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By the time most football fans arrive in Green Bay, the excitement and anticipation is already sky high.
But in case I needed a little pre-game pep talk, the GPS voice guiding the short drive from the airport to my Lambeau Field adjacent hotel had it covered.
“Turn left on Holmgren Way.”
“Turn right on Mike McCarthy Way.”
“Turn left on Bart Starr Drive.”
“Turn left on Tony Canadeo Run.”
“Turn left on Brett Favre Pass.”
Standing in the parking lot of the wonderful Legacy Hotel I can see the Packers logo lit up at Lambeau Field, which is just a short walk along Lombardi Ave.
Some streets don’t need a first name.
Every sport has its hallowed grounds, and for football it’s hard to imagine anything better than watching a game at Lambeau Field. Being a life-long Packers fan certainly doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t take long in Green Bay to realize that creating a positive experience for visiting fans is extremely important to the people in this city of just over 100,000.
This is my third Packers pilgrimage from Toronto: It started in 2008 with a comeback playoff win over Seattle that turned out to be Brett Favre’s final Packer win in Lambeau; then it was an Aaron Rodgers’ 2012 Thursday night 7-sack win over Jay Cutler’s Chicago Bears; and this time it’s to see rising star Jordan Love take on the Houston Texans.
Over the years, I’ve driven 10 hours in the January snow, flown right into Green Bay, and flown to Milwaukee and rented a car. A father and son I ran into from Ottawa on gameday flew to Chicago and made the three-hour drive.
All of this to say, there are plenty of ways to make the journey to this special place in the sports world.
The gameday experience in Green Bay is second to none. As one would expect, the tailgate fun starts early and there is no shortage of pre-game celebrations. There is, thankfully, a shortage of any sign of tensions between rival fans. Coming to cheer on the visiting team? You will be comfortable wearing your jersey and likely offered a bratwurst from a smiling Packers fan working his grill.
In my experience, once in your seat the good cheer between fans continues throughout the game.
Actually, that’s a bit of a lie because this is Green Bay and there aren’t really seats. Lambeau Field is the only stadium in the NFL that still has predominantly old-school bleacher benches. Despite the intimate feel of the venue, Lambeau is actually the second-largest stadium in the league with a capacity of more than 81,000 fans.
That’s not to say there aren’t modern amenities, as recent renovations have created an incredible atrium that includes the No. 1 selling pro shop in all of professional and college sports (there’s nothing like trying to figure out what size cheesehead to get your wife and kids), as well as the entry point to the Packers Hall of Fame.
Once seated, your eyes will be drawn to the two new 4K scoreboard video screens above each endzone, both larger than those at the Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Texas. For the players, upgrades on the field include heated underground pipes and state-of-the-art turf technology to keep the formerly frozen tundra at the perfect temperature for football.
Those were some of the fun facts I learned from our guide Kevin during a highly-recommended stadium tour on the morning after watching the Packers win on a last-second field goal over the Texans.
There are several tours available, I chose the two-hour Legendary Tour, which included a chance to walk out the Packers tunnel at field level and see the famous tundra up close. Since 2003, almost three million football fans have taken Lambeau Field tours.
While a Green Bay Packers game was the complete itinerary of my previous two trips to Wisconsin, this time I had the opportunity to explore much more of what the area has to offer.
Following my stadium tour, I said goodbye to Green Bay and embarked on the two-hour drive to Milwaukee.
After checking into the chic Trade Hotel, an Autograph Collection Hotel by Marriott located downtown right beside the Milwaukee Bucks’ Fiserv Forum, I visited the stunning Harley-Davidson Museum.
With two floors of exhibits, plus shopping and dining opportunities, the sprawling 20-acre campus is an education in Americana.
From the company’s origins in a meager shed, to a stunning example of the original 1911 V-Twin Harley Davidson, to its proud history producing motorcycles for troops during both World Wars, to the unbelievable tsunami bike that floated from Japan to British Columbia, and much more, the museum tells an incredible story of a truly iconic brand.
After lunch, with some time to kill, I set off from the Trade Hotel and discovered what is a very walkable Milwaukee, with no shortage of brew pubs and urban markets. The downtown area – particularly the Historic Third Ward – had the feeling of successful effort in modern revitalization, with plenty to see and do on foot, and a cohesive message of a vibrant, livable neighbourhood.
Getting back to the apparent central elements of my trip, sports and beer, after my walk I headed to the baseball stadium to hit some golf balls.
Confused yet?
American Family Field is home of the Milwaukee Brewers, and it’s also home to X-Golf and Major League Baseball’s only field-facing golf simulators. During the season, sports fans can watch the Brewers game while playing a virtual round at faraway courses such as St. Andrews and enjoying food and drink from X-Golf’s sports bar. The golf simulators are open year-round to keep your swing grooved through the Wisconsin winter.
Another new addition to the Milwaukee sports scene is the Sportsbook at Potawatomi Casino. With online sports gambling still illegal in Wisconsin, the brand new Sportsbook at Potawatomi is the only game in town. Featuring the largest LED screen in the Midwest, at over 2,000 sq. ft., as well as 20 betting kiosks and 10 ticket writers, you’ll be excused if you think you’re in Las Vegas while you’re enjoying a meal and watching the games. If you’re not in Green Bay at Lambeau Field, I’d strongly recommend spending gameday here.
The final stop on my itinerary was another potential cornerstone of a great Wisconsin trip, a round of golf at unforgettable Whistling Straits.
Located an hour’s drive north of Milwaukee, Whistling Straits is a bucket-list resort for any golfer. The Straits Course designed by Pete Dye has hosted three PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup.
Before stepping foot on the golf course, the first thing you’ll notice is the exquisite attention to detail across every inch of the property. The dramatic windswept terrain along 3 km of Lake Michigan shoreline takes your mind to links golf in Ireland, an energy that is matched perfectly with the rugged elegance of a clubhouse that is ready to welcome you warmly home after a round.
Trips to the world’s best golf destinations can strain the budget, but anyone making the trek to see the late Herb Kohler’s crowning golf vision will be met with an experience second-to-none.
The walking-only course is an absolute feast for your eyes and Pete Dye’s reputation for sowing doubt in golfers’ minds with incredible visual intimidation is on display on every tee. Whether it’s fairways and greens hard against the water, or the wild fescue rippling like waves in the wind, or the 1,000 (yes, 1,000!) bunkers, it’s very easy to focus on where you shouldn’t hit the ball rather than where you should. But, like many of the best courses, with a helpful caddie and proper tee selection, the Straits Course proved surprisingly playable for golfers of varying skill levels that made up our group.
The golf experience is unique for even the most well-travelled player. With fast, firm fairways and green surroundings, the Straits Course call for links-style bump-and-run shots and offers plenty of opportunity to putt from off the green if you so choose. But unlike links golf, the 1,000 bunkers are not pot bunkers that will destroy your score, these endless strips of sand often allow for recovery shots if you can avoid the gnarly fescue edges.
Also, be sure to bring your wedge game for some creative shots from the steep hills bordering Lake Michigan. On the 17th hole I found myself left off the green and down by the lake and was able to successfully pull of the famous Jordan Spieth Ryder Cup lob shot back onto the green.
With so much packed into my itinerary I didn’t get the opportunity to venture into the nearby village of Kohler to see The American Club, the Midwest’s only AAA 5-Diamond resort hotel, or Kohler’s second 36-hole golf resort, Blackwolf Run.
But it’s safe to say if they were built with the same care and luxurious fit and finish, they would be welcome additions to any dream golf trip.
With all the sports, brew pubs and Midwestern hospitality I could jam into a short trip, I made my way back to Milwaukee for the flight home to Toronto. It seemed Wisconsin had taken its toll as I walked past an airport bar and right past the final tap of Spotted Cow before my gate.
As I sat drinking a bottle of water, the man beside me saw my bag from Lambeau and asked if I went to the game on the weekend.
I said yes, explaining that after seeing Favre, Rodgers, and now Love, if everything works out as planned for the Packers I won’t need to return for another 15 years.
“C’mon, you shouldn’t wait that long,” he said.
Y’know, he’s probably right.