Packer Fans/Wisconsinites Please Advise

[himom]

My Mom has been a Packers fan for almost 40 years now, and her lifelong dream is to attend a game at Lambeau. So my Dad has decided this is her year to go, and they are currently planning a trip.

However, we live in Hawaii, none of us has ever attended a professional football game, and we know nothing about Wisconsin. We would like to avoid freezing our buns off, getting ripped off by a shady, unauthorized ticket website, and getting stuck in an uncomfortable hotel 2 hours from the stadium.

So, I throw myself at the mercy of those of you who may be "in the know." Can anyone recommend any "must avoids" or "must do" type things? Any particular hotel or travel agency? Best places to sit in the stadium? We don't want to break the bank but since we're traveling 4,500 miles I think it'd be wise to get decent seats.

Also, when does it really, really start to get cold?

Any advice at all on any part of the trip would be deeply appreciated! :cheerleader1:

In the meantime, I'm off to check out Packers.com. This is so exciting!!!

Thanks muchly!
Jodi

[AngelaS]

It's cold here starting in October. Or earlier. :P It's hard to say exactly.

(Even tho I'm in Wisconsin, that's about all I know about going to a Packers game. I'm not into football.)

[KBecks]

LOL, my dream is to go to Hawaii! :)

There's cold and then there's really cold. Really cold can start late October but usually really gets going in November/December. In Lambeau, you are packed in with a lot of other people, who are all bundled up so you've got group insulation.

In pre-season, it can be hot and muggy shorts weather.

Watching a football game live is different than TV, it's harder to know what's going on, IMO. I think you'd want to sit near the middle of the field 50 yard line for the best views.

I grew up in the Green Bay area and I don't think there are many must dos. You should go to the Packer Hall of Fame since your mom is such a fan. I'll ask a friend who lives in the area now and has season tix what else you should do.

Ticket King is a reputable broker.

[Happy 2B mommy]

Avoid tickets in the end zone. Totally crazy - I've never had so much beer spilled on me! Fun, but you miss a lot of the game.

I've had the pleasure of sitting on the 50 yard line and I totally agree that it's the best place to watch the game. You can see everything and the fans aren't too crazy. But pricey.

Temp wise, you probably want to go in Sept or Oct, but you might still find it cold, considering the temps you are used to. Anything later than that, you might be too cold to enjoy the game.

Not a lot to do in Green Bay, other than the Packer Hall of Fame and the stadium. It's a pretty blue-collar town full of nice people.

As far as hotels go, if you want to splurge and don't mind about 1.5 hour drive, stay at the American Club in Kohler, WI or The Hotel on Woodlake in Kohler. EXTREMELY nice, wonderful spa and excellent food. However, staying at a medicore hotel in Green Bay with a bunch of other Packer fans can be a great experience, as well. You can't duplicate that sort of excitement. It depends on what you're looking for. Oh, and you must have a brat with brown mustard and saurkraut.

[KBecks]

Depending on how long you plan to stay in Wisconsin, you may want to plan your visit in September/October and stay in Door county instead of GB. It's not that far to the north, it's quaint and beautiful (the Cape Cod of the Midwest). If you get lucky you may hit the fall colors. You may want to stay in Sturgeon Bay, which is kind of in between GB and the upper door county (where all the nice parks, shops, etc. are). Sturgeon Bay has cute B&B's, shops and restaurants. The downside is that you would drive possibly an hour (maybe less) or so to get to GB/Lambeau (could be longer based on traffic) and you would drive 20-30 minutes to get to the nicer parts of Door County (Fish Creek, Peninsula Park). If you are going to stay maybe 4 days or longer that might be a nice option too. I do love the idea of a B&B for your trip because it's so nice to get recommendations and ideas from the innkeepers.

Sturgeon Bay would be closer than Kohler, I'm pretty sure. But it depends on whether or not you mind driving a little more to get places.

I agree, GB is a very functional, average community, it's not a tourist destination, except for the Packers, of course.

This is obvious, but avoid Monday night games in December. Those are the coldest. A Monday Night game in September could be very exciting though. I don't know if the fall schedule is out yet? Hotels sell fast, fast, fast, so get right on it as soon as you know your potential dates.