by It’s baseball season! And in Wisconsin, you can enjoy MLB, MiLB, American Association, and NWL (Northwoods League Collegiate Baseball) games at a variety of ballparks, each offering unique experiences. Here’s a look at each ballpark – along with its team – you can enjoy when you road trip on your State Trunk Tours.
Wisconsin hosts a wide variety of collegiate and pro league baseball teams and ballparks. Some date back 100 years, others still have that “new stadium” smell. Each has their own twist and gameday experience. If you like to road trip for baseball games, here’s where you can go!
Major League Baseball
Milwaukee: American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers
Address:
One Brewers Way
Milwaukee, WI 53214
(414) 902-4000
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2001
Capacity: 41,900
Parking:
Weekdays: $15/car general, $25 preferred; Weekends & Cubs games: $20 general, $40 preferred day of game
Obviously, the Brewers are the biggest ballclub in the state as Wisconsin’s only MLB team. Their history dates back to 1970 when they came to Milwaukee from Seattle, where the franchise spent one rough year as the Seattle Pilots before coming to the Brew City, which was still smarting from the loss of the Braves to Atlanta in 1966. The Brewers played at Milwaukee County Stadium for three decades before moving into Miller Park in 2001. The ballpark – renamed American Family Field in 2021 and often called just “AmFam” now, as we then predicted – features North America’s only fan-shaped convertible roof. Referred to by ESPN writer Bill Simmons years ago as looking like “a giant space vulva,” the pivoted roof can open and close in less than 10 minutes.
Large panes of glass allow natural grass to grow, augmented with heat lamp structures wheeled out across the field during the off-season. Its capacity, about 42,000, is actually less than County Stadium’s was – but with multiple rows of luxury boxes and plenty of amenities, it generates a lot more revenue for the team. The Brewers’ mascot is Bernie Brewer, who wears lederhosen and slides down a big slide when the Brewers hit home runs. At County Stadium, he slid into a mug of beer. When AmFam opened as Miller Park, they got rid of the beer stein and now he just slides onto a platform because… apparently they wanted to discourage people from drinking… although, I’d like to know ONE person who drank less because Bernie stopped sliding into a mug of beer.
American Family Field is a very fan- and family-friendly ballpark in the MLB, with complete access all the way around the park on the Loge/200 Level, plenty of concessions and bathrooms, and a well-appointed play area for kids involving slides, playsets, places where kids that pitch and hit baseballs, run a base length for time, and sit in giant replicas of gloves for those Instagrammable moments. The middle of the 6th inning also features the famous Sausage Race, where five forms of running meat compete in a running race in the middle of the 6th inning: a Brat, an Italian Sausage, a Polish Sausage, a Hot Dog, and a Chorizo battle it out while people make possibly legal wagers on the outcome. There’s a reason that despite being the smallest metro market in the Majors, the Brewers are always in the top half – and usually in the top ten – in attendance among all MLB ballparks.
American Family Field has plenty of attractions, including some that are accessible year-round. They include the Walk of Fame and the Wall of Honor, both of which you can examine on the outside of the stadium walls. X-Golf at American Family Field lets you practice your swing on any of seven state-of-the-art, indoor golf simulator bays over two floors – with three bays that offer expansive views of the playing field. The Brewers DO have a working brewery in the building, too: the J. Leinenkugel Barrel Yard opened in 2023 and can be visited year ’round, both during games and on non-game days, when they’re open 11am-9pm. They brew specialty beers and offer a full food menu while offering a nice view of the ballpark from left field. On non-game days, parking is free – the Brewers 2 Lot is recommended – and you can access the Barrel Yard through the doors on the northeast corner of the stadium at Field Level. It faces Highway 175/Brewers Boulevard as it hops over I-94.
The footprint of American Family Field’s predecessor, Milwaukee County Stadium, continues to some extent as an active ballpark. Named Helfaer Field after benefactors Evan & Marion Helfaer – part of the Brewers’ original investment group and continuing as a foundation – this youth facility with a Little League-compliant ballpark has its playing surface on a portion of where County Stadium’s diamond was once located. A commemorative plaque in the stands marks where the original home plate of County Stadium was specifically located. Games take place there throughout the summer, obviously scheduled to avoid Brewers home games.
The Brewers’ primary mascot is the aforementioned Bernie Brewer. The Milwaukee Brewers “Barrelman” was a mascot way back in the day and is now a secondary mascot, as his likeness also serves as an alternate logo. Don’t be surprised if you see the Barrelman dancing atop one of the dugouts during the 7th inning stretch, where in Milwaukee they not only sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” but also a rousing rendition of “Roll Out the Barrel.” Hey, you’re not gonna hear the word “tararrel” at many other big league ballparks.
American Family Field is easily accessed via:
- I-94 with a direct exit to parking lots via Mitchell Blvd (Exit 308C) or via Highway 175;
- U.S. 18/Bluemound Road, where you can enter lots via Mitchell Blvd or Story Parkway;
- Highway 175 (aka Brewers Boulevard or the Stadium Freeway), which has an exit to Canal Street and the lots directly
- Highway 59/National Avenue, where a quick shot north on Highway 175 brings you to those lots via Canal Street
(Left): Milwaukee’s American Family Field is pretty easy to spot as you travel south on Highway 175 over I-94
Minor League Baseball (MiLB)
Appleton: Neuroscience Field at Fox Cities Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Address:
2400 N. Casaloma Drive
Appleton, WI 54912
(920) 733-4152
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 1995
Capacity: 5,900
Parking:
$6 /car, $20/bus or RV
Tailgating is permitted, lots open 90 min prior to first pitch
Appleton hosts the Fox Cities’ home team, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. A “High-A” affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers, the Timber Rattlers are part of a long tradition of baseball in Appleton, which hosted the Foxes for many decades. They play at Neuroscience Field at Fox Cities Stadium (yes, it’s a mouthful), which opened in 1995 and remains a favorite venue in the minors.
When the Timber Rattlers debuted in 1995, they also launched their mascot, Fang T. Rattler. The Rattlers also have a secondary mascot named Whiffer, a teal fur character who resembles the Philly Fanatic but with way less attitude.
Appleton’s baseball stadium is also famous for its Bratzooka, which was among- if not the first – tool used at a baseball game that would launch (with air power) wrapped hot dogs and sausages into the crowd.
Extensive renovations took place at the stadium in time for the 2023 season, with new seating areas, improved player amenities, an expanded concourse that will encircle the entire stadium, and an eye-catching three-story slide. So even if you’ve been there before, this season may prove a new experience.
Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium is right along I-41 between Highways 96 and 15, accessed via Casaloma Drive in a bustling area of Grand Chute, a suburb of Appleton just north of Fox River Mall. It’s pretty easy access from all directions!
Beloit: ABC Supply Stadium, home of the Beloit Sky Carp
Address:
217 Shirland Ave.
Beloit, WI 53511
(608) 362-2272
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2021
Capacity: 3,850
Parking (Map):
Free parking spots are available in the transit lot and over 1,000 spaces are within a 10 minute walk
One of the newest stadiums in the world of Minor League Baseball, ABC Supply Stadium hosts of the “High-A” Beloit Sky Carp, an affiliate for the Miami Marlins. ABC Supply Stadium opened for the 2021 season and features artificial turf, spacious party decks and group areas, and a 5,000 square foot indoor stadium club. It also sits along the Rock River, with a beautiful bluff on the other side of the river and a view northeast towards downtown Beloit (and away from lllinois) for the fans. There’s a very cool background story on how this stadium, which replaced the aging and lackluster Pohlman Field, came to be. ABC Supply Stadium was constructed with as much local material as possible; all of the 250,000-some bricks used were made in Wisconsin. `
Located along Shirland Avenue, ABC Supply Stadium is the southernmost stadium in Wisconsin, since Illinois is literally across the street. A bend in the Rock River hugs the northwest and west sides of the property. Highway 213 borders the property to the east and turns into Illinois Route 2 at the state line. U.S. 51 just an additional block away as Grand Avenue runs through downtown. It’s mere moments from Highway 81, I-39/90, and the end of I-43.
American Association of Professional Baseball
Franklin: Franklin Field, home of the Milwaukee Milkmen
Address:
7035 S. Ballpark Drive
Franklin, WI 53152
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2019
Capacity: 4,000
Parking
Parking is FREE. Gates open one hour before game time
Promising “pro baseball that’s udderly different,” the Milwaukee Milkmen play at Franklin Field in the Milwaukee suburb of Franklin. The ballpark is part of a larger sports complex that includes “The Rock,” which offers mountain biking in summer and skiing, snowboarding, and tubing in winter. Their parking lot hosts outdoor movies – called the Milky Way Drive-In – during the warm months when the team plays away games. Franklin Field hosts not only the Milwaukee Milkmen of the American Association of Professional Baseball, but also the UW-Milwaukee Panthers baseball team.
Left: The Milwaukee Milkmen’s mascot? A cow, of course. Named Bo Vine. He wears the number 2 – percent.
Franklin Field features a number of specialty seats and opportunities for enjoying the game, including the MOSH Dugout & Scout sections, which gives you the same sight-lines and angles that the managers and scouts have – except you’re not working. The Leinenkugel Hop Yard, next to and above the bullpen, is an area for entertaining groups, clients, parties and more which offers views of the game from the left field line and picnic style seating or on top of the shipping container concessions at the Zuern Deck. The Educators’ Credit Union Pastures offers lawn seating sections beyond the left wall and along the right field line for fans and families to throw a blanket down and watch in a relaxed setting. They have the Ascension Club Level as a skybox type of seating,
The complex offers a Luxe Golf with six bays so you can swing the wrenches, available all these time whether or not the Milkmen are in season. Parking at the games is FREE with plentiful spots available amongst the lots of serve both the main ballpark and other facilities in the complex. It’s just off Highway 36/Loomis Road in Franklin a few miles northeast of Highway 100/U.S. 45 and southwest of I-43/894. The entrance is off 76th Street and Rawson Avenue, accessible via exit ramps from Highway 36.
Oconomowoc: Wisconsin Brewing Company Park, home of the Lake Country DockHounds
Address:
1011 Blue Ribbon Circle N.
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
(262) 468-7750
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2022
Capacity: 3,461
Parking
Parking is $5 for cars and $10 for buses in the adjacent lots provided
Still shiny and new, Wisconsin Brewing Company Field debuted last year for the inaugural season of the expansion Lake Country DockHounds. The Lake Country DockHounds just had their first season in 2022 and that was also the inaugural season for Wisconsin Brewing Company Park, perched right along I-94 at the Highway 67 exit to Oconomowoc. With an official capacity of 3,461, Eric Paulsen (the head State Trunk Tour guy) was part of the opening home night that had a crowd of 3,999.
Along with grandstand seating, Wisconsin Brewing Company Park features an upper picnic area and the Baird Wealth Management Club for events. The DockHounds have Louie the mascot as well as Colt, their official “bat dog,” who runs out, fetches bats, and brings them back to the dugout.
The stadium now includes the DockHaus, a Lake Louie Brewing 5-barrel brewery operated by Wisconsin Brewing Company. Debuting in April 2023, the DockHaus is where they brew beer on-site, including new products for testing before they would otherwise ramp up production at the main brewery in Verona. It’s on the Baird Wealth Management Club level, an indoor-outdoor facility that also hosts events. Wollersheim Winery, located on Highway 188 near Prairie du Sac and Sauk City, sponsors the stadium’s outdoor wine garden if that’s more your style. There are also slides and other fun kids’ activities, especially past right field.
Wisconsin Brewing Company Park is located right at I-94 and Highway 67 in Oconomowoc, next to Wisconsin Harley-Davidson. It’s about 3 miles south of Highway 16 and 3 miles north of U.S. 18. Access is available via County DR, which was the original Highway 30 and main Madison to Milwaukee route before they built the Interstate. Hey, might as well as the historic road trip context even thought it’s such a new ballpark!
Northwoods League
The Northwoods League is a collegiate summer baseball league comprised of teams made up of top college players from all around the country. Formed in 1994, the league currently has 22 teams located in Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Canada; Wisconsin has 9 of them.
Teams play 72 games scheduled over a 76-day season running from late May to mid-August. The Northwoods League has more teams, draws more fans and plays more games than any other summer collegiate baseball league. Stadiums across their host cities offer a variety of game day experiences.
Eau Claire: Carson Park, home of the Eau Claire Express
Address:
702 Carson Park Drive
Eau Claire, WI 54703
(715) 839-7788
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 1937
Capacity: 4,700
Parking
Parking is FREE in the adjacent lot
One of the more historic ballparks in the Upper Midwest and certainly in the Northwoods League, Carson Park hosted its first game in 1937 and has had a remarkable history. Nestled near Half Moon Lake along the Chippewa River, the ballpark is part of the larger Carson Park, a major city park with amenities from a lumberjack museum to train rides and plenty of recreational areas.
Perhaps most famously, Hank Aaron played here early in his career. He started in the minor leagues for the Eau Claire Bears in 1952 before making a rapid rise through the Braves organization, which led him to Jacksonville the following year before being upped to the Milwaukee Braves in 1954, which ultimately led him to Atlanta, where he famously broke Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1974. He joined the Milwaukee Brewers in 1975 and finished his playing career in Wisconsin the following season. He was a first ballot Baseball Hall of Famer in 1982 and was inducted into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 for his work with the Bears, Braves, and Brewers. A statue of him is right out front. Hall of Famers Joe Torre and Bob Uecker later played for the Bears at Carson Park.
Carson Park is located near the Eau Claire’s downtown, accessible via Menomonie Street and other nearby city streets – including Lake Street directly from downtown – within minutes from I-94, U.S. 12/Clairemont Avenue, U.S. 53, or Highways 37, 93, or 310.
Fond du Lac: Herr-Baker Field, home of the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders
Address:
980 E. Division Street
Fond du Lac, WI 54935
(920) 907-9833
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2013
Capacity: 2,000
Parking
Parking is FREE in the adjacent lot
Noted as one of the “finest Division III College Athletic Facilities in the nation,” Herr-Baker Field is home to Fond du Lac’s Marian University athletics. When the Fond du Lac Dock Spiders joined as a Northwoods League expansion team in 2017, they made Herr-Baker Field their home. They actually came about as a result of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers – an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers – partnering with Marian University to get the team started. They’ve seen some pretty good success, winning the NWL championship in 2018 and the NWL Wisconsin-Illinois Pod Championship in 2020.
Herr-Baker Field is located on the east side of Fond du Lac on the Marian University campus. It’s a few blocks south of Highway 23, the main east-west artery through town, via Prairie Road. Division Street east from town connects you directly, and the U.S. 151 expressway bypass also passes just to the east. I-41, U.S. 45, and Highway 175 also bring you to Fond du Lac and within a few miles of the ballpark.
Green Bay: Capital Credit Union Park, home of the Green Bay Rockers
Address:
2231 Holmgren Way
Ashwaubenon, WI 54304
(920) 497-7225
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2019
Capacity: 3,359
Parking
Parking is FREE in adjacent lots
Capital Credit Union Park, off Holmgren Way not far from the Titletown District in Ashwaubenon. When it opened in 2019, the baseball team was called the Green Bay Booyah. They’re now the Rockers. Capacity is just under 3,400. The stadium also hosts the Green Bay Voyageurs FC, a USL League Two team.
You can simply follow Holmgren Way to get to Capital Credit Union Park, just blocks west of Highway 32/Ashland Avenue. I-41 and Highway 172 are freeways that flank within a mile or so of the park, with quick access. Highways 29, 54, 57, and U.S. 141 also bring you into Green Bay and within minutes of Holmgren Way and the nearby Titletown District.
La Crosse: Copeland Park, home of the La Crosse Loggers
Address:
1130 N. Copeland Park Dr.
La Crosse, WI 54603
(608) 796-9553
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2003
Capacity: 3,550
Parking
Parking is FREE
The La Crosse Loggers fired up play in Copeland Park – aka “The Lumberyard” in 2003. They play within a moonshot of the Black River shortly before it runs into the Mississippi. In 2023, flood waters actually creeped up into the ballpark a bit, but that receded and they’re all good for the season.
The 2023 spring flooding brought the waters of the Black & Mississippi River system into parts of left field at Copeland Park for a spell, but they were good to go in time for the start of the 2023 NWL season.
The Loggers Party Deck, aka the Northwestern Mutual Club Deck, is in the right field corner. In true historical La Crosse fashion, they offer Old Style Beer at the ballpark on select Thursdays and during special promotions. That classic beer, still popular in the Chicago area, was brewed at G. Heileman Brewing in La Crosse from 1902 until the 1990s. That brewery complex, south of downtown La Crosse, lives in as the City Brewery.
You can get to Copeland Park for a Loggers game via U.S. 53, which its abuts. You can get close via I-90 from the north, Highways 16 and 35 from the east, and U.S. 14/61 and Highway 33 from the south. Copeland Park is about five minutes north of downtown La Crosse via U.S. 53.
Kenosha: Simmons Field, home of the Kenosha Kingfish
Address:
7817 Sheridan Rd/Hwy 32
Kenosha, WI 53143
(262) 653-0900
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 1920
Capacity: 3,218
Parking
FREE in Lot A along Highway 32/Sheridan or Lot B east of the ballpark. Additional C & D lots are a block south
Historic Simmons Field, which opened way back in 1920. Simmons makes mattresses, and the team that originally played there were the Simmons Bedmakers. The stands were re-built in 1930 after a fire, and those grandstands have remained since.
In 1947, The Simmons Company sold the field and Kenosha made it available for use by the city’s women’s professional baseball team, the Kenosha Comets, in 1948. The Comets, of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, the league made famous by the 1992 film “A League of Their Own”, had played in Kenosha at Lakefront Stadium since the league was founded in 1943. The team played at Simmons Field from 1948 until their final season in 1951. The Kenosha Pirates, a semi-pro football team, played there in the 50s and 60s The Kenosha Twins, a Single-A minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, played there from 1984 until 1992, when the team moved to Fort Wayne.
In 2014, the Northwoods League expanded with the Kenosha Kingfish and the games are fun and busy. The UW-Parkside baseball team also began playing their games at Simmons Field in 2019.
You’ll find historic Simmons Field right along Highway 32/Sheridan Road a little south of Highway 50/63rd Avenue. It’s about a mile south of downtown Kenosha, where Highway 158 terminates at Highway 32. It’s less than 15 minutes east of I-41/94 and less than 10 minutes east of Highway 31/Green Bay Road. Highway 165 also brings you to Highway 32 to access the ballpark from the south.
Madison: The Duck Pond at Warner Park, home of the Madison Mallards
Address:
2920 N. Sherman Ave.
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 246-4277
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 1982
Capacity: 6,750
Parking
Parking is FREE in the adjacent lot
The Duck Pond at Warner Park – East side of Madison. The stadium was built in 1982 and hosted a number of baseball teams for the city prior to the Mallards starting up in 2001, but the park has seen plenty of improvements over the years. In 2011, a new grandstand, club area and VIP deck behind home plate debuted, with some stadium seats coming from Camden Yards in Baltimore. They had permission to take them.
Also, the Duck Blind was added and renovated over the last 10 years….that is a fun spot to watch a game. 12 suites that are climate controlled and used year round. Located in the outfield, rooftop boxes can be booked that offer unlimited food and beverages along with a nice view of the game action.
Their mascot is Maynard Mallard, who flocks around the entire park over the course of a game.
Upon entering the gates, families can stop at the Kids Zone and enjoy the Mallards playground, bounce house, sand box, and more. The Mallards Team Store is located behind home plate.
You’ll find Warner Park just off Sherman Avenue and Highway 113/Northport Road, just a few miles north of Highway 30 and the Madison airport. It’s a 10+ minute drive south on Highway 113 from Highway 19 near Waunakee if you want to enter from the north, including if you’re coming south towards Madison on I-39/90/94. If you’re coming from the south on I-39/90 or the east via I-94, just follow Highway 30 west to Highway 113 north… you’ll get there!
Mequon: Kapco Park, home of the Lakeshore Chinooks
Address:
12800 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Mequon, WI 53097
(262) 618-4659
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 2012
Capacity: 2,020
Parking
Parking is FREE in lot J and parking structure S on the Concordia campus
Kapco Park, which hosts Moonlight Graham Field, is located on a gorgeous bluff on the Concordia University campus in Mequon, about 20 minutes north of downtown Milwaukee. Kapco Park opened in 2012 and serves as the home of the Lakeshore Chinooks of the Northwoods League along with the Concordia Falcons collegiate baseball team. It’s also home of the State Summer Baseball Tournament.
Kapco has a fully synthetic turf field and a variety of seating including reserved grandstand, general admission with bleachers and lawn seating, and a beer garden. Three fan decks and an outfield patio area can also be used to enjoy games and other community events. The Chinooks are the Milwaukee area team, and with investors and owners including former Brewers hall of famer Robin Yount, the legendary Bob Uecker, and former Bucks GM John Hammond, they have some heavy hitters with vested interests in both the team and the stadium.
Kapco is getting more easily accessible with a new exit off I-43 at Highland Road, which will shave several minutes off the ride from points north and south.
Wausau: Athletic Park, home of the Wausau Woodchucks
Address:
324 E. Wausau Ave.
Wausau, WI 54403
(715) 845-5045
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 1936
Capacity: 7,000
Parking
Parking is FREE in several adjacent lots
Historic Athletic Park is located a block off the Wisconsin River just north of downtown Wausau. It’s a great old ballpark with fun family and fan options. Opened in 1936, the stone wall lining the outside of Athletic Park actually dates back a few years earlier. Extensive renovations have expanded amenities and the capacity; the last such renovation added new concession stands and seating along the first base line; capacity is now around 7,000.
Athletic Park is located right where Highway 52 westbound turns south to head into downtown Wausau. Northbound 52 is just to the east; Business U.S. 51, the U.S. 51 freeway, and the Highway 29 freeway all bring you to Wausau, where a drive on 52 will being you there! Parking is available in several lots just west of the ballpark near the Wisconsin River; a handicapped lot is located just across the street from the entrance.
Wisconsin Rapids: Witter Field, home of the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
Address:
521 Lincoln Street
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
(715) 424-5400
Age/Capacity:
Year Opened: 1934
Capacity: 1,588
Parking
Parking is FREE in the stadium lot
Witter Field – built in 1928 and dedicated in 1934, features an historic baseball diamond with the beams in the seating area of the grandstands….reminds me of the parks in Bull Durham. Just under 1,600 seat capacity and they list the unobstructed view seats at 1,467. The park has hosted numerous teams through the years, including the Wisconsin Rapids Sox, who were an affiliate of the Chicago White Sox for quite some time. The Rafters of the Northwoods League began play here in 2010, and numerous renovations have taken place. Witter Field’s unique Point Craft River section, pictured below, is an all-inclusive area in the ballpark that has a ballpark food buffet, and drinks….and if you have tickets at the bar, you can have a raft deliver your beer in the little bar river. It’s pretty cool!
You’ll find Witter Field on the southeast edge of downtown Wisconsin Rapids between Lincoln Avenue and 8th Street on the north side of Chestnut. It’s just a few blocs north of the Riverview Expressway, where Highways 13 and 54 are routed. Highways 34 and 73 also reach Wisconsin Rapids on other side of the Wisconsin River. The ballpark is a couple of blocks south of the Hotel Mead and other significant points downtown.
A road trip to any of these ballparks should be a fun time, and it can be quite affordable to bring the whole family. Enjoy some baseball this summer in Wisconsin, and take in all these parks have to enjoy!
