Welcome to historic Lambeau Field in Green bay, Wisconsin, home of the Green Bay Packers. This stadium is likened to a cathedral, and Packers football games here are considered to be a religious-like experience, among the fanatical Packers faithful.
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Green Bay, Wisconsin is famous for one very important reason: it is home to the Green Bay Packers professional football team. Green Bay, known as Titletown USA, is home to the smallest market in professional football, but perhaps the one with the biggest heart. The Green Bay Packers are one of the most iconic franchises in the National Football League, complete with a deeply storied legacy, and one of the most passionate fanbases in America. In today’s post, I will share my ultimate guide to Green Bay, Wisconsin for Packer fans!
As a local, born and raised in Wisconsin, I was baptized into the culture of Green Bay Packer hysteria early on. I understand the religion of Packer football in this state. Growing up in our home, Sundays were reserved for heaping plates of hot ham and rolls while crowding the television, clad in green and gold, screaming and cheering enthusiastically. My mom, diehard Packer backer that she is, once banished my sister to the porch for an entire game because she dared to root for the Minnesota Vikings (an irredeemable sin in Wisconsin).
Throughout my childhood, my grandpa was a season ticket holder back when the Packers home games were played at the old Milwaukee County Stadium. When that era ended in 1994, he transferred his package to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and the tickets have remained in our family since his passing years ago. I attended my first Packers game when I was 10 years old, toward the end of the “Majik” Don Majkowski era (trust me, there was very little magic about those days).
Fast forward thirty years, and I’ve been to Lambeau a dozen times and have followed my beloved Packers on the road to five NFL stadiums and counting. My love of the Packers was born and tested during the dog days of the late 80s and early 90s and has been rewarded with a front row seat to one of the greatest golden eras in all of professional sports. The Green Bay Packers faithful have experienced something few American sports fans ever will: a 30 year reign of greatness on the arms of back-to-back Hall of Fame quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers.
My love for the Green Bay Packers runs deep, and I’m thrilled to share my fandom through today’s blog pos
Why folks love the Green Bay Packers
Before we get into the essential things for Packer fans to see and do in Green Bay, let’s talk about why the Green Bay Packers one of America’s most beloved franchises across all professional sports. Whether you are a Packers fan, a football fan, or neither, anyone visiting Green Bay should be able to appreciate the unique history of the Packers. So what’s so special about those Green Bay Packers anyway? Well…
- The Packers are not only the NFL’s smallest market team, but also the smallest market team in professional sports with a market size of just under 500,000.
- Consider this: the population of Green Bay Wisconsin is just over 104,000 people, but is home to a stadium that fits 81,114, which if you do the math is almost 80% of the city’s entire population.
- Lambeau Field has sold out every single game since 1960. This accomplishment is impressive considering the small size of Green Bay, and especially because Lambeau Field is an outdoor stadium in the frigid north. By comparison, the Miami Dolphins are celebrating just having sold out one year of tickets…in warm, sunny Miami. Let that sink in.
- Interested in becoming a Packers season ticket holder? Well, you’ll have to get in line and it’s a long one with just about 150,000 people in front of you. In Wisconsin, people add their kids to the season ticketholder request list at birth, with the hope their number will get called before they die.
- The Packers are the only community-owned professional sports team in America. That’s right, decisions aren’t made by any greedy bazillionaires in Titletown, but by a majority vote by regular folks who sit in the stands on gameday and 380,000+ of their closest shareholder friends (spoiler alert: I guarantee you, they aren’t voting to move this team, EVER).
- The Packers are the last remaining of the ”small town teams” that were commonplace during the 1920s and 1930s during the upstart days of the NFL.
- Despite the small market and community ownership, the Green Bay Packers are the winningest team in the NFL and is one of the most valuable franchises in all of sports.
While to many, football is just a game, there is something about the tradition of Green Bay Packers football that transcends the game. The culture of Packers football is one of deep roots, respect for the past, a blue-collar work ethic, and an underdog community that does things the right way.
While many would argue, I would tell you the greatest franchise in all of American sports resides here in little old Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Know Before You Go
- A visit to Green Bay, Wisconsin is so much more than just going to a Packer game. Give yourself at least 48 hours to explore the best of Green Bay.
- Travelling to Green Bay? It is possible to fly into Austin Straubel International Airport, however flights are limited and expensive. If flying, I would strongly recommend flying into Milwaukee instead. Green Bay is just under a two-hour drive from Milwaukee.
- Many area bars in Milwaukee and Madison offer coach buses to Green Bay with unlimited food and drink tailgate packages that are a fun way to visit Lambeau Field.
- If you love to tailgate or pre-game, plan to arrive to Green Bay 4-5 hours before the game to take in the sights, hit up multiple parties and not be rushed before the game.
- Most of the Lambeau Field parking lots are reserved for season ticket holders though a couple offer limited single-purchase passes. If you come an hour or more before the game you should have no problem finding free street parking or paying a small fee to park on someone’s lawn.
Now that you have the scoop on the NFL’s beloved Green Bay Packers, I will walk you through 8 essential things you must experience as a Packer fan in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
1. Training Camp at Lambeau Field
Packer fever typically begins each year in mid-summer as the team ramps up for training camp before the start of the regular season. Beginning in July each year, the Packers hold outdoor practices at Ray Nitschke Field that are free and open to the public. Bleacher seating is available for spectators on a first-come, first-served basis, typically open an hour before practice is set to start.
One of the most beloved parts of the training camp is the DreamDrive bike tradition. DreamDrive encourages all kids to bring their bikes to Lambeau Field and offer a ride to their favorite player. Lucky kids will get a Packers player to hop on and ride their bike the quarter-mile route from Lambeau to Ray Nitschke Field. If chosen, the kids get to jog alongside the players on their bike and will often get to hang onto the player’s helmet on the ride over. What better way to indoctrinate your little ones to Packer magic? It’s seriously adorable and it gets me every time. Even if you aren’t a kid with a bike, check out DreamDrive as a spectator and watch a child’s face light up as a 300 pound lineman rides their bike down the street.
Family Night is an annual event in August where the Packers host an organized practice for the public at Lambeau Field before the official kick-off of pre-season football. During the event, the team completes a full practice in a game-like environment packed with fans in the stands. Family Night is one of the best ways for families to experience the wonder of Lambeau Field without breaking the bank as tickets are just $10 each.
Along with admission, there are some free giveaways such as free thunder sticks for the kids and a music and fireworks show afterwards that’s a ton of fun. Tickets for Family Night typically go on sale at the end of June or early July, so keep an eye out as tickets go quickly!
Alright Packer fans, if you want to get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the oldest stadiums in the National Football League, you must take a guided tour of Lambeau Field. Lambeau Field was built in 1957 and is currently the 2nd oldest NFL stadium behind Soldier Field in Chicago. Fans can purchase tickets to take a guided tour and learn all about the history of the stadium and the franchise from one of the stadium’s super friendly and knowledgeable tour guides.
Visitors seeking a tour can choose from a few options including the Classic, Champions, Legendary and Alumni tours. There is also the option to add a Heritage Trail Trolley Tour which stops at area landmarks in addition to the stadium tour. In all honesty, the classic tour will more than suffice for most fans as it covers tons of great Packer history, and gives you a peek into the atrium, premium seating and the player tunnel and sideline areas on the field. My only critique of the tour is that it doesn’t include a tour of the Packers locker room, but other than that, the tour was an awesome experience. If you have the time, I strongly recommend taking a Lambeau Field Tour and Hall of Fame Tour during the same trip so you can buy a Combo Ticket and save on ticket costs.
One final note to consider when planning to take a Stadium Tour, PLEASE check tour availability and book your tickets in advance. Certain tours are only offered on specific days and gamedays have limited availability.
The Packers Hall of Fame is located inside the Atrium of Lambeau Field and is my favorite place to learn the history of the Green Bay Packers. Whether you are a Packers fan, a football fan, or someone who has no clue what football even is, I would still wholeheartedly recommend everyone visit the Packers Hall of Fame.
The story of the Green Bay Packers is one of those incredible American stories not only in football, but in all of life, and in history in general. The Hall of Fame is a whopping 15,000 feet of Packer goodness spread over two floors and nine exhibit areas. The Packers Hall of Fame was renovated back in 2015 and has a ton of visually exiting displays and leveraging of technology to share the history of the Packers. Mark Murphy was quoted as saying he thinks the Packers Hall of Fame is better than the NFL’s Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Having been to both myself, I’m inclined to agree.
The Packers Hall of Fame takes visitors through the Packers story through the birth of the franchise to modern day. Visitors can see various uniforms, equipment, pieces of history and of course, the Packers four Lombardi trophies, Superbowl rings and other NFL championship items. As sports hall of fames go, I’ve seen more than a few and the Packers Hall of Fame is best in class for sure.
5. Tailgating at Lambeau Field
If you want to experience Green Bay, Wisconsin like a local, then tailgating is a rite of passage. While every NFL city has its own gameday traditions, Green Bay is well-known for perfecting the art of the tailgate. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that almost every Wisconsin city is on the drunkest cities in America list (okay, slight exaggeration but not really). Whatever the reason, you will be hard-pressed to find another state in America that does a pre or post-game party like we do in Wisconsin, especially in Green Bay.
In Green Bay, fans pack their cars with tailgate goodies and head to one of the Green Bay tailgate lots to set up several hours before kickoff. Here are some general rules to consider if you are planning to tailgate in the Lambeau Field lots on gameday:
- Tailgaters must purchase a standard parking pass and be in a designated tailgate lot
- At this time Titletown parking does not support tailgating
- Tailgating is limited to the 9 x 6 space directly behind your vehicle
- Charcoal and propane gas grills are permitted; no wood fires or turkey fryers allowed
- Tailgating can begin 3.5 hours before every home game and ends at kickoff
Tailgating isn’t just limited to the confines of Lambeau Field however, as Packers lovers are notorious for hosting a party anywhere they find a spot. If it’s your first time to Green Bay, I recommend not tailgating in the Lambeau Field lots, but near the bar lots or residential areas to get a feel for the local community.
Packer fans are legitimately some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet anywhere on the planet, and chances are if you pay someone $20 to park on their lawn, they’re going to offer you a plate of food and some beers to go along with it. Taking the time to stroll the neighborhood around Green Bay will give you a new appreciation for just how deep this community’s love of the Green and Gold really goes.
6. Pre or Post-Game Party at the Local Bars
Not the type to haul your lawn chairs and drink for hours on end in the parking lot? Consider pre-gaming at the Johnsonville Tailgate Village outside the Oneida Nation Gate in the east parking lot. Tailgate Village is a fun spot to party before the game that is free of charge and open to the public. This 13,242 square foot mecca for Packers fans has a full kitchen, massive bar, live music and 35 plasma screen tv screens to catch the game. This is the perfect spot to enjoy the game-day atmosphere without needing to pack up your car or man the grill.
Another great way to extend the Packer party is at one of the local sports bars around the stadium. There are more than a few great spots around the stadium but Stadium View, The Bar on Holmgren Way, and Andruzzi’s Sports Club are some of the best game-day spots to grab a beer and pre or post-game it up closest to Lambeau Field.
And yes, we start early. Earlier than you think. You’ve been warned.
7. Packers Pro Shop
Alright friends, if you know me at all you know I’m not one to recommend a ton of shopping when travelling. I just tend to think there are way better things to experience than shopping. I’m going to break that rule and tell you that you need to make time to visit the Packers Pro Shop located in the atrium of Lambeau Field. This is NOT your average pro shop people; it is 21,500 square feet of cheesehead EVERYTHING. You owe it to yourself to browse the shop in all of its delightfully cheesy green and gold glory.
The shop is also a great for normal folks looking for the really good Packer apparel as I always find the cutest stuff in the Pro Shop. While the prices here definitely aren’t cheap, it’s worth it to find stuff here you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere. The Pro Shop is open 7 days a week including on non-game days, which I highly recommend because this place is a zoo on gamedays.
The Green Bay Packers recently made an addition to Lambeau Field in the form of a new entertainment area appropriately dubbed “Titletown.” This sprawling space is free for the public (surcharges for certain activities) and includes a massive playground structure, full size green-and gold football field, a tubing hill, and skating rink among retail and commercial spaces.
On game days, the district hosts Game Day Live four hours before kickoff with live music, great food, cold drinks and fun activities for fans. When the Pack is playing, Titletown is a hopping place to spend time. In the off-season, come to enjoy the many events in the district such as fitness classes, and the Titletown Night Market which hosts sales vendors weekly during the summer.
Titletown is also home to some of the best eats in Green Bay including The Taverne in the Sky, The Turn Powered by Topgolf Swing Suite, Leaps and Bounds, Hinterland Restaurant and Brewery and 46 Below.
If you get the opportunity to watch the Packers play at Lambeau Field, it is an experience you will never forget. Even if you aren’t able to attend a Packer game, as you can see from my list, there are so many other ways to appreciate the Green Bay Packers when visiting.
Alright friends, say it with me…GO PACK, GO!!!
Alright Packer Nation, have you made the trip to Green Bay, Wisconsin to do all the Packer things? Drop me a comment and tell me your favorite thing to do in Green Bay as a Packer fan!
