Green Bay vs Sturgeon Bay - where to live (Brussels: safer, areas)

[rhizohm]

So I agree that a daily commute to SB from GB would be a bit much for my sentiments and it also seems that there are many good things about living in SB over GB, but since my background is having grown up just outside GB (in De Pere), I will speak to it.

Generally speaking, GB is not much of a cultural center unless you are into drinking and football. That being said, it is not without a few good restaurants, galleries and enjoyable nightspots. If you live around downtown you will be close to Washington street, which is where most of the nightlife takes place. It is small, but it can be fun. The key is not to let yourself get caught up in what you *expect* it to be-- it is not a big or hip city, it is little old GB, but if you can settle into that it is not such a bad place. I recommend Cafe Espresso and other places on Washington or Broadway, which serves great food and has a nice selection of drinks. (Keep in mind I grew up there and mostly spent my time wanting to get out. Now I have a little nostalgia for home.)

You might also chose to live in one of the Green Bay suburbs. Allouez is very quaint with some beautiful houses and is I think entirely free of big box retail, just one of those small business only towns. Ashwaubenon is the more booming burb, with a lot of big box retail, not my bag but a lot of people seem to like it. Howard offers a bit more open space and a "country" feel but also is pretty hickish. De Pere is around 25,000 and is actually older than GB and so has a bit of a culture of its own, with a small college, some good restuarants and a nice coffee shop or two (Luna) and you can meet almost all of your day to day needs there, while it is still only about a 15 minute drive to downtown GB.

[rhizohm]

Yeah, Washington and Broadway areas, not far from Washington Commons in the downtown, are where my friends (mid 20s) who still live and work in Green Bay are. The downtown has lost a lot of its population in the last few decades, but if GB follows the trend of larger cities (which it usually does, but with a significant time delay) the downtown is just waiting for urban renewal so now is a time to get in. A few of my friends who live there say it is already happening and when I visit I have noticed it a bit more each time.

[Central Illinois 1]

I lived both places for quite awhile. My decision would rest on living where I work. The winters are bad in WI (much worse than DC for sure) and, if you live in GB and commute to SB, life will be hell about 4 months out of the year. In addition to the snow and ice from December to March, you also have the rain and fog to contend with in late fall and early spring. Add to that gas prices and generally lousy roads, and you have yourself some problems. I had a good time living in both places and met lots of great people both places. But , in my opinion, you don't gain all that much living in Green Bay over Sturgeon Bay. GB is not DC (nor even anything that I would compare to Madison or Milwaukee). Go out on a typical night in GB and it will look alot like Sturgeon Bay - a few things to do here and there but not much more unless you like to drink alot.

[Drover]

Why would the commute be hell 4 months out of the year?

[Central Illinois 1]

Originally Posted by Drover

Why would the commute be hell 4 months out of the year?

Weather.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Central Illinois 1

Weather.

Care to be more specific?

[susancruzs]

What generally lousy roads?

[Central Illinois 1]

Originally Posted by Drover

Care to be more specific?

When I say weather, I am talking about alot of snow and ice. This post started with an individual moving to WI from DC (which gets much lless in the way of winter weather) contemplating a commute from Green Bay to Door County everyday. I spent a couple of years traveling between Door County and Green Bay and winter weather was a factor alot of the time. You can add to that the drive down Hwy. 57 which at least used to have alot of accidents (curves, hills, and a mostly two lane road with a fair amount of traffic on it). There is also nothing between Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay except the small town of Brussels, so I always thought the 40 mile or so drive seemed rather long. It was no fun and I would not want to go back to making that commute everyday. To each his own though. If you or other people don't mind that kind of a drive that's fine. But its not for everybody.

[Drover]

Uh, OK. Snow and ice is a problem maybe 5 days out of the year. Whenever it snows, fleets of snowplows and salt trucks clear the highways and city streets and the streets are perfectly passable the next day.

[Central Illinois 1]

Originally Posted by Drover

Uh, OK. Snow and ice is a problem maybe 5 days out of the year. Whenever it snows, fleets of snowplows and salt trucks clear the highways and city streets and the streets are perfectly passable the next day.

OK. If you live there now, maybe the snowplows do a better job than back when I drove that route. But I am happy not to have to drive that route anymore. You must like Wisconsin winters better than I did. Believe me, they're not for everybody. My son currently lives in Green Bay and commutes to Appleton everyday. He says the road he drives on (Highway 41) is bad alot of the time and that there are lots of weather-related accidents. As for our friend in DC, I hope that individual is ready for it...DC gets about as much snow as St. Louis or Cincinnati, which is a small fraction of what GB gets.