Door County Vacation Recommendations

[MUFC9295]

My wife and I will be headed up to Door County (Sturgeon Bay) at the end of this month.  Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions for activities, places to eat & drink, etc?  I haven't been up that way since the early-80's.  I've done what research I can, but surely the Scoop community knows of hidden gems.

Also, are there are any notable places to stop along the way up I-43 (travelling from Chicago) to break up the drive?  I don't plan on stopping in Cream City as we are stopping in town on the way back for the Brewers game.  I know my way and what's off the path up to Port Washington.  But north of there, I only know of Kohler/American Club and what you can see from the interstate up to Lambeau. 

Thanks.

[GGGG]

About five years ago (last time in Door County) we stayed at the Inn at Cedar Crossing right in downtown Sturgeon Bay.

http://www.innatcedarcrossing.com/

One night we had dinner at the Trattoria Dal Santo, a really nice wine bar, and stumbled back afterwards. 

http://www.trattoriadalsanto.com/

Sturgeon Bay isn't the most convenient, because you have to make day trips into the heart of Door County, but we liked it.

[77fan88warrior]

This is a great place to grab a drink and watch sunset. The food isn't upscale but it's a great place if you like casual environment on the lawn.

http://fredandfuzzys.com/


Great breakfast burritos(fresh ingredients) in Ephraim but limited seating.
http://www.goodeggsdoorcounty.com/

[NersEllenson]

I'd recommend a place called the Shark Tank, though not sure if it is still open - 1997 was the last time I was there...

[Spotcheck Billy]

we always like to partake of adult beverages at the Bayside Tavern in Fish Creek, friendly staff and decent pub food; the English Inn also in Fish Creek (hey, we camp at Peninsula so alot of this will be Fish Creek!) has decent dinners and those fancy ice cream drinks at the bar are a specialty of theirs

for activities we love hiking at either Penisula state park or farther up at Newprt S.P.; you can take the car ferry to Washington Island - if you do make sure to stop at the Bitters Pub, decent food but more significantly you have to learn the history of & drink a shot of bitters to join the bitters club!

stop at Wilson's for that old fashion ice cream / soda fountain treats in Ephraim

check out the goats on the grass covered roof at Al Johnsons in Sister Bay (never ate there so can't recommend it)

[Hards Alumni]

My wife and I will be headed up to Door County (Sturgeon Bay) at the end of this month.  Does anyone have any recommendations or suggestions for activities, places to eat & drink, etc?  I haven't been up that way since the early-80's.  I've done what research I can, but surely the Scoop community knows of hidden gems.

Also, are there are any notable places to stop along the way up I-43 (travelling from Chicago) to break up the drive?  I don't plan on stopping in Cream City as we are stopping in town on the way back for the Brewers game.  I know my way and what's off the path up to Port Washington.  But north of there, I only know of Kohler/American Club and what you can see from the interstate up to Lambeau. 

Thanks.

http://www.countryhouseresort.com/

Stayed there with the family and it is pretty nice...  We stayed in the Penthouse Suite.  http://www.countryhouseresort.com/rooms-reservations/penthouse-suite/  Awesome views and close to everything in Sister Bay.

Places we went:
http://stonesthrowwinery.com/
http://www.missiongrille.com/
http://www.sisterbaybowl.com/ (kind of old school... cool ball returns, keep your own score!)

we also went to a lot of the artsy fartsy places in Door County to appease the women.

An overall helpful website to everything Door County:
http://www.cometosisterbay.com/

Something I DON'T recommend is the Shipwrecked Microbrewery.  http://shipwreckedmicrobrew.com/ Beer was bad (Iron water = bad beer)

Enjoy!

[MUFC9295]

I'd recommend a place called the Shark Tank, though not sure if it is still open - 1997 was the last time I was there...

Ners, If that place is anything like the house on 16th OR is the place in Fish Creek that Marco lost a tooth, I'll pass.

[MUBurrow]

I've been up there a couple times with the gf, and one of the things we like to do are the fish boils at the White Gull Inn in Sister Bay. Ive never stayed in a room there, but have done the boils.  They're outside and I think are a really nice dinner.  About 80% dinner, 20% event.

http://www.whitegullinn.com/fishboil.html

The place I've stayed (once in summer, once in winter but only for a night each) was the Juniper Inn. Its really nice. A little pricey maybe, but everything up there is.  Its located a little off the beaten path in Fish Creek, so its really quiet and kind of cut into the woods. But its not obnoxiously far away from downtown either (about 15 mins if I recall).  I would definitely recommend it if its just you and the wife.

http://www.juniperinn.com/index.html

[77fan88warrior]

we always like to partake of adult beverages at the Bayside Tavern in Fish Creek, friendly staff and decent pub food; the English Inn also in Fish Creek (hey, we camp at Peninsula so alot of this will be Fish Creek!) has decent dinners and those fancy ice cream drinks at the bar are a specialty of theirs

for activities we love hiking at either Penisula state park or farther up at Newprt S.P.; you can take the car ferry to Washington Island - if you do make sure to stop at the Bitters Pub, decent food but more significantly you have to learn the history of & drink a shot of bitters to join the bitters club!

stop at Wilson's for that old fashion ice cream / soda fountain treats in Ephraim

check out the goats on the grass covered roof at Al Johnsons in Sister Bay (never ate there so can't recommend it)

Bayside Tavern is a great call. It's all Wisconsin and there is a lot to do around there. I have done Door Co. with wife once and family once. You can definitely make different lodging stops each night and have a new bar each night. It's worth researching bar-hotel combos so you don't have to get behind the wheel.

[augoman]

kind of an interesting 'vintage door county' place is Gordon Lodge outside Bailey's Harbor.  Stayed there many times years back.  The 'topdeck' lounge was fun in the evening (did some drinking with Tony Esposito one night), the cabins are preferred to the motel, the beach is better than the pool, the complimentary breakfasts are outstanding.  Might have changed hands, as Barbara was always thinking of selling.  Neat place; interesting history of visitors like Sinatra.  Used to like Sister Bay best, but crowds get bad during the season so switched to Lake side to stay and visit Bay side for fun. 

[drewm88]

Pirates Cove in Sister Bay. Favorite mini-golf course I've ever played. Their Dells location doesn't hold a candle to it.

[Freeport Warrior]

We have a place in Fish Creek, so we get up there often. We never go to Sturgeon Bay -- mostly hang in the small cities starting with Egg Harbor.

Fred and Fuzzy's for a drink is a good call. Bayside is a classic WI tavern, more of a winter/fall place if you ask me -- so much better when WI went smoke-free, but it's grimy. In the summer, Shipwrecked in Egg Harbor is much better for drinks, a lot of action, European brews, outdoor beer garden.

Go to Stone's Throw Winery for a tasting/tour, it's right off the highway in Egg Harbor. The restaurant right up the street, Trio, is one of our favorites. So is the Mission Grille in Sister Bay.

My father-in-law told me about a bakery between Sister Bay and Bailey's Harbor -- Door County Bakery -- a few years ago. I wish we had a bakery like this in MKE. We also like going to the Drive-In movie theater in Fish Creek, it brings you back to the good old days. If there's one can't miss, it would be the Door County Cherry stuffed French Toast at the White Gull Inn. Amazing. Skip the fish boils, over-rated.

On the way up, there isn't much.  Before the four lane bypass -- we used to stop off in Dyckesville at the Dyckesville Bowl -- fresh cheese curds, a beer and a brat patty.

[BrewCity83]

Bayside has good Bloody Mary's
White Gull Inn for breakfast
Fred & Fuzzy's for a sunset cocktail
Wilson's for the Dusty Road sundae...mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Villaggio's is a good fun Italian restaurant
Take the 9.7 mile Sunset bike trail through Peninsula State Park...it goes through the woods to the beach at Nicolet Bay.  You can rent bikes right outside the park at the Fish Creek entrance.

[shiloh26]

Definitely hit up Al Johnson's for breakfast one morning... the goats on the roof are cool, but the Swedish pancakes are amazing.  Its definitely a tourist institution, but if that doesn't bother you the breakfasts are really good.  

I also could take or leave the fish boils.  I'd flip those numbers and say its 80% event, 20% dinner... I just don't think boiled fish tastes all that good.  But you get cherry pie, which is never a bad thing.  

[NersEllenson]

Ners, If that place is anything like the house on 16th OR is the place in Fish Creek that Marco lost a tooth, I'll pass.

Funny I don't recall Marco losing a tooth in a Fish Creek episode - just the infamous jump into the MKE River from the deck of the Harp.

On another note - it is nice to see so many people offer up great suggestions for your Door County trip.  Surprising to see much activity on this thread.  Enjoy your vacation.  See you in late Jan/February for our Reunion (that is if the Bradley Center will allow us back in a Suite).

[MUFC9295]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.  Looking forward to it. 

[mu_hilltopper]

We'll stay at the Landmark .. the views facing the golf course/Lake Michigan are spectacular, especially in October.

I'll plug Al Johnson's and PC Junction, especially if you have kids. 

[ZiggysFryBoy]

am I the only person on here that fucking hates door county?

[Hards Alumni]

We'll stay at the Landmark .. the views facing the golf course/Lake Michigan are spectacular, especially in October.

I'll plug Al Johnson's and PC Junction, especially if you have kids. 

Landmark in Egg Harbor is real nice, I remember staying there for a teachers/administrators convention when I was a kid... I only remember because it was during the '92 olympic games in Barcelona.

[drewm88]

Landmark in Egg Harbor is real nice, I remember staying there for a teachers/administrators convention when I was a kid... I only remember because it was during the '92 olympic games in Barcelona.

I'll second (third) the Landmark. Solid mix of things to do without leaving the resort (golf/tennis/pools/shuffleboard/basketball hoops) on top of very nice units.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

am I the only person on here that fracking hates door county?

Thank you. I can't stand it. The entire peninsula is filled with people pretending to be home spun.

"Oh look at that old wagon wheel, honey! Isn't that charming?"

Give me the Northwoods any day of the week.

[mu_hilltopper]

You _can_ go there and not be a wagon wheel loving antique shopper, you know...

[Hamostradamus]

For the money, Chanticlear Guest House was great. Nice old Victorian Farm House, great food, doesn't cost a fortune because it isn't on the lake.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

You _can_ go there and not be a wagon wheel loving antique shopper, you know...

But you cannot go there without being surrounded by them. I've never heard people romanticize about going out for ice cream until I went to DC.

[Lennys Tap]

But you cannot go there without being surrounded by them. I've never heard people romanticize about going out for ice cream until I went to DC.

I've had some really good times in Door County with friends and family but the whole experience is more than a little "precious".