The Menominee River spills into Green Bay between the twin cities of Marinette, Wisconsin, and Menominee, Michigan, once the region’s richest lumber port. The bustling business district centered on 1st Street along the waterfront. Happily, most of the late-19th-century brick and sandstone buildings have survived intact, and renovation and restoration is underway on many of them.

You can explore the historic district, guided by a walking tour brochure available at the Spies Public Library (940 1st St.). Its 1905 Beaux-Arts facade happens to be one of the tour’s most handsome buildings. A growing number of shops and restaurants along 1st Street are adding new life to this pleasant area.

The waterfront district is also home to bayside parks, easily accessible on foot. Victory Park stretches along the water between 6th and 10th Avenues, flanked by a new marina and a band shell that hosts summer concerts on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

For a longer walk or bike ride, head south along the water to the Tourist Park swimming beach. Farther south, the Menominee North Pier Light marks the entrance to Menominee Harbor with a beacon at the end of a rocky breakwater.