Welcome to Door County
What do visitors and residents like best about Door County?
Your average pollster may find living in Door County to his or her liking, but they couldn’t make a living determining its appeal.
When it comes to attracting visitors, Door County’s magic took thousands of years to develop and it hasn't changed for nearly that long. This is a theme park carved by nature, herself.
Every once in a while, the people running the annual Door County Lighthouse Walk are asked if there’s something new to see. Considering the newest lighthouse is over a century old, the caller can’t really expect a new beacon anytime soon. Still, people find their way through a tangled web of back roads to locate Cana Island each year.
We have great restaurants offering something a little bit different for each night of your stay, but the classic Door County fish boil has been a staple since the first boilover almost a half-century ago. Many can’t leave the Peninsula without a flame-boiled whopper of a locally grown whitefish.
Ask people their favorite places to visit and Peninsula State Park and Cave Point County Park would again top the list like they did seven years ago. There are plenty of other great places to see, it’s just that few others say “Door County” like these two. Actually, Peninsula Park is a self-contained Door County with camping, biking, hiking, golfing, stage entertainment, lighthouse tours, a majestic tower view and beach all inside its boundaries.
Going to Cave Point? Here are a couple of tips: Go on a windy day and watch your step.
Looking for a great sunset? Just grab a seat somewhere along the bay and you’re bound to see a good one. Some prefer the Gills Rock dock, then there's the ever-popular Eagle Harbor view in Ephraim or the Sister Bay Marina. But find your special spot. With 250 miles of shoreline, there are countless locations to watch the sun rise or set.
Kodak picture spots are abundant on the Peninsula, but don't expect a sign. They'll scream out at you.
Yes, Peninsula State Park and Cave Point are two, but they certainly don’t have a monopoly on film. Visit Ellison Bluff County Park or climb Peninsula Park’s sister tower at Potawatomi State Park for spectacular vistas. The view from atop the hill heading north into Ellison Bay sneaks up on you and Gills Rock’s quaint fishing village screams out for a photograph. Many times it’s the least expected spot that presents the best photo op.
This is the type of place where the recipe for freshly picked cherries still comes from the pie file.
The artists continue to come here and stay because there’s still something special to paint and visitors want to take a little of that home to put on their walls.
There are still goats on the roof, ferry rides to outlying islands and enough places to find a peaceful moment, although it may not seem that way on Fourth of July weekend.
Yes, there are numerous gift shops, but no two are the same and with few lodging chains, the same could be said for where you lay your head after what promises to be an enjoyable day in Door County.
