Door County, Wisconsin, is a picturesque vacation destination known for its charming small towns, scenic landscapes, lighthouses, and abundance of outdoor activities. Situated on a peninsula jutting out into Lake Michigan, Door County offers two distinct sides, divided by two main highways: Highway 42 and Highway 57. Each side has its unique attractions and experiences to offer visitors. Let’s explore both sides to help you plan your perfect Door County getaway.
Wisconsin
Explore Wisconsin travel landscapes through backroads, small towns, state parks, and rural landmarks. This section highlights destinations across the state, from forest trails and shoreline views to historic barns, depots, and preserved structures.
Through photography and field notes, these posts document Wisconsin’s natural spaces and cultural sites. You’ll find seasonal changes, scenic drives, and quiet places worth slowing down for. Whether planning a road trip or revisiting familiar areas, this collection offers a closer look at the landscapes and places that define Wisconsin.
Within this section, you’ll find travel guides and field notes from across Wisconsin, including:
• Door County harbor towns, shoreline drives, and cherry orchards
• Historic barns, depots, and preserved rural structures
• Wildlife areas, wetlands, and seasonal landscapes
A Chilly Sunday in Oshkosh: Quirky Finds and Sweet Delights
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, makes an easy and enjoyable day trip when you are in the mood for something simple, local, and memorable. On a recent winter outing, we met up with my daughter and her fiancé and spent the day exploring a few stops that offered exactly that — a good meal, quirky shopping, and a sweet finish before heading home.
Twig’s Museum and Gift Shop Shawano, WI
Twig’s Museum and Gift Shop in Shawano, Wisconsin, is a fun stop if you enjoy local history, vintage advertising, old soda memorabilia, and small-town flavor. What looks like a simple gift shop from the outside opens into a nostalgic collection of signs, bottles, crates, old equipment, and displays tied to regional soda and dairy history.
We were exploring the area around North Star Mohican Casino Resort in Bowler and wanted to include a stop that felt a little different. Twig’s turned out to be a nice mix of museum, tasting room, and gift shop, which made it an easy place to spend some time indoors while still feeling like part of the local experience.
Glimmer Falls Richmond, Wisconsin
Glimmer Falls near Richmond, Wisconsin is a quiet natural stop tucked into the woods of Shawano County along the Red River. This small waterfall and cascade area features smooth rock ledges, flowing water, forest trails, and a peaceful setting that makes it worth the visit.
Apostle Islands and Madeline Island
Apostle Islands and Madeline Island Trip
A few years ago, my husband and I took a trip to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Madeline Island in northern Wisconsin. We boarded the first ferry of the day from Bayfield and crossed Lake Superior to Madeline Island.
After arriving, we spent part of the morning exploring the island before renting a boat for the afternoon. From there, we followed the shoreline of the Apostle Islands and passed lighthouses, waterfalls, sandstone cliffs, and sea caves.
Lake Superior was calm that day, which made the trip even more memorable. Because conditions were so good, we were able to safely reach areas that are not always easy to see by private boat.
Copper Falls State Park
Copper Falls State Park in northern Wisconsin is known for its dramatic river gorge, scenic waterfalls, and forested hiking trails. Located near the town of Mellen in Ashland County, the park offers visitors a chance to explore rugged landscapes shaped by rushing water, dark rock formations, and dense northern forests.
The park’s most famous features include Copper Falls, Brownstone Falls, and the Cascades. Wooden bridges, stairways, and scenic overlooks allow visitors to experience several viewpoints of the Bad River gorge while hiking through the surrounding woods.
Rock Island Wisconsin
Rock Island is a 912-acre Wisconsin state park in Door County that takes two ferry rides to reach. The first ferry leaves Gills Rock for Washington Island. The second leaves Washington Island and takes visitors to Rock Island, where you’ll find hiking trails, shoreline views, a historic boathouse, primitive camping, and Wisconsin’s oldest lighthouse station. … Read more
McClintock Park – Marinette County
McClintock Park is a scenic county park along the Peshtigo River in Marinette County, Wisconsin. This quiet stop is known for its series of wooden footbridges crossing rapids, forested river views, trout fishing, and primitive campsites.
If you enjoy short nature walks, rushing water, and peaceful woodland scenery, McClintock Park is worth a visit. The walk is not long, but the bridges, rapids, mossy rocks, and mixed forest make it a memorable stop in northeastern Wisconsin.
Communiversity Park and UW-Green Bay Arboretum Trail System
Communiversity Park and the UW–Green Bay Arboretum Trail System offer one of the most peaceful nature escapes in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Along the bay, Communiversity Park is a beautiful place to watch the sunset, while the nearby arboretum trails wind through wooded areas, creeks, ponds, and quiet natural spaces that are worth exploring in every season.
Historic Washington House Two Rivers, WI
The Washington House Museum and Ice Cream Parlor in Two Rivers, Wisconsin is a charming historic stop where visitors can enjoy a scoop of Cedar Crest ice cream while exploring a small museum filled with local antiques and artifacts. Located in Manitowoc County near the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Washington House offers a unique blend of Wisconsin history, nostalgia, and small-town charm.
Kewaunee Wisconsin Lighthouse and Harbor
Kewaunee Lighthouse on Lake Michigan in Kewaunee, Wisconsin
The Kewaunee Lighthouse and harbor area make a beautiful stop along the Lake Michigan shoreline in eastern Wisconsin. In winter, this stretch of shoreline is especially interesting for icy harbor views, winter birds, ducks, and the chance to spot bald eagles along the water.
We usually make a couple of trips each winter to Kewaunee to check the ice conditions, look for wildlife, and walk out for a closer view of the lighthouse and harbor. It is one of those places that can look completely different from one visit to the next depending on wind, waves, and temperature.
Baileys Harbor Birdcage Lighthouse
This winter view along the Lake Michigan shoreline in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, offers a glimpse of the island where the Baileys Harbor Bird Cage Lighthouse stands. From this stretch of shoreline, you can see the island from a distance and enjoy the icy waters and quiet beauty of Door County in winter.
Lake of the Falls, Mercier Wisconsin
Lake of the Falls County Park is located along the Turtle River near Mercer in Iron County, Wisconsin. The park sits between Lake of the Falls and the Turtle Flambeau Flowage, making it a scenic stop for fishing, camping, and exploring the river’s rocky shoreline.
Ephraim Wisconsin Wetlands Preserve
Ephraim Wetlands Preserve in Door County, Wisconsin Ephraim Wetlands Preserve is a small nature preserve in Ephraim, Wisconsin with a short and easy walking loop through cedar woods, wetland habitat, and seasonal wildflowers. While the walk itself is brief, this quiet preserve is especially worth visiting for its butterflies, migrating birds, frogs, and changing blooms … Read more
11 Must-See Lighthouses in Door County Wisconsin
Love lighthouses? How about a peninsula that has 11 Lake Michigan lighthouses? The 11 must-see lighthouses in Door County Wisconsin will impress any lighthouse lover or history buff. 11 Must See Lighthouses in Door County Wisconsin 11 Wonderful Lake Michigan Lighthouses. Number 7 & 8 Are Absolutely Stunning #1 Sherwood Point – The Last Manned Lighthouse Sherwood … Read more
Frog Bay Tribal National Park Bayfield Wisconsin
Frog Bay Tribal National Park near Red Cliff in Bayfield County, Wisconsin is the first tribal national park in the United States. Owned and managed by the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, this protected Lake Superior property is known for its boreal forest, mossy trails, woodland plants, and quiet shoreline views.
Snowshoeing in Neshota Park Denmark Wisconsin
Snowshoeing at Neshota Park near Denmark, Wisconsin is a peaceful way to experience winter in Brown County. The park is beautiful in every season, but in winter the snowy woods, quiet trails, and open spaces make it an especially inviting place to slow down and explore.
Neshota Park is one of the better places in Brown County to get outside in winter, whether you enjoy snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, winter hiking, or simply taking in the stillness of the season. On a good snow day, the park feels calm, bright, and full of small natural details that are easy to miss the rest of the year.
Copper Culture State Park
Copper Culture State Park in Oconto, Wisconsin is a small but historically important state park along the Oconto River. The 42-acre park includes a short trail system, picnic areas, river views, and the Copper Culture Museum, which interprets one of Wisconsin’s most significant archaeological sites.
Sugar Creek in Southern Door County
Sugar Creek flows quietly through the countryside of southern Door County near the small community of Brussels, Wisconsin. Surrounded by farmland, wetlands, and wooded areas, the creek provides a peaceful place to explore nature and observe wildlife throughout the seasons.
After heavy rain, the creek runs clear and lively over its rocky bed, creating small cascades and reflections that are especially interesting for photography. The surrounding wetlands and shoreline habitats also support a variety of birds and native plants.
Parrish Highlands ATV Trail in Langlade County
The Parrish Highlands ATV/UTV Trail system in Langlade County, Wisconsin is one of the larger riding areas in the region, offering scenic forest roads, rolling glacial terrain, wetlands, and miles of Northwoods riding. Riders can explore about 50 miles of trail within the Parrish Highlands area, with connections to neighboring county trail systems.