De Pere, Wisconsin: Where the Road Brought Us Back to Erik’s Roots
There are places you visit, and then there are places that already mean something before you even arrive.
De Pere, Wisconsin is the second kind.
It’s where Erik grew up. And when we finally made the trip up together, it felt less like a travel day and more like flipping through someone’s old photo album. Familiar streets, a river he already knew by feel, and that particular Wisconsin quiet that just settles in and stays.
First things first, though. Coffee.
If you’re ever in De Pere, find The Exchange. It’s the kind of place that earns its spot on your list fast. Good espresso, good food, the kind of atmosphere that makes you want to sit longer than you planned. We did. No regrets.
That latte was exactly what a cold Wisconsin morning called for, and the gluten-free waffle was genuinely excellent. Oh, and their crepes…do not skip the crepes. We’re absolutely avocado toast people, but The Exchange had us rethinking our whole morning routine.
Then there’s Green Bay. And if you know Erik at all, you already know what that means.
Lambeau Field.
I’ll be honest…I went in as a supportive partner. I left genuinely moved.
It’s not just a stadium. The whole city builds its calendar around this place, and you can feel that the second you pull into the parking lot. We did the stadium tour, and walking that tunnel…the one the players walk…in our jerseys…was one of those moments where everything just goes quiet.
Erik was in his element in a way I don’t get to see very often. That photo of him walking the tunnel with that Rodgers 12 on his back is one of my favorites we’ve ever taken.
Standing on the field together, with 80,000 empty seats surrounding us and the “Lambeau Field” sign towering behind us, that’s a hard thing to put into words.
Then we made our way up to Door County.
If you’ve never been, go.
It sits up on a peninsula between Lake Michigan and Green Bay, and it has the kind of charm that doesn’t feel manufactured for tourists. We wandered little shops, found local wineries tucked off quiet roads, stopped for coffee more than once, and let the day unfold however it wanted to. There was still a chill in the air when we visited, and the lake wind had a way of following you around town. We weren’t ready to leave.
But before we could head home, there was one more stop we couldn’t skip.
Scray Cheese Factory & Shoppe. I had never heard of a squeaky curd until we visited here, and now, I'm a full-blown curd lover.
Look at my face in that photo. That is the face of someone who has found her people.
We loaded up on more cheese and meat than two adults could reasonably justify…and then we did it anyway. Blocks of cheddar, summer sausage, spreadable cheese transferred into 2 oz. containers, and a carry-on backpack that was absolutely stuffed to capacity by the time we hit the airport.
Let's just say TSA had a few good laughs.
Turns out a backpack packed wall to wall with Wisconsin cheese and meat is both a cause for extra security screening and a conversation starter. We stood there laughing with TSA agents while they unpacked enough cheese to feed a small town. Somehow, every single block made it onto the plane.
Of course we had to admire our haul once we got home.
Wisconsin cheese is not a punchline. It is a priority. Plan accordingly.
De Pere isn’t a place we stumbled into. It’s a place that was already part of our story before Wanderfolk existed, before any of this began. Getting to go back together…walking the streets Erik grew up near, standing on that field, wandering Door County, stuffing a backpack full of meat & cheese, and laughing with strangers at airport security…that’s the kind of trip that stays with you.
Some places are destinations. Some are just home, wearing different clothes.
This one felt like both.
- Katie + Erik