De Pere, Wisconsin is an interesting small town up north that definitely has a unique culture. It's a very small town only a few miles away from Lambeau field and the Green Bay Correctional Institution. You'll meet people in De Pere that you will never find anywhere else in the country. Being an underage teen in the third drunkest city in America forces high schoolers to be creative in ways to spend their time outside of the classroom. Here is a compiled list of activities you can see teens partaking in in De Pere, Wisconsin.
1. Walk aimlessly around the Bay Park Square Mall.
The Bay Park Square mall that is right next to Lambeau field and it is, I am not kidding, packer themed. The outside entrances are green and gold and the main department stores are Kohl’s, Younkers and Shop Ko. I am sure most people are familiar with Kohl’s but not so much the other two. Younkers is basically generic brand Macy’s and Shop Ko is generic brand Target. The Packer memorabilia in Shop Ko takes up half of the store; you can purchase any green and gold item you could imagine. Jerseys, picture frames, ornaments, wrapping paper, etc. Once you get bored with those, you can walk around the mall that has more teen apparel stores than you even knew existed. You can even remember the trampolines that used to reside in the middle of the mall fondly.
2. Grab some frozen custard at Zesty's.
If you want some local grub, everyone in town finds themselves at Titletown Brewery or one of the other hundred pubs in town. Once again, one of the drunkest towns in America. Luna, the coffee shop, is a town favorite. You cannot go there without seeing at like five people you go/went to high school with, or at least an old teacher or two. Or you can partake in the dairy fetish that sweeps the state and get some custard. Basically ice cream but more fat and often better tasting. No one in town is too concerned with the calorie content of their food as long as there is some cheese, cream, meat, or beer involved.
3. Drive around town.
If you are lucky enough to have both a driver’s license and a car, you will want to use it as often as possible. But, about two days after getting said car you realize that you don’t really have anywhere to go. That doesn’t stop you though. You drive pretty much anywhere you can, around the neighborhoods, out to Bay Beach, or maybe just around downtown Green Bay. Once you realize gas is expensive, you can consider sitting in a parking lot. Whether it is the lot of the prison, high school, or Voyager park. Your choices of parking lots are endless!
4. Break into the abandoned school house.
Did you really go to high school in De Pere if you haven’t broken into at least one abandoned building? A really popular one is school house up on the ledge, nothing much to see once you’re inside but it the fear of getting in trouble keeps it exciting. Also running around a golf course or sneaking into the train museum are also some good options. There is also the classic “climb on top of a building” way to pass time in town. Maybe a water tower, school, or incomplete house. Once again, opportunities are endless.
5. Eat anywhere that is open past 9 p.m.
De Pere is pretty infamous of having a few things to do but 99% of those things close before 9 pm. But you lucked out, you get to have a full list of all of the places that are open past town curfew! They include: Denny’s, Black Stone Café, Taco Shell (the Taco Bell connected to the Shell Station), Walmart, and Festival Foods in West De Pere. That is, it but they may keep you entertained until you start breaking into places (see note above).
6. Go people watching on a Packer game day.
This is the only time you will ever see traffic flood the streets of this quiet town. But, one the game starts you have missed your chance. Everyone is already inside their homes, bars, or the stadium itself to watch the game. Every checkout lady you have on game day will greet you with a packer sweatshirt and a “Go Pack Go!” Packer fan watching is also interesting at church on Sunday games. Every elderly woman is in her knitted sweater and the entire congregation prays for a Pack win, it is a pretty interesting thing to experience.
7. Get out of town.
If you have cool parents, they may let you leave the town lines once in a while. You can drive to the Appleton mall and see a greater variety of basically the same clothes. You can go big and go all the way to Milwaukee and see a concert, but that is usually for special occasions.
8. Neighborhood bonfires.
A lot can be done while staying in your own house. You can get old movies from Family Video and have a marathon with your girlfriends. You can have a fuse ball tournament or bake a cake just because it is fun. Bonfires are a bit hit in the summer months as well. You can also just sit on the couch and complain about how bored you are, that works too.
9. Be glad you live in De Pere.
Even though the town is small without much to do, it is fun when you have great friends. You have to make it your mission to find people who can make sitting in a parked car, a Denny’s or someone’s basement fun. You will be grateful to have lived in such a kind and positive town (except for when the Pack loses). The great friends make you to not mind walking around the mall aimlessly and make you love Luna Café because you always go there with them.
