Door County is a peninsula nestled between Green Bay, Wisconsin and the crystal clear blue water of Lake Michigan. Scattered throughout the peninsula there are a variety of small towns with adorable little shops and restaurants. We’ve gone the last three years with Josiah’s family and have had a lot of fun exploring. Our must do items include: a fish boil at Pelletier’s, apple picking, and taking the ferry to Washington Island. Door County is such a midwest gem that I didn’t even know about until I was an adult (even though I grew up only a handful of hours away!). Now that we’ve discovered it, we are going to continue with this yearly tradition of visiting every Fall and I am certain we will find more and more to do each year.
Where we stayed
This is the house we’ve stayed in the last two years in Sturgeon Bay. I like staying in Sturgeon Bay because it’s on the most southern part of the peninsula which means it’s a closer drive to get there, but still gives us access to all of the fun things to do in and around door county with the furthest thing being about 45 minutes away. We stayed on Washington Island one year which was cool, but it was so far from everything else. If you’re looking for a remote stay and don’t have many plans to go and explore the rest of the peninsula then the island wouldn’t be a bad option. But if you’re interested in visiting the island (which you should be!) you can still do a day trip and explore everything it has to offer without actually staying there.
Transportation
To be able to explore the peninsula fully you really do need a car. If you are staying in one of the towns and just want to ride around the little town, then you can just bike. If you plan to take the washingont island ferry you could either take your car on the ferry (which is pretty pricey, but also really fun!) or you can just take your bike (or rent a bike once you get to the island).
COFFEE
Ephraim Coffee Lab - This was such a fun spot! The owner uses a manual espresso machine which was wild to me. The coffee was smooth and bright — definitely up my ally! The outdoor seating felt like you were hanging in a bohemian inspired backyard — also up my ally! They also have a super fun coffee vending machine out front so you can buy a bag whenever you want.
Lawlss Coffee - This shop was closest to where we stay so we ended up here a few times. I had a meeting one day we were there and the internet was much better at this shop than at the beach house. Nestled in an old bank, Lawlss Coffee had a fun atmosphere and really delicious coffee. They had some unique latte options as well as some fun pour overs. The notes on the house brewed coffee leaned more chocolatey than fruity, but was a good cup all around.
Bearded Heart Coffee - Another really fun coffee shop that was on our way from our beach house to Washington. Their iced latte was really delicious! The house brewed coffee was smooth, but also landed more on the chocolatey side of things.
FOOD
Pelletiere’s Restaurant and Fish Boil - The first year we decided we were going to go to Door County Josiah’s parents raved about the fish boil. I didn’t know what to expect and to be honest, I was kind of skeptical of how good boiled fish would be, but it definitely exceeded my expectations! Not only is the food incredible, but the experience is so fun. Everyone gathers around the giant pot that the fish and potatoes are boiled in and waits for the pot to boil over into a dramatic firey show. It’s a whole event. I really can’t recommend the experience enough! The fish is caught that day in Lake Michigan and the cherry pie dessert is made using Door County cherries — a local delight.
Sonny’s Italian Kitchen and Pizzeria - Located in Sturgeon Bay Sonny’s Italian Kitchen and Pizzeria had some really great views of the lake as well as delicious salt and the pizza.
Not Yet Licked - Great burgers. Nice outdoor seating around a creek. Playground for kids if you need somewhere to let them run around.
Bad Maravian - Detroit style pizza and majorly vibey. They have limited hours so make sure you plan ahead, but it was a really great find. It also happens to be the same building as Ephraim Coffee Lab — turns out the owner runs a coffee shop by day and a pizza shop by night — such a cool idea.
The Albatross Drive-In - This is the place we always eat when we are on Washington Island. Their burgers are so delicious and the outdoor seating is fun and quirky.
SIGHTS
Outdoor
Whitefish Dune’s State Park - This park has incredible hiking and really great beaches.
Apple /Cherry Picking - This is a classic Door County activity. There are tons and tons of orchards scattered throughout the peninsula that offer both apple and cherry picking. It’s one of our top things to do every year!
Schoolhouse Beach - Probably one of the more unique Door County experiences is Schoolhouse Beach. Located on Washington Island the little beach offers stunning blue water and large, smooth rocks. It’s so beautiful. We could just sit and skip rocks there for hours — and the past three years we have!
Shops
This is by no means comprehensive of all the shops that Door County has to offer and each little town has it’s own unique thing, but these are the shops that we’ve gone to that I loved and hope you love too!
Skal - A very fun Scandinavian boutique with lots of cookbooks I fell in love with as well as hand made sweaters and then random knick-knack-y things.
Keeper - Think Anthropologie + Free People — An absolute dream.
Fred and Co. - Adorable women’s clothing store.
Sister Golden - An amazing home goods store that also channels that Anthropologie energy.
Fish Creek Market - Adorable little grocery
Jackalope Trading Co. - Another cute jewelry, pottery, tapestry type boutique that I loved.
