The Ultimate Guide to Door County’s Charming Towns and Islands

A full moon hangs over my eyes as I drive toward the northern tip of Door County. I came to look for stars—real stars. Newport State Park, one of only 195 places in the world to be designated an International Dark Sky Park, is a premier Midwestern destination for constellations, shooting stars, and other astronomical wonders. They don’t joke about the dim.

Even with my headlights on, I have to strain my eyes to see the road. Once I get there, I quickly park and kill the engine. The moon, shining like a stadium delicate over Lake Michigan, has technically polluted the view. But to my city-dwelling eyes, the sky is still inky and clear. I walk down the path to the lake, and I can only tell where people are by their voices.

Waves crash against an imperceptible shoreline as I approach the water; in the darkness, everything seems expansive and limitless. Suddenly, I am miniature, squeezed between the lake in front of me and the twinkling stars above. This version of Door County is a far cry from the one I drove into earlier that day, with bumper-to-bumper traffic stretching from Egg Harbor to Sister Bay, the peninsula’s tourist epicenter. If you vacationed here as a kid, you probably remember Sister Bay for its Al Johnson—a Swedish breakfast-and-lunch spot where goats graze on a grass roof. Over the past few years, the log cabin restaurant has expanded its empire to the entire block overlooking the bay. The sprawling beer garden offers lawn games and pub food, and the chic gift shop sells Marimekko products and hygge decor alongside Al Johnson’s branded hoodies. Visitors who haven’t traveled to Door County since the early 2000s might not recognize it today. You can still find lace napkins and cherry pie, but you’ll also discover businesses that cater to a fresh generation of vacationers — you’re never too far from a hoppy IPA on tap, compact plates of vegetables, or a stylish Airbnb.

Once-sleepy towns like Egg Harbor and Baileys Harbor are bustling with coffee shops and breweries. Ephraim, a drought-stricken village until 2016, is now home to bars and restaurants serving natural wines and craft beers. You can escape to a remote oasis in rentals like the quirky Binkhaven Estate in Ephraim, a historic Norse cottage surrounded by 13 acres of hardwood forest. The northern outposts of Ellison Bay and Gills Rock remain blissfully peaceful. But the beauty of Door County is that you don’t have to choose between old-time charm and today’s chic attractions, or between hustle and bustle and tranquility. Bars and fine dining coexist with sunsets, lakeside trails, clear night skies and moments that transcend time.

So take your pick: a farm-to-table feast on the patio of a restored farmhouse while you sip a handcrafted cocktail? Or maybe stargazing with crickets in hiding Newport State Park? For me it’s plain – I’ll take both.

Village by village

Bordered by Lake Michigan to the east and Green Bay to the west, Door County stretches for 70 miles. Here’s a guide to towns along the peninsula’s main arteries—Highways 42 and 57.

Sturgeon Bay

Atmosphere: The gateway to the region has a more industrial feel, but also has charming, old-fashioned shop fronts.

Food + drink: Catch a cherry bun in 5&J Cafe or lavender latte Lawlss Coffee and view the nearby art gallery. Bluefront Cafe serves the best lunch in town, with delicious vegetarian options like the Portobello Reuben and the Brie sandwich with cherry jam.

Down: On Saturday mornings, Agricultural and Craft Market pops up in Market Square with produce, baked goods and crafts. Grab a pint in the city centre Starboard BreweryDoor County’s first nanobrewery.

Egg Port

Atmosphere: Egg Harbor is no longer just a town you pass through on your way north. There are plenty of shops and restaurants here.

Food + drink: One barrel brewery from Madison has opened a taproom here with a huge beer garden and cozy fire pits. Enjoy a beer with a wood-fired pizza from Pizza Bros next door — choose from a menu of classic pies or create your own. Take your taste buds to NoLa in Big Easy Bagel and Beignetserving doughnuts sprinkled with sugar.

Down: Buy a bottle of whiskey at Hatch Distilling Company or browse the shops selling gourmet cheeses, olive oils and gifts. On Friday mornings, shop at the Farmers Market at Harbor View Park, a great place to watch the sunset later.

Fish River

Atmosphere: Now you are right in the middle of the action, with picturesque views Peninsula State Park and the city center full of bars, restaurants and boutiques.

Stay: Newly renovated motel rooms Cedar Court Inn offer unbeatable proximity to the city center at a moderate price, or book one of the roomy apartments or cottages to enjoy additional amenities like a fireplace or kitchen.

Eat: Highlights include: Barringer for a white tablecloth dinner (don’t skip the decadent layered carrot cake) or pizza at Wild Tomato’s original location. In the morning, head to Fika Bakery and Cafe for a drooling box of pecan sticky buns and sticky cinnamon rolls. Order the ice cream sundae with custard in Frozen pudding not yet lickedwhere there is a secret sanctuary behind the parking lot that offers great views of the herons and ducks in Fish Creek.

Down: Sprawling Peninsula State Park is one of the most popular destinations in the area. Expect crowds on weekends — and with good reason. Attractions include a lighthouse, bike paths, a sandy beach, an open-air theater, an 18-hole golf course, kayak rentals.

Ephraim

Atmosphere: The compact bayside town of 345 inhabitants offers stunning sunsets and excellent food.

Food + drink: Start your day with eggs Benedict with crab or French toast with brioche at this fun and colorful restaurant Sip restaurant. When it’s joyful hour, grab a craft beer in the beer garden Bad Moravian. Go for a classic for dinner and order your favorite dish to go Wilson’s Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlor dine at a picnic table across the street, overlooking the sparkling bay.

Down: On summer Mondays Evenings in the Ephraim concert series local musicians perform. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and stay to see the colors paint the sky. For the architecture-minded, book a tour BinkhavenNordic-style cottage from the 1960s decorated with rosemaling – a floral, folkloric painting technique – through Ephraim Historical Foundation.

Sister Bay

Atmosphere: Small village, lots to do. The busiest strip on the peninsula attracts families, couples and party animals with its picturesque waterfront (and cute goats).

Stay: Stay in one of the minimalist, elegant guest rooms at Hotel Dörr city ​​center. Enjoy a grab-and-go breakfast on your private patio, then grab beach chairs and a cooler from the equipment room before heading across the street to sunbathe and swim in the bay.

Food + drink: Watch the goats chewing grass on the roof Al Johnson before you feast on Swedish pancakes with blueberries. Create your own charcuterie board at the newest wine spot on the peninsula, Twelve Eleven Wine Barwhere the back patio opens onto a pastoral wooded prairie. When you’re ready for dinner, choose from steaks, seafood, pizza, Mexican food, pub food and more—you’ve got plenty of options.

Down: Play a game or two Sister Bay’s Bowl, but brush up on the basics before you arrive; bowlers count points by hand in this elderly alley. It’ll feel like Christmas in July Tannenbaum Christmas Shop browsing through Christmas tree decorations sorted by theme (including zoo animals, sweets and snowmen).

Ellison Bay

Atmosphere: Far from the crowds, this peaceful and frigid village at the tip of the peninsula deserves a stop for a chilled, mighty cider.

Food + drink: Drop in Island Orchard Cider for fermentation from local apples and pears. Apple and cherry cider uses Door County Montmorency cherries. A variety of delicacies, such as Wisconsin cheeses, meats, preserves and Nueske nuts, also make this a worthy stop to fill a picnic basket.

Down: Get out into the fresh air Ellison Bay Bluff County Parkwhere a path leads to a scenic viewpoint and limestone cliffs. On a rainy day, browse the dense ledges on Books William Caxton Ltd.along with that irresistible smell of elderly books.

Gill Rock

Atmosphere: The tourism bug has not yet taken hold of this compact commercial fishing town.

Eat: Charlie’s SmokehouseA 90-year-old family-owned fish business, it sells some of the best smoked fish in Door County. Get there early before popular options like Atlantic salmon and whitefish sell out.

Down: Set off on Shoreline Scenic Sightseeing Cruises & Charters boat trip that departs from Gills Rock. Theme tours include a trip to the lighthouse or a shipwreck cruise.

Baileys Port

Atmosphere: The place to be on the eastern side of the peninsula is where Green Bay sunsets turn into Lake Michigan sunrises.

Food + drink: Door County Brewery has an outdoor stage for live music and serves year-round favorites like the Pallet Jack Cruiser and Vacationland. Grab a beer in the plant-filled tasting room at Sway Brewing + Blendingwho also runs a bakery in the mornings. Book a table for the New England-style lobster boil at Fish Market and Grill.

Down: Head south for a day at the beach and some hiking Whitefish Dunes State Park. On the way back, stop by Cave Point County Park to admire the limestone cliffs – a geological masterpiece that was created by erosion over the last 400 million years.

Island Time

Discover Door County off the mainland.

Washington Island

You can take a car ferry from the tip of the peninsula to visit Schoolhouse Beach, Fragrant Isle lavender farm and Stavkirke Church, modelled on an old Norwegian church built in 1150.

Rock Island

From Washington Island, you can take a ferry to Rock Island, a remote state park that is car- and bike-free but has plenty of hiking, swimming, and rustic camping.

Cana Island

Outside Baileys Harbor, take a tractor-trailer ride across Lake Michigan’s shallow causeway. Visit the lighthouse and fresh interpretive center, part of Door County Maritime Museum.