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.
Door County Wisconsin
Door County, Wisconsin features rugged shoreline, limestone bluffs, historic lighthouses, orchards, and state parks between Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
This archive explores nature travel, seasonal landscapes, quiet trails, and harbor towns across the peninsula.
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
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.
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
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.
Washington Island Wisconsin
Washington Island is about 7 miles off the tip of Door County, Wisconsin, and feels like a world of its own. Reached by ferry across Death’s Door from Northport Pier in Ellison Bay, the island is known for its slower pace, scenic shoreline, Scandinavian heritage, quiet roads, and memorable places to explore.
Cave Point County Park Door County
Cave Point County Park Door County, Wisconsin Cave Point County Park in Door County is located in the thumb of Wisconsin, and in the tourism industry, it is known as the Cape Cod of the Midwest. General Info General: County Park features underwater caves, hiking trails & limestone cliffs, and miles of rocky shore along … Read more
Toft Point for an Afternoon Hike
Toft Point is located on Toft Road in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin, on a beautiful 732-acre natural area managed by UW–Green Bay. This quiet preserve is one of Door County’s hidden gems, with boreal forest, mossy woods, historic remnants, rocky Lake Michigan shoreline, and peaceful hiking trails.
Door County Anderson Dock
Anderson Dock in Ephraim, Wisconsin, is one of Door County’s most recognizable waterfront landmarks. This historic dock and warehouse sits along Eagle Harbor and is best known for the colorful painted names and messages that cover the building’s exterior.
Sherwood Point Lighthouse Door County
Sherwood Point
Sherwood Point Lighthouse Door County is located in northeast Wisconsin on the western shores of Lake Michigan in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.
Robert La Salle County Park Door County
Robert La Salle County Park in Door County, Wisconsin, is a quiet stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline where rocky views, cooler lake air, and seasonal wildflowers make it a peaceful stop along the peninsula.
Exploring Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin: A Perfect Blend of Adventure, History, and Flavor
Things to Do in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin blends shoreline scenery, maritime history, small-town shopping, and some of the best access points to Door County’s working waterfront. Whether you want to hike, photograph lighthouses, stroll historic streets, or settle in for a fish boil, Sturgeon Bay offers a mix of outdoor beauty and local character that makes it worth slowing down for.
Cana Island Lighthouse
Cana Island Lighthouse – Baileys Harbor, Door County Cana Island Lighthouse is one of the most recognizable historic landmarks in Door County, Wisconsin. Located just north of Baileys Harbor, the lighthouse sits on a small island along the Lake Michigan shoreline and has guided ships through the waters of the peninsula since 1868. The lighthouse … Read more
Ridges Sanctuary Door County Nature Preserve
The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor, Door County, Wisconsin
The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor is one of the most distinctive nature preserves in Door County. Known for its winding boardwalks, wetland trails, rare plants, and quiet woodland scenery, it is a place where you can slow down and explore a very different side of the peninsula.
Spread across roughly 1,600 acres, The Ridges protects a unique landscape of swales, ridges, wetlands, boreal forest, and shoreline habitat. For visitors who enjoy wildflowers, birding, photography, and peaceful nature walks, it is one of the most rewarding places to visit in Baileys Harbor.
Plum Island Lighthouse Door County
Plum Island Lighthouse sits in the waters of Lake Michigan off the tip of the Door County Peninsula in northeastern Wisconsin. Because it is offshore and cannot be reached by car, it remains one of the more adventurous lighthouse destinations in Door County.
For many visitors, Plum Island is more of a place to admire from the water than a quick roadside stop. Reaching it takes a little planning, but that extra effort is part of what makes it memorable. Between the lighthouse, historic Coast Guard buildings, shoreline habitat, and wildlife, Plum Island feels wilder and more remote than many of Door County’s better-known landmarks.
Whitefish Dunes State Park
Whitefish Dunes State Park Whitefish Dunes State Park is an 863-acre park in Door County, Wisconsin that has beautiful hiking trails a Lake Michigan beach, and the highest sand dunes in Wisconsin. General Info General: State Park has the highest sand dune beach in Wisconsin. Enjoy hiking, gorgeous views of Lake Michigan, and traversing the wooden … Read more