Waterfront parks on the Fox River in Omro, near Lake Buttes Des Morts
The community of Omro straddles the Fox River, which flows into the roughly 8,500-acre Lake Buttes Des Morts to the east. “It’s a nice little town on the outskirts of Oshkosh,” says Kris Janasik, a Realtor with Realty ONE Group Haven, who has about 15 years of experience. With riverside parks near downtown and lakefront properties on its outskirts, Omro offers plenty of water recreation, well-attended community events and a slower pace of life about 10 miles from Oshkosh.
Various home styles in Omro and waterfront properties to the northeast
Sidewalks are interrupted by wide driveways throughout the town of Omro, and waterfront properties are scattered around Lake Buttes des Morts to the northeast. No one architectural style dominates the city’s residential streets; shade from large, leafy trees spills in front of Victorian homes, minimal midcentury cottages and ranch-style homes from the 1970s. Ranging from $120,000 to $300,000, these properties often come with patios and porches on up to half an acre of land.
New Traditional homes from the 1990s and the first two decades of the 2000s fetch between $275,000 and $500,000. New constructions with nostalgic Craftsman details on the eastern outskirts of town largely fall within the same price range as well. Homes near the lake and the Fox River may be at an increased risk of flooding. Omro’s CAP Index Crime Score is 2 out of 10, which is lower than the national average of 4.
Several waterfront parks and a night market along the Fox River
Just east of downtown, Scott Park takes the form of a 7-acre island on the Fox River with fishing and overnight mooring sites. A playground sits in a large sand pit for warmer days, and an ice-skating rink equipped with hockey nets, a warming hut and complimentary ice skates opens every winter. The green space also hosts the Omro Thursday Night Market, where local farmers and artisans gather to share their goods.
Another boat launch and more docking facilities can be found at Fred Miller Park, near a large playground and the community pool. About half a mile south, Wedgewood Golf Course & Grill has a public nine-hole course, a golf simulator and a bar. Boats can also be launched into Lake Buttes Des Morts at a public access point east of Omro.
Omro’s Fourth of July Independence Day Celebration
Scott Park is also the setting for one of Omro’s largest events — the town’s Independence Day Celebration. Festivities start with a craft and vendor fair and end with a fireworks show once the sun goes down. Other memorable events include the Quacker 500, a rubber duck race, and the annual parade. “Omro has the biggest Fourth of July ever,” Janasik says. “The parade is like three hours long. It’s really fun.”
Athletic rivalry persists between Omro and Winneconne high schools
Children in Omro may begin their education with prekindergarten through first grade at H. B. Patch Elementary School, which earns a B-minus grade from Niche. Grades 2-5 are spent at Omro Elementary School, which holds a C-plus. Both Omro Middle and Omro High School score B-minus grades, and the latter has an ongoing athletic rivalry with Winneconne High School to the north. “They have a trophy, and every year it goes back and forth,” Janasik says. Omro High offers four Advanced Placement classes and 18 dual credit courses, maintained through partnerships with the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Fox Valley Technical College. It’s also the only high school in the area to award dual credit for a stick welding course.
Laid-back meals and beer on tap at Tanners Tap & Grill and Fox Haus
Tanners Tap & Grill and Fox Haus Bar & Grill are about half a mile apart on Main Street. Both offer a number of beers on tap paired with casual meals like pizza, burgers, fried chicken and sandwiches. At Rockers Cheese House, pizzas are browned in the oven and ice cream is scooped from large cartons under a glass display. Red’s Piggly Wiggly is on the east side of town for the essentials.
Highway access to Oshkosh, Winneconne and Interstate 41
Main Street becomes Wisconsin state Route 21 as it travels outside of the city, intersecting with Interstate 41 in the east and continuing to Oshkosh, a little over 10 miles away. Wisconsin state Route 116 connects Omro to Winneconne and U.S. Route 45 in the north. Both the interstate and U.S. Route 45 travel south toward Milwaukee. Appleton Airport is the nearest destination to catch cross-country flights; it is about 30 miles from Omro.
