214. Green Bay, Wisconsin - Green Bay's Waterfront, Game Day, and Beyond

0:01 I'm Johnny Mac, and travel is back. Today's episode is powered by AI. Hey, we made it to Green Bay, Wisconsin. If you're thinking, yeah, yeah, football, you're not wrong, but here's the thing. You can have a great time here without ever stepping into a stadium. You can walk the river, eat very well, ride a wooden coaster that still makes grown-ups giggle, and get out into a surprising amount of nature within a short drive. It's a friendly, unfussy city where you show up in jeans, order the Friday fish fry, and you're basically a local by dessert. Start downtown along the Fox River. You can park easily around Washington Street, then just head for the water. The City Deck is your front porch. It runs along the river with wide planks, benches, and those big steps where people sit with coffee and watch boats slide by. It's right in the middle of things, but it doesn't feel hectic. When you're ready to fuel up, duck over to Kavarna on Broadway for a straightforward good cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich that won't make a mess of your day. If you're in on a Wednesday evening in summer, the Farmers Market on Broadway takes over several blocks with produce stands, food trucks, and a beer stand that keeps things lively without going to 11 if you're here on a Saturday morning instead. The downtown Farmers Market on South Washington Street is more your scene. Bread, cheese, flowers, the works. It's just a good way to get your bearings and figure out what looks fun for the rest of the day. Look up as you walk. The Broadway District and Old Main have colorful murals tucked on side streets and back walls. If you wander Dousman Street near the old train depot, you'll find Titletown Brewing in that handsome brick building. Grab a seat if the weather's cooperating.

1:25 Their rooftop offers one of the better sunset views of the river and the bridge. If beer's not your thing, there's Hagemeister Park right on city deck. Big patio, easy menu, and those lovely late-day light streaks on the water. The downtown feels manageable. You're not dodging honking taxis or weaving through tour groups. You can go from a museum to a bakery in five minutes. Berenson's Candies is an old-school spot not far from Broadway if you want to sneak in a sea salt caramel. And when the evening cool settles in, find a bench on City Deck and watch the lights come on across the Ray Nitschke Memorial Bridge. It's a mellow, very Green Bay scene. Here's your move if you like to keep the legs moving. Hop on the Fox River State Trail. It starts basically downtown and slides south for miles along the river through Alaues and into De Pere, then keeps going if you've got the stamina.

2:08 It's paved for a good stretch, flat, and you'll get that steady soundtrack of geese honking and bike tires humming. If you don't have a bike, several local shops rent them, or you can keep it simple and just go for a long, easy walk. As you head into De Pere, the vibe shifts to small-town charming. Cross the bridge there and drop down to the Riverwalk. There's a short boardwalk out to an island near the dam with a little observation tower. You can watch the river rush over the locks, and if you're here in spring or fall, see fish jumping. Voyager Park is right on the east side of the bridge, with wide lawns great for a picnic and a playground if you've got kids burning off energy. If you prefer your rivertime with less pedaling and more narration, look for Rivertime Cruises. They run vintage-style boat tours up and down the Fox with an easygoing guide pointing out the industry history, the lock system, and some offhand stories about the old paper mills. It's the sort of ride where you end up chatting with the folks at the next table, and 20 minutes later you know which supper club they swear by and which custard stand has the best flavor of the day. Bring a light jacket. There's always a breeze on the water, even on a warm day. Back on land, you can loop your ride or walk by crossing one of the bridges and returning on the opposite bank. The west side around Lake Memorial Park is big sky open with a stage that hosts free summer concerts. The east side's city deck is more sit and watch. Flip a coin, or better, do both. You'll pick up on the rhythm of the city either way. Mornings feel calm, evenings are all about the glow off the water and a few guitars tuning up. You can't talk Green Bay fun without spending a chunk of time at Bay Beach. It's north of downtown, right on the bay, and you'll know you're there because the whole place looks like an old postcard come to life. Bay Beach Amusement Park keeps it simple.

3:39 Classic rides, short lines, and tickets that still cost around a quarter. The Zippin' Pippin' is the crown jewel, a wooden coaster that rattles and dips just enough to make you laugh and maybe scream a little. It's four tickets, so you're on for about a buck. When you can ride a legit historic coaster for pocket change, you do it. There's more. Ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, scrambler, kids rides, all that throwback stuff that doesn't try too hard. The crowds are mostly families and couples doing the nostalgia thing, and the snack stands go heavy on the popcorn and snow cones. You'll lose, and you'll ride anyway, and that's fine. Right across the street, the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is a change of pace in the best way. It's one of the largest urban wildlife rehab centers in the country, with miles of trails, ponds full of ducks and geese, and a nature center where you can get a quick primer on who's nesting where. You can circle the lagoon, spot herons, and if you're quiet, catch deer moving through the trees.

4:27 It's free to enter, and it's open year-round. In winter, the ponds ice over, and the whole place turns hushed like a snow globe somebody shook once and set down carefully. Walk back to the shoreline after because Bay Beach Park itself gives you that wide, flat view straight across the water. The bay is calmer than Big Lake shoreline, so even a breezy day feels manageable. If you're the type who likes bringing a little bag of snacks, there's a long bench right where the light gets good late in the day. It's low drama. Big Sky, Wisconsin. You just sit and take in that slow changing horizon. You might not expect it in a midsize city, but Green Bay's got a string of green spaces that feel like you've gone out of town without actually going out of town. Baird Creek Greenway is a favorite. On the east side, a few minutes from downtown, it's a tangle of trails that wind along a creek through hills and tall trees. You'll see trail runners, dog walkers, and mountain bikers. Some sections get rooty and muddy after rain, so bring decent shoes, but the payoff is that you're under a full canopy of green in summer and a firework show of leaves in fall.

5:19 There's a sledding hill in winter too if you're brave, if you want something a little more dramatic. Point your car to Fonforex Glen County Park. It's a short drive south and east into farmland, then suddenly you're walking along limestone ledges to a waterfall that roars in spring and scales back to a trickle in summer. There are posted signs about staying on the trails. That rock looks grippy, but it can crumble. Still, it's one of those places where you get out of the car and go, OK, I didn't see this coming. Bring water and maybe trek poles if your knees talk back now and then. North of the city, Barkhausen Waterfowl Preserve in Suamico gives you boardwalk trails through wetlands and woods with plenty of bird life. Spring and fall migrations are prime time. You'll hear a chattering chorus before you even see anything. It's quiet enough that you'll catch your own steps on the wood planks.

6:02 Take bug spray in summer and a hat for the sun. The marsh doesn't provide much shade once you're out in the open stretches, and if you want a view with your picnic, Bayshore County Park sits on a bluff on the east shore of the bay. That bluff is part of the Niagara Escarpment, the same geologic feature that makes up the base of Niagara Falls way out east. You can set up on a table high above the water, let the kids loose on the playground, and watch boats dart across. Sunsets here are stellar because you're looking west across the bay. The cliff edge has fences, but keep an eye on little ones while you ooh and ah. When you're ready to come back to town, slot in the Green Bay Botanical Garden on your way. It's tucked near the Technical College and feels like a series of outdoor rooms. Perennials, shady groves, a children's garden with a treehouse, and seasonal displays. In summer, they host concerts on the lawn where you can sprawl with a blanket and a basket.

6:49 In winter, the WPS Garden of Lights turns the whole place into a glowing path of tunnels and trees. It's cheerful, it's family-friendly, and it's a solid way to cap a day of tromping around parks. All that walking builds an appetite, and this town knows how to feed people. Start the day at the Pancake Place on Military Avenue, where the pancakes are the size of steering wheels and the omelets seem to require team effort. It's the kind of spot where servers call you Han and keep the coffee topped up without asking. You'll see three generations at one table and a construction crew carbo-loading at another. Order whatever looks good. There isn't a wrong move. For lunch, go basic in the best possible way at Al's Hamburger Shop downtown. It's been slinging burgers since the 1930s, and you get exactly what you want. A juicy patty, cheese, grilled onions, maybe a shake if it's that kind of day. The place is narrow with stools and quick turnover, and if you drop something, you'll feel like the five-second rule actually got extended to ten. In here, it's honest food. Come dinner, it's supper club time. This is a Wisconsin institution in Green Bay, and the neighboring towns still do it right.

7:46 The Union Hotel Supper Club in De Pere looks like a time capsule in the best possible way. Dark wood, a bar where the old fashions go out two at a time, and a menu that skews towards steaks, prime rib, and walleye. You sit, you order a brandy old-fashioned sweet. You start with a relish tray, and for a minute, you're part of something that's been rolling along since your grandparents' day. Fridays mean fish fry all over town, cod, perch, or walleye, usually with a pile of rye bread and coleslaw. If you can't decide, just ask the table next to you. They'll have an opinion. You'll hear about Booyah, a local chicken and vegetable stew that shows up at church picnics, fundraisers, and weekend pop-ups. It's simmered in huge kettles and scooped into styrofoam cups, and it's just the thing on a cool day. Watch for signs or check community calendars. Sometimes markets or corner lots will advertise Booyah today, and you basically have to stop. And for dessert, Tsurugi's Chocolates in De Pere is a must. The smell when you walk in is almost unfair. Pick out a mix of truffles, grab some of their famous meltaways, and toss a couple of chocolate bars into your bag for later. If frozen custard speaks to you, Zesty's on the De Pere Riverfront does a rotating flavor of the day, plus sundaes, and there's always a kid at the next table with sprinkles on their face and zero regrets. If you'd rather mix a little culture into your eating schedule, Green Bay's got enough to keep you busy without requiring a master's degree in anything. The Neville Public Museum sits right on the river and offers approachable exhibits on local history, industry, and art.

9:08 It's the easiest way to understand how the paper mills shaped the city, why the river matters, and how the region grew. It won't eat your whole day, but it'll tune your radar for details once you're back outside. Right nearby, the Automobile Gallery is a sleeper hit. It's a sleek space filled with cars that chart American design from chrome to muscle to just plain cool. Even if you're not deep into horsepower, there's a lot to like here. Stories tied to the models, pristine restorations, that sense of what people thought the future would look like in 1957. You learn a lot by just walking past the fins and the curves. Over in Ashwaubenon, the National Railroad Museum sprawls bigger than you expect with locomotives and train cars you can actually climb aboard. There's a Union Pacific Big Boy on display, one of the massive steam engines that ran out west, and Eisenhower's W3 command train cars are there, too.

9:54 You'll get the history in bite-sized chunks, and if you time it right, they run short rides for an extra fee that let you feel like you're in the middle of the world. The Art Garage on the East Side is a community gallery and studio. You can catch a rotating show, sometimes meet the artists and pick up a small piece that actually fits in your luggage. In the evening, check the Meyer Theater downtown for a show. It's a renovated 1930s gem with a cozy golden interior and a calendar that ranges from comedy to tribute bands. On the UW-Green Bay campus to the northeast, the Widener Center brings in bigger touring productions and orchestral concerts. And if you just want a quirky night out, the Tarleton Theater is an old cinema reborn as a lounge and event space, one of those places where you can end up watching a silent film with live music or a magic show on a Tuesday. Go with it. One last thought on how to thread your days so you don't feel like you're ping-ponging all over. Cluster your time. Do downtown, City Deck, and the Neville together. Make a De Pere loop, bike there, river walk, Tsurugi's Supper Club. Save north of town for a day. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, then cap it at Bayshore County Park. Put the museums out west with a skate or a stroll at the Titletown District and a brew pub dinner. If something catches your eye as you drive by, an antique store, a mural, a baseball game, pull over. That's how this city works best. It's less about checking the box and more about doing the next obviously pleasant thing. I'm Johnny Mac and travel is back.

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