Make it Grand: The Fox Cities are a Grandparent-Grandkid Destination

There’s something special about traveling with Grandma and Grandpa. Multigenerational travel gives the opportunity for sharing experiences, exploring together, and creating lifelong memories, as well as some respite for Mom and Dad. Whether looking for a quick weekend getaway or weeklong excursion, here’s how the Fox Cities bring together grandparents and grandkids for a vacation to remember.

Celebrate lifelong learning.
The Fox Cities are home to countless museums that cater to multigenerational visitors. Try a hand at a glass art activity and look in awe at intricacies of the world’s largest paperweight exhibit at the Bergstrom Mahler Museum of Glass. (Insider tip: The famed “Rocket Park” – officially named Riverside Park – in Neenah is across the street from the Bergstrom Mahler Museum, so plan for some unforgettable play time at this one-of-a-kind park after the museum stop.)

Play together at The Building for Kids Children’s Museum in Appleton. Its interactive exhibits inspire, teach, and reinforce curiosity, as well as promote play together as children and grandparents and/or parents.

Bring out the kid in everyone.
The secret is out: Grandma and Grandpa are still like kids in a candy store. Wilmar Chocolates in Appleton not only serves freshly made caramels, chocolates, and other candies daily, but visitors can also mix and match toppings and take home their own chocolate bar. The gooey-chocolatey goodness will be mixed and molded right before your eyes in store.

Unlike generations past, fewer children live on, or are directly exposed to agriculture, but the love of the farm and country experience can connect one generation to the next. At Mulberry Lane Farm, located in nearby Hilbert, visitors can milk a cow, hop on a hayride, pick a pumpkin, feed farm animals, and more. Have fun on the farm, together.

Take a trip back in time.
A family owned and operated company, Lamers Dairy knows the importance of family. Lamers brings the magic of milk bottling in front of shoppers at its dairy and country store in Appleton.

Pull up, park, get your popcorn, and kick back for a movie under the stars. Bygone are the days where drive-in theatres are the norm; yet, the experience never gets old. In the warm summer months in the Fox Cities, you can catch family-friendly films at the Field of Scenes Drive-In Movie Theatre in Kaukauna.

Explore the outdoors, get moving, and never miss pool time.
High Cliff State Park, Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve, 1000 Islands Environmental Center, and Heckrodt Wetland Reserve are a few of the many options to explore nature in the Fox Cities. The Fox Cities are home to dozens of community parks, which give the kiddos ample playground time, hours of entertainment, and even some picturesque picnic spots.

No matter the season or time of day, grandkids can get in the treasured pool time in the Fox Cities. Most Fox Cities accommodations have indoor pools, and one resort and another waterpark hotel offer enhanced pool time fun.

But first, dessert.
We know grandparents love to spoil the kiddos, so after fueling up with dinner at one of many family-friendly restaurants, stop by a local ice cream parlor. Some scoop up classic ice cream options in a mom-and-pop parlor, while others put a new twist on the classic favorites.

Hold the wallet.
The kids may not be counting, but budget-friendly travel never goes out of style. The event calendar for the Fox Cities is packed with many free and family-friendly community events throughout the year. Accommodations, dining options, and attractions also maintain reasonable prices because vacation should be enjoyed, not break the bank.

The time grandparents and grandkids spend together will be some of the most treasured during life. Family-friendly and budget-friendly, the Fox Cities are ready to be your multigenerational vacation home away from home.


Photo Credit: @itsmeo3 at Frio Mexican Treats


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