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Green Bay, Wisconsin is a wonderful place to visit, especially for Green Bay Packers fans. The friendly city on the bay offers something for Packers fans of all ages.
In the summer, the weather is beautiful and the Packers are at home practicing (late July, early August). Here are the highlights:
Lambeau Field
If you don't have season's tickets, this is a sure way to get into the field. A 90-minute guided tour will take you to the stands, the Press Box and the enclosed boxes. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $5 for kids 6-11, $6 for seniors (62 and above). You can purchase a "Combo Pass" for $10 each (all ages) which gets you into the Packer Hall of Fame as well.
A small cart-train meets tours in the parking lot and drives around to the stadium entrance. From there, you'll meet a new tour guide who will take you to the stands. There, you'll see the location for the Lambeau Leap at the end zone. The stands look just as they do on television, except they are empty! You'll have a chance to sit on the stands while listening to Packers legends, and you can take as many photos as you like. However, you will not be allowed to walk onto the field.
From there, you will go to a Club Seat, situated in enclosed boxes (a nice treat for the Green Bay winters). You'll hear more stories and learn about the food and beverages available in these seats.
Then you'll visit the Press Box, again an enclosure overlooking the field. Enjoy the view because without a Press Pass it is closed to the public.
After the tour, visit the Pro Shop at Lambeau Field for an overwhelming assortment of Green Bay Packers paraphernalia. There are stickers, clothes (you can buy an entire Packers wardrobe of shirts, socks, etc. for all seasons), stuffed animals, pens, cookbooks -- you name it! The Pro Shop is a great place to buy souvenirs because they come right from Lambeau Field.
Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame
If you are a long-time Packers fan, you will enjoy the trip through Packers Memory Lane. Exhibits show uniforms from early days to the present, super bowl rings, and provide information on players from past and present.
Letters from school children written in the late 1960s relive the glory years. This exhibit may bring a tear to your eye as you realize just how important the Packers were to their city (and they still are!).
Interactive exhibits in the Hall of Fame include a Lambeau Field mural. Stand in front of it for a photo sure to fool your friends. Or have your picture taken on a Packers bench or behind a Packers uniform, with your face sticking out the top.
A gift shop offers more Packers paraphernalia, some of it different from the Pro Shop across the street.
Practice Fields
During the summer, when the Packers are practicing, they will be on Ray Nitschke Field (where fans can sit on bleachers and watch) or inside at the Don Hutson Center (if it is raining). If you are there during practice, you may want to have your kids bring their bikes. An old Packers tradition is for the team members to ride kids' bikes to the end of the Lambeau Field Parking lot on their way to practice. Kids line up with their bikes, and the players board the bikes for the short ride. What a thrill for kids and onlookers of all ages!
Packers Experience
Located near the Hall of Fame is the Packers Experience, which is an interactive family adventure. Admission is $7.50 per person, and $5 for kids ages 3-11. Seniors age 55 and above enter for the same price as kids. Inside, families partake in a variety of football related activities.
Sports Memorabilia
The sports enthusiast will enjoy a visit to Packer City Antiques, Card and Coin Corner, near the intersection of Lombardi Avenue and Marlee Lane. Two floors of sports memorabilia, cards, old programs, posters and Ray Nitschke-owned items await you.
Brett Favre Steakhouse
End the day with dinner at Brett Favre's Steakhouse. The restaurant offers dim light and a full menu assortment of steaks, chicken and fish. Kids can draw a picture and enter to win a Brett Favre autographed photo. A gift shop offers unique Favre t-shirts and other items.
If you don't live in Green Bay, but enjoy the Packers, a visit to the town will be a treat to remember. And you can even put your name on the waiting list for season's tickets. As of Summer 2000, there were only 55,000 names on the list!
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