Overflowing with retro charm, cheap fun, and that carnival food we all love, Bay Beach Amusement Park is one of my favorite places to spend a summer day. Last summer, I spent a lot of time adventuring around my home state of Wisconsin. I was surprised to find out that the Badger State has a lot more to offer than just cheese and beer! One of the highlights of my summer was discovering my new favorite “hidden gem” of Wisconsin – Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Winter has me reminiscing on warm summer days and counting down the days until we see 70-degree temperatures again. Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay was at the top of my Bucket List last summer, and it should be at the top of yours when they reopen in May!
About Bay Beach Amusement Park
Tucked away on the bay of Green Bay sits a hidden Wisconsin gem, the historic city park known as Bay Beach. Don’t let the word “historic” fool you though – Bay Beach is far from old and boring. It actually happens to be one of TripAdvisor’s top-ranked Amusement Parks in America! The park, along with all the fun rides, operates from May through September. During the summer months, the hours are from 10am to 9pm.
The park is owned and maintained by the City of Green Bay Parks System and is over 100 years old! A few things have changed, of course, since Bay Beach opened its doors in 1892. The City of Green Bay is constantly making improvements and changes to Bay Beach to make it even better! Last summer, the new 100-foot “Big Wheel” Ferris Wheel opened, which is such an exciting addition to the park. This new Big Wheel has 20 gondolas that each fit up to 6 people inside. It goes around about 5 times over the course of a few minutes. Like you probably guessed, the views from the top are breathtaking.
Affordable, Family Friendly Summer Fun!
At Bay Beach, you can take in nostalgic carnival rides, views of Green Bay, and yummy carnival food. There is no admission fee to the park, but you do need to purchase tickets if you want to go on any rides. Don’t worry about breaking your budget though, because tickets are only 25 cents each! The ride requirements typically range from one to three tickets, with the Zippin’ Pippin requiring 4 tickets to ride – that’s at most $1 per ride!
The park has many rides, geared for a variety of ages. There is a section of rides specifically for toddlers and young children. There are also a number of rides geared toward older children and adults. My personal favorites were the Zippin Pippin’, the Swing ride, the Sea Dragon, and the Tilt-a-Whirl!
Zippin Pippin’ isn’t just my favorite, it’s a favorite of many. The wooden coaster has a 70-foot drop, giving riders of all ages thrills and screams as they race around the track. Fun fact: this rollercoaster was modeled after Elvis Presely’s favorite coaster in Memphis, Tennessee!
We arrived at Bay Beach right as it was opening on a summer weekday. Early in the day, it was less busy, but as the day progressed, the lines got longer. However, they were never too terribly long. We used this time to plot out the next ride we wanted to do!
The park is well laid out, clean, and the view of the Bay makes it even more appealing. You can walk over to the water a stroll along the bank if you need a break. Bay Beach also has nine areas to picnic or just relax in the shade for a bit. You can bring in your own food or grab a snack at one of the concession stands. They serve a huge variety of things, like Dippin Dots, other ice cream treats, frozen lemonade, sno-cones and a carnival favorite – cotton candy! You can also grab a slice of pizza, hot dogs, or nachos. The concessions are extremely affordable, but there are plenty of benches and shelters around if you prefer to bring your own picnic.
There are plenty of clean family-friendly restrooms at Bay Beach. Parking is free, but it gets a bit difficult to find a spot when it’s super busy. The park is also within walking distance of the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary. Bay Beach makes for a perfect day (or even half-day) getaway. The park is packed with tons of variety to keep everyone in your party, regardless of age, entertained for the day!
A visit to Bay Beach is a refreshingly different form of entertainment. It’s carnival rides without the atmosphere that comes along with county fairs. It’s refreshing to have such a well-maintained, safe park to visit! This is a great, inexpensive, fun-filled place to explore in Wisconsin – who knew?! There are tons of cool things to do in Wisconsin if you take the time to explore!
Have you ever been to Bay Beach?! Comment and let me know what your favorite ride is! Mine is definitely the Zippin Pippin’.
BAY BEACH AMUSEMENT PARK: 1313 Bay Beach Road Green Bay, WI 54301
