u/805Beach_Bum805

Hey everyone! My wife and I are in the process of moving from California to the Green Bay area. We were just out there this past weekend, fell in love with a house, and we're actually getting ready to put an offer in today. So this is becoming very real, very quickly.

One thing I hadn't really thought much about until now: the dogs.

We currently have four dogs, and they've never experienced Wisconsin—or even snow—before. Here in California, our setup is pretty easy. I have a gated area around the front of the house, so I can open the front door, let everybody out, they do their business, and come back in. We also have a doggy door in the back that they can use whenever they need to go outside. They're pretty good about taking care of themselves.

But I'm trying to figure out what the hell happens when it's 10°F, there's a foot of snow on the ground, and the dogs are looking at me like I've lost my mind.

For those of you in Green Bay/Wisconsin who have multiple dogs, especially people who have moved here from somewhere without real winters:

What do you do for potty breaks during the winter?

Do your dogs eventually get used to the snow and cold and just go outside normally? Do you shovel a dedicated potty path/area? Do you keep them on leashes? Use a fenced-in area? Have a dog door? Do you have any tricks for getting stubborn dogs to actually go when it's freezing outside?

And what about the really nasty days—subzero temperatures, deep snow, freezing rain, etc.? Do you have a backup strategy for those days?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people with multiple dogs, because taking four dogs out individually every time somebody needs to pee sounds like a fantastic way to spend my entire winter.

Any advice, lessons learned, products you swear by, or "don't make the mistake I made" stories would be greatly appreciated!

California guy trying to prepare for his first Wisconsin winter.

I know this has been asked a million times but I havent found anything really recent, so here goes. Later this week I am flying to Green Bay out of LAX for the Packers Family night practice and to visit family. I want to bring a few blunts ( like 5) to my cousin in WI. Im not checking luggage, all carry on. Am I gonna be ok? Would love some recent 1st hand knowledge.

Hey everyone. I'm from the Los Angeles area, and my wife and I are seriously considering moving to the Green Bay area sometime in the next year or so. We've been doing a ton of research, and honestly, one thing I've had a hard time getting a feel for is what cannabis culture is actually like in Wisconsin versus what the laws make it seem like.

I'm a cannabis enthusiast. I LOVE smoking, I grow weed every summer, I go to Cannabis cups and festivals out here in California, and it's just been a normal part of my life for a long time. It's definitely not my entire personality, but it's a hobby I enjoy and something I don't really think twice about living in California.

I know Wisconsin laws are a completely different world, and I'm not looking for legal advice or trying to figure out how to get away with anything. I'm more just curious what the reality is for people who live there. Are the laws enforced as aggressively as they seem on paper, or is it more of a "don't be stupid about it" kind of thing? Is there much of a cannabis community, or is it something people generally keep to themselves?

If anyone here moved from a legal state to Wisconsin, I'd especially love to hear what that adjustment was like. Did it end up being a bigger deal than you expected, or did it become a non-issue? And with all the THCA/hemp shops popping up, does it feel like things are changing at all, or does Wisconsin still feel pretty far away from legalization?

Just trying to get an honest picture of what day-to-day life is like from people actually living it. Appreciate any insight you guys have.

My wife and I are seriously considering relocating to the Green Bay area from the Los Angeles area, and we're debating timing.

My initial thought was to make the move in the spring, mostly because it seems like it would be easier weather-wise and would give us more time to prepare. My wife is leaning more toward moving sooner rather than later if we decide Wisconsin is the right fit.

For those of you who have actually moved to Wisconsin from another state:

• What time of year did you move?
• Was it a good decision, or do you wish you had chosen a different season?
• If you moved during winter, how difficult was it really?
• If you moved during spring or summer, were there advantages you didn't think about beforehand?
• Were there any surprises when it came to buying a house, moving trucks, weather, utilities, or getting settled in?

One thing I'm wondering is whether there's any benefit to arriving before winter and getting your first Wisconsin winter under your belt right away, versus waiting until spring and having several months to get settled before the snow starts flying.

For context, we're looking at Green Bay, De Pere, Allouez, Suamico, and some of the surrounding areas. This would be our first move out of California, so we're trying to learn from people who have already done it.

Looking back, if you had to do it all over again, what month would you choose and why?

Thanks for any advice. The more I research this move, the more I realize there are a lot of things I don't even know enough to ask yet.

I'm hoping to hear from people who actually made the move from California to Wisconsin.

My wife and I are seriously considering relocating to the Green Bay area. What started as a Packers trip and a visit to family has turned into a much bigger conversation about quality of life, affordability, and where we want to spend the next chapter of our lives.

I'm from the Los Angeles area and have lived in California my entire life (46 years and counting). I've never lived anywhere else, so I'm trying to separate the reality from the romanticized version I may have in my head.

For those of you who made the move:

What was the biggest culture shock?

What did you notice immediately?

What things did you adjust to surprisingly fast?

What things are you still adjusting to?

What do people in Wisconsin do differently than Californians?

Was there anything you thought you'd miss from California that turned out not to matter?

What do you genuinely still miss?

How was making friends and building a social circle?

How did winters affect you mentally and physically?

Looking back, was it the right move?

I'm not looking to start a political debate. I'm genuinely interested in hearing real experiences, both good and bad. I want to know the things nobody tells you until after you've already moved.

If you could go back and talk to yourself one month before moving, what advice would you give?

Thanks in advance. I'm really curious to hear the honest version, not the brochure version.

Possibly relocating to Wisconsin in the next few years from the Los Angeles area and trying to understand the actual cannabis culture there vs what the laws say online.

Out here it’s obviously fully normalized/legal, and for a lot of adults it’s just part of everyday life. I’m not talking about acting stupid in public or anything, more just relaxing at home at night, enjoying good flower, gardening/growing as a hobby, etc.

What confuses me is Wisconsin seems super contradictory right now. The laws online sound really strict, especially regarding growing, but at the same time I’m seeing THCA shops all over the Green Bay area selling flower, prerolls, vapes, strain names I recognize, etc.

So what’s the REALITY there these days?

For regular adults who are low-key and responsible:

- do cops actually care much anymore?

- is it more of a “don’t cause problems and nobody bothers you” situation?

- does the THCA scene basically function like regular weed culture now?

- do people think Wisconsin eventually goes medical/recreational?

Not trying to stir up debates, genuinely just trying to understand the culture difference coming from California.

Hey everyone, lifelong California guy here (Quartz Hill/Antelope Valley area, north of LA). My wife and I are coming out in October for the Packers vs Cowboys game at Lambeau (been a Packers fan since the mid 90s 😄), but we are also planning on spending extra time exploring Green Bay and surrounding areas because we are seriously considering relocating to Wisconsin eventually.

I’m 46, married, no young kids at home, and honestly at that point in life where priorities start changing. We currently own a house in CA and I do like it here in a lot of ways, but the cost of living, constant hustle culture, traffic, heat, etc is starting to wear on us. Seems like everything here just keeps getting more expensive every year and you work harder just to stay in the same place.

The idea of Wisconsin appeals to me for a LOT of reasons:

- slower pace of life

- affordability

- seasons/weather

- land and space

- pond/lake properties

- workshop/garage/basement type homes

- gardening/homestead type stuff

- Packers culture obviously lol

- being able to actually enjoy life a little more instead of always grinding

We’ve been looking at properties outside Green Bay, especially stuff with a few acres, ponds, maybe room for chickens/gardens/greenhouse eventually. Some of the houses we’ve seen compared to California prices are honestly blowing my mind.

At the same time, I’m trying to be realistic and not romanticize it too much, so I’d love honest input from locals or transplants.

A few things I’m wondering:

- What do people LOVE about living in/around Green Bay that outsiders may not understand?

- What are the downsides people don’t think about until they move there?

- How brutal are the winters REALLY?

- Are there areas/towns around Green Bay you’d strongly recommend or avoid?

- Is the area generally welcoming to transplants?

- What’s the social vibe like? Friendly? Reserved? Community-oriented?

- How’s the job market/economy overall these days?

- How’s internet/service out in the more rural properties?

- Is owning acreage/pond property as awesome as it seems or is it way more work than I’m imagining? 😄

One topic I’m trying to understand honestly but respectfully is cannabis culture/laws there. In California it’s obviously fully normalized and legal. I’m not some public burnout or anything lol, but I do use cannabis regularly at home in the evenings and I enjoy gardening/growing as a hobby. I know Wisconsin laws are much stricter on paper, but at the same time I’m also seeing THCA shops literally everywhere around Green Bay online.

So I’m curious what the REALITY is there these days. Is it more of a “don’t be stupid and nobody cares” type situation for adults, or is enforcement actually as harsh as the laws sound online? Not trying to start arguments, genuinely just trying to understand the culture difference coming from California.

Also curious:

- boating culture

- taverns/local bars

- fishing

- wildlife

- living near Green Bay vs farther north

- what daily life ACTUALLY feels like there year round

Honestly this trip started as “let’s finally go to Lambeau” and somehow evolved into “wait... could we actually see ourselves living here someday?”

Appreciate any advice/input from locals. GO PACK GO