Every summer, my family travels to Door County, Wisconsin. Door County is located on a peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, in Wisconsin. This post includes some of our favorite activities for a weekend in Door County.
Door County has almost 300 miles of beautiful shoreline, which makes it a popular Midwest travel destination, especially in the summer. There are over 50 public beaches or boat launches along the lake. My family spends most of our time in the northern half of Door County, north of Fish Creek, Wisconsin.
Breakfast and Coffee
I can’t visit Sister Bay without stopping for a yogurt parfait, coffee or a pastry at Base Camp. It was packed with coffee lovers for the holiday weekend! I picked up this yogurt parfait, with house-made hazelnut granola and an iced maple latte. So good.
*2023 Update: This coffee shop is now closed. I recommend Skip Stone Coffee Roasters for a delicious latte.
Afternoon Drinks at Top Deck – Gordon Lodge {Baileys Harbor, WI}
During a long bike ride {20+ miles}, we stopped for afternoon drinks outdoors at Top Deck, located at the Gordon Lodge resort. I had a watermelon mocktail and it was so tasty. Anything flavored with watermelon on a hot summer day is at the top of my list. K and I also wanted to visit our wedding destination, as we got married at Gordon Lodge three years ago. It’s a beautiful place to vacation too!
Hiking at Newport State Park (Ellison Bay, Wisconsin)
My favorite state park in Door County for a quiet beach and hiking is Newport State Park, located near the top of the Door County peninsula. K and I finished a few hiking miles on the Europe Bay Trail during our weekend trip. Newport is over 2,000 acres, with 11 miles of protected shoreline. It is the only wilderness-designated state park in Wisconsin.
Relaxing at the Beach
Lake Michigan has beautiful beaches! If you’re looking for a beach with sand dunes in the southern part of the county, I recommend Whitefish Dunes State Park. If your family wants an exciting beach where you can relax on the sand, swim, rent a kayak, and get ice cream, check out Sister Bay Beach. For a quiet beach near hiking trails, visit Newport State Park.
4th of July Fireworks (Gills Rock, Wisconsin)
If you visit Door County for the 4th of July holiday, don’t miss a fantastic firework show. The best fireworks can be found in Gills Rock. The last fireworks show I went to was close to 45 minutes long, and fireworks went off from a barge out on the water. I felt like I was in an IMAX theater!
If you’re ever in Door County for the 4th of July, I highly recommend the Gills Rock fireworks. Gills Rock is located near the very top of the Door County peninsula, and it’s where you can catch a passenger ferry to Washington Island.
Shopping for Cherries at Seaquist Orchards Farm Market
Seaquist Orchards is my favorite place to pick up cherry products, and this visit was no exception. I stocked up on frozen cherries, cherry pie filling, dried cherries, cherry & almond muesli, jam, and individual pie slices for the road. Seaquist Orchards holds their annual cherry festival at the end of July, which is usually when tart cherries are at their peak picking season.
Dinner in Sister Bay, Wisconsin
Waterfront is a lovely fine dining destination, located on the water with beautiful Lake Michigan views. K and I had dinner here for the first time over the holiday weekend, on a double-date with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. The seafood was so good on the summer menu – I had halibut with white bean gremolata broth, goat cheese ravioli, and summer vegetables. One of the best meals I have had all year!
For more Door County information, check on these posts:
- 24 Hours in Door County, Wisconsin
- Run Wild Race Recap: Quarter Marathon {Door County, Wisconsin}
- Door County Cherry Cobbler
- Door County Hairpin 5k Race Recap
- Door County Trail Run {Newport State Park}
- 4 Running Tips for Vacation
- Scandinavian White Fish Packets
- Peak Color
I’m Celia. I live in the Chicago area. I'm a mama of two, runner, business owner and former Iowan. My blog includes recipes, fitness and travel posts, and stories about Chicago.
I really want to make it up to Door County sometime soon! It seems like such a neat area and a good getaway from Chicago. There's probably some great areas for trail running as well!
Yes, there are so many lovely trails up there! Perfect for running. Plus it's rarely humid 🙂
We vacation in Door County a lot, but have never been there for the 4th! We will this year, though. Is it an ok time to be there?! We have two children, ages 5 and 8, and my fear is it will be too crowded at that time? However, the 4th is a Tuesday this year, so it's not like it will be a weekend 4th of July holiday. Just wondered your thoughts on the crowds. Although summer in Door County is always busy!!
Door County is SO fun for the 4th! We go up every year. It is busy at that time with lots of events (several fireworks shows, parades, festivals). But I think you will have a great time. I recommend staying in the northern half of Door County if you want a more low key experience. Since the 4th is on a Tuesday there will likely be extra vacationers there all week.