Going to Green Bay?
This story appears in the August 2014 issue of Packerland Pride magazine. Subscribe to the magazine here.
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Other than the new Packers Pro Shop inside, and the now-even-nicer Bob Harlan Plaza outside of Lambeau Field, Green Bay’s got options for anyone making the trip over this August to see a few training camp practices, preseason games, or attend the annual Family Night festivities. What follows are only a few making up some of our favorites; attractions you can only find in Green Bay, and places you just have to see for yourself. So, browse the list, explore a little, and enjoy your time in Titletown.
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Titletown Brewing Company’s new tap room, part of a massive expansion effort that will eventually include greater brewing space and a bottling center, is slated to open this month in an old cannery building across the parking lot from Titletown’s current home base.
Get a glimpse of the old smoke stack now reading Titletown vertically down. Get something to eat from their ever-changing menu of specialty items, like the spicy elk burger, to new appetizers, like delicious-so-who-cares-if-it’s-not-exactly-healthy poutine. Sit outside at the bar or a table looking out at the Fox River. Oh, and, of course, we’d suggest having a few of Titletown’s fantastic beers, ranging in enough styles and tastes that should quench anyone’s specific thirsts after a hot day watching training camp. We’re partial to a Dark Helmet in anything from 90 to negative-9 degrees, but that’s just us.
While the tap room will offer a glimpse at the finished building, onsite brewing in the new facilities is set to start in early September. Where Titletown now makes 1,800 barrels of beer per year, they’re planning to increase to about 5,000 with these improvements.
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Opening only last fall, the Packers Heritage Trail, which starts in the heart of downtown Green Bay, at the corner of Washington and Cherry Streets, is a tour that can be experienced in a lot of ways.
At its core the Heritage Trail is a self-guided walking tour. 22 plaques, almost all of which are located within a two-mile radius of downtown, highlight significant landmarks and places in Packers history, dating through the 50 years that Curly Lambeau and Vince Lombardi were running the show. Highlights include the church Lombardi attended every morning, old Packers offices, and other buildings were major events happened, shaping the story of the team.
In addition to the walking tour, the Packers Heritage Trail can also be seen via a guided trolley tour. Two tours, one 90 minutes long and the other just over two hours, will run almost every day during training camp, picking fans up outside the Resch Center, across the street from the team’s outdoor practice field. Tickets are $38 for the longer tour and $25 for the shorter, and need to be bought through Ticket Star.
For a tour somewhere in-between, special guided trips from Segway the Fox Tours include a Heritage Trail tour or a trip around the Lambeau Field/stadium district area, plus other tours covering the broader city of Green Bay. All tours include Segway training and run about an hour long. Tours run daily, and reservations can be made by calling 920-573-2794.
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If you’re looking for the most award-winning fish fry and chicken dinner in the area combined with an incredible amount of rare Packers memorabilia lining the walls – well, first of all, that’s a pretty specific desire – but, if you are looking for that, then you need to have a meal at the Redwood Inn.
Located on Green Bay’s far east side (3230 Main St.), the Redwood Inn is one of those places that’s usually packed, and with good reason for the wait. It is a cash-only place, so make sure you come prepared, and give yourself time; either to wait for a table, or simply to browse through all the Packers history hanging up inside.
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The revival of the first-class Hotel Northland beginning in the coming months is the latest example of the continuing evolution of downtown Green Bay. Check out Hagemeister Park on Washington Street, the first Packers-themed bar/restaurant downtown (other than Titletown across the river) that’s good in all seasons, but especially worth taking advantage of during the summer, with their huge outdoor dining area right on the Fox River’s CityDeck.
Fox Harbor and Fox Heights are both great options for whatever blend of food and drink you’re seeking. And, if you’re still downtown a little bit later into the evening, Polito’s Pizza offers classic toppings and some of their own specialties, like steak and fries, by the slice late into the night.
If you happen to be in town on a Wednesday afternoon or Saturday morning, head down for the Farmers’ Market. The Wednesday night edition is located on Broadway and features a lot more than produce, including music, street food, and even a little bit of Packers memorabilia, if you didn’t get enough of that yet. The Wednesday market runs from 3-8 p.m.
The Saturday morning market is now on Washington Street, and offers breakfast options along with customary fruits and veggies. It goes from 7 a.m.-noon and gets the weekend started right.
Other downtown activities include concerts on Thursday and Friday nights, and, from Aug. 8-10, the tall ship Peacemaker will dock on the CityDeck and be available for tours.
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With the Packers Hall of Fame’s new permanent home under construction in the Lambeau Field Atrium, the Neville Public Museum is hosting their own version of the Hall, called “Touchdown!”, from now through February 2015. Featuring items both previously seen and unseen in the former Hall of Fame’s space, and plenty of interactive elements unique to the exhibit, the Neville presents its own walk through Packers history worth seeing.
The Neville’s hours through August are Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday from noon-5 p.m., and on the first Wednesday of every month from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Children five and under get in free, ages 6-15 cost $3, and adults 16 and up are $5.
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One last, completely non-football related, idea: the Adventure Park at the NEW Zoo, located on Brown County’s Reforestation Camp land. The Adventure Park features zip lining, an aerial ropes course, and a climbing tower for those looking to get out of the city and maybe a little out of their element for an afternoon.
What else? Let us know what we missed in the comments.