Meet the most underrated city in the Midwest

Green Bay, Wisconsin, also known as Titletown, has won 13 football championships. But Green Bay isn’t content to rest on these rings. It’s a city with a can-do attitude that’s on the move with new developments, craft breweries, trendy cuisine and year-round family-friendly activities—even as it remains overshadowed by other Wisconsin faves Milwaukee and Madison. For example, its new, 34-acre Titletown District is currently under expansion including a 10-acre public plaza featuring a park, skating rink and toboggan run. (Remember, this is Green Bay…they know winter!). But that’s not all. Here is why you should visit Green Bay right now.

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EXPLORE

Flickr CC: Jeramey Jannene 

The Green Bay Packers are the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team in the United States. Touring Lambeau Field, home of the Packers since 1957, is an exciting history lesson for any football fan. If you’re game bound, arrive early to view the NFL Championship trophies, learn about the amazing history of the team and discover the players who became legends. The Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame showcases the winning seasons and the Packers Pro Shop is almost as big as the stadium. If you’re not here for a game, schedule a Lambeau Field Stadium Tour. Tickets can be purchased online.

Let Me Be Frank Productions at the Meyer Theatre downtown is Green Bay’s answer to Chicago’s famed Second City. Whatever’s playing, you’ll laugh your head off. Musicals, hilarious parodies—it’s all happening here.

Flickr CC: Josh Grenier

Bring the kids to Bay Beach Amusement Park, one of the oldest of its kind in the U.S. Set on the Bay, it offers rides and games for the young and the young at heart (and ride tickets are just 25 cents each).

Walk the beautiful grounds of the Beach Bay Wildlife Refuge, an urban nature preserve that cares for more than 4,000 orphaned and injured animals.

All aboard! The National Railroad Museum showcases the history of the American railroad, complete with exhibits of railcars, a china collection and a children’s Discovery Depot. Learn more about the Pullman Porters who served the rail lines for almost 100 years. Then, board their vintage rail for a tour of the grounds.

At Heritage Hill State Historical Park, you’ll find a living history museum that provides a fascinating look at Northeastern Wisconsin’s rich heritage, complete with costumed interpreters and demonstrations. Your kids will be fascinated with the printing presses that show how posters were made, one at a time, before the computer! Go to the blacksmith shop and watch how horse shoes and other ironworks were tooled, back in the day.

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EAT

Green Bay offers a range of restaurants, from traditional family favorites to hip new culinary offerings. Hinterland is the newest farm-to-table restaurant and brewery in the Titletown District. Try their venison meatloaf or goat cheese and wild mushroom pizza paired with a Packerland Pilsner. You can even watch the brewing process through the large glass windows. Head to 80-year-old Kroll’s West before a game for fried cheese curds and roasted chicken.

Traditional Supper Clubs have never gone out of style here. Wally’s Spot Supper Club, Green Bay’s original steak house, has been serving guests for more than 65 years. The salad bar and New York Strip are outstanding. Get a taste of an authentic Friday night fish fry with a side of ghost stories at Lorelei Inn. It’s all part of the dinnertime lore.

Cows aren’t the only thing grazing in Green Bay. If you’re grabbing some eats on the go (don’t forget your coolers!), Scray Cheese, opened in 1924, is one of the few remaining authentic cheese factories in the Green Bay area. Try their famous squeaky cheese curds: Fontina, Edam and Gouda, plus Cheddar Cranberry. They even have a drive thru for ice cream and coffee! Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe is Wisconsin’s award-winning bakery and “ultimate cookie experience.” Uncle Mike’s has also won awards for their unbelievable selection of Kringle, a danish-like pastry, in every imaginable flavor. There’s also fresh breads, cakes, cupcakes, bars and every sweet imaginable. For drinks, check out Noble Roots Brewing Company, a neighborhood brewery with great beer, a relaxed atmosphere and homey feel.

STAY

Kicking off the new season is the Four-Diamond LodgeKohler, located across the street from Lambeau Field. This new hotel includes 134 rooms and 10 suites, all with custom-designed Kohler bathrooms. You get direct, unparalleled views in the panoramic bar and top floor restaurant, Taverne in the Sky. The hotel also features Leaps & Bounds Café, an indoor family pool, enhanced fitness facility, full-service Kohler Waters Spa, and complimentary valet service/shuttle transportation.

Another upscale option is the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center located right next door to all the gaming action at the Oneida Casino. The hotel features 353 guestrooms and suites, and several dining options, plus free Wi-Fi. Learn more about the culture and traditions of the Oneida Nation at the Oneida Museum. Their extensive empire benefits the entire Green Bay community.

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Tagged: Midwest, Milwaukee