Anyone been to Door County??

[zingsheim]

I'm going to take my wife to Door County, but I need your help. I've Never been there before and I hjave no idea where to go, stay, or what to do. Anyone been there before? Any help would be greatly appreciated. By the way were going for like 2-3 days and I'm not looking to spend a ton of dough. Thanks alot!

[JimH5]

I've been there dozens of times, though not since last summer.

 

Here's a few places to visit:

 

Peninsula State Park. You can't go wrong renting bikes to ride through the park, or just hiking along some trails. The view from the tower is great, and the park is basically the cost of a daily sticker.

 

The Summer Kitchen. It's between Ephraim and Sister Bay, on the bay side of Hwy. 42. Terrific soup bar and great sandwiches. Awesome pie for dessert. Beautiful perennial flower beds.

 

THE Farm. For kids, or for people who want to behave like kids. . .It's a working farm/petting zoo with lots of free roaming goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, etc. You can wander around the grounds and see a bunch of buildings that display old agricultural life. A fun time. It's down at the bottom right around where Hwy 42 and 57 split apart.

 

Blue Dolphin Shop I can take it or leave it, but my wife loves it. And so did my mom, and so do my sisters and most women I know. Home Interior stuff, kinda funky, pretty upscale. There's also an awesome art gallery just north of the Blue Dolphin. I forget the name of it, but it's very cool. I've never bought anything at the art gallery. And there are lots of art galleries up there, if that one doesn't strike you.

 

Tannenbaum Shop. It's now in an old church up north of Sister Bay. It's a Christmas shop, and a pretty fun place regardless of the time of year.

 

Summertime Restaurant in Fish Creek. Great breakfasts, good lunches, I've never been there for dinner.

 

Wilson's in Ephraim. It's in a perfect location, right on the bay. It's a small, historic little restaurant known for ice cream sundaes and burgers, etc. I think it's overrated, but it's pretty much a staple for those who have never visited.

 

There are some other places I'm sure I'm missing, but part of the fun of the place is discovering places on your own. Honestly, when we're there, we pretty much just walk around the little towns. . .Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Ephraim, Sister Bay. . .pop into a candy shop or have ice cream. Hold your wife's purse while she tries on clothes. Play minigolf or skeeball or ride go-karts. Take a boat cruise.

 

As for where to stay, we've done Bed & Breakfasts & camping--it's really been awhile since we've stayed in an inn up there, so I don't want to give any recommendations, as ownerships change, and quality changes, etc. If you're planning on a weekend, you'll need a reservation for sure, even if just for a campsite.

 

Have a great time!

[billyhallfan]

Make sure you visit al johnson's in sister bay, it is a swedish restaurant and the roof has grass on it, then goats come out and eat and walk around on the roof.

 

Penninsula State Park-like Jim said, great biking, hiking, you will also probably want to climb the tower that overlooks the bay, you can also walk up a Tower in Potawatomi state park outside of Sturgeon Bay, but I would reccomend Penninsula.

 

In sturgeon bay, if you are into boating, there are some boat rentals right by the old draw bridge and next to the maritime museum.

 

 

It is hard to say what to do to someone who hasn't been there because we go and visit our grandma up there and to a lot of fishing, and that is about it.

 

 

Speaking of which, if you are a fisherman, charters are a blast, but they cost money, otherwise, the stone quarry county park is a great place for bass, and if you catch gobies, DON'T THROW THEM BACK IN, they eat other fishes eggs, they are a foreign species and all the fib's catch them, and throw them back in, you are supposed to throw them on land, and then the gulls will come and pick them up, and if you are looking for the Crew on the radio, go to WDOR out of Sturgeon Bay.

 

If you have any questions, let me know, my Dad grew up there, and we go there a lot.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Cana Island lighthouse on the Lake Michigan side is pretty neat.

 

As far as places to stay (and trying to not spend a lot of dough), most of the hotels/motels up there are going to run in excess of $75 a night, if not more. There's a good number of hotels in Sturgeon Bay that are probably going to run less than most of the places further out on the peninsula, and Sturgeon Bay is within an hour, hour and a half drive of everything out there, more or less.

 

And yeah, the Tannenbaum's Christmas shop is a pretty cool place.

 

The Door County Winery is neat, if you're into that type of stuff.

 

There's a couple of farmer's markets out there that have a lot of stuff, including baked goods and such.

[mikemercury]

Those are excellent posts. I live in Green Bay/Brown County, and just about everybody here views DC as expensive and full of "FIBS". If you still want to go on the cheap, you can get fall rates starting in the last weekend in October like the Landmark Inn in Egg Harbor. Some small shops in the malls like Founders Square and the Top of the Hill shops in Fish Creek close come fall, but most stuff is still open. While I find Door County over rated, there is plenty to see and do and you guys should go at least once to judge for yourselves.

[JimH5]

Another one of my favorite memories with my wife was a time we took the ferry to Washington Island, and rented mopeds and just buzzed around the Island. That was many many years ago, and the island was very rural at the time. Not sure if they have added anything. . .but it was cheap, and a blast. . .

[viking188]

Washington Island is still very rural/remote. Great place to moped/bike/hike or just enjoy the peace and quiet. You might not even get cell coverage unless youve got Cellcom out of GB.

If you're looking for peace and quiet I can give you the names of some inexpensive places. No phone, no TVs. Just you, the wife, and a Weber grill. (and WDOR for Crew games)http://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/ohwell.gif

[zingsheim]

Viking are the places you stayed more like rental cottages? I wouln't really need a phone or tv. Radio will do just fine.

[viking188]

http://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smokin.gifOh I don't go there to vacation; I live therehttp://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/laugh.gif

 

In the interest of fairness, I own a motel on the Island. But there are a few places that have smaller cottage style places that are reasonable in price. Some of the larger newer places get a little pricey (they are worth it but you pay for it too).

Go to www.washingtonislandchamber.com for all the places, or email me at info@vikingvillagemotel.com with any specific questions.( I won't answer between 1pm and the last pitch of the Brewer winhttp://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/smokin.gif

[hawing]

We haven't stayed in Door County before (used to make day trips there when I lived in Green Bay), but I'm a big fan of the Lake Michigan side in general, and of Whitefish Dunes State Park in particular.

[TracyThom]

We stayed at The Landing in Egg Harbor. If you are looking to save some money, look into the units there with kitchenettes. We walked to the little grocery store in Egg Harbor and cooked our own meals the whole time we were there.

[Menotti80]

Thanks to those who have posted in this thread also. You guys may end up being lifesavers.

 

(planning this kind of trip is very daunting because there are SO many areas and places to stay, places to eat, and things to do.