Wisconsin
Door County is the thumb of land that separates Green Bay from Lake Michigan, a limestone peninsula of lighthouses, cherry orchards, fishing villages and state parks that Wisconsin families have been escaping to for generations.
The Bay of Green Bay side holds the sunset villages of Fish Creek, Ephraim and Sister Bay, while the Lake Michigan side offers the wave-carved cliffs of Cave Point, the dunes of Whitefish Dunes and the orchid-filled ridges of Baileys Harbor. At the tip, the ferry across Death's Door passage reaches Washington Island. This guide covers the sights worth planning around, from Eagle Tower in Peninsula State Park and the Cana Island Lighthouse to a Door County fish boil, a goat-topped Swedish restaurant and a summer night at Peninsula Players. It also gathers the eight Door County Trolley tours that leave from Egg Harbor, from a half-hour family ride to a ghost tour, a murder and mayhem tour, a lighthouse day and wine, spirits and brew tastings, and matches you to hotels from Sturgeon Bay to Ephraim.
Door County Narrated Scenic Trolley Tour
The easiest first look at the peninsula: a 90-minute narrated ride on an old-time trolley from Egg Harbor past villages, orchards and scenic bluffs, with a stop at a high overlook of the islands and local tips on where to eat and drink.
Door County Ghost Trolley Tour
An evening trolley ride of about two and a half hours known as the Trolley of the Doomed, with stops at a historic lighthouse, a local cemetery and a building said to be truly haunted, and tales of shipwrecks and the mariners who linger.
Door County Lighthouse Trolley Tour
A 4.5-hour trolley day that visits Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Cana Island Lighthouse and the Baileys Harbor Range Lights with a private tour at each and a made-to-order box lunch, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from June to October.
Peninsula State Park and Eagle Tower
Door County's signature state park at Fish Creek: bluffs over Green Bay, beaches, bike and hiking trails, a lighthouse, and Eagle Tower, reached by 95 stairs or an 850-foot accessible ramp through the forest.
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
The easiest first look at the peninsula: a 90-minute narrated ride on an old-time trolley from Egg Harbor past villages, orchards and scenic bluffs, with a stop at a high overlook of the islands and local tips on where to eat and drink.
A 30-minute trolley ride made for young children, with familiar sing-along songs and an I Spy game along the route, plus seasonal rides at Easter and a heated Santa Trolley Express in the holiday season.
An evening trolley ride of about two and a half hours known as the Trolley of the Doomed, with stops at a historic lighthouse, a local cemetery and a building said to be truly haunted, and tales of shipwrecks and the mariners who linger.
A true-crime trolley tour of about three hours that retraces six crimes from the peninsula's past, including the Canal Shack Killing and the Furnace Murder, told by guides who know the stories and the places.
A 1 hour 45 minute narrated trolley ride along the Lake Michigan shore, passing Hickey Brothers Fisheries, the shaded lanes of Frogtown and the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, with stories of fishing, lumber and shipwrecks.
A 4.5-hour trolley day that visits Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, Cana Island Lighthouse and the Baileys Harbor Range Lights with a private tour at each and a made-to-order box lunch, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from June to October.
A tasting day for adults on the trolley of about four and three-quarter hours: a winery, a distillery and a microbrewery with tastings, plus lunch and dessert, with someone else doing the driving.
The operator's signature wine day: about five hours on the trolley with tastings at several award-winning Door County wineries, lunch and dessert, for guests aged 21 and over.
Door County's signature state park at Fish Creek: bluffs over Green Bay, beaches, bike and hiking trails, a lighthouse, and Eagle Tower, reached by 95 stairs or an 850-foot accessible ramp through the forest.
The peninsula's postcard lighthouse near Baileys Harbor, reached by a sandy causeway, with a 97-step spiral staircase to the gallery deck, keeper's buildings to explore and wide Lake Michigan views.
A restored light station on a bluff above Green Bay at Fish Creek, with a museum about Door County's lighthouse keepers and the only guided tour of a Door County lighthouse, offered daily from mid-May to late October.
Lake Michigan at its most dramatic: limestone cliffs and sea caves at Cave Point County Park, the sand dunes and beach of Whitefish Dunes State Park, and a Segway tour that links the two.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
Fish Creek village
A Fish Creek inn with a lavender spa, set in the village near Peninsula State Park, popular with couples for its courtyard setting, relaxed pace and easy walks to galleries, shops and dinner.
Check rates →Fish Creek (near Peninsula State Park)
A Fish Creek lodge in the woods close to Peninsula State Park, with a relaxed, family-friendly feel and a handy base for biking, hiking, theatre nights and trolley tours.
Check rates →Egg Harbor
A full-service resort in Egg Harbor with condo-style accommodations, pools, a restaurant and recreation, a short drive from the trolley station and Peninsula State Park, popular with families and groups.
Check rates →Ephraim village
A traditional Ephraim inn in the village on Eagle Harbor, with a breakfast-and-bed-and-breakfast style, village walks, bay sunsets and an easy base for the northern peninsula.
Check rates →Sister Bay
A small Sister Bay inn on a quiet hillside, a good base for the northern peninsula with easy access to Al Johnsons, the marina, Ellison Bay, Newport State Park and the Washington Island ferry.
Check rates →Ephraim village
A straightforward, good-value motel in Ephraim, close to the village, beach and fish boils, for travelers who want to spend their budget on tours and dinners rather than the room.
Check rates →Sturgeon Bay
A dependable chain hotel in Sturgeon Bay, the gateway to Door County, handy for the Maritime Museum, Potawatomi State Park and day trips up the peninsula, with typical hotel conveniences.
Check rates →Sturgeon Bay
A budget-friendly chain motel in Sturgeon Bay, a simple overnight base at the southern gateway to Door County for road-trippers and travelers who plan to spend their time outside.
Check rates →The practical primer for a first visit: how the peninsula is laid out, the few things worth booking ahead, what to eat, and a realistic way to split your time between the bay side and the lake side.
A plain-English guide to the Door County Trolley tours from Egg Harbor: scenic, family, ghost, true crime, lighthouse and tasting trolleys, with seasons, ages and how to combine them.
A village-by-village guide to choosing a base in Door County, with drive times, what each town is like and which hotels fit couples, families and budgets.
A three-day plan that mixes state parks, lighthouses, the Lake Michigan shore, a trolley tour and a fish boil without too much driving, with notes on swapping days around the weather.
A visitor's guide to the Door County lighthouses: Cana Island, Eagle Bluff, the Baileys Harbor Range Lights and how to see them by car, with a museum or on a guided trolley day.
When to go to Door County: spring blossoms, summer beaches and cherries, fall color and quiet winter, with what is open, what the crowds are like and what to pack.
