Located about 30 minutes away from Green Bay, Wisconsin, are 20 communities that comprise the Fox Cities. The Fox Cities area is family friendly and a great place to get away. It may sound cliché, but there really is something there for everyone.
For Younger Children
The Building For Kids Children's Museum is a hands-on museum designed specifically for little kids. Some of the hands-on exhibits include the Discovery Tree which has has five tree forts and nets to climb through, the Gulfstream Aircraft where kids can pretend to be a pilot or a passenger on a plane, and the Pierce Firetruck exhibit where kids can put on firemen coats and helmets and play on an actual firetruck which has been adapted for the museum. Kids can also put on a raincoat and play in the Thrivent Mutual Funds Water Gallery. That's not all! Other exhibits include:
- The Amazing Heart
- Castle Adventure
- Construction Junction by The Boldt Company
- daVinci Studio
- Everybody Play and Imagination Playground
- Fox Communities Credit Union’s Littlest Branch
- Happy Baby Garden
- Kid's Town
- Move It
- Renewable Energy House
The The Building For Kids Children's Museum is located in downtown Appleton and is open Tuesday through Sunday. The museum welcomes memberships in the Association of Children’s Museums Reciprocal Network and Association of Science Technology Centers Travel Passport Program.
For Older Kids
The History Museum at the Castle is a great place to learn more about some of Appleton's famous residents, such as Senator Joseph McCarthy and Harry Houdini. In fact, visitors to the museum might even learn how Houdini was able to perform a trick or two. Other exhibits include Play which features classic and locally made toys, A Stone of Hope about black history in the Fox Cities from the 1700s to the present, (In)visible: Homelessness in Appleton, and Tools of Change, an exhibit which examines the tools, the work and everyday life in the Fox Valley region from 1840 to 1950.
The History Museum at the Castle is located in a former Masonic Temple in Appleton in 1923. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am until 4 pm and is part of the Time Travelers network.
For Everyone
Where does one go when they want to celebrate paper? The Paper Discovery Center in Appleton - that's where.
The Paper Discovery Center walks visitors through the history of paper making. From raw materials to the finished product, it's all there. Visitors can also see recycling in action by making their own recycled work of paper art.
Young and old alike can take pieces of newspaper and recycled colored paper, throw in some sparkles, and a few steps later have a special memento from the Paper Discovery Center.
The Paper Discovery center is located along the banks of the Fox River in the historic Atlas Mill Building in Appleton. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am until 4 pm.
Mulberry Lane Farm
Mulberry Lane Farm is a short drive from Appleton (approximately 15-20 minutes). With admission, visitors can go on a hayride, milk a cow, feed the goats, pet the farm animals, and in the Fall, even pick a pumpkin to take home.
There are plenty of baby animals on the farm, such as baby chicks, ducklings, and piglets.
Mulberry Lane Farms is open to visitors from the beginning of May until the end of October.
Wilmar Chocolates
For sixty years, Appleton residents and visitors have been able to satisfy their chocolate cravings with freshly made treats at Wilmar Chocolates.
The locally made confections are made from natural ingredients in small batches every week. Wilmar Chocolates uses local butter, milk, and cream from Lamers Dairy. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between 11 am and 5 pm, guests to the shop can even have their own chocolate bars made with up to 4 ingredients of their choosing.
Happy Bellies Bake Shop
Remember the "something for everyone" mentioned at the beginning of this post? At Happy Bellies Bake Shop, that is so true. Not only are the baked goods handcrafted from natural ingredients and fresh, but they are all gluten-free. Happy Bellies also has dairy free, vegan, refined sugar free, egg free, nut free and soy free options. The best part is that they taste amazing!
Fox Cities has many more places to explore, both indoors and out. For more information on what to see and do, where to stay, dining and shopping, as well as events and more, visit www.FoxCities.org.
This would be a fun place for my parents to bring my kids!