20 Things to Do in Door County, Wisconsin: The Ultimate Guide
Door County sits on a narrow 75-mile peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan and it packs an unreasonable amount of activity into that space. Here are 20 of the best things to do on the peninsula, organized from water to land to food to self-guided exploration.
Table Of Content
A few of these are free. Most cost something. All of them are worth knowing about before you go.
On the Water
Cave Point County Park is limestone cliffs meeting Lake Michigan in a series of sea caves, blowholes, and teal-blue coves. The best way to see it is from a kayak at water level, paddling directly into the cave entrances while the lake surges underneath you. This is consistently the highest-rated outdoor activity in Door County.
2. Peninsula State Park Kayak Tour
Launch from Ephraim into Green Bay and paddle along the shoreline of Peninsula State Park, with the limestone bluffs rising directly above you. Green Bay water runs warmer and calmer than Lake Michigan, which makes this the better option for first-time kayakers. The tour includes stops for swimming, snacks, and a short hike.
3. Door County Sunset Kayak Tour
Launch into Green Bay from Ephraim at dusk and paddle while the sun goes down behind the bluffs. The guide routes you past Horseshoe Island if conditions allow. This is the romantic version of the kayak experience and it fills up on summer weekends faster than the daytime tours.
4. Death’s Door Bluff Kayak Tour
This small-group tour (maximum 12 people) takes you to some of Door County’s more unusual spots: the Fleetwing schooner shipwreck, Native American pictographs on the limestone cliffs, rock cairns at Door Bluff County Park, and views toward Washington Island across the passage called Death’s Door.
A 75-minute boat cruise on Green Bay at sunset with live music on board. The route goes past Ephraim and Peninsula State Park as the sky changes. This is the most accessible water activity on the list because it requires nothing from you except showing up. No paddling, no experience required.
6. West Islands and Eagle Bluff Lighthouse Cruise
An hour-long narrated cruise out of Fish Creek taking in the West Islands, bird rookeries, historic lighthouses, and the forested bluffs of Peninsula State Park from the water. The narrator on this tour is a lifelong Door County resident whose family were lighthouse keepers, which is the kind of detail that turns a boat ride into something worth paying attention to.
7. Peninsula Park Caves Scenic Boat Tour
A 90-minute narrated boat tour along the Peninsula State Park shoreline that gets you up close to Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and the caves in the limestone formations directly below Eagle Tower. The tour also covers the Strawberry Islands and Horseshoe Island, which is described as one of the safest natural harbors in the Great Lakes.
8. North Shore to Death’s Door Crossing Cruise
A 2-hour boat cruise along Sister Bay’s north shore, past towering bluffs, bird rookeries, and small islands, then across the passage called Death’s Door between the tip of the peninsula and Washington Island. The captain covers the area’s fishing heritage and shipwreck history along the way. Listed as ‘Likely to Sell Out’ in summer.
9. Door County Wetlands Kayak Tour
A 2-hour family-friendly kayak tour through the wetland ecosystems of Door County with a naturalist guide.
You paddle through cedar, spruce, and black ash forest while watching for swans, egrets, blue herons, and bald eagles. This is the right tour for families with children or anyone who wants the wildlife-watching version of a Door County kayak trip rather than the sea cave version.
On Land
Start at Lake Michigan, ride south through a cedar and white pine corridor to Cave Point County Park to see the sea caves from above, then continue into Whitefish Dunes State Park before looping back via a guide’s secret beach. Rad Power E-Bikes are used, suitable for riders from 4’11” to 6’2″. No prior cycling experience required.
A 50-minute Segway tour through Fish Creek taking in the Niagara Escarpment, the marina at Alibi Dock, historic Millionaire’s Row along the waterfront, and Peninsula State Park at the edge of the village. Ends at Sunset Beach Park with the Green Bay view. Good for people who want to cover the character of Fish Creek without spending a full morning walking it.
12. Strawberry Islands Scenic Boat Tour and Historic Cottage Row
This 90-minute tour covers the historic waterfront cottages of Fish Creek from the water before heading out to the Strawberry Islands and Chambers Island beyond. The Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, built in 1848 from Cream City brick, is the focal point of the outbound leg. A good complement to the Peninsula State Park hiking day if you want the water-level view of what you walked above.
13. Door County Full Day Sightseeing Tour
A small-group (maximum 10 travelers) guided driving tour covering the peninsula from top to bottom in 7 to 8 hours: Whitefish Dunes State Park, Cave Point County Park, Ellison Bluff, Sturgeon Bay, Egg Harbor, Sister Bay, Ephraim, and Baileys Harbor. This is the tour for first-time visitors who want the full orientation before deciding what to return to.
14. Door County’s Northern Peninsula Self-Guided Audio Drive
A self-guided driving tour with audio narration covering the northern loop of the peninsula from Baileys Harbor through Sister Bay, Ellison Bay, Fish Creek, and ending at Wood Orchard Market near Egg Harbor.
The narration covers the founding of Door County, the fishing village history, and the scenic overlooks along the route. A group of people in the same car pay one flat fee.
15. Washington Island Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour
After you take the Washington Island Ferry from Northport, this self-guided audio tour covers the island’s roads at your own pace: Jackson Harbor, School House Beach, the Scandinavian heritage sites, the hand-built museum at Little Lake, and the history of the Danish, Norwegian, and Icelandic immigrants who shaped the island. One flat group fee.
16. Sister Bay Cheese and Curd Walking Tour
A guided walking tour of Sister Bay focused on Wisconsin cheese: squeaky curds, artisan goat cheese, and specialty dairy from the village’s best producers. The guide takes you through the cheese culture of the peninsula while you taste as you walk. Good for anyone who wants the food version of a Door County tour and has already planned the fish boil separately.
17. Cave Point Fat Tire E-Bike Tour
An alternative to the standard e-bike tour using fat tire bikes, which handle the forest and dune terrain of the Cave Point and Whitefish Dunes area more comfortably than road bikes. The guide takes you past the sea caves from above, through the dune forest trails in Whitefish Dunes State Park, and along the stretch of Cave Point Drive that every photographer knows about.
Food and Culture
18. Fish Boil at the White Gull Inn
The fish boil is not on Viator but it belongs on this list because it is the Door County experience most travelers say they remember longest. Fresh Lake Michigan whitefish, red potatoes, and onions cooked over an open fire. The boilmaster pours kerosene to cause the dramatic boil over. Then you eat inside, ending with cherry pie. The White Gull Inn in Fish Creek runs fish boils Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings during the season. Reservations are required and fill up weeks in advance.
19. Door County Peninsula State Park Theater
Peninsula Players is the oldest professional resident summer theater in America, performing in an open-air theater inside Peninsula State Park. Northern Sky Theater performs at the park amphitheater. Both run June through October.
20. Cherry Picking at Lautenbach’s Orchard
Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery and Market in Fish Creek runs u-pick cherry season from approximately mid-July through early August. You pick, you pay by weight, and you leave with Door County cherries that are genuinely excellent. The fresh-pressed cherry juice sold at the market stand is mentioned in traveler reviews more than almost any other single food item on the peninsula. Just drive to 9197 Highway 42 in Fish Creek and walk in.
Door County has more bookable experiences per mile of peninsula than almost any other Midwest destination. The Kayak at Cave Point is the one that comes up most in traveler reviews. The fish boil is the one people are always glad they did not skip. Start with those two and build the rest of the trip around what you have time for.
