Explore all that Door County Wisconsin has to offer with this Door County Travel Guide!

Door County Wisconsin has been on my bucket list for a while. We found a weekend to get away, but quickly learned that late July is the time to visit Door County if you like cherries. We missed cherry picking season by just a few days, but still managed to snag some yummy treats from places like Seaquist Orchard (try the chopped cherry jam!) and Lautenbach’s Orchard. Check out Door County’s website for cherry picking updates.

What I didn’t realize was how large Door County is. It is literally a county, comprised of many smaller towns, the most frequented towns being: Sturgeon Bay, Egg Harbor, Bailey’s Harbor, Fish Creek, Ephraim, Sister Bay, Ellison Bay, and Washington Island. (See towns below, on this handy map)

Sample 3-day Itinerary Guide

Friday:

Check in at hotel. We stayed at Double S Lodge (UPDATE: unfortunately, due to c*19 they are closed for the 2021 season) and were completely blown away. It is such a cozy and darling place. We normally aren’t B&B people, but the absolute charm of Double S is irresistible. I would stay there again in a heart beat. From breakfast to happy hour, Double S provides locally sourced foods and beverages (beer & wine for happy hour!) which is a big plus for me, being the small business lover that I am. They had a spacious deck that was lovely to sit on in the evening and they spray for bugs multiple times a year, which is a major plus considering they’re in the middle of dense trees. Double S even has bikes that you can borrow to ride into town. It’s everything you could ever dream of. Do yourself a favor and stay there!

Happy hour. Our lodging included happy hour on a beautiful patio. We had locally sourced beer (One Barrel) and wine (Stone’s Throw) and chatted with other B&B guests. Many places in Door County offer similar experiences, but not to worry if yours does not. There are lots of fun places to go for drinks such as the tasting room and winery mentioned above.

Dinner. We headed to Wild Tomato Pizza for dinner. We had great drinks, tasty appetizers (try the cheese curds!) and awesome pizza. If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, CHOP comes highly recommended. However, you need to book reservations well in advance, so we were unable to dine there.

Shop. Stroll around and check out downtown Sister Bay. It’s a lively area with touristy shops and boutiques. Looking for dessert? Try Door County Creamery‘s goat milk ice cream. Sounds weird, but it’s pretty tasty! While you’re at the Creamery pick up some cheese and snacks if you want a picnic lunch for tomorrow (see below).

Saturday:

Washington Island. Get up early and venture over to Washington Island to see the spectacular Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm. (NOTE: you’ll have to take a ferry over to the island, so double check the ferry times before departing. The wait for the ferry can get backed up and might take a while to get over to the island, so I suggest trying to hit one of the earliest times to avoid a line). While you’re there stop by Schoolhouse Beach. Be advised that the island is quite small and there’s not many places to eat. We took a picnic (mentioned above) which I highly suggest!

Ellison Bay. Take your time coming back through Ellison Bay. There are quite a few hidden gems here! Pop into Kick Ash and try their bacon cheddar corn muffin and grab granola to go. All of their items are gluten free and absolutely to die for! Looking for an afternoon drink? Check out Island Orchard Cider and try a variety of hard ciders. You may even end up with a few bottles to take home!

Sister Bay. We freshened up at the B&B then headed out to Seaquist Orchard in hunt of their amazing chopped cherry jam. Be prepared – you’ll want EVERYTHING in their bakery section! It’s all so fresh and yummy. If I could only recommend two things to do while in Door County, Seaquist would make the list! (see below for #1!)

Egg Harbor. After a long day, we wanted a laid back evening. One Barrel Brewing has a taproom in Egg Harbor with live music on the weekends. If you get there early enough they even have outdoor firepits to sit around (seating goes quickly though). Try the Trolley Red, it’s a cherry lager and very tasty. Egg Harbor is a quaint town to wander through. Take your time going through the Main Street shops and enjoying the waterside town. The smell from Casey’s BBQ was absolutely irresistible so we ordered dinner to go and found a picnic table on the waters edge. It was a gorgeous way to end the evening.

Sunday:

Breakfast. Everyone RAVES about Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant. We avoided the crazy long line and stuck to our coffee only breakfast; however, if you’re a breakfast person, you should try Al Johnson’s. There’s no missing this place – they have goats on their roof! Literally. Goats roam on top of the restaurant’s roof and munch on the grass (yes, there’s also a man that gets up there and mows. It’s very entertaining to watch).

Pack up. There was one last thing in Sister Bay I had to stop at. If you’re like me and like getting your Christmas shopping done early, stop by the Tannenbaum Holiday Shop. I knocked out over half of my Christmas shopping in this one stop before we headed home!

Head home. No trip to Wisconsin is complete without cheese. On the way home we stumbled upon Door Artisan Cheese Company in Egg Harbor. When they say their cheese curds squeak, they aren’t kidding! Get them, it’s totally worth it! This last stop is a necessity. My number one recommendation for Door County is to visit Door County Coffee. Going in to Door County Coffee, I thought “this is going to be a massive tourist trap” they sell bags of DC coffee in my grocery store, but WOW their coffee is worth it. I had their peanut butter crunch frappe and literally had to buy a second one for the trip home. I still dream about that darn coffee.

There’s a ton to do in Door County. My list barely scratches the surface. More than anything, it’s a beautiful place to relax and unwind. Take time to sit back, take a deep breath, and re-center yourself.

Have you visited Door County? What are your favorite things to do?