Why you should visit the 'Cape Cod of the midwest'

Why you should visit the 'Cape Cod of the midwest'

(Brigham Wilson)


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DOOR COUNTY, Wisconsin — Door County, which has long been a popular weekend escape for Chicagoans trying to escape the city heat, is a delightful destination that more people should consider. This peninsula is known as the "Cape Cod of the Midwest."

Door County, Wisconsin is part of the Niagra Escarpment, a land that features limestone cliffs, clear blue water and sheltered forests. Summer visitors enjoy more than 15 hours of daylight.

Even the county parks are beautiful. On the east side (the lake side), check out Cave Point County Park for a sunrise over Lake Michigan. On the west side (the bay side), check out Sunset Beach in Fish Creek for a sunset over Green Bay.

The peninsula is famous for its cherries. They are best enjoyed at the White Gull Inn where french toast is stuffed with local cherries and cream cheese.

Next door is the Church of the Atonement. With Scandinavian design, it is a modest, but beautiful, 1878 structure on the national register of historic places.

Eating out in Door County with your family is great because your kids won't be the loudest in the restaurant and the food will be amazing. Wild Tomato, in Fish Creek has delicious wood-fired pizza and cherry walnut salad. The Cabin Restaurant is as simple as its name and worth the drive north of Sturgeon Bay. The fare is healthy and local. And because it's Wisconsin, get the cheese curds and the fresh fish fry.

Lighthouse at Sturgeon Bay. Photo Credit: Brigham Wilson
Lighthouse at Sturgeon Bay. Photo Credit: Brigham Wilson

When you're "up north" as they say, you need to get on the water. Deep sea fishing and cruises are available on Lake Michigan. On smaller lakes, or the canal, you can rent canoes, kayaks or pontoon boats. Check out the drawbridges, yachts, and dry dock. Visit the Door County Maritime Museum to learn about shipbuilding, tug boats, and lighthouses.

Make sure to check out the U.S. Coast Guard station east of Sturgeon Bay. After parking your car, you can walk to the end of the pier, admire the bright red lighthouse and see the hundreds of gulls and pelicans.

Your visit should include stops in a few of Door County's charming small towns. They're a quaint mix of farm and coast. Take highway 42 up the west coast or highway 57 up the east coast. And try to catch a local parade which typically features the sheriff, a U.S. Coast Guard boat, a tractor and a cow.

From Milwaukee, it's a 2.5 hour drive north along the coast of Lake Michigan to Sturgeon Bay. It's a four hour drive from Chicago. You will need a car to properly enjoy Door County, with most sights 20-40 minutes away from wherever your cabin is located.

Along the way, enjoy the delightful old main streets of Algoma, Kewaunee, and Two Rivers (home of the Hamiltion Wood type and Printing Museum).


Brigham Wilson is from Minnesota and works in Washington DC. Email him at brighamtree@gmail.com.

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