Things to Do in Appleton
Appleton Things To Do Guide
Regardless of the time of year, there are always plenty of fun things to do in Appleton. During the summer months, an abundance of hiking trails, nature preserves, and parks are the ideal setting for outdoor adventures. When the weather turns cold, Appleton activities switch gears and transform into skiing, ice fishing, and hockey in the winter wonderland. Families can tour educational and historical museums or amp up the energy at an amusement park. Beat boredom any time of year with the exciting stuff to do in Appleton.
Nestled next to Lake Winnebago, Appleton is home to a variety of parks, nature preserves, and stunning natural beauty. Hike the trails in High Cliff State Park and absorb the wonder of the rugged and natural surroundings. With a 100-boat slip marina, visitors can enjoy views of the limestone cliffs from the water or by land. The Heckrodt Wetland Reserve is a popular Appleton activity for students and adults alike, due to the abundant wildlife, breathtaking botany, and educational activities.
When the snow starts to fall, as it does frequently during the winter months, cold weather Appleton activities abound. Take in the splendor of the season with free outdoor ice skating at Appleton Memorial Park, Erb Park or Jones Park. Many of the parks, including High Cliff State Park, are open year-round to accommodate cross-country skiers and snowshoeing lovers. At the Family Ice Center, lessons and free skating are available indoors for figure skaters and hockey players.
There are a host of Appleton attractions for families that are offered all year. Learn more about the history of the area at The History Museum at the Castle, which hosts a Houdini exhibit, or let the little ones run amok in The Building for Kids, an interactive children’s museum. For the serious shopping enthusiasts, the Fox River Mall is the largest mall in the area.
Things to Do Deals
Maple Lanes
- South Business Drive
Two hours of bowling on one or two lanes at an alley that also features sand volleyball courts and a golf simulator
Shoreview Lanes
- Oshkosh
Twenty-four synthetic lanes welcome bowlers of all ages and keep them energized with pitchers of soda and piping-hot cheese pizzas
Pro Fitness, Inc.
- Green Bay
Fitness professionals give one-on-one guidance during personal-training sessions as members lift and run their way to health
Recommended Things to Do by Groupon Customers
Named for the mythical bird famous for its fiery rebirth, the Green Bay Phoenix shares its spirit with many esteemed sports programs, including a women’s basketball team that has been ranked as high as 16th in the NCAA Division I and a men’s squad that has made the NCAA Tournament four times. One of only four Division 1 schools in Wisconsin, the Green Bay Phoenix is a member of the Horizon League and their teams––including men’s tennis and women’s swimming and diving––have brought home a total of 29 league championships over the past decade.
Carved out of 640 acres of Wisconsin farmland, the 4.048-mile, 14-turn racetrack at Road America allows roadsters of all size and stripe to careen the original track design throughout the raceway’s full season of stock-car, motorcycle, and vintage-car collecting events. The iconic raceway, one of the fastest permanent road-racing tracks in the world, nurtures aspiring Andrettis through its driving school and accommodates gatherings with group outings, such as go-karting, snowshoeing, or geocaching adventures. On race day, guests can take advantage of golf-cart rentals to enjoy the action and fill up on snacks at some of Road America’s 13 concession stands.
The instructors at First Coast Golf Academy help their students attain a better swing by first establishing fundamentals and building an impeccable stroke from there. Whether a player is a newcomer to the game or a longtime enthusiast in need of minor tweaks, lessons begin by reviewing proper club grip. Next, the instructor moves on to correct posture and alignment, key components that must be addressed prior to beginning any backswing or political campaign. Once pupils have a solid base, the instructor makes tweaks to the swing in a logical, easy-to-follow manner.
Founded in 1969 by a group of commercial fishermen, Door County Maritime Museum’s three locations illuminate the history of area waterways and the seafarers who've traveled them. The 20,000-square-foot Sturgeon Bay location, open 365 days a year, focuses on the evolution of shipbuilding. Its galleries house model ships ideal for transporting hand soap across sinks, along with displays on lighthouses and shipwrecks.
For an interactive adventure, patrons can board a fully restored Chicago fire tug from the 1960s for a two-hour in-water cruise, narrated by a trained docent. The Gills Rock location focuses on the shipwrecks that have peppered the Door Peninsula region, with supplementary exhibits on Great Lakes pirate Dan Seavey and maritime life-saving techniques, such as never boarding a ship named Titanic. Alternatively, patrons can climb 97 spiral-staircase steps to the summit of the Cana Island Lighthouse, which, along with the keeper’s house, has been preserved since 1869. In addition to educational displays, the museum also hosts various events to unite the maritime-enthusiast community. :m]]
