Green Bay travel guide

Green Bay, United States

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Green Bay

Introduction

Green Bay sits in Brown County, Wisconsin, where the Fox River meets the Green Bay inlet on Lake Michigan. As the county seat, it anchors a metropolitan area of roughly 335,000 residents, and the city itself is one of the larger communities on Lake Michigan.

Before you go

Before you set out, it helps to know that Green Bay's visitor services are concentrated at the Discover Green Bay Visitor Center on Argonne Street, which you can reach by phone locally or toll-free. Staff there can help you plan your time in the city, so it's worth contacting them ahead of your trip if you want guidance on what to see and do.

Getting there

Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) sits a few miles west of the city on Highway 172 and is the area's chief airport. It has service to Chicago-O'Hare, Detroit, Atlanta, and Minneapolis/St. Paul, plus summer seasonal flights to Denver and Orlando. Appleton International Airport (ATW), about 25 miles southwest of Austin Straubel, is a slightly cheaper option with similar service and Allegiant Air.

By bus, the Green Bay Metro Transit Center at 901 University Ave (between Webster and Quincy) is the central hub for both local Green Bay Metro buses and long-distance inter-city buses. Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service runs from Milwaukee, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, and De Pere, and bus tickets can be purchased without a corresponding train ticket. Jefferson Lines serves Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Eau Claire, Milwaukee, and towns in between along the Hwy 29 and I-43 corridors. Lamers offers daily service from Madison, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Appleton, plus Friday/Sunday service from Milwaukee, Sheboygan, and Manitowoc. Indian Trails connects Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and towns along the US Hwy 41 corridor in northeastern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

By car, I-43 loops around the east and northern parts of Green Bay and leads to Milwaukee roughly 100 miles south. I-41 also leads to Milwaukee from the city's west side, passing through Appleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac before reaching suburban Milwaukee. Highway 172 is the main east/west artery, slicing through Green Bay over the Fox River and connecting I-43 on the east side with Hwy 41 on the west. Hwy 29 is the route to Wausau, about 80 miles west, and onward to the Twin Cities.

Getting around

Green Bay is a car-oriented city, and for most visitors the private car is the simplest and most flexible way to reach attractions and businesses around town. Parking is rarely a problem: most attractions and businesses offer plenty of available visitor parking, so driving in and parking at your destination is generally straightforward. Do not expect to cover the city on foot; plan on a car or the bus system for most trips.

If you would rather not drive, Green Bay Metro runs the city's municipal bus routes and offers good coverage of the city. The Green Bay Metro Transit Center at 901 University Avenue is the central hub for local buses as well as long-distance inter-city buses, which makes connections between the two relatively convenient. A full system map is published as a PDF, along with a map showing bus stops and bus shelters, and a "Frequent Destinations" page lists route destinations — a useful starting point if you are heading to a specific attraction. A free printed Green Bay Metro Route Guide is available at the Transit Center, and a Transit Guide Booklet is published as a PDF, including Spanish and Somali language versions; the guide covers boarding and riding the bus, bringing bikes on buses, and microtransit. There is no local rail, metro, or tram network for getting around the city.

Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) sits a few miles west of the city on Highway 172, the main east/west artery that slices through Green Bay over the Fox River, connecting I-43 on the east side and Hwy 41 on the west side — so arriving by car is direct. Appleton International Airport (ATW) is about 25 miles southwest of Austin Straubel Airport and is a slightly cheaper option with similar service and Allegiant Air. By car, I-43 runs around the east and northern parts of Green Bay and leads to Milwaukee to the south; I-41 also leads to Milwaukee from the city's west side, traveling through Appleton, Oshkosh, and Fond du Lac before reaching suburban Milwaukee; and Hwy 29 is the route to Wausau to the west and on toward the Twin Cities.

Where to stay

Green Bay's lodging spreads from the downtown core out toward Lambeau Field. Downtown you'll find the Hyatt Regency on Main Street and the Hotel Northland, an Autograph Collection property on North Adams Street — a swanky Marriott outpost with no pool but a Poke The Bear restaurant onsite and free breakfast for Bonvoy members. Also on Main Street is the Hampton Inn, while Saint Brendan's Inn on South Washington Street pairs its rooms with authentic Irish food, drink and music in an elegant yet comfortable setting.

Food & drink

Green Bay eats range from hearty breakfasts to themed bar food. For a big morning meal, The Pancake Place on South Military Avenue offers plenty of pancake options, huge omelets, and piles of hash brown skillets, plus a full lunch and dinner menu. Kavarna Coffehouse on North Broadway is the place for vegetarian food, with good coffee and local microbrews on offer too.

For drinking, Title Town Brewing Company sits along the Fox River in a historic railroad depot completed in 1899, with two spacious stories, award-winning beer, an outdoor bar facing the river along the railroad tracks, a full-scale restaurant, and a 22-foot-tall football statue that once stood in front of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame. The Attic is a combination coffee house and used bookstore with a wide variety of looseleaf tea. Stadium View is a huge sports bar within view of Lambeau Field, with lots of big screen TVs and indoor/outdoor parties before Packer games during the season. Cup O Joy is a Christian coffee house and music venue.

What to see and do

Green Bay's identity is tied to Lambeau Field, home stadium of the Green Bay Packers, where you can tour the stadium and browse the Packers Hall of Fame exhibits on team history. In late summer, before the regular season begins, the Packers practice on the outdoor fields across from the stadium, weather permitting, with permanent seating set up behind the Don Hutson training center. College sports draw crowds too, especially UW–Green Bay's men's and women's basketball teams, who play at the Resch Center near Lambeau and at the Kress Events Center on campus.

Beyond football, the Neville Public Museum and the sprawling National Railroad Museum—with engines and cars indoors and out, a model railroad, a short train ride and an observation tower—reward a few hours. Heritage Hill State Historical Park, the Hazelwood Historic House Museum and Saint Francis Xavier Cathedral round out the historic sights, while the Green Bay Botanical Garden and the Cofrin Memorial Arboretum suit a slower stroll. Families gravitate to Bay Beach, where a carnival-style amusement park with a roller coaster sits along the bay next to a wildlife sanctuary geared toward children; the NEW Zoo is another option. For entertainment, The Weidner hosts performing arts on the university campus, the Tarlton Theatre offers another stage, and Oneida Casino Main-Airport has gaming.

Three days in Green Bay

Day one: Start by getting your bearings in Green Bay, a city in Brown County, Wisconsin, set where the Fox River meets Lake Michigan. Use Green Bay Metro Transit to move between the University Ave, Webster and Quincy areas, and pick up maps and local guidance at the Discover Green Bay Visitor Center on Argonne Street, where the staff can help you plan the rest of your stay.

Day two: Give the day to the water and the river. Walk or ride along the Fox River and take in the Lake Michigan shoreline, then use Green Bay Metro Transit to reach the University Ave, Webster and Quincy neighborhoods for an afternoon of wandering. Keep the pace easy and let the weather guide you, whether it is warm and humid or bitterly cold.

Day three: Use your last day to connect with the wider region. Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) offers Allegiant Air service and connections to Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Minneapolis–St. Paul, Denver and Orlando, while Appleton International Airport (ATW) is another option for your onward journey. Before you leave, return to the Discover Green Bay Visitor Center on Argonne Street for any last questions, and plan your route home via Highway or the Amtrak Thruway Connecting Service to Milwaukee, Fond du Lac or Oshkosh.

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