Don’t Worry About Big Airports, Fly to Appleton, WI!

Landmarks and the Technical Part

Appleton, Wisconsin (IATA: ATW, ICAO: KATW FAA LID: ATW) has a towered public airport located in Greenville, Wisconsin approximately 3.5 miles west of downtown Appleton. Appleton International Airport was once known as Outagamie County Regional Airport and is 918 feet above sea level. The field has two concrete runways; 03/21 measuring 8,003 ft. and 12/30 measuring 6,502 ft. All taxiways have LED edge lighting and the field is equipped with high intensity runway lights. There is a crew car at the FBO and both AvGas and Jet Fuel are available.

The airfield is home to a Gulfstream Aerospace facility as well as a Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol (Fox Cities Composite Squadron).

This airport has grown considerably since the first time I saw it but it has still retained ease of use and is generally not too crowded. That being said, it’s now a little larger than my normal criteria but we all know its MUCH less crowded than Wittman Field if your planning on visiting EAA’s AirVenture at Oshkosh. It’s also a bit smaller than the Green Bay-Austin Straubel Airport. If you want to see a Packers game at Lambeau Field it’s a little over 34 miles from this airport. Check out ScoreBig, pay less-play more! If you are attending AirVenture it’s about 24.5 miles SSW.

EAA AirVenture photos from Oshkosh 2022!/

Oshkosh 2023!

Transportation

There are currently a number of rental car agencies both across from and inside the terminal as well as a pickup and drop off point for ‘ride-for hire” vehicles. Enterprise, Budget, Alamo, and Hertz Rent A Car are all on site. There is a bus available to take you to Oshkosh but it doesn’t pick up at the airport, you’ll need a ride into town. Depending on where you stay there are Shuttle services from many nearby hotels.

If you are going downtown there is a free trolley Thursday through Sunday. It makes a complete loop of the riverfront and downtown Appleton from June to September. and runs every 30 minutes at 15 and 45 minutes after the hour. It starts at the Transit Center downtown.

Where to go for the Finer Things!

If you want a little local flavor The Fox River Brewing Company makes it’s home in both Appleton and Oshkosh. It’s a casual place for a get together with friends or family with a varied menu and lots of choices for their own local favorite brews. The one in Appleton is at the Fox River Mall. The Oshkosh version is right on the Fox River and a great place for sunset watching. Both establishments have outdoor seating available. For Italian, Fratellos Riverfront Restaurant and their patio dining is just right for a warm summer evening.

If you’re looking for something a little more refined Vince Lombardi’s Steak House or the Rye Restaurant are both just right down the street from Lawrence University. If you’re a football fan I would suggest Lombardi’s just for the pictures on the wall. Both are more upscale with great wine selections, atmospheres, and service.

If you want something fun and different try The Melting Pot. Cheese fondue as only Wisconsin can do. Pair it with a craft beer or a nice glass of wine and skip right to a decadent dessert or have a four course meal. Neither one will disappoint although it can get a little steamy with a cooktop at every table. If you or someone in your party is always cold, this is the place to go.

Things To Do In Appleton!

Appleton is home to the first private residence in the world to use electric lighting generated by a centrally located hydroelectric station. As you might guess, it’s located near the Fox River. This lovely old Queen Anne style home, known as the Hearthstone Historic House, has been turned into a museum. There are guided tours at 10:00a.m. daily except Sunday when they don’t start until 1:00p.m. Monday-Wednesday is reserved for groups while Thursdays-Sundays are for the rest of us. The last tour starts by 3:30p.m. The museum contains many original fixtures, switches and Edison wiring. Also, if you time it right, you could join one of their “Mystery at the Mansion” events. After all, a little murder mystery never hurt anyone!

Appleton was also the boyhood home of Harry Houdini! There’s an interactive display along with static displays of things like his leg irons and straight jackets in the History Museum at the Castle. The legend lives on and the kids will love it. There is also a Houdini walking tour that encompasses sites from his childhood if you need a little exercise. Be advised, the museum is closed on Mondays.

If you need a nice gift for someone or if you just want to see and appreciate fine and beautiful things you should visit the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass. It’s right by Riverside Park, which is lovely, by the way, and admission is free although exiting can cost if you leave via the gift shop.

Fishing Around Appleton

If you are part of my fishing crowd, opportunities for Bass, Trout and Walleye abound around Appleton. The river runs through it, as they say, and it is filled with fishing dreams. There are multiple parks throughout town where public fishing is allowed and if you want to go further astream there are charters galore from Lake Winnebago to Lake Michigan. Fishing excursions up here will run you anywhere from $275 to $600 depending on what you want. Please visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov for rules and regulations governing fishing in the state of Wisconsin.

Golf Around Appleton

For the golf crowd there are 26 golf courses within 20 miles of Appleton but only 23 are public and only 2 are in Appleton. The oldest course around is the18 hole Butte des Morts which opened in Appleton in 1926 but it is a private course. The other course not far from town is the Reid Golf Course. The best rated course is the High Cliff Golf and Event Center but it is in the village of Sherwood near Lake Winnebago. Apparently, it’s beautiful, challenging, and worth the drive but I haven’t seen this one personally. Once again http://golfnow.co is an excellent resource for tee times and descriptions.

Please note: Some links in this post are sponsored links. I may be paid a commission if you make a purchase through those links.

Safe flying and smooth landings,

jo@jettreks