Moving to WI, looking at Manitowoc and Sheboygan (Milwaukee, Green Bay: fit in, to rent)

[jbanne]

We are moving to WI from Asheville, NC due to my husband getting a new job. We have a 6-month old son and wondering about the area. We will probably look to rent and wondering what parts of SHeboygan or Manitowoc would be a fun walkable area. He will be working in Manitowoc but willing to commute if the area is right.

We are looking for areas where we could walk out our door to the Y, the library, a grocery store, coffee shop, or eateries. We have come to really want something like that in our next move. Is that possible in Sheboygan or Manitowoc?

Thanks for reading,

Moving to WI

[Nu2pomona]

We lived in Sheboygan for 46 years. If you locate in the central city you can walk to everything on your list except grocery stores. There no longer are any in central Sheboygan. You have to get in a car and drive to buy groceries if you want to walk to all the other things on your list.

Mead Public Library is an outstanding facility. The YMCA is less than a half mile to the east. There are lots of restaurants, coffee shops, gift shops and entertainment available in the harbor front area.

I've been to Manitowoc many times but never looked at it from the viewpoint of living there. It is half the size of Sheboygan.

[jbanne]

i appreciate you providing me with this information.

[susancruzs]

Manitowoc would be similar to Sheboygan in that you can find things on your list in the downtown area (library, etc.) but the grocery stores are out by the expressway.

Manitowoc has a nice "Y", very popular, also has daycare, I've seen the kids playing outside in a large outside enclosed area. It is right by the lake, the walking path goes right by it. Parks are nice, well kept, clean, there is even a small zoo, I walk there frequently.

I live in Two Rivers, which is next to Manitowoc and small, 12,000+ people. I'm retired so it works for me as I wanted a walkable town, I'm close to a grocery store and "up town" is only a 1 mile walk. Two Rivers is tricky weather wise as it is on a little bump out and it varies from Manitowoc as much as 15 to 20 degrees (not an exageration)!

You can private message me if you have any direct questions, both Manitowoc and Sheboygan have websites and you can get info mailed to you. I moved from Illinois to Wisconsin Fall 2007 and I received a helpful book from Manitowoc. In fact, they mail it to all residents every year, its called questions and answers I think.

Good luck!

[darren harrington]

Hi,
If you are looking for a nice area to live in Manitowoc, WI, I would be glad to refer you to a good area. I am an advocate of the area and would be glad to help. Manitowoc is a great area! 30min-1hr for great shopping and food as well. Please reply to me at darrenharrington@earthlink.net as I am on that email source most of the time.

[alle]

I think you will like Manitowoc. The near north side has everything you are looking for-a zoo, the library, a beautiful YMCA, parks, museums, walking paths along Lake Michigan, two grocery stores (larger ones are in driving distance located off I-43). There are a couple of coffee shops downtown and more on the south side of town- as well as Wal-mart, more retail and many restaurants. Schools are excellent and the city (about 33,000) is very safe.

Sheboygan is larger (56,000) and about 25 miles south if you want a bit more shopping. Green Bay (100,000) is 35 miles north. Two Rivers (12,000) is 6 miles north and perched on a "bump" out in Lake Michigan which can mean cooler (sometimes colder temperatures). Sheboygan and Green Bay are easily accessible on I-43. Since hubby is working in Manitowoc, I really think you'd be quite happy living here and saving him a 50-mile/day unneccesary commute.

We are located on beautiful Lake Michigan in a county with small towns, villages and farm country. It is a beautiful area but will feel much different to you from the North Carolina mountains. We welcome you!!

[calistro]

hi,
we are also in the process of relocating (from Il). we looked into manitowoc, as well, but narrowed it down to sheboygan, sheboygan falls because it seems to have more things to do, and we can always drive to Manitowoc and two rivers for events i went to see the area, and loved the park and feel of Sheb falls. we are still searching and deciding though, so i'll read your thread too. i have a 2 yr old.
calistro

[craptacular]

I've never lived in either of those places, but have family in the Sheboygan area and have visited frequently, so take this for what it's worth. Of the things you mentioned, I don't know of too many reasons why living in Sheboygan would be worth the commute to Manitowoc. They both have nice walkable downtowns. They both have nice lake/riverfronts with adjacent parks and a marina. They both have state parks along Lake Michigan within 10 miles of downtown. They both have newer big-box commercial areas west of downtown along I-43. For shopping and cultural activities that either might not have, Sheboygan is closer to Milwaukee, but Manitowoc is closer to Green Bay and Appleton. Sheboygan does have a newer mega-resort with an indoor waterpark, if that appeals to you.

OK, I just noticed the original post is 10 months old and this is probably too late, but I already typed it, so hopefully it will help others.

[motherlylove]

Hi my name is jennifer and im a single mom from Milwaukee WI. I currently despise living here in Milwaukee and was looking for a safer drama free atmosphere to raise my three year old son. I was looking into Sheboygan or Manitowoc. I used to live in Kiel and New Holstein Wi, baxk in my younger days and really enjoyed to country living. Although i did go through sone racial issues. Im African American so i dont want that racial and sterotypical profiling to happen to my son. But i dont want him to become another Milwaukee Hoodrat either. I currently drive school bus and it keeps a good profit in my accounts which is why ive lived here for three or four years now. I am worried about raising my son on my own though. I have family here in Milwaukee to turn to if need be but i will most definitely be alone in either Manitowoc or Sheboygan. Yet at his point im willing to make the jump. Im looking to move this year and am willing to start completely from scratch. I wanna live better and feel comfortable and safe in my home raising my son.

[cheese plate]

Sheboygan is transforming a bit - you would still stick out in a place like Manty, I think. My parents got a place in Sheboygan a couple years ago to be near my sister/young grandchildren, and it's a surprisingly multi-colored/cultural middle class neighborhood. It's honestly more diverse in their general area than my neighborhood in Milwaukee, or at least it's very close. Still a whitebread, odd little city, but it's definitely changing.