Just 1 Day: Play and Eat in Door County, Wisconsin

After our pit stop in Algoma, Wisconsin, we were on a mission: No more messing around.  We needed to see and experience true Door County, Wisconsin (not just the outskirts).

Play

So torn with what to do with such little time (and an anxious toddler), I furiously scanned the guide book, tourism magazines and ideas we’d printed out from research at home.  I was draw to–SURPRISE!–another state park.  Like Point Beach, this one is on the shores of Lake Michigan, and while I would have loved to change things up and maybe see the Green Bay side of the peninsula, the beaches of Whitefish Dunes State Park were calling my name.

When we arrived, I felt even better as the ranger told us we were about to experience Wisconsin’s best beach.

Having only visited a handful of Wisconsin beaches, we can’t really claim that Whitefish Dunes is the absolute best (since we haven’t seen so many others), but we can attest to it’s beauty and uniqueness.

I was surprised to learn that a section just inside the entrance to the beach area is prone to rip currents.  I suppose its again my naiveness of the midwest and the power of a large lake, but I just always associated this phenomenon with oceans and seas.  The section was roped off and easily avoidable.

We defaulted to our usual beach walking routine of dipping our toes into the water and collecting treasures.  Thanks to some serious sand bars, we could actually walk quite far out into the lake without the water even getting close to our knees.

The water was crystal clear here without a lot of the seaweed debris we were used to seeing at other Lake Michigan beach spots.  In one spot, millions of tiny delicate shells swept up towards the beach.

And there’s so much more that we lacked the time to explore.  Over 14 miles of hiking trails, a fishing lake, a nature center, and even a special beach just for dogs.

Eat

As we entered Sturgeon Bay on our way to the state park, we thankfully had our lunch spot all scoped out.  The Bluefront Cafe on the west side of town is an adorable little eatery serving brunch, lunch and dinner.  To us, they offered fancier and more diverse food options compared to what we had typically seen (and thoroughly enjoyed!) in our Wisconsin trip.

I love the set-up of cute tables and cozy booths, and the fact that it was clearly enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.  Their selection of Wisconsin micro-brews on tap didn’t hurt either.

Have you visited Door County, Wisconsin?

Tell us about your experience!

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More on Wisconsin:

• Madison Eats
• Algoma and Its Murals
• Point Beach State Forest (Two Rivers, WI)
• An Ice Cream Fit for Lunch