Door County Trip

[isufbcurt]

Since this is turning into a travel forum….

Wife and I are doing a long weekend in early June for our 10th anniversary. One night in Sturgeon Bay, 2 nights in Sister Bay.

Our plan is to basically bike around the peninsula as well as Washington Island over 3 days. 50-60 miles each day, with plenty of stops at bars/wineries/breweries as well as hitting up spots like Peninsula State Park, and Whitefish Dunes/Cave Point Park too. At night we’ll go out in the aforementioned towns.

Just looking for some recs, tips, and advice from folks more seasoned with area. I went twice in grade school (early 90’s) and my wife has never been.

So we took the Ferry to Washington Island and rented bikes to ride around. There is a park there with a huge tower we climbed up. Schoolhouse Beach park on the north side of the island is a cool place. Not a sand beach but rocks that have been smoothed out by the water over time.

Cane Point Park by Whitefish Dunes State park has this cool cliff thing that you can jump down into and land in Lake Michigan. Hard to explain but it'd be kind of like dropping down in a well and landing in Lake Michigan.

We also did the drive inn and the Northern Sky Theater. Ate some fish fry and ate at The English Inn.

Stayed in Bailey's Harbor. It was a good extended weekend trip.

 

[CyCrazy]

This is probably going to be next years family trip.

 

[cowgirl836]

Oh wineries - Lautenbach is good for lots of food stuff but the wine is not great. Simon Creek was very good. Haven't made it to the others yet.

 

[Gonzo]

I live in far northeast Iowa. I’ll go through La Crosse. Baraboo is on my day trip list though

Beautiful area. My mom's side of the family came mostly from Decorah and Bluffton. I'd be willing to bet at least 75% of the Bluffton cemetery is my fam.

 

[Al_4_State]

Beautiful area. My mom's side of the family came mostly from Decorah and Bluffton. I'd be willing to bet at least 75% of the Bluffton cemetery is my fam.

Sure is. live in Cresco and spend a lot of time on the Upper Iowa in Bluffton.

 

[Al_4_State]

So we took the Ferry to Washington Island and rented bikes to ride around. There is a park there with a huge tower we climbed up. Schoolhouse Beach park on the north side of the island is a cool place. Not a sand beach but rocks that have been smoothed out by the water over time.

Cane Point Park by Whitefish Dunes State park has this cool cliff thing that you can jump down into and land in Lake Michigan. Hard to explain but it'd be kind of like dropping down in a well and landing in Lake Michigan.

We also did the drive inn and the Northern Sky Theater. Ate some fish fry and ate at The English Inn.

Stayed in Bailey's Harbor. It was a good extended weekend trip.

My brother crashed his bike into the rocks of Schoolhouse Beach as a kid. One of the things I distinctly remember from those trips

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Get up early and watch the sun rise over Lake Michigan

 

[Rabbuk]

I am correct in my analysis that a car is necessary to get around? Would rather fly-in but it wouldn't be worth it to then have to rent a car.

From what I remember you pretty much need a car. Door county touristy things are sort of spread out between a bunch of little towns.

 

[Al_4_State]

Oh wineries - Lautenbach is good for lots of food stuff but the wine is not great. Simon Creek was very good. Haven't made it to the others yet.

Simon Creek looks like it will fit in great to our first day

 

[Al_4_State]

From what I remember you pretty much need a car. Door county touristy things are sort of spread out between a bunch of little towns.

Unless you’re good biking everywhere, which is our plan

 

[cowgirl836]

Simon Creek looks like it will fit in great to our first day

yeah if you are coming up from Sturgeon, you can hit pretty much any of them. They're always too far south for us to make it worth it once we get to Fish Creek. One Barrel in Egg Harbor has a location here in Madison too that spouse likes. Oh I think Hatch Distillery is in Egg Harbor - that was good too.

 

[cowgirl836]

I am correct in my analysis that a car is necessary to get around? Would rather fly-in but it wouldn't be worth it to then have to rent a car.

I think you'd want a car.

 

[Lineup]

Take all the wine tours well worth it

 

[galactawitz]

Went last year for our anniversary. Was really cool. There are lots of good posts already. Here is what I'd say on the fish boil. I really enjoyed it as I like fish and the atmosphere was cool. A bit spendy, and I get that it might not be everyone's cup of tea. But again, if you like fish it's a pretty good time.

 

[madguy30]

Make sure you find the goats on the roof.
Door Cty isn't a go-to for myself but it's got some cool parts.

 

[Al_4_State]

Make sure you find the goats on the roof.
Door Cty isn't a go-to for myself but it's got some cool parts.

We’re staying 2 blocks from the goats

 

[WISCY1895]

Great place to visit. Door County Brewing has some solid beers. Hit up Chives for a great dinner and craft cocktails.

 

[WooBadger18]

Agree with chive and I really liked harbor fish market and grill, the food was good and we had a view that look directly out over the water.

Also, I know that summer is their busy season and more shops are open, but my girlfriend and I went the last weekend in January and stayed at a b&b in Bailey’s harbor that was really good and it wasn’t crowded. Winter can be a really nice time to visit door county as well

 

[Al_4_State]

Agree with chive and I really liked harbor fish market and grill, the food was good and we had a view that look directly out over the water.

Also, I know that summer is their busy season and more shops are open, but my girlfriend and I went the last weekend in January and stayed at a b&b in Bailey’s harbor that was really good and it wasn’t crowded. Winter can be a really nice time to visit door county as well

Yeah, we XC ski and snowshoe so might consider that for the future

 

[cowgirl836]

Agree with chive and I really liked harbor fish market and grill, the food was good and we had a view that look directly out over the water.

Also, I know that summer is their busy season and more shops are open, but my girlfriend and I went the last weekend in January and stayed at a b&b in Bailey’s harbor that was really good and it wasn’t crowded. Winter can be a really nice time to visit door county as well

I have serious regrets that DH and I never went before kids. Relatively close for us and has all the things we love! Every time we hike the XC trails at Peninsula I comment how beautiful they'd be to do in winter.

And I do have to say - I was nervous about going end of July last year but I didn't think the crowds were that bad. We also came in on Sunday and left Saturday so we sort of went opposite traffic but I didn't think it was bad. We stayed out in the country a bit too and it was a beautiful place with a big porch surrounded by cedars. Watched stars a lot at night.