10 Things To Do In Door County Wisconsin

Door County offers something for everyone

Each summer, Door County in Wisconsin is flooded with tourists from all over that come to enjoy the water, great food, even better shopping, and a host of other things.  It’s a great place to getaway with the family, but Door County welcomes couples as well as solo travelers.  There really something for everyone here.

I recently took two separate one day road trips to Door County as part of my 7 Wisconsin Road Trips In 7 Days vacation. I have been to Door County a few times before since I basically only live a couple hours away.  Each time, I find something different to do. Although, like I said, there is an abundance of things to do, I am going to list a few of my favorites.

Door County consists of a handful of towns starting with Sturgeon Bay all the way up to Washington Island.  The most popular towns being Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Ephraim, and Sister Bay. These are all located on Highway 42 on the western side of Door County. With 300 miles of shoreline located in “the door” as many of us Wisconsinites refer to Door County, the best thing to do here is to be outside and enjoy nature.

My 10 favorite things to do in Door County

• Door Peninsula Winery (5806 State Highway 42, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235-9767) Offering a wide variety of wines, Door Peninsula fruit wines are one of my favorite. The fruit is locally grown.  From sweet to dry, there is a wine for you.  Sample wines, craft brews, and take a tour, it’s no wonder this is one of the most popular stops in Door County. My personal favorite-Razzle Dazzle Raspberry!
• Cave Point County Park (5360 Schauer Rd, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235-8266) Located on the Eastern side of Door County off of Highway  57, Cave Point County Park is a must see!  On a hot summer day, you can see the swimmers jumping off the bluffs into the clear water below. Swim into the caves in the bluffs, or hike the trail and build your own rock tower farther down on the beach. The hiking trail connects to Whitefish Dunes State Park hiking trails. There is a picnic area, with grills and fire rings, and newer restrooms. 

• Washington Island The island is only accessible from boat.  There are 2 ferry lines that travel from the mainland to Washington Island.  The Island Clipper, which leaves from Gills Rock and is a passenger ferry only. If you would like to take your car, the Washington Island Ferry line runs from Northport to the Island.  I have taken the Island Clipper and quite honestly one of my favorite things about Washington Island was the ferry ride over.  The guide was a wealth of information about Death’s Door crossing, and the surrounding Islands.  You can purchase a ferry ride/island train tour combination.  If you do not take a car, or either bring or rent a bike, (which would be my choice to really spend time on the island) I highly recommend the train tour.  Once on the Island there are a few main points of interest.  My favorite is Schoolhouse Beach, which is one of just a few limestone beaches in the world, and while it is not the most comfortable, it is beautiful and the crystal clear water makes it well worth the visit. Also stop at Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm for all things lavender.  May I recommend a scoop or two of lavender ice cream! If you are looking for a quiet place for some meditation, stop at the Scandinavian style church called the Stavkirke, This chapel is beautiful and you can almost feel the peaceful vibes here!

• Visit one (or all) of the State Parks Penninsula State Park, Whitefish Dunes State Park, Potawatomi State Park, and Newport State Park offer all kinds of activities.  Camping, hiking, biking, snowmobiling, and cross country trails, offer all kinds of recreation opportunities. not only that, but miles of shoreline are a big draw for water activities.
• Go to a fish boil at White Gull Inn in Fish Creek The fish boils at White Gull Inn are famous!  Using fresh caught whitefish from Lake Michigan, and red potato, this tradition of boiling fish over an open fire hasn’t changes in over 100 years. The fish is perfectly done and served with coleslaw, melted butter, fresh breads, and a slice of fresh cherry pie for dessert. Yum!!! Fish Boils are served on Wednesday-Sundays May through October with seating at 5:45, 7:00, and 8:15. October-April, on Friday’s only. Reservations are recommended.
• Catch a show at the Peninsula Players Theater For over 80 years the show has gone on at the Peninsula Players Theater. Every year from June to October the Players put on a handful of shows each season to a packed house.  The theater is the oldest professional resident theater in the country.
• Shopping With literally hundreds of cute gift and specialty stores that have everything under the sun, shopping in Door County is an adventure in itself.  Each little town along the way has an abundance of places that will give you the opportunity to empty your wallet. Looking for one of a kind unique gifts?  You can find it in Door County.
• Grab some pizza at Wild Tomato Wild Tomato has two locations in Door County.  One in Fish Creek and another in Sister Bay. Their wood fired pizzas are delicious and if pizza is not your thing, there are a variety of sandwiches and salads on the menu.  Seriously though, the pizza is the thing here! For a true Wisconsin experience, I recommend the Green and Gold pizza.  How can you not love the idea of cheese curds on a pizza?

•  Door County Kayak Tour What better way to see Door County from the water than on a kayak tour!  No need to worry if you are a beginner. The guides have the knowledge and experience to guide you. There is a cave tour, a bluff tour, and many other tours. And…did I say you can be a beginner and still do a tour? What a terrific way to take in the awesomeness of Door County!
• Check out the famous goats on the roof at Al Johnson’s In early summer with the support of the famous goat parade, the season of the goats on the roof at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant in Sister Bay begins. You cannot leave Door County without seeing the goats graze on the grass roof here.  The website even features the Goat Cam, so even if you are not in Door County, you can keep up with the goats! While your there, they do have awesome Swedish Meatballs, as well as Swedish Pancakes!

I hope I’ve given you some ideas on how to enjoy Door County Wisconsin! There are many many more places to see and things to do, but these are my favorites. Enjoy Wisconsin.  I am proud of my home state and all there is to see and do here!

Let me know about your Door County visit! If you enjoyed this post, please share! Thanks for reading.

Go explore! The world is waiting

Lori