Door County

The Door County Maritime Museum is a museum with three locations on Wisconsin’s waterfront. The museum’s exhibits shed light on the rich maritime heritage in the area, including the lives of lighthouse keepers, ship captains, fishermen, and more.

You will see a variety of different boats, maritime equipment, personal effects, and models of ships and boats. There is also a restored 149-foot tugboat dating from 1919, which you can explore by guided tour. The museum’s exhibits are spread across locations in Sturgeon Bay, the Cana Island Lighthouse, and Ellison Bay. Each branch is family-friendly and often hosts special events for visitors.

120 N. Madison Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-743-5958

The Cana Island Lighthouse is a 19th century lighthouse in Baileys Harbor. The lighthouse is currently used as an active light and is open to touring along with the nearby keeper’s quarters. The lighthouse has quite a unique appearance, with a tall white tower topped with a black lantern. It was built with cream-colored brick from Milwaukee and at the time of construction was Door County’s tallest building. Walking to the top of the lighthouse is a great experience, if you can handle the 97 winding stairs. Staff at the lighthouse are available to provide some introductory information about the lighthouse and its history. The lake often rises above the path to the light, so be aware that at times you have to walk through water to get there.

8800 E. Cana Island Road, Baileys Harbor, WI 54202, Phone: 920-743-5958

Cave Point County Park is a public park characterized by hiking trails, limestone bluffs, and underwater caves along the banks of Lake Michigan. The caves have been carved out by the sea battering the stone walls over the course of many years. At times, there are impressive sprays of water from the waves slamming against the rocks. Kayaking to see the caves is a popular activity during calmer sea conditions. There are also several miles of hiking trails throughout the park. Even though the area is most popular during the warm summer months, there are also winter activities like sleigh rides, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and the impressive sight of ice waves.

5360 Schauer Road, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-746-9959

Door County Historical Museum is a history museum with a number of educational displays that together tell the interesting story of Door County’s settlement and subsequent development. The museum is family-friendly with many interactive exhibits appropriate for children, such as a fire truck from the 1920s, which they are allowed to climb inside. A favorite exhibit among visitors is the Seasons of Life exhibit, which features more than 100 species of animals on display. There is also a theater where you can watch DVDs about the history of Door County. The museum is only open seasonally during the warm months.

18 N. 4th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-743-5809

Whitefish Dunes State Park is a day-use park on the Door Peninsula’s eastern shore. The park contains the most significant sand dunes on Lake Michigan’s eastern shore. The land the park is on was once home to eight different Native American villages, and the remains of these prehistoric settlements can be seen throughout the park. The park is popular for the wide range of recreational activities available here. In the summer you can hike, boat, canoe, fish, and swim. During the wintertime, snowshoeing and skiing are popular activities. The park also has a nature center, where you can learn about the area’s geology, ecology, and cultural history with programs available for both kids and adults.

Door County Trolley company is a tour company that offers guided tours on trolleys and a variety of other tour formats. The tours are led by guides who have a lot of knowledge of the Door County area, and this is an excellent opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the region. In the winter they offer horse-drawn carriage tours of the area’s wineries, where you will also get to enjoy lunch at a small local diner.

There are narrated scenic tours, lighthouse tours, spring blossom tours, special holiday offers, and more. The trolleys are heated and closed in for a comfortable ride year round. The adorable trolleys are also available for rent for private events, and private tours are available.

8030 WI-42, Egg Harbor, WI 54209, Phone: 920-868-1100

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse that was built in 1868 and is today part of Peninsula State Park. The lighthouse keeper’s house is open as a small museum. The lighthouse is still working today and provides boats that are traveling the Strawberry Channel with guidance from its perch 76 feet above Green Bay. The local historical society offers tours seasonally. During the tours, docents tell stories of the various lightkeepers and their families who kept the lighthouse working in the early years. Many artifacts are on display, including keepers’ personal effects and antiques from that time period.

10249 Shore Road, Fish Creek, WI 54212, Phone: 920-421-3636

Fish Creek Scenic Boat Tours is a tour company offering daily boat tours from Fish Creek. The vessel is a 69-seat, partly covered, partly open boat that docks in downtown. The tours are lead by knowledgeable guides who provide narration as you cruise. There are three tours available: The Peninsula Park and Ephraim North Cruise, the Millionaires Row and the West Islands Cruise, and the Sunset Live Music and Egg Harbor South Cruise. Sights on the cruise include the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Egg Harbor, and the many islands, beaches, and bluffs of Door County. The cruises include snacks and there is live music on the evening cruise each day.

9448 Spruce Street, Fish Creek, WI 54212, Phone: 920-421-4442

Island Orchard Cider is an apple orchard located on Washington Island, and cider mill located on the Peninsula. Here, they have planted some of the best, most hardy varieties of cider apples and at present have about 1,600 different trees producing a variety of fruits specially chosen to make great cider. The building that houses the cider mill was originally opened in the 1930s and has been renovated for use as a cider mill. Visitors who come to Island Orchard Cider can see the cider making process and taste a variety of different ciders. There is also a tasting room where you can further sample the ciders and purchase them by the bottle to take home with you.

12040 Garrett Bay Road, Ellison Bay, WI 54210, Phone: 920-854-3344