We traded in our lake views for a view of the Fox River on our summer trip to downtown Appleton. I mean, if it’s water, it’s calming to our souls. Our favorite parts about the area is that while it’s a decent sized city (about 74,000), it still had some small town charm and SO much character. Plus, it’s a short ride from Lake Country, at just about an hour and a half north. So, there were no, “are we there yet?” questions coming from the back seat. 😁
When you drive into downtown Appleton, you will be greeted by signs about music, art sculptures, and fun facts about Houdini. Did you know that Houdini (Ehrich Weiss) lived in Appleton for four years as a child, and always considered the city to be his hometown? We sure didn’t, but we learned all about him on the Fox Trot Trail and at the History Museum at the Castle. In fact, in the picture above, right in front of us, is Houdini Plaza, a beautiful city space with a water fountain.
Not only did we learn a lot of history and Appleton’s culture, we also walked a lot of steps and the weather could not have been more gorgeous for our getaway. The downtown area is super easy to navigate by walking or taking the FREE trolley. The trolley runs a loop through the downtown area and over the Fox River. We really enjoyed our trolley ride, especially since we were able to ride with Amanda Chavez of Go Valley Kids and her kiddos. Go Valley Kids is the equivalent of Lake Country Family Fun for the Appleton and surrounding area.
The trolley will be available June 3 – September 25, 2021.
Thursdays & Fridays 5-11pm
Saturdays 8am-11pm
Now for the fun part – the five attractions and stops to make with your family in downtown Appleton!