One of the friendliest and most spirited sports towns in the U.S. is Green Bay, Wisconsin’s oldest city. Locals (known as cheeseheads) love their Green Bay Packers, a community-owned football team that celebrated its 100th birthday this year. At the heart of Green Bay is Titletown, a 45-acre Packers-owned entertainment district within walking distance of the famed Lambeau Stadium. It’s the hub for outdoor games, sports, food, and seasonal activities.
Disclosure: The writer was hosted in Green Bay for the purposes of this review.
Green Bay Packers’ Titletown
Although my family and I are Los Angeles natives, our favorite football team is the Green Bay Packers, which celebrated its 100th birthday in August. (Somehow they became my son’s favorite team when he was about 5 and we’ve been loyal fans since.)
The Packers are the only non-profit, community-owned major league professional sports team in the U.S. And Green Bay Packers’ Titletown is a 45-acre district devoted to family fun with year-round outdoor activities. At its heart, of course, is the famed Lambeau Stadium.
We visited Green Bay just prior to the 2019 NFL season and found a lot of things to do in Green Bay with kids. We’re hoping to make it back to watch games between the Packers and teams like the arch rival Chicago Bears.
Green Bay Titletown District
Titletown is a 45-acre master development plan where locals and visitors gather to play, eat, and enjoy special events year-round. For example, Titletown Gameday Live celebrates Packers Game Days with live music, family activities, and refreshments. Free and open to the public, festivities start four hours before kickoff. Chairs and tables are available for use in Titletown. (Note that tailgating, coolers, grills, and carry-in furniture are not allowed.)
You don’t need a game ticket to attend the pre-game fun. If you don’t have tickets to watch the Packers play live at Lambeau, you can watch the games on TV at nearby family-friendly venues. The closest is Hinterland Brewing, located in Titletown. Or watch the game on one of the 35 plasma screens at Lambeau Field’s Johnsonville Tailgate Village, located in the east parking lot. More places to watch the games include Anduzzi’s Sports Club, one block away.
Throughout the year there’s a lot to do in the Packers-owned entertainment district with kids. The outdoor space encompasses a large park, football field, game courts, a playground, and art installations. Titletown also offers classes and fitness activities. In the warmer months, the place is abuzz with concerts, festivals, and outdoor markets in the plaza. Winter features outdoor ice skating, and snow tubing down Ariens Hill.
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame & Museum
Located on the main floor of the Lambeau Field Atrium, the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame is a great way to catch up with everything Packers. The 15,000-square-foot, two-level facility features nine permanent galleries and two temporary exhibit spaces.
TravelingMom Tip: With so much to see, it’s a good idea to begin your visit with the 20-minute video about Packers history dating to 1919. From there, allow about an hour or two for the self-guided tour.
Exhibits include equipment used by current and former players, and famous plays from Packers’ playbooks. It’s fun to scroll through touch screens to click on audio segments and game video clips. You can even take a seat and answer a ringing telephone in a replica of Vince Lombardi’s office. Most impressive is the Championship Gallery displaying trophies from the Packers’ 13 world championships, including four Lombardi trophies.
The Hall of Fame is open daily with hours varying on home-game weekends and on days of stadium events.
Titletown: Lambeau Field Tour
I didn’t expect to feel so emotional walking through the players’ tunnel to the edge of the field, where we all cheered “Go Pack Go!” As we walked through the tunnel – to a recording of cheering fans – we got a sense of what it feels like for the players. During our tour, which began in the atrium, our knowledgeable guide John Fairchild (who owns part of the team as a Green Bay community resident) shared the Packers’ history and fun facts. For example, the Packers’ colors were blue and gold until 1935.
We walked down hallways lined with sports artwork, and sat in premium seating areas enjoyed by a lucky few. Most fans sit on old-school bleachers or seats. The stadium is pristine, with real grass on the field and no painted lines. It’s a tradition “to dress the field prior to each game,” says Fairchild.
Lambeau Stadium Pro Shop
The best place to shop for Packers gear is the 21,500-square-foot Packers Pro Shop. Owned and operated by the Packers, the shop is located in on the stadium lobby level.
More Sports: Green Bay Booyah Baseball Game
Another way to celebrate sports in Green Bay is to attend a Green Bay Booyah baseball game. Comprised of elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League plays home games at the state-of-the-art Capital Credit Union Park. Kids (and parents) love watching Flash the bat dog race across the field and back. You can’t beat the prices and venue for a fun day or night out with the family.
Signature Local Dishes
Sampling local cuisine is a great way to learn about a city. From fried cheese curds and booyah stew to giant Bloody Marys and kringles, Green Bay takes game day food to a new level.
Kroll’s West for Comfort Food
Located across the street from Lambeau Field, Kroll’s West restaurant is a happening place on game day. Live music and game day food take center stage at the 80-plus year old restaurant. The family is proud of its specialties, which include fried cheese curds (regular, white, or Cajun), and Booyah, a one-pot soup/stew with a variety of seasonings, meats and veggies. Another family favorite is Kroll’s homemade chili, made with beef and kidney beans served on top of spaghetti.
Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe
After working in his family’s bakery and candy shops as a kid, Michael Vande Walle opened his award-winning Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe. The family-run bakery makes kringles, a pretzel-shaped Danish pastry stuffed with various flavored fillings. These include sea salt caramel pecan, almond (my favorite), blueberry cheese, and many more. “We do everything from scratch the old-fashioned way,” says Vande Walle.
Anduzzi’s Sports Club’s Game Day Food
Cheeseheads start game day off with an Ultimate Bloody Mary that’s a meal in a glass — and big enough to share. A virgin Bloody Mary is available. The 32-ounce Bloody Mary is topped with shrimp, wings, a hamburger slider, meatballs, cheese, olives, and more. Serving a pub-style menu every day, Anduzzi’s also features game day parties and other seasonal events.
LODGE KOHLER
You can’t get any closer to Lambeau Stadium than the four-diamond, sports-themed LODGE KOHLER. Located just yards from Lambeau Field, the hotel is in the heart of Titletown plaza. Many of the guest rooms have Lambeau Stadium views. And all the guest rooms and suites have custom-designed Kohler bathrooms and bath products from Kohler Waters Spa. Each morning I woke up to the three-head shower, which turned my morning shower into a mini spa treatment.
Hardcore Packers fans may want to book the ground-floor Terrace Suite for game day festivities. Located within 100 yards of the stadium, the spacious suite features a lounge and dining furniture, a fire pit and gas grill.
Located on lobby level is is the Kohler Waters Spa. I was able to book the Uniquely Yours Massage at the last minute. But it’s best to book an appointment in advance for this popular relaxing treatment.
Hotel Dining
In addition to a prime location, LODGE KOHLER has dining options worth cheering about. The Leaps & Bounds Cafe whips up custom fruit smoothies and the best breakfast sandwiches I’ve had. The oversized sandwich is made with scrambled eggs, a bratwurst patty, aged cheddar, and arugula on a toasted English muffin. If you’re in a rush, call the cafe from your room and your breakfast will be ready for pick-up in a jiffy.
After a long day walking around Titletown, head up to the fifth-floor Tavern in the Sky restaurant, featuring a rotisserie cuisine. Cap off the evening with a signature cocktail around a fire pit.
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