8 Best Things to Do in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

By VacationIdea Staff on December 8, 2020 - Updated

Ralf Broskvar/stock.adobe.com

Sturgeon Bay is a city in Door County, Wisconsin and the county seat at the natural end of Sturgeon Bay. Door County Maritime Museum consists of four galleries that include lighthouses, shipwrecks, model ships and boats, the area’s shipbuilding companies and more. Whitefish Dunes State Park was created in order to protect the fragile dune ecosystem on the eastern Door County Peninsula. The Garden Door is part of the University of Wisconsin Peninsular Agricultural Research Station. The large garden includes a fairie garden, pond with koi, a children's play area, double kaleidoscope, pollinator garden, ornamental grass area and more. Third Avenue Playhouse is one of Wisconsin’s top professional theaters, offering high quality comedies, dramas, opera and musicals.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1.Door County Maritime Museum, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Established in 1969, the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin consists of four galleries that include lighthouses, shipwrecks, model ships and boats, the area’s shipbuilding companies and more. The museum also has an in-water exhibit of a restored 1960s tug boat built in 1919, which worked until 2000. The Museum is located next to the historic steel bridge along Sturgeon Bay. Across the bay is, which can be seen through a There is a submarine periscope inside the museum visitors can use to see Bay Shipbuilding, Door County’s largest shipbuilder. The museum was founded in Gills Rock, Wisconsin, and started operating at the Cana Island Light in 1971. The museum’s Gills Rock location was opened in 1975.

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

2.Whitefish Dunes State Park, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Whitefish Dunes State Park in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, was created in order to protect the fragile dune ecosystem on the eastern Door County Peninsula. The park is great place for strolling along Lake Michigan, watching waterfowl or fishing at Clark Lake, walking across the boardwalk to visit the wetlands. The park has more than 14.5 miles of hiking trails that wind throughout the forested sand dunes and beech forests. No climbing the dunes is allowed. Visitors are requested to stay on trails to protect the rare plants and animals that live in Whitefish Dunes. The park's nature center offers year-round programs, displays and exhibits on ecology, geology and human history. No camping is allowed.

3275 Clark Lake Rd, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235-7904, Phone: 920-823-2400

3.The Garden Door, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Located a few miles north of Sturgeon Bay on Highway 42, the Garden Door opened in 2005 at the University of Wisconsin Peninsular Agricultural Research Station. The members of the Door County Master Gardeners Association designed the garden and are maintaining it. The garden includes a fairie garden, pond with koi, a children's play area, double kaleidoscope, pollinator garden, ornamental grass area with strange bottle trees, memorial tunnel, winces and annual and perennial beds. There is also a community garden where the staff of the Door County Master Gardener Volunteers, Research Station and UW Extension plant and harvest crops s every summer.

4312 WI-42, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

4.Third Avenue Playhouse, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Third Avenue Playhouse in Sturgeon Bay is one of Wisconsin’s top professional theaters, offering high quality comedies, dramas, opera and musicals in its Studio Theatre. The audiences are able to get face-to-face with powerful stories in this unique space that offers the intimate theatrical experience. Third Avenue Playhouse is an integral part of Door County’s lively arts scene with its growing reputation and a range of educational opportunities. The theatre started as a Donna movie theatre established in 1950. It was transformed into a live performing arts center in the 1990’s. In June 2012 the Third Avenue Playhouse moved to its current space in a former storage area. Since 2012, the Playhouse has produced more than 50 professional plays, musicals, as well as staged readings, concerts, films, and other special events.

239 N 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-743-1760

5.Heritage Village at the Creek, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Heritage Village at the Creek in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, consists of nine historically significant buildings. The Village tells the story of Door County’s development from 1860 to1910. Tours, blacksmith demonstrations, Madden Tool Museum, performances and special programming are offered at different times. The Village was created by the Door County Historical Society in order to offer families, children and visitors the experience of living the simple life of the original settlers. The Door County Historical Society consists of more than 350 people who are dedicated to keeping history of the community alive. The creation of the village was triggered in 1991 by a program prepared by a group of local eight grade students describing the experience of pioneer living.

2041 Michigan St, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-421-2332

6.Things to Do in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin: Crossfit Armati

CrossFit Armati is the premier CrossFit facility in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The facility has large, clean box, top of the line equipment, supportive coaches and a growing community. CrossFit is the strength and conditioning program used by many police academies, military special operations, martial artists, and other elite and professional athletes all over the world. The program delivers a broad, general, and inclusive fitness. There is no specializing. It is the kind of fitness that rewards combat, survival, many sports, and life. Crossfit Armati is equipping members to be ready to take on any task using diverse movements performed at high intensity. They allow you to move smarter, better and stronger. Besides quality coaching, participants are trained in routine maintenance and have access to top notch sports rehabilitation.

185 E Walnut St #140, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-333-3553

7.Inn at Cedar Crossing, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Located in a 19th-century building in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, Inn at Cedar Crossing is a two-minute walk from the Third Avenue Playhouse, a 10-minute walk from the Door County Maritime Museum and five miles from the Sturgeon Bay Canal North Pierhead Lighthouse. The inn has nice uniquely decorated rooms with rich textiles and antique furnishings. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, private bathrooms and flat-screen TVs. Upgraded rooms have 4-poster beds, whirlpool tubs and fireplaces. The guests enjoy complimentary parking and hot breakfast served in a charming, rustic restaurant and bakery. There is also a library, a bar, shared lounge and a shared kitchen.

112 N 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-743-4200

8.Things to Do in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin: Door County Fire Company

Door County Fire Co. in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin is a spacious, family-friendly restaurant operating from the historic firehouse that was servicing the city from 1907 to 2006. The firemen moved to the new station across the street and their old home was renovated and reopened as a restaurant. The restaurant lasted until 2010 and stayed abandoned until 2017 when it opened as Door County Fire Company. The dining room and bar are located in the former garage, and upstairs, today a banquet facilities, were firehouse offices, bunks and the town hall. Fire Company offers pizzas, sandwiches, wraps, charbroiled burgers, fresh salads and many American favorites. There is a large butcher block bar overlooking the kitchen.

38 S 3rd Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235, Phone: 920-818-0625