beverages, along with snacks to get people going – or sustaining.
Their Tap Room for their 16 beers currently available is open Monday – Thursday, 11am – 9pm; Friday & Saturday 11am – 10pm, and they’re closed on Sundays. Copper State’s kitchen offers up a variety of pub fare, including burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and salads. Apps include Thai Brussels Sprouts, Jerk Chicken Tacos, and Fried Cheese Curds battered in their Stilt Stepper IPA, served with a House Bloody Mary Sauce. They also offer tours Saturday at 1pm and 3pm, and by appointment.
Hinterland Brewing Company
1001 Lombardi Avenue, Ashwaubenon, WI 54304
(920) 438-8050, Website
Hinterland started out in downtown Green Bay, where the aforementioned Copper State is today. For several years, they also operated a restaurant and tap room in Milwaukee. They’re focused solely on Green Bay now, with a big, architecturally inspiring brewery facility and tap room location in the Titletown District. The Tap Room and restaurant is on the ground level; their High Gravity Test Kitchen is on the second level, where they work on new menu ideas, flavor pairings, and experiment with both food and beer.
Hinterland’s widest-known beer is probably their Packerland Pilsner, which you can find in many locations across the state. The Citra Pale Ale, Luna Coffee Stout, IPA, Maple Bock, Splitty Amber Ale, and their Door County Cherry Wheat are also signature brews. Some beers Hinterland considers “groundbreakers” include their BodenBrecher Double Pilsner, Blackberry Berliner Wiesse, Paczki Imperial Stout, and their Cluster Fudge, a Chocolate Hazelnut Imperial Stout. Needless to say, this is a good place to experiment.
Badger State Brewing Company
990 Tony Canadeo Run, Green Bay, WI 54304
(920) 634-5687, Website
Badger State Brewing opened in the Titletown District in 2013 and expanded in their (initially) industrial-zoned facility about every other year since. Today, they host 15,000 square feet of brewing space and equipment, a large Tap Room, and event space all within walking distance of Lambeau and the slate of Titletown District offerings. The 24 or so offerings at Badger State vary widely, between their wide selection of crafted brews and a nice array of rotating guest taps. Some of Badger State’s signature beers – some available in cans, some on tap – include the BRW-SKI light Lager, Buzzy Badger Brown Coffee Ale, Porte des Morts Maple Porter, Golden Daze Pale Ale, On Wisconsin Red Ale, Walloon Witbier, Green Chop Session IPA, Cinnaster Scotch Ale, Mashing Pumpkins Ale (yes, just one letter missing from the name of the band), and their Chile Gordo Smoked Jalapeno Porter. The Tap Room and outdoor seating make for great places to relax and enjoy the beers; they have limited food choices but plenty of nearby restaurants are there to take up the slack if you’re hungry. More from StateTrunkTour.com.
Noble Roots Brewing Company
2790 University Avenue, Green Bay, WI 54311
(920) 489-2974 , Website
Noble Roots owes its roots to homebrewing in 2009 by two members of the Falish family, Alex and Marvin. Today, they and the other employees serve specialty craft brews from a former service station that operated back when its University Avenue location was Highway 54/57, the primary highway northeast out of Green Bay towards Door County (those routes were relocated around 1980 when the new interchange with I-43 was constructed.) The inside serves as the brewery with a small Tap Room and bar, and additional covered seating outside.
Noble Roots offers imperial pint sizes for their tap beers (19 oz.) and half-sizes at 10oz. They can many of their beers and have them available for takeout from the Tap Room and also at select watering holes in the Green Bay area. Their beers are in two main categories: “Our Beer” which stays fairly consistent in terms of offerings, and “Garage Series,” a euphemism for their experimental brews – which consists of brave, new attempts that may fly, or flip… but that’s what experimentation is all about. My favorite – partially due to the name – was the Three Orange Whips Cream Ale, a tribute to John Candy’s character in The Blues Brothers.
Zambaldi Beer
1649 S. Webster Street, Green Bay, WI 54301
(920) 455-0473, Website
Zambaldi Beer became the culmination of one family whose cumulative love of craft beer got boosts from their individual experiences in Washington State, Munich, Germany, and even South America. Consequently, when they opened Zambaldi Beer in Green Bay on Webster Avenue just east of Highway 57, they brought it all together to offer around 15 different styles in their Tasting Room. They also feature Guest Taps from other craft brewers in the area along with wine, cider, snacks, and soda. They serve flights in stemless wine glasses, resting in muffin tins. They’re open Tuesday-Friday 3pm – 9pm, Saturdays Noon – 9pm, and Sundays Noon – 6pm. As you might have guessed, they’re closed Mondays.
Stillmank Brewing Company
215 N. Henry Street, Green Bay, WI 54302
(920) 785-2337, Website
Stillmank Brewing started up in 2011 and opened its current brewery and tap room on the city’s east side in 2014. Their most popular brew is probably the catchy (and perhaps, funky?) Wisco Disco, an ESB (Extra Special Bitter) that incorporates a little bit of milk sugar. Their Awesome Sauce is also popular with fruit ale lovers. Right now, they have 13 of their offerings on tap, with Wisco Disco alternately available as a Nitro pour. Their beers can be found in various locales around the state, especially across NE Wisconsin; to drink ’em at the source you can visit them in their Tap Room on Henry Street, between U.S. 141/Highway 29 to the south and Highway 57 to the north. Their hours are Wednesday – Friday 3pm – 9pm, Saturday Noon – 9pm, Sunday 1pm – 6pm.
Ahnapee Brewery
1824 Parkfield Court, Suamico, WI 54173
(920) 785-0895, Website
Ahnapee Brewery started to the east in Algoma along Lake Michigan, and expanded in 2020 to a new space just north of Green Bay in Suamico, right along I-41/U.S. 141. Ahnapee Brewery has 16 beers to offer, from taps and flights to bottled six-packs to go. Their roomy tap room has garage doors that allow for open-air enjoyment in warm weather. They have a number of TVs, making it a fun place to catch Packers and other games, too. Hours are Noon – 7pm Monday – Thursday, Noon – 11pm Friday and Saturday, and Noon – 8pm on Sunday.
Paradise North Distillery
101 Bay Beach Road, Green Bay, WI 54302
(920) 328-9949, Website
Paradise North Distillery is located within a stone’s throw – literally – of the mouth of the Fox River and the southern end of the waters of Green Bay. The city’s busy marina is right across the parking lot. It opened in 2021, owned by the Feld family.
Paradise North crafts artisan spirits including rum, whiskey, and vodka. They offer tours, tastings, and events but of course you can just join them in the tasting room or the patio out front (where you can watch people navigate with their boat trailers) and just enjoy their spirits on-site.
Green Bay Distillery
835 Mike McCarthy Way, Green Bay, WI 54304
(920) 393-4403, Website
Green Bay Distillery operates in a large building designed to host events, concerts, and other activities involving pre- or post-Packers games, or just for special events for the community and families. While they don’t distill in the building, they do offer their Green Bay Vodka brand in a wide variety of beverage concoctions along with a large (large!) selection of beers – most from Wisconsin – and a really good restaurant. It’s a big, roomy place for watching games, live music, or just socializing – at proper distances. They also have video games, hoops, and other activities to keep the kids (or you) busy.
Captain’s Walk Winery
345 S. Adams Street, Green Bay, WI 54301
(920) 431-9255 , Website
Located in a historic house on the southern edge of downtown Green Bay, Captain’s Walk Winery is a sister winery to Von Stiehl out of nearby Algoma. Calling itself a “venue for vinifera,” Captain’s Walk Winery offers tastings in two rooms of this beautiful house along with a market. You can enjoy snacks with your wine samples, including truffle palates, cheese plates (they have a nice variety to choose from in their market) and crackers. Along with the tasting rooms, you can enjoy their porch out front or the lounge on the second floor. They’re open Monday 11am – 5pm, Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 7pm, and on Sundays from Noon – 4pm.
Mona Rose Winery
2696 S. Packerland Drive, Green Bay, WI 54313
(920) 371-2995, Website
Mona Rose Winery started in 2013. Located just to the east of Austin Straubel International Airport, Mona Rose notes itself as one of Wisconsin’s premier wineries, with 19 international medals won for their wines. They focus on small batches and tend to follow the European style of winemaking, including limiting sulfites. Grapes used by Mona Rose primarily come from central California, and they usually have over 25 varieties to try. The winery’s tasting room offers samples of their wines – and bottles for sale, of course – along with specialty cheeses and chocolates for pairing. Their most popular wines are Peach on a Beach, their Big Red and Super Tuscan blends, and their Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Muscat, Riesling, and Chardonnay. If you or somebody in your group prefers micro brews, Mona Rose offers those, too. Their fermentation room is also open for public viewing.
Mona Rose Winery is open Thursdays and Fridays 4-7pm, Saturdays Noon-6, and Sundays Noon-5. Some nice walking trails are adjacent to their property, too.
Want even more information on how to enjoy Green Bay? Head to DiscoverGreenBay.com, the official site of Discover Green Bay, the area’s visitor center. Then, hit I-41, I-43, U.S. 141, or Highways 29, 32, 54, 57, or 172 to get there on a State Trunk Tour Road Trip!
