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Wisconsin, United States

Door County

Give the peninsula two to three days for parks, lighthouses, cherry stands and a fish boil. This guide pulls together 1 sight, 1 activity and 3 outdoor spots from our curated routes.

Plan Door County with friendsBrowse 9 places
Door County, Wisconsin, United States
Places
9

1 See · 1 Do · 3 Outdoors · 3 Eat · 1 Drink

Curated routes
1

Chicago & Great Lakes

Best season
Jun – Sep

from our route notes

Warmest month
July

24°C / 76°F avg high

Coolest month
January

-3°C / 26°F avg high

Wettest month
June

about 100 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Door County

9 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

1 sight worth building a day around in Baileys Harbor.

  • Cana Island Lighthouse in Door CountyPhoto: Neal Letteney · CC BY-SA 4.0
    See

    Cana Island Lighthouse

    1869 lighthouse on an island reached by wading or a hay wagon across the causeway.

    • Baileys Harbor
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Morning

Do

1 activity for when the group wants to do more than look in Northport.

  • Washington Island Ferry in Door CountyPhoto: John Pozo · Google
    Do

    Washington Island Ferry

    Ferry across Death's Door strait to a quiet island with beaches and lavender farms.

    • Northport
    • $$
    • 4 hr
    • Summer

Outdoors

3 outdoor spots for fresh air across Lake Michigan shore and Fish Creek.

  • Cave Point County Park in Door CountyPhoto: Eitan Price · Google
    Outdoors

    Cave Point County Park

    Lake Michigan waves crash into undercut limestone ledges.

    Tip Calm days are good for kayaking the caves.

    • Lake Michigan shore
    • Free
    • 60 min
    • Windy day or sunset
  • Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door CountyPhoto: User Royalbroil on en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
    Outdoors

    Whitefish Dunes State Park

    Sand dunes and a long beach next to Cave Point.

    • Lake Michigan shore
    • $
    • 1.5 hr
    • Summer afternoon
  • Peninsula State Park in Door CountyPhoto: Miscellaneous Muzik · Google
    Outdoors

    Peninsula State Park

    Bluffs, bike trails, Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and the Eagle Tower above Green Bay.

    • Fish Creek
    • $
    • 3 hr
    • Sep–Oct for color

Eat

Where we would book a table in Door County across Fish Creek, Sister Bay and Ephraim.

  • Pelletier's Restaurant & Fish Boil in Door CountyPhoto: Raymond Rutherford · Google
    Eat

    Pelletier's Restaurant & Fish Boil

    Traditional Door County fish boil with the flame-up finale, followed by cherry pie.

    Tip Reserve a fish boil time slot.

    • Fish Creek
    • $$
    • 75 min
    • Evening
  • Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant in Door CountyPhoto: Kim Scarborough from Chicago, IL · CC BY-SA 2.0
    Eat

    Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant

    Swedish pancakes with lingonberries under goats grazing on the sod roof.

    Tip Goats are usually up late spring to fall.

    • Sister Bay
    • $$
    • 60 min
    • Breakfast
  • Wilson's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor in Door CountyPhoto: Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor · Google
    Eat

    Wilson's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor

    Classic 1906 ice cream parlor across from the Ephraim waterfront.

    • Ephraim
    • $
    • 45 min
    • Summer evening

Drink

Our picks for a drink in Door County in Carlsville.

  • Door Peninsula Winery in Door CountyPhoto: Door Peninsula Winery · Google
    Drink

    Door Peninsula Winery

    Winery in an old schoolhouse pouring cherry and fruit wines.

    • Carlsville
    • $
    • 45 min
    • Afternoon

How to fit Door County into a trip

Door County is stop 3 of 3 on our Chicago & Great Lakes route. Follow it as-is or lift Door County into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Door County month by month

Average daily highs run from -3°C / 26°F in January to 24°C / 76°F in July. June is the wettest month, with about 100 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Door County weather and the best time to visit →

Near Door County

8 other destinations from our guides within about 350 km (217 mi), measured in a straight line.

Door County questions, answered

How many days do you need in Door County?

Our route notes suggest 2–3 days in Door County. On our Chicago & Great Lakes route it is stop 3 of 3 in a 6-day trip. The listed visit times for our 9 places add up to roughly 14 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Door County best known for?

Give the peninsula two to three days for parks, lighthouses, cherry stands and a fish boil. Standouts on our list: Cana Island Lighthouse (1869 lighthouse on an island reached by wading or a hay wagon across the causeway); Cave Point County Park (Lake Michigan waves crash into undercut limestone ledges); Whitefish Dunes State Park (Sand dunes and a long beach next to Cave Point).

When is the best time to visit Door County?

Our Chicago & Great Lakes route is best Jun – Sep. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (24°C / 76°F), the coolest in January (-3°C / 26°F) and the most rain in June (about 100 mm).

What are the best things to do in Door County?

Start with Cave Point County Park, Whitefish Dunes State Park, Peninsula State Park, Cana Island Lighthouse and Washington Island Ferry. Our guide lists 9 places in all, from 1 sight, 1 activity, 3 outdoor spots, 3 places to eat and 1 bar or café.

Where should a group eat in Door County?

Our picks: Pelletier's Restaurant & Fish Boil (Fish Creek); Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant (Sister Bay); Wilson's Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor (Ephraim). Reserve a fish boil time slot (Pelletier's Restaurant & Fish Boil).

What is near Door County?

The closest destinations in our guides are Sleeping Bear Dunes (about 94 km / 58 mi), Traverse City (about 127 km / 79 mi) and Bradford Beach & the Lakefront (about 222 km / 138 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Door County with your crew

Open the Chicago & Great Lakes route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 9 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

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