With a population of more than 75,000—and nestled within the larger Fox Cities community of nearly 250,000—Appleton is part of one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the Midwest.

The area’s size, cultural and recreational opportunities, and breadth of businesses provide ample opportunities for Lawrentians to explore, engage, and connect with the Fox Cities community. Adjacent to campus, Appleton’s vibrant downtown features shops, restaurants, museums, a performing arts center, public arts spaces, the public library, and more.

Dining & Shopping

Five-star dining to late-night pizza, great coffee shops, and dozens of stores are all within easy walking distance from campus. More shopping and dining opportunities can be found throughout Appleton and are accessible to students thanks to shuttles that run to and from the Fox River mall each weekend during the academic year.

Performing Arts

A half mile from campus, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center (PAC) brings the entertainment world to Appleton. This $45 million jewel seats 2,100—with the “worst seat in the house” barely 100 feet from the stage. Appleton even hosted the Wisconsin premieres of The Lion King and Hamilton!

Sports 

If you're a baseball fan, you can catch the Milwaukee Brewers' Class A minor league team, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium, just 6 miles from campus.
 
And we can’t forget Wisconsin’s pride and joy, the Green Bay Packers! They play at the famous Lambeau Field, located just 30 minutes from campus.

This is Appleton

Shining a light on our hometown. Discover why Lawrentians love their hometown in this video tour of Appleton.

Outdoor Activities

Running, hiking, cycling, rowing, sitting—you’ll have plenty of outdoor places for these activities throughout the area. There are numerous trails from campus that run along the Fox River to dozens of local parks and to High Cliff State Park at Lake Winnebago (10 miles from campus). 

And About That Weather

Northeast Wisconsin weather features four distinct seasons, and we enjoy each and every one of them. In fact, you might even hear folks say that there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing!

sculpture of kids playing in the middle of a fountain on a sunny day

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public parks

You can get outside and explore with hiking, biking, and more.

Jake Woodford ’13

A Lawrentian in City Hall 

Appleton’s mayor, Jake Woodford, honed his leadership experience just down the road from City Hall. A member of the Class of 2013, Woodford served as president of the Lawrence University Community Council (LUCC) and worked at his alma mater for seven years as assistant to the president before being sworn in as the mayor in April 2020.  

Meet Mayor Jake Woodford ’13
Diversity and Inclusion Award recipients

Building a More Inclusive Community

Members of the Lawrence community are actively engaged with Imagine Fox Cities, an inclusive community-wide initiative working to intentionally shape the future of the Fox Cities when it comes to well-being.  

Learn more about Imagine Fox Cities

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