When Does Bay Beach Open? | Weekends, Hours, And Fees

Bay Beach Amusement Park opens at 10 a.m.; the 2026 season began May 2 and runs mainly through September.

Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay is seasonal, so the useful answer is both the opening date and the daily gate time. For When Does Bay Beach Open?, plan on 10 a.m. on posted operating days; the 2026 season began Saturday, May 2, with early May weekends, late-May weekday hours, full summer hours, and September weekends.

The short planning rule is simple: arrive at 10 a.m. if rides matter, check the day’s closing time before driving over, and treat late May through mid-August as the easiest window for a longer visit. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is nearby, but it runs on its own schedule, so hour searches for “Bay Beach” usually need the amusement park calendar first.

Opening Day And Regular Hours

Bay Beach Amusement Park opened for the 2026 season on Saturday, May 2, and the gate time on operating days is 10 a.m. Closing time changes from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. depending on the date.

Early season is the trickiest part. Bay Beach opens on selected weekends at the start of May, then adds weekday blocks around Memorial Day weekend. Once June gets going, the park is much easier to plan because most days run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a few late-night dates running until 10 p.m.

The City of Green Bay says dates and times can change, so use the official Bay Beach Amusement Park hours page before you make a long drive.

Bay Beach Opening Hours: What Changes By Season

Bay Beach hours expand in late May, stay longest through mid-August, then narrow again after Labor Day. The pattern matters because a Tuesday in June is very different from a Tuesday in September.

Use the season as your first filter:

• Early May: mostly weekend openings, with 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours.
• Late May: some short weekday openings, often 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• June and July: mostly 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with selected 10 p.m. late nights.
• Late August: daily hours shorten to 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• September: mostly weekend openings, plus Labor Day.

Weather can shorten the day. Bay Beach may pause rides during steady rain, shut rides after lightning, or close the park in severe weather, so a sunny forecast matters more here than at an indoor attraction.

What Time Does Bay Beach Open Each Month?

Bay Beach opens at 10 a.m. across the posted 2026 calendar, but closing time changes by date. The table below gives the schedule pattern most visitors need before choosing a day.

Planning tip: September weekdays are not safe assumptions. In 2026, many September weekdays are closed while weekends remain open.

Tickets, Parking, And Weather Rules

Bay Beach admission and standard parking are free, so the paid part is the ride-ticket system and a small number of closer parking spaces. Ride tickets cost 25 cents each, and rides take 1 to 4 tickets.

That pricing is why Bay Beach works well for families who only want a few rides. A child who rides the train, Ferris wheel, and a smaller ride may use only a handful of tickets, while a coaster-heavy visit costs more because larger rides need more tickets.

Bay Beach sells ride tickets for the park, and ticket availability for nearby Green Bay attractions can change by date. Check current ticket options before you plan a full paid-attraction day around one stop:

• Admission: free.
• Standard parking: free.
• Closer paid parking: $7 when those spaces are in use.
• Ride tickets: 25 cents each.
• Ride cost: 1 to 4 tickets per ride.

Can You Visit The Wildlife Sanctuary The Same Day?

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary sits near the amusement park, so pairing both works well when the park closes early. The two places are separate, and the Sanctuary is not a ride area.

A good same-day plan is the Sanctuary first, then rides when the amusement park opens, if the park has a short 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. day. On a full 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. summer day, reverse the order if kids care more about rides than trails and animal exhibits.

The Sanctuary is also the better fallback when weather threatens the rides. Bay Beach Amusement Park is highly weather-dependent, while a shorter nature stop can still work when the day is gray but safe.

Where To Stay Near Bay Beach

Green Bay makes the easiest overnight base for Bay Beach because the park sits northeast of downtown and near the Bay of Green Bay shoreline. Staying in Green Bay also keeps you close to restaurants, Lambeau Field, and indoor backups if weather cuts the ride day short.

Families usually do well near downtown Green Bay or along the east side if Bay Beach is the main stop. Football-weekend prices can jump when the Packers are home, so compare areas before locking in a room.

For an overnight trip built around Bay Beach, compare Green Bay hotel locations on a map before choosing a side of town:

The Smart Arrival Plan

Bay Beach is easiest before noon on summer weekends and after 4 p.m. on lighter weekday visits. The right arrival time depends on whether you care more about shorter ride lines, cooler weather, or staying into evening.

Pick your timing this way:

• For young kids: arrive at 10 a.m., ride first, then eat or leave before the hottest part of the day.
• For the Zippin Pippin: arrive early or use a late-night date, because the coaster is one of the rides most likely to draw a line.
• For a budget visit: bring a simple ride plan and buy only the tickets you expect to use.
• For September: choose a posted weekend day, not a random weekday.
• For rain risk: check the forecast before buying a large batch of ride tickets.

Bay Beach rewards a simple plan: confirm the operating day, arrive at 10 a.m., buy a modest set of ride tickets, and leave room to adjust if weather or lines change the day.