Guillaume de Vaudrey also contributed to this article.
I lived in Chicago for ten years, and the buzz was always Door County in Wisconsin.
Door County is located on the peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. There are a number of highlights. The most notably talked about include Peninsula State Park on Green Bay, where you will find the sheltered Nicolet Beach. On Lake Michigan, there is Newport State Park, a wilderness park crisscrossed with trails. And, of course, the much loved Potawatomi State Park, located in Sturgeon Bay, with many limestone cliffs to awe you.
Finally, last year, my colleague Guillaume de Vaudrey and I made our way to this magical little destination. Whether in summer or winter, visitors find their way to Door County and its unmatched fairy tale setting.
While it was the middle of winter and a snowstorm when I made my way north to Door County, the summer is when the real action happens with 300 miles of shoreline, five state parks, 19 county parks, and 19 communities that begin from Southern Door County up north to Washington Island.
The destination caters to any budget and offers outdoor fun, art galleries, great culinary choices, wineries, breweries, distilleries, and confectionaries.
If you opt for a winter excursion to this part of Wisconsin, these quieter months will provide a tranquil setting. Hiking trails, snowshoeing, snow biking, and cross-country skiing will keep you busy by day, while the snowfall, coupled with a hot toddy by the fire in the evening, will lull you into paradise.
In the summer, the sun stays brighter this far north, so there is no end to the plentiful activities.
Even if you cannot pronounce it, you will still feel Friluftsliv.
The Wisconsin Door County area was coined this Scandinavian term when the Swedes and Norwegians came to the settlement in the 1800s, reminded of their home across the pond. You can still feel the Scandinavian vibe, and it is definitely back to nature in this part of Door County, where large open spaces and small populations are appreciated and honored in this part of the United States.
Visit Bailey’s Harbor and get lost in Wisconsin’s oldest nonprofit nature reserve. This reserve is a must-see for birders looking for the perfect place to visit and see unusual birds. It is a designated State Natural Area, an Audubon Important Bird Area, and a National Natural Landmark. Five miles of rustic trails and bridges also lead to Bailey’s Harbor Range Lights.
Stop in at Bjorklunden, the northern campus of Lawerence University in Bailey’s Harbor. The word “Bjorklunden” is Swedish for Birch Grove by the Lake, and it is worth a stop to enjoy the beautifully preserved nature with meadows, woods, and an unspoiled waterfront. Also, on this property, you can visit Boyton Chapel, which was built in the 12th century in the style of a Norwegian Stave church.
Whitefish Dunes State Park and Cave Point County Park in Sturgeon Bay is home to the highest sand dune in Wisconsin. The park is also home to eight Native American villages dating from 100 BC to the late 1800s. It is 863 acres of forest and dunes located on Lake Michigan. At Cave Point trees stand tall on the edge of cliffs and there is the chance to take in the overlooks while listening to the sound of the lake surf below.
In the town of Fish Creek Lautenbach, Orchard County Wine and Market has been harvesting its own fruit since 1955. It has 100 acres of orchards and vineyards and is worth the visit for cherry lovers with a hankering for cherry jams, salsas, and pies.
Of course, while you are visiting Fish Creek on the bay side of Door County, take in the quaint shops in the town where galleries and gift shops offer original products for memories of the destination.
Peninsula State Park in the Fish Creek area will take you back outdoors for a walk or a longer excursion since it is 3,776 acres. Established in 1909, expect rocky bluffs that ascend as high as 150 feet. For the best observation in the area, climb Eagle Tower with a ramp and stairs and take in the scenery. Head over to Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, too; it is located atop a 76-foot bluff above Green Bay.
The foodie will not be disappointed in Door County either. A few of the recommendations are One Barrel Brewing Co., which has its own unique beer in Egg Harbor. Expect a Wisconsin tavern vibe and rotating fresh brews when you visit.
Door Artisan Cheese Co. is home to one of Wisconsin’s most exported cheeses, and the specialties here are the aged top hat cheddar or the cave-aged gouda.
At Hatch Distilling Co. in Egg Harbor, they craft their spirits using traditional techniques from ingredients found in Door County. The company has a strong Door County sense of pride and sources its products from organic farmers and honeybees. The Doc Wahl is an American single malt whiskey fermented and aged onsite in Door County. It is crafted from three unusual varieties of malted barley with a minimum of two years of aging in new American White Oak barrels.
Finally, if you have not heard of the fish boil in Door County, you will. We enjoyed the one offered at the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek.
The fish boil is a wintertime-only event, but it is worth a cold-weather visit for this wintertime experience. The fish used featured whitefish caught locally in Lake Michigan, cooked over the open fire just like it was done 100 years ago by the Scandinavian settlers.
Picture-perfect no matter the season, this delightful destination has been coined the ‘Cape Cod of the Midwest,’ and it does not disappoint.
Where to stay:
2236 Mill Road, Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Open year-round and both remote and accessible, it will feel like home as you explore the region.
