Discover the exquisite beauty of the Door County Peninsula and Washington Island. With over 300 miles of scenic shoreline dotted with bustling harbors and quiet coves, Door County offers a wealth of water-based recreation. Sandy beaches, sailing, cruising, boating, fishing, boat rentals, charters or a unique car ferry ride to Washington Island are just a few ways to enjoy the sparkling waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
Five state parks, ten lighthouses and more than a dozen county parks offer fantastic hiking, biking and sightseeing opportunities. Eleven golf courses combined with the breath taking landscape of rural vistas and bluffs further enhance your experience of the county. Pristine scenery combined with hundreds of renowned artists and galleries, acclaimed music and performing arts, and unique educational courses for the visual arts, theatre, and humanities truly make Door County a distinctive arts community.
Dine at one of the unique and award-winning restaurants (perhaps taking in a traditional Door County fish boil), and hunt for treasures in one-of-a-kind shops, galleries, and museums, before being pampered in one of the charming accommodations and enjoying a picturesque Door County sunset. Small wonder Door County was named one of the top ten vacation destinations in North America by Money Magazine, and that each year more than two million visitors like to visit and claim this jewel as their own.
History:
The Door County peninsula has been inhabited for about 11,000 years. Artifacts from an ancient village site at Nicolet Bay Beach have been dated to about 400 BC. This site was occupied by various cultures until about 1300 AD.
The 1700-1800s saw the immigration and settlement of pioneers, mariners, fishermen and farmers. Economic sustenance came from lumbering and tourism.
During the 1800s, various groups of Native Americans occupied the area that would become Door County and its islands. Beginning in mid-century, these Indians, mostly Potawatomi, were removed from the peninsula by the federal government under the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Later, Belgian Walloon people populated a small region in Door County, Wisconsin, owing to fairly large-scale immigration there in the 19th century, as well as to southern Indiana in Perry County.
A Civilian Conservation Corps camp was established at Peninsula State Park during the Great Depression. In the summer of 1945, Fish Creek was the site of a German POW camp. The prisoners did construction projects, cut wood, and picked cherries in Peninsula State Park and the surrounding area. Eagle Bluff Lighthouse was constructed in Peninsula State Park in 1868 on orders from President Andrew Johnson, at a cost of $12,000, and was restored by the Door County Historical Society in 1964, and opened to the public.
Things to Do:
Door County has endless and endless activities from the arts and outdoors to shopping and dining. From romantic getaways and historical exploration to golf excursions and fishing. Door County is your destination vacation location.
We have picked a few of our favorite activities for you to explore but don't stop there. We have also included a link that provides a comprehensive list to plan your vacation itinerary.
- American Folklore Theater
- Door County Self-Guided Lighthouse Tours
- Scenic Door County Trolley Tour
- Shopping
- Plum Loco Animal Farm - Just for Kids
- Sail Door County
- Stones Throw Winery
- Door County Information
American Folklore Theater: Click Here
THE ACORN never falls far from the tree, and so it is with American Folklore Theatre, still playing on an outdoor stage at Peninsula State Park and on indoor stages across the state, its actors still equipped with guitars and voices that tell stories of legend and lore. Since 1990, this troupe has been providing original musical tales about some of America's most intriguing people. Shows have involved the adventures of John Muir, father of our national parks, in The Mountains Call My Name and the music of James Taylor in Sweet Baby James. Humor comes to life as AFT's resident playwrights and composers concoct characters like brothers Leo and Roger in Belgians in Heaven and ice fishermen Lloyd and Marvin in Guys On Ice. Located in Fish Creek. Call (920) 854-6117
Peninsula State Park:
Peninsula State Park is a 3,776-acre state treasure on Wisconsin's Door County peninsula. Families will enjoy the endless activities from biking and kayaking to enjoying a picnic and some nature hiking or fishing. A favorite park activity is to take bike ride on the five-mile Sunset Trail, which winds through lush forests, a flower-filled prairie with ongoing views of the beautiful lake. You can bring your own bikes or rent them at Nicolet Beach, Edge of the Park, Inc. (920-868-3344) or Nor-Door Sport and Cyclery (920-868-2275). The bike trail leads to the eastern edge of the park which is the site of the picturesque 130-year-old Eagle Bluff Lighthouse that visitors are invited to explore. Lighthouse Tours are offered every half hour from 10 A.M. to 4:30 P.M.
Scenic Door Country Trolley Tour: Click Here
What better way is there to explore the breathtaking vistas of Door County than with an "Old Time" Trolley ride. Traverse the land and learn about the legend and lore unique to each area. The best part is you will learn from the locals where to wine, dine and relax! Don't forget to bring your camera. Call 920-868-1100.
Shopping:
According to the readers of Midwest Living magazine Door County is the best place to find a unique gift in the Midwest. Escape the mall experience of franchise shops. Door County is home to an extraordinarily diverse retail community. Antiques, art, home décor, apparel, lighthouse treasures and gifts galore grace the communities of the Peninsula. It is nirvana for any shopaholic. And while you're finding the perfect gifts and souvenirs don't miss the many specialty food shops and farm stands. It's always a good idea to bring home a piece of the Door Peninsula. So any community you are in, dive-in to the bountiful shopping excursions!
Door County Confectionary: Click Here
Everyone that visits Door County must stop by and indulge their chocolate cravings at the Door County Confectionery. For more than 30 years this wonderful shop has been serving chocolate connoisseurs like you for over 30 years. We treat our customers to mouth- watering chocolates and delicious fudge hand-made in Door County, Wisconsin. Each recipe is unique in order to produce the finest confections in the world. Call 920-868-2290
For additional information and seasonal activities visit: www.doorcounty.com or www.doorcountynavigator.com