A hidden gem that everyone from Wisconsin knows about!
Door County, Wisconsin, one of my favorite places to visit! It’s about 3 hours north of Milwaukee and completely worth the drive. Now, there is one very important thing to know about Door County - it’s big. You can’t see all of it in one trip. I’m more than certain that you will be reading more than one article about adventures in Door County but let’s start with the most recent one.
The drive is beautiful. There really isn’t anything to stop and see, but the scenic views are lovely to take in. So much nature, so much green, so peaceful. However, after three straight hours in a car, we needed to stop and stretch our legs before checking into our hotel. So, of course, why not kill two birds with one stone and get something to drink as well.
One Barrel Brewing Company in Egg Harbor is the perfect spot to relax in the sun and enjoy a beer. A large patio, lounge chairs, firepits, yard games, picnic tables are just what you need to power up. The beers were also delicious. I had a raspberry sour and it was delicious!
Next stop on the way to our hotel Wilson’s. Wilson’s is a 50’s dinner with delicious throwback Hamburgers, fries, and ICE CREAM! If you’re looking for one of the best malts or shakes you’ve ever had, you need to make a stop at Wilson’s. It’s a must see and must eat at destination.
Finally, after stopping for food and drinks we made it to our hotel. Open Hearth Lodge. It’s a hotel I’ve been staying at since I was little, and I highly recommend it to everyone who ventures to Door County. They recently expanded and updated all the rooms and let me tell you, they are beautiful! But most importantly, the beds are so comfortable you won’t want to leave them, haha.
Next up, an all time favorite activity - mini golf! Now, this isn’t a small course, at all. There are sunken ships, water features, caves, pirates, and 18 holes of fun! Bring your camera and your competitive spirit!
On the way to dinner, we made sure to drive past the goats on the roof! And just for fun, that’s all I’m going to tell you. Yes, they are real goats. Yes, they are really on the roof. Yes, they are in Sister Bay. And finally, Yes - you need to find them!
Boathouse on the Bay is the perfect restaurant that is directly on the Harbor. We had a small dinner and watched the sunset from our table. The highlight of the meal though, was the drinks. Cherry’s are the signature food in Door County, so we obviously had to order Cherry inspired drinks. One cherry mule and one cherry old fashioned - both so good we couldn’t believe it!
Day two was all about nature activities and believe it or not we stayed in one park for all of them. Peninsula State Park is massive. There’s no way you would ever be able to see all of it even if you spent every weekend of your entire summer exploring it. We did three fun activities! First up, golf! Yep, there’s a golf course in the park. Well, to be honest there’s more than one. There’s a golf course, a 6 hole course, and a driving range. Since I’m not anywhere near being a pro-golfer, we did the 6 hole course. It was so fun, and if you’re looking for a way to break into the sport, I highly recommend trying a smaller course, so you can get the feel for the sport! Then, we went on a hike. There are tons of hikes in the park but the one we found had a huge, newly built lookout tower that was wheelchair accessible. That’s right, it has a huge winding ramp that allows wheelchairs to have access to it. Added bonus, you’re right in the trees, so it’s really awesome for everyone. We rounded out our nature adventure day with a bike ride on one of the many trails. After a full nature day, we went back and took the longest nap in the most comfortable bed.
The final day was a bit shorter but still had wonderful stops included! First up, Hardy Gallery for a photo. Why you ask? Because the entire outside of the building is painted on by - well, everyone. It’s awesome. All different fonts, all different colors, all kinds of messages. It’s right on the water and a perfect spot to take a picture for the Gram, haha.
If you’re going to make a long drive home, then obviously you need flue for the drive. Power up at Shipwreck in Egg Harbor for a filling mean and an adorable outside patio to sit at and people watch. It’s within walking distance of many little shops, as well as the harbor. Oh, and the food is wonderful as well!
Our final stop out of Door County was Confectionary Candy. An entire shop of homemade candy as well as throwbacks every Millennial will remember. Want homemade peanut clusters? They’ve got them! Want piki sticks, baseball gum, those dots on that long sheet of paper, dip the white stick in sugar packets - Yep, all those official names, they’ve got them! And the coolest thing they have? An entire bathtub of handmade, hand pulled, taffy. Yum!!! I’m sure you can also imagine how phenomenal it smells there.
We spent three days there, filled our days, and still didn’t see everything Door County had to offer. It’s truly a beautiful place to visit!
What are your favorite things to do or see in Door County?! Let us know in the comments below!
XoXo,
Leanne
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