Oshkosh, WI Road Trips

Downtown Visitor Center, 100 North Main Street, Suite #112, ☏ +1 920 303-9200, toll-free: +1 877 303-9200, [email protected]. M–F 8AM–4:30PM. Visitor Information Kiosk, 3001 South Washburn, Suite B01 (Outlet Shoppes at Oshkosh). M–Sa 10AM–9PM, Su 10AM–6PM.

1 Paine Art Center and Arboretum, 1410 Algoma Blvd, ☏ +1 920 235-6903, [email protected]. Tu-Su 11AM-4PM. The local art museum housed in the former mansion of a lumber baron. Contains alternating exhibits and a collection of local art. $7 Adult, $6 seniors (65+), $5 students, $4 children (under 5 free), $18 family. 2 EAA Aviation Museum, 3000 Poberezny Road, ☏ +1 920-426-4800. Daily 10AM-5PM. Aviation museum with a collection of over 200 aircraft. Free EAA members, $12.50 adult (18+), $10.50 seniors (62+), $9.50 students (6-17), free children (5 and under), $31 family. (updated Jan 2018) 3 Oshkosh Public Museum, 1331 Algoma Blvd, ☏ +1 920 236-5761, [email protected]. Tu-Sa 10AM - 4:30PM, Su 1PM-4PM. A good overview of the history of the town and area from pre-settlement days to the present. The Apostle's Clock is undergoing restoration. $4 adult, $3 children (under 6 free). OTS Route 1 (East Loop), 110 Pearl Avenue (Transit Center is at Pearl Ave and Market St.), ☏ +1-920 232-5340, fax: +1-(920) 232-5343, [email protected]. M-S 6:15AM-6:15PM, every 30 min (no service on nights, Sundays, and some holidays). The local bus route 1 (East Loop) follows a scenic route south along the waterfront, and for only a dollar it's very cheap. $1.00 adult. 1 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. A gathering each summer of aviation enthusiasts. During the gathering, the airport's control tower is the busiest in the world. (updated Mar 2018) Air show every day at 3:30PM-5PM.

2 Menominee Nation Arena (Oshkosh Arena), 1212 South Main St. Small arena that is home to the NBA G League team the Wisconsin Herd. (updated Mar 2018) 3 Oshkosh Grand Opera House. (updated Feb 2021) 4 Menominee Park Zoo (Oshkosh Zoological Society). Small zoo. Free. (updated Feb 2021) 5 Menominee Park Miniature Train. (updated Feb 2021) Battle on Bago. The Midwest’s largest ice fishing tournament, created in 2007 by a group of five Oshkosh Southwest Rotarians in order to support area youth and conservation efforts throughout the state of Wisconsin. Beneficiaries receiving funds from Battle on Bago embody the mission statement of the event "For Kids & Conservation". Battle on Bago has generated net proceeds of nearly $500,000. With over $275,000 in prizes and the structure of how you can win a prize, everyone has a chance to go home a winner. Battle on Bago is an event supported by the community and returned directly back to the community. If you don’t feel like fishing, you are more than welcome to come to the tent (free admission) for great food & drinks, live music and tons of awesome raffle prizes. (updated Jan 2017) Ford Park Live. Annual Country music festival. Lifest. Annual Christian Rock festival. Waterfest. Art Walk (Downtown - Park across from library or behind True Value Hardware). Monthly display of local artists in a variety of galleries and boutiques. Food and drink offered in most stores. First Saturday of the month 6PM-9PM, Free. (updated Feb 2021) Festival of Lights (Menominee Park). December.

1 Ardy & Ed's Drive In, 2413 S Main St, ☏ +1 920 231-5455. Traditional drive-in experience. (updated Apr 2017) Bangkok Thai, 80 Wisconsin St, ☏ +1 920 232-0120. Good Thai food. (updated Apr 2017) Becket's Restaurant, 2 Jackson St, Oshkosh, ☏ +1 920 230-3333, [email protected]. Modern American dining specializing in locally-sourced ingredients. (updated Apr 2017) 2 The Chalice, 1741 N. Main Street, ☏ +1 920 233-4400. Good food in a traditional Wisconsin supper club environment. (updated Apr 2017) 3 Chester V's, 2505 Oregon Ave, ☏ +1 920-385-1772. Gastropub with serving up drinks, pub type food as well as smoked items. 4 Friar Tuck's, 1651 W South Park Ave, ☏ +1 920-231-9555. Daily 11AM. Generous American fare at a fair price. (updated Apr 2017) 5 Gardinia's Wine Bar and Cafe, 448 N Main St, ☏ +1 920-230-2770. M–W 11AM–midnight, Th–Sa 11AM–2AM, Su 2PM–midnight. Gourmet cuisine. (updated Apr 2017) 6 Jansen's, 344 Bowen St, ☏ +1 920 231-0690. Lunch 11:30AM-2PM, dinner from 5PM. A wide variety of steaks, seafood and sandwiches. Considered by many to be the best tavern food in town. Lunch $5-10, dinner $10-20. 7 Manila Resto, 107 Algoma Boulevard, ☏ +1 920 230-1082. M–W 11AM–2:30PM, 5PM–9PM; Th–Sa 11AM–2:30PM, 5PM–closing. Filipino cuisine and sushi bar. (updated Apr 2017) 8 New Moon Cafe, 401 N Main St. M 6:30AM–8PM, Tu–Th 6:30AM–9PM, F 6:30AM–10PM, Sa 7AM–10PM, Su 8AM–5PM. Coffee shop with light fare.

There are no bars or nightlife on the AirVenture grounds, except perhaps for private parties at various campsites.

1 Oshkosh Marriott Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center, 1 N Main Street. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 2 Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Oshkosh, 2251 Westowne Ave, ☏ +1 920 303-1300, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Quaint hotel near UW Oshkosh, Prime Outlet Mall and EAA Museum. Free express breakfast, high speed internet, indoor pool, whirlpool and fitness center. Comfort Suites Oshkosh, 400 S Koeller Street, ☏ +1 920-230-7378. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Hotel with free breakfast, fitness center, indoor heated pool, free popcorn machine, and an arcade. Camp Scholler. Check-in: 7AM during AirVenture, check-out: anytime during AirVenture. Camp with 40,000 other aviation enthusiasts on a 20'x20' lot. Walk to bathrooms and Wi-Fi access points. At least one person in the group must be an EAA member. No reservations, but there's always plenty of room in Camp Scholler. $27/day; $65/day for a campsite with electricity and water. Airplane camping. If you fly in to AirVenture, there is a certain amount of space to park your plane and pitch a tent under your wing. Walk to bathrooms and wi-fi access points. At least one person in the group must be an EAA member. $27/day.

1 Wittman Regional Airport (OSH IATA). This private airport has no commercial flights, but can support any private aircraft that wish to land. If you plan to fly in here during Airventure, you will find yourself among tens of thousands of other aircraft doing the same thing. You absolutely must get the Airventure NOTAM from the Airventure website and follow it carefully. (updated Feb 2021) Commercial air service for Oshkosh is provided by Appleton International Airport (ATW IATA) (20 minutes north on I-41, take exit 137 for College Ave.; follow signs to turn left onto CTH CA West; the highway takes you straight there). It offers various services from roughly 12 cities, you can fly to this airport from nearly 250 cities with only 1 stop. Over the years prices have come down and now airfares comparable to Chicago and Milwaukee are not hard to come by. (updated Jul 2021) Oshkosh is approximately 45 minutes south of Green Bay, 20 minutes south of Appleton, and 1.5 hours north of Milwaukee. The main north-south route is Interstate 41 and the main east-west route into Oshkosh is State highway 21. Greyhound Bus Lines, 525 W 20th Ave (in front of the terminal at Wittman Regional Airport), ☏ +1 920 231-6490. Greyhound offers service into Oshkosh from many cities in the region. The stop at the airport terminal is a couple of kilometers south of downtown. $42 one-way from Chicago (example). Kobussen Buses, ☏ +1 920 766-0606, [email protected].

GO Transit, 926 Dempsey Trail (Transit Center is at Pearl Ave and Market St.), ☏ +1 920 232-5340, fax: +1 920 232-5343, [email protected]. M-Sa 6:15AM-6:15PM, (no service on nights, Sundays, and some holidays). The local bus operates 11 routes out of the Transit Center. Each route has two departures per hour. The web site has a route map. $1.50 (adult). Oshkosh City Cab Co. +1 920 235-7000 Yellow Cab Co. +1 920 235-1950 EAA Shuttle, ☏ +1 920 232-5340, fax: +1 920 232-5343, [email protected]. 6:20AM-8:40PM (during AirVenture only). During AirVenture there is a special shuttle that runs twice per hour from the Transit Center at 110 Pearl Ave, to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh on Osceola Street opposite Gruenhagen Hall, to the bus drop area near the AirVenture main gate, to the Wittman Regional Airport terminal building, looping back to the Transit Center. The unlimited pass also lets you ride for free on any OTS route during AirVenture. If you are staying at UWosh housing for AirVenture, you can buy the bus pass when you check in. $3/round trip, $20 for an unlimited AirVenture week pass. The AirVenture grounds stretch for kilometers, literally. You will walk a lot. There are helpful trams that run north and south parallel to the flight line, and stop near many of the main attractions. The AirVenture map lists the routes. Cars aren't allowed on the AirVenture grounds, except by certain staff. If you can bring a bicycle, it will make travelling around much easier.