Green Bay is one of the oldest cities in the state of Wisconsin. Visited by French explorer Jean Nicolet in the 1600’s, he named the town after the greenish color of the bay. Originally a gateway to the fur-trading industry connecting the Fox and Mississippi Rivers, today Green Bay is still thriving as the third largest city in the state.
In a town that heavily bleeds green and gold, Green Bay is a delightfully vibrant and colorful city offering up much more than just the hometown team colors. A mix of old and new combine to create a wonderfully immersive city that celebrates history, culture, good food, fun and, of course, sports. From the revitalized historic downtown or the newer Titletown area adjacent to Lambeau Field, you will find a bright spot just about anywhere during a weekend in Green Bay.
Where to stay:
The town offers myriad accommodations at any price point including boutique hotels, larger conference centers, bed and breakfasts and campgrounds for spending a weekend in Green Bay. Explore a few of our favorites:
Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Green Bay
Conveniently located across from the Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport, the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center is the perfect place to rest your head during a visit to Green Bay and the surrounding areas. After a recent $23 million-dollar renovation, the hotel’s lobby, guest rooms, exterior and conference rooms are all wonderfully revamped and refreshed. We love the open-concept lobby with a gorgeous floor-to-ceiling lobby fireplace, beautiful chandelier and ties with displays of Native American art, crafts and pottery, many from the local Oneida Nation. Rooms are spacious, quiet and comfortable.
Start the day with a fresh pastry and coffee at the hotel’s Sky World Coffee & Custard, take a gamble on slots and table games at Oneida Casino (connected to the hotel) or enjoy the indoor/outdoor beer garden for an after-dinner drink. Additional amenities include an indoor pool, sauna and fitness center.
The Lodge at Kohler is a 100-yard leap to Lambeau Field in the heart of the Titletown district. The hotel’s 141 guest rooms and suites are outfitted with custom-designed KOHLER bathrooms. Guests can enjoy the Taverne in the Sky, the hotel’s rooftop bar overlooking Lambeau Field as well as an indoor/outdoor restaurant. Indulge in some relaxation with a number of spa treatments at and the onsite KOHLER Waters Spa.
Tundra Lodge Resort Waterpark Conference Center
Perfect for a group or family stay, Tundra Lodge Resort Waterpark Conference Center has more than 160 mountain lodge-inspired suites and is located blocks from Lambeau Field. Guests can enjoy the 30,000-sq.-ft. indoor aquatic area, water slides, lazy river and poolside concessions at the Polar Bear Pub.
What to do:
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and Lambeau Field Stadium Tours
No weekend in Green Bay is complete without a stop to legendary Lambeau Field. Whether you are a Packers fan or not, this unique experience is definitely one for the bucket list.
The legendary stadium tour is approximately two hours and takes visitors through the Lambeau Field Atrium, premium seating areas, the press box, the visiting team locker room, the player’s tunnel and onto the playing field. Stadium Tours are offered daily, with the exception of home game days. Founded in 1919, the Green Bay Packers are the only NFL team owed by the community. With a capacity of more than 80,000, don’t hold your breath on getting season tickets; there’s more than 144,000 people on the waiting list!
The Hall of Fame offers interactive displays and a robust collection of Packer and football memorabilia. Learn about the 13-time National Championship Green Bay Packers (more than any NFL team) and prepared to be wowed in the trophy room – lots of bling! And don’t leave without grabbing gear from the 21,500-sq.-ft. Packer Pro shop onsite.
Hours are Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advance purchase is encouraged.
Directly across from Lambeau is Titletown, the 45-acre mixed-use retail, residential and commercial space offering a little something for everyone. Built with the idea of creating a space for the community to gather, Titletown offers games such as horseshoes, ping-pong, shuffleboard, a full-size football field with Nike grind turf, Zumba, yoga and boot camp classes and a playground. During winter, the 300-ft. tubing hill offers many thrills along with a winter wonderland and ice rink. There is plenty to see and do here all day, whether in town for a game, simply passing through the area or enjoying a weekend in Green Bay.
Hailed as the second-largest farmers’ market in the state, check out Downtown Green Bay’s Farmers’ Market on Broadway on Wednesday summer evenings. Enjoy a beverage; listen to live music; and shop for soaps, coffee, tea, beef jerky, fresh produce, jewelry, olive oil, flowers and so much more at this lively social event featuring more than 90 vendors in the heart of city center. The market runs evenings May through end of September.
Neville Museum is one of five public museums in the state of Wisconsin with a rich history and much history to share. Started in 1915 to “bring the world to Green Bay,” the museum’s history, science and arts exhibits focus on collections and preservation of Northwest Wisconsin and the UP of Michigan. The Generations gallery is full of exhibits from fossils and the Ice Age to Industry and WWII conflict. We love exploring the rows of draws and shelves in the exposed collection area where you can get up close with more than 1,000 items like vintage jewelry, war uniforms, coins and much more. Temporary exhibits rotate seasonally and are highlighted on the website.
Neville Museum is open Tuesday, noon to 8 p.m.; Wednesday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Something is always blooming at the Green Bay Botanical Gardens. Open since 1995, visitors can get up close and personal with nature during a stroll through the 47 acres of gardens that are open year-round. Spend the day among the 100 hybrid magnolia trees, 350 species of day lilies and 300,000 blooming bulbs in spring. Or sit among the gorgeous rose garden, extensive herb garden and impressive English gardens. This impressive space is maintained by five full-time horticulturists, and more than 500 community volunteers who take great pride in the garden space.
The Green Bay Botanical Garden’s event calendar has something for every season including their summer music series and garden of lights during the holidays and snowshoeing. Keep an eye out for the opening of their new whimsical kids area set to open in Spring 2023 that will includes areas of exploring like caves, a hobbit house, wetlands, mushrooms, tree houses and splash play.
The Green Bay Botanical Garden opens at 9 a.m. daily and closing times vary seasonally.
Check out the eclectic assembly of classic, vintage and unique vehicles at the Automotive Gallery in Green Bay. With a collection of more than 170 vehicles, many on display rotation, visitors can admire a 1981 “Back to the Future” DeLorean, check out a replica of actor James Dean’s 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder and step back in time and imagine what it was like to drive a 1917 Milburn (one of less than 50 that exist). Every car has a story to tell, and guests will walk away with a deeper knowledge of these impressive vehicles thanks to the placards of information displayed with each of them. Make sure to check out the 1967 Corvette Sting Ray in deep green gifted to Green Bay Packer MVP Bar Starr after the AFL-NLF Championship (now known as the Super Bowl).
The Automotive Gallery is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p. m.
Anchors away to explore downtown from a different point of view on the Foxy Paddler Boat Tours. Similar to a peddle tavern, guests can “peddle/paddle” their way down the Fox River taking in the sights. The Foxy Paddler pontoon bar boat can accompany up to 22 guests and is pedal- and gas-powered, so you can get in some light leg work or just enjoy the cruise. Foxy Paddler offers a licensed captain, life jackets, coolers with ice, storage for personal items and a complimentary can koozie. Two-hour day or night tours are BYOW but offer the chance to stop at one or two locations along the way to re-fuel on drinks and snacks. Stops include Studio 1212 Café & Wine Bar, Hagemeister Park and Fox Harbor Pub & Grill.
The Foxy Paddler departs from Leicht Park in Green Bay and operates during warmer months. Also, check out its sister group, Foxy Peddler Party Bike.
Green Bay eats:
Start the day off right with a selection of pastries, cakes, bagels, cookies, doughnuts and, of course, the award-winning Wisconsin kringle. A must-try is the sea salt caramel pecan kringle, awarded the Best Kringle in North America! Opened since 2001 by third-generation baker Mike Vande Walle, his family continues his legacy using old-fashioned baking methods, high-quality ingredients and providing warm and friendly service at this Wisconsin favorite. Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe has three locations to choose from: De Pere, Suamico and East Mason in Green Bay.
Swing on over to The Turn in Titletown for some delicious American cuisine and fun in one of several Topgolf Swing Suites during a weekend in Green Bay. Nosh on appetizers like the wild mushroom and artichoke dip, house-made hummus and pita or pretzel bites with cheese and spicy mustard. Burgers, flatbreads, soups, salads and entrees like fish and chips all round out the menu. You don’t have to be a golf pro to enjoy the Topgolf Swing Suites as there are plenty of options to choose from. Challenge friends to zombie dodgeball, quarterback challenge, hockey shots, baseball pitching and much more. Suites are available by the hour and can accommodate one to 10 guests. Weather permitting, soak up the fun in Titletown with its large outdoor patio.
888 Cheese & Co. in Suamico is the perfect lunch spot to celebrate all things cheese with a selection of delicious gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. Chef Juan and wife Brandy source as much local product as possible from nearby Nueske’s Bacon, Uncle Mike’s for buns and Springside Cheese to make their delicious concoctions. Try the PB Juan with bacon, raspberry jam, jalapeno and cream cheese or the GOAT, loaded with goat cheese, fried crispy kale, and roasted portabella and caramelized onions. 888 Cheese & Co. also offers lighter fare of salads and a kid’s menu. Eat in or pop in next door and enjoy a cold brew at the neighbor’s beer garden at Ahnapee Brewing.
888 Cheese & Co. is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Located inside the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Green Bay, Cedar & Sage Grill House offers some of the best flavors the area has to offer for a Green Bay weekend. Enjoy a menu of local meats, produce and dairy as well as freshwater fish in the large seating space with an open kitchen. We love the harmony of flavors in dishes such as the cheese curds made with white corn grown on the Oneida Nation Farm or apple crisp made with Oneida-grown apples. Menu favorites include flatbread pizzas, spatchcock roast chicken, bison filet and freshwater walleye. Try the three sisters side, a delightful combination of winter squash, corn, beans, scallions and peppers; each plant contributes to the garden in a unique way and pays homage to the Oneida people.
Bonus fun for a weekend in Green Bay:
Quench your thirst at any of the 13 Green Bay area breweries.
Catch a theater performance at Weidner Center or major concert at Resch Center or EPIC Event Center.
Stop at Anduzzi’s Sports Club for the Ultimate Bloody Mary – you may need a few friends to help finish it.
Take a ride on the Zippin Pippin at Bay Beach Amusement Park, one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the states.
Check out Edge VR Arcade, the area’s only virtual reality arcade with over 80 games to choose from.