Door County, Wisconsin
It’s, officially, in the state of Wisconsin. But a trip to Door County has a way of putting one in a new state of mind.
This peninsula, approximately three hours north of Milwaukee, is somewhat of a Midwestern Mecca; people come from near and far to bask in its laidback lifestyle. Some come for the spectacular scenery. It is, after all, flanked by Green Bay on one side and Lake Michigan on the other. Some come to indulge in the culture, like the Peninsula Players Theatre; America’s oldest professional resident summer theatre, it counts such notables as Sam Wanamaker among its alumni. And some come purely for the food, whether it’s a time-honored fish boil or mouth-watering Montmorency cherries.
Door County is punctuated with small towns, each one just as charming as its name—Fish Creek and Egg Harbor, for instance. But before setting out on your own, you may want to hop on the Door County Trolley for a narrated tour of the area; you’ll see breathtaking vistas from scenic bluffs while learning more about local legend and lore. Then, for a different perspective, take a narrated cruise aboard “The Shoreline,” a 33-foot U.S. Coast Guard-inspected Navy vessel that sails past lighthouses, limestone cliffs and shipwrecks.
Because this 75-mile-long peninsula features 300 feet of shoreline, part of the fun is wending your way up and down, from one side of “The Door” to the other. And it’s hard not to be captivated by the natural beauty along the way. Whitefish Dunes State Park boasts the highest sand dunes in Wisconsin while Peninsula State Park features rocky bluffs that ascend more than 150 feet. And the Ridges Sanctuary is an Audubon Important Bird Area as well as a National Natural Landmark, featuring native wildflowers along its five miles of rustic trails and bridges. Still, all have one thing in common: They’re superlative places for the outdoor enthusiast.
Not surprisingly, maritime history is also part of the region’s charm. Located on the working waterfront of Sturgeon Bay, the Door County Maritime Museum chronicles the area’s ship-building expertise and features—among other treasures—the pilothouse from the Great Lakes ore carrier, the Elba. The area’s rocky shoreline gave need for lighthouses, too, so that sailors of the 19th and early 20th centuries could safely navigate the surrounding waters. Ten of these lighthouses still stand today, four of which are easily accessible to visitors. Among them is the Cana Island Lighthouse, well-known as one of the Great Lakes’ most photographed lighthouses; built in 1869 and automated in 1944, it remains an active navigational aid.
Likewise, Door County is richly steeped in the arts. In addition to the Peninsula Players Theatre, the American Folklore Theatre performs under the stars in Peninsula State Park during the summer, then moves indoors for their fall series. And, from mid-July to mid-August, Door Shakespeare takes place in the lush Bjorklunden Garden in Baileys Harbor. But if the performing arts are impressive, the visual arts are no less so. There are galleries galore, running the gamut from Plum Bottom Pottery in Egg Harbor—where artist Chad Luberger creates beautifully handcrafted porcelain and stoneware—to Edgewood Orchard Galleries in Fish Creek. One of the Midwest’s most respected art galleries, it features works from more than 100 artists in a wide range of media, and the sculpture garden is not to be missed.
If all of this creativity brings out the artist in you, head to the Hands On Art Studio in Fish Creek, a do-it-yourself venue that offers instruction in a variety of techniques, such as fused glass, metal sculpture, mosaics and jewelry making. The studio caters to all ages but the best part is this: At the end of the day, your completed work of art is, perhaps, the best kind of Door County souvenir. For more concentrated study, the Peninsula School of Art—also in Fish Creek—teaches one- to five-day workshops on every imaginable medium, from ceramics to sculpture, painting to printmaking, drawing to photography, and more.
On the other hand, maybe you’re more interested in perfecting the fine “art” of shopping. If so, Door County won’t disappoint. In Ephraim, the Blue Dolphin House and Studio features home and garden fare as well as fine art. In Baileys Harbor, Nathan Nichols and Company focuses on home furnishings and accessories; Maxwell’s House does the same in Egg Harbor. There are also antiques, apparel and gifts galore, not to mention specialty foods—most importantly, cherries. Located in Fish Creek, Orchard Country Winery & Market is arguably one of the places in Door County to get your fill of the indigenous Montmorency cherry, whether it’s in a freshly baked pie, tart cherry juice, scrumptious jam or a bottle of “Cherry Blossom” wine.
As synonymous as cherries are with Door County, so is the traditional fish boil. What began as an economical way to feed large, hungry groups of lumberjacks and fishermen continues today in many a Door County restaurant, like the White Gull Inn and the Viking Grill. This meal couldn’t be more authentic, featuring Lake Michigan whitefish caught by local fishermen and cooked outside over an open fire, just as it was done 100 years ago by the peninsula’s Scandinavian settlers.
But don’t think for a moment that Door County dining is all about cherries and whitefish. There’s truly something to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Go to Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant in Sister Bay for a Swedish pancake breakfast, complete with lingonberries and maple syrup. (If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of the goats grazing on the roof.) For lunch, head to Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor in Ephraim; a Door County landmark since 1906, it features old-fashioned soda fountain and ice cream specialties, like the Cherry Berry Delight. And, for a memorable end-of-the-day meal, dine at the Inn at Kristofer’s in Sister Bay, where chef and co-owner Terri Milligan serves up Midwestern dishes inspired by French culinary traditions. Want to learn some of the tricks of her trade? Milligan also teaches year-round cooking classes.
Throughout Door County, lodging choices are just that: choice. Whitefish Bay Farm, for instance, is remarkable because it’s a bed & breakfast, art gallery and studio—and home to a flock of Corriedale sheep. Owners Dick and Gretchen Regnery—respectively, a weaver and a spinner/felter/knitter—regularly use wool from their own sheep to create one-of-a-kind items. Meanwhile, just a few miles away, the 130-acre Gordon Lodge is nestled on a peninsula between North Bay and Lake Michigan. In addition to lodge rooms with a ’50s retro vibe as well as trailside suites and individual cottages, this waterfront resort features a heated pool, a private beach, tennis and a new fitness center.
But no matter where you decide to stay in Door County, one thing is certain: You’ll want to stay…and stay…and stay.
For more information, call 800-52-RELAX or visit www.doorcounty.com.
Where to Eat:
White Gull Inn
4225 Main St.
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/ 868-3517
Viking Grill
12029 Hwy. 42
Ellison Bay, WI 54210
920/854-2998
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant
700-710 Bay Shore Dr.
P.O. Box 257
Sister Bay, WI 54234
920/854-2626
Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor
9990 Hwy. 42
Ephraim, WI 54211
920/854-2041
Inn at Kristofer’s Restaurant & Cooking School
734 Bay Shore Dr.
Sister Bay, WI 54234
920/ 854-9419
Where to Stay:
Whitefish Bay Farm
3831 Clark Lake Rd. (County WD)
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
920/743-1560
Gordon Lodge
1420 Pine Dr.
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
800/830-6235
Where to Shop:
Plum Bottom Pottery
4999 Plum Bottom Rd.
Egg Harbor, WI 54209
920/743-2819
Edgewood Orchard Galleries
4140 Peninsula Players Rd.
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/ 868-3579
Blue Dolphin House and Studio
10320 N. Water St.
P.O. Box 667
Ephraim, WI 54211
920/ 854-4113
Nathan Nichols and Company
8068 Hwy. 57
P.O. Box 525
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
920/ 839-9779
Maxwell’s House
7763 Hwy. 42
Egg Harbor, WI 54209
920/868-2989
Orchard Country Winery & Market
9197 Hwy. 42
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/868-3479
Where to Play:
Peninsula Players Theatre
4351 Peninsula Players Rd.
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/ 868-3287
Door County Trolley
920/868-1100
Shoreline Charters
P. O. Box 946
Sister Bay, WI 54234
920/854-4707
Whitefish Dunes State Park
3275 Clark Lake Rd.
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
920/ 823-2400
www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/whitefish
Peninsula State Park
9462 Shore Rd.
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/ 868-3258
www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/peninsula
Ridges Sanctuary
PO Box 152
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
920/839-2802
Door County Maritime Museum
120 N. Madison Ave.
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
920/ 743-5958
Cana Island Lighthouse
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
920/ 743-5958
American Folklore Theatre
P.O. Box 273
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/ 854-6117
Door Shakespeare
PO Box 351
Baileys Harbor, WI 54202
920/ 839-1500
Hands On Art Studio
3655 Peninsula Players Rd.
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/868-9311
Peninsula School of Art
3900 County F
Fish Creek, WI 54212
920/868-3455