Visit the Show’s Serene Seaplane Base on Lake Winnebago

As if there isn’t enough to see on the Oshkosh campus alone, there is one less-known stop you should consider adding to your list: the Seaplane Base (96WI). The site is located 5 miles southeast of the main show campus on the outskirts of Lake Winnebago.

The Seaplane Base is both a functioning water runway and a peaceful gathering spot. Once you arrive on site, a short wooded trail leads into a shaded cove lined with picnic tables and docks where floatplanes and amphibs sit. From experience, it is easy to spend hours simply watching takeoffs and landings… or taking advantage of the free pontoon boat tour around the base.

For pilots, the base is a full-featured outpost: amphibious aircraft owners can camp on site, and the base hosts daily forums, workshops, and exhibitors focused on water-based aviation. For everyone else, it’s a place to relax, explore, and enjoy the beauty of rural Wisconsin with a side of aviation.

Shuttles between the Seaplane Base and the main AirVenture campus run daily for $5 round trip, departing from the Bus Park Tower and Amphib Parking area. Food is available on site as well, with Mile High Pub serving meals throughout the week.

Each year, the Seaplane Base also hosts the Watermelon Social: a Friday evening tradition that has grown from a small gathering in 1989 to a 750-person event. It’s become a popular way for pilots, volunteers, and aviation enthusiasts to connect, trade stories, and unwind by the lake.

For those flying in, the base has its own procedures: seaplane arrivals must avoid nearby Class C and D airspace and should not use the Fisk arrival. Water condition updates and base advisories are available on 123.3 MHz or by phone during AirVenture week.

Whether you’re an amphibious pilot or a spectator with time to spare, the Seaplane Base offers a uniquely peaceful side of Oshkosh—and a helpful reminder that planes don’t always need barrel rolls or LED lights to look cool.

FMI: www.eaa.org