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
Appleton Family Ice Center
- Appleton
Skaters glide across new ice and slake thirst with sodas; birthday parties include decorations and hot dogs or pizza for up to 10 guests
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
Fitness Renegades
- Ashwaubenon
Renegade Rookies teaches basics workout moves, from pull-ups to squats; youth classes cover the same ground at a lower intensity
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
Recommended Things to Do by Groupon Customers
The crunch of fallen leaves or packed snow telegraphs the motions of warriors hidden in the underbrush on the outdoor fields at Commando Paintball Sports. Paintballs whisper through the air, flitting out from the barrels of Tippmann FT-12 or Piranha markers. The projectiles splatter against two-story forts or hollowed-out vehicles on the three wooded fields, which stay open year-round in almost any weather. On the urban combat field, patrons take cover in any of 20 buildings, including a three-story bell tower perfect for getting a birds-eye-view of opponents. Those seeking tournament-style play compete in a hyperball field designed by expert players. Laser tag keeps clothing clean while still eliciting floods of adrenaline.
Awarded with numerous accolades from the Golf Course Owners of Wisconsin, The Golf Club at Camelot earns recognition for the course's pristine playing conditions of wooded hills and valleys whittled into the landscape by ancient glaciers. Water flows into the picture on half of the holes, including twice on the par 5 ninth, where the fairway bend features an elongated lake and makes players hit their first and second shots with hydrophobic golf balls. On the back nine, the par 3 13th hole places golfers 120 feet higher than the green on a tee box that affords panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and acts as the best place to spot outlaw foursomes on the lam.
Course at a Glance:
18-hole, par 71 course
Total length of 6,304 yards from the back tees
Course rating of 69.4 from the back tees
Course slope of 125 from the back tees
Four sets of tees per hole
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]]
