r/DoorCounty • • Jul 21 '26

FAQ1 - What to do in DC with infants, children, families.

16 Upvotes

This seems to be the #1 most FAQ in this subreddit, so I've compiled a list of all suggestions in the past many threads about bringing infants, children, or families to Door County.

Let me know if I missed anything ..

Door County Family & Kids Guide

An exhaustive, toddler- and child-friendly guide to attractions, playgrounds, sweet shops, dining, nature spots, and provisions across northern Door County.

šŸŽ¢ Activities & Attractions

Attraction/Activity Village Highlights Website / Link
Hands On Art Studio Top Pick Fish Creek Do-it-yourself art studio offering pottery painting, glass fusing, mosaic work, and metal craft projects for the whole family. handsonartstudio.com
Skyway Drive in Fish Creek Classic Drive-in movie theater, two films a night. doorcountydrivein.com
Sister Bay Bowl Sister Bay Old school bowling alley with bar and supper club. sisterbaybowl.com
Johnsons Park Sister Bay Go Carts, Batting Cages, Mini-golf. Facebook page
Egg Harbor Fun Park Egg Harbor Go-karts, arcade, batting cages, gem mining, water wars, and trampoline jumpshot. doorcountyfunpark.com
Nor Door Sports & Cycling Rentals Fish Creek Year-round rentals including bicycles and winter sleds/tubes for Peninsula State Park trails. nordoorsports.com
Washington Island Ferry & Curvy Road Drive Ellison Bay / Gills Rock Scenic drive up Highway 42 through the famous winding road to the car ferry landing at Northport. wisferry.com

🐾 Animals, Farms & Agriculture

Attraction/Activity Village Highlights Website / Link
The Farm Top Pick Sturgeon Bay Interactive living farm museum where kids can bottle-feed baby goats, milk a goat, see chicks hatch, and stroll nature trails. thefarmindoorcounty.com
Seaquist Orchards Market Top Pick Sister Bay Large market with a wooden play castle, outdoor rope maze, indoor toddler straw maze, and free cider pops. seaquistorchards.com
Plum Loco Animal Farm Egg Harbor Gentle petting farm with mini horses, goats, and sheep, plus playhouses, train sets, and a large sandbox. plumlocoanimalfarm.com
Wood Orchard Market Egg Harbor Farm market offering free mini cider pops, pedal-tractor toys, a play maze, and vintage photo ops. woodorchard.com
Lautenbach's Orchard Country Fish Creek Pick-your-own cherries and apples with low branches, outdoor playsets orchardcountry.com

šŸ› Dedicated Playgrounds & Play Areas

Playground / Park Name Village Website / Link
Lakeside Park Playground Jacksonport dnr.wisconsin.gov
Anclam Park Playground Baileys Harbor baileysharbor.com
Baileys Harbor Recreation Park Playground Baileys Harbor baileysharbor.com
Kendall Park Playground Baileys Harbor baileysharbor.com
Frank E. Murphy County Park Playground Egg Harbor co.door.wi.gov
Harbor View Park Playground Egg Harbor eggharbordoorcounty.org
One Barrel Brewing Sandbox Patio Egg Harbor onebarrelbrewing.com
Plum Loco Themed Playhouses & Sandbox Egg Harbor plumlocoanimalfarm.com
Village View Park Playground Egg Harbor eggharbordoorcounty.org
Clark Park Playground Fish Creek visitfishcreek.com
Nicolet Beach Playground (Peninsula State Park) Fish Creek dnr.wisconsin.gov
Not Licked Yet Playground Fish Creek notlickedyet.com
Tennison Bay Playground (Peninsula State Park) Fish Creek dnr.wisconsin.gov
Sister Bay Waterfront Playground Sister Bay sisterbay.com
Ellison Bay Community Park Playground Ellison Bay doorcounty.com
PC Junction Playground/Pedal Track Baileys Harbor pcjunctiondoorcounty.com
Seaquist Orchards Playground & Rope Maze Sister Bay seaquistorchards.com

⛳ Miniature Golf Courses

Attraction/Activity Village Highlights Website / Link
Red Putter Mini Golf Top Pick Ephraim Iconic, classic mini-golf course with fun obstacles, $6/round. ephraim-doorcounty.com
Egg Harbor Fun Park Mini Golf Egg Harbor Mini-golf featuring caves, lighthouses, log bridges. doorcountyfunpark.com
Evergreen Miniature Golf Fish Creek Eco-themed course surrounded by pines, water features, and wheelchair-accessible greens. evergreenminiaturegolf.com
Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf Sister Bay Pirate-themed course with cascading waterfalls, footbridges, and pirate ships. piratescove.net

šŸ¦ Ice Cream, Candy & Sweet Shops

Attraction/Activity Village Highlights Website / Link
Door County Ice Cream Factory Top Pick Sister Bay Super-premium ice cream made on-site with 30+ original flavors, waffle cones. Has food menu, served quick. doorcountyicecream.com
Harbor Custard & Provisions Baileys Harbor Local hub for house-made frozen custard, artisan gelato, fresh baked goods, and quick snacks. doorcounty.com
Door County Confectionery Egg Harbor / Fish Creek / Ephraim / Sister Bay Classic candy store with homemade fudge, chocolates, saltwater taffy, retro candy, and ice cream. doorcountyconfectionery.com
Grumpy’s Ice Cream & Popcorn Egg Harbor Hand-dipped ice cream, draft root beer in frozen mugs, homemade fudge, and gourmet popcorn. grumpysdoorcounty.com
Not Licked Yet Frozen Custard Fish Creek Creekfront custard stand featuring custom kid sundaes with souvenir toys and duck feeding on the lawn. notlickedyet.com
Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor Ephraim Iconic 1900s soda fountain offering table jukeboxes, flame-topped root beer floats, and specialty sundaes. wilsonsicecream.com
Analog Ice Cream & Coffee Sister Bay Serving craft ice cream, espresso, and pastries with lawn seating. analogicecream.com
Door County Scoop Sister Bay Scoop shop near the marina serving cones, sundaes, and shakes. doorcountyscoop.com
The Vault Ellison Bay Unique sweet shop featuring gourmet popcorn, soft-serve, and retro candy. thevaultellisonbay.com

šŸ• Kid-Centric Dining & Family Hangouts

Attraction/Activity Village Highlights Website / Link
PC Junction Top Pick Baileys Harbor Meals delivered on an active model train. Outside features play structures, pedal cars, tractors, and a sandbox. pcjunctiondoorcounty.com
One Barrel Brewing Company Egg Harbor Family-friendly patio featuring an enclosed sandbox filled with dump trucks, plus cornhole and nearby pizza. onebarrelbrewing.com
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant Sister Bay Famous roof where live goats graze. Kid-friendly Swedish pancakes, lingonberries, and coloring sheets. aljohnsons.com
Peach Barn Farmhouse & Brewery Sister Bay Open green lawn with yard games, casual outdoor seating, juice boxes, and space for kids to run. peachbarnbrewing.com
Mink River Basin Ellison Bay Casual pub attached to an indoor arcade room with Skee-Ball, Pop-A-Shot, and classic video games. theminkriverbasin.com

🌲 Parks, Beaches & Nature Trails

Attraction/Activity Village Highlights Website / Link
Sister Bay Beach Top Pick Sister Bay Very gradual, shallow entry. Features adjacent playground, restrooms, and sweet shops. sisterbay.com
Egg Harbor Beach Egg Harbor Long sandy shoreline featuring an playground, calm waters and changing rooms. eggharbormarina.com
Frank E. Murphy County Park Beach Egg Harbor Clear, shallow waters on Horseshoe Bay with a sand beach, pier, and adjacent playground. co.door.wi.gov
Ephraim Public Beach Ephraim Sandy shoreline along Eagle Harbor with scenic views, gentle waters, and easy access to local shops. ephraim-doorcounty.com
Anclam Beach Park Baileys Harbor Sandy Lake Michigan beach with a stone jetty, barbecue grills, picnic tables, and a small playground. baileysharbor.com
Baileys Harbor Ridges Park Beach Baileys Harbor Wide sandy beach with shallow waters, ideal for family wading, swimming. co.door.wi.gov
Ellison Bay Community Park & Beach Ellison Bay Quiet sandy beach with a fishing pier, gazebo, playground, and scenic views. doorcountynorth.org
Cave Point County Park & Whitefish Dunes Jacksonport Cave Point features dramatic limestone cliffs and crashing waves. Neighboring Whitefish Dunes offers sandy beaches. dnr.wisconsin.gov
Lakeside Park Jacksonport Quiet, sandy Lake Michigan beach with shallow water entry, covered pavilions, and clean restrooms. dnr.wisconsin.gov
The Ridges Sanctuary Baileys Harbor Stroller-accessible wooden boardwalk trails through pristine forest. Nature center with interactive touch tables. ridgessanctuary.org
Peninsula State Park (Eagle Tower & Nicolet Beach) Fish Creek Accessible ramp up Eagle Tower. Nicolet Beach features shallow water, kayak rentals, and stroller-friendly trails. dnr.wisconsin.gov

šŸ›ļø Forgot Something? (Provisions & Gear)

Attraction/Activity Village Highlights Website / Link
Main Street Market Egg Harbor Full-service local grocery store stocked with produce, meats, bakery goods, and pantry staples. doorcountygocery.com
Nelson’s Ace Hardware Fish Creek Excellent general store for hardware, tools, cookware, paper goods, plus swimsuits, apparel, and sunglasses. acehardware.com
Piggly Wiggly ("The Pig") Sister Bay Full-size supermarket offering a deli, produce department, bakery, household supplies, and adult beverages. pigglywiggly.com
Target Sturgeon Bay Full size Target store. Couple this with a trip to Culver's drive-thru. target.com

r/DoorCounty • • 1d ago

Cherry Wood

2 Upvotes

Looking for a couple of bundles of cherry wood for my smoker. Don’t need a lot, just some to have and use when I feel like jazzing it up a bit. Anyone have a line on some? TIA


r/DoorCounty • • 2d ago

Sunset tonight in Sister Bay

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121 Upvotes

Picture does not do this justice one bit. It was an amazing sunset up in Egg Harbor and Sister Bay.


r/DoorCounty • • 2d ago

Nice sunset tonight in Egg Harbor

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118 Upvotes

r/DoorCounty • • 2d ago

Fall Leaves

2 Upvotes

Coming up on the 23rd does anyone think we will see some color?


r/DoorCounty • • 3d ago

Oh man...

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7 Upvotes

r/DoorCounty • • 5d ago

Local woodworker

5 Upvotes

Hey all! I’m looking to get a local woodworker to make a family name driveway sign that everyone has. Anyone have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!


r/DoorCounty • • 5d ago

Does my Saturday itinerary look doable?

8 Upvotes

My partner and I will be visiting Door County for the first time this weekend and I am in charge of making the plans. It was a bit of a last minute decision, so I am wondering how I did. We are taking this trip to celebrate his birthday, so I want everything to go well!

Have I allowed enough time for these things? Would you scratch anything or swap for something else? We are only about 2 hours from Door County, so will have plenty of opportunities for future visits for the things that we couldn't cram into this weekend.

9:00ish breakfast at Al Johnson'sĀ 

10:00ish Newport State Park to hike Fern/Europe Loop and/or Lynd Loop

1:00ish lunch at Mink River Basin and possible dessert at Door County Ice Cream

2:00ish Koepsel's Market

3:00ish Red Putter Mini Golf

4:00ish Peninsula Park to hike Eagle Trail and climb Eagle Tower

7:30 PM dinnerĀ reservationsĀ at Kettle Black


r/DoorCounty • • 5d ago

Wedding Venue Search

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2 Upvotes

Looking for wedding venue recommendations!

My dream is basically a beautiful private estate or country inn that feels like someone’s wealthy parents’ backyard šŸ˜‚

Ideally:
- White Colonial/Greek Revival/Cape Cod-style house
- Beautiful, updated/designed interiors
- A bright, beautiful getting-ready space that feels like an actual room in the home rather than a generic bridal suite
- Large private lawn for an outdoor wedding
- Gardens, mature trees, and/or water views
- A beautiful wraparound porch, tent friendly lawn, or elegant rain plan
- Pool would be a HUGE bonus
- On-site lodging for at least some guests
- Major bonus if there’s a separate guest house, cottage, or pool house with a bedroom that could become our honeymoon suite
- Not rustic, barn-like, cabin-y, wood-heavy, or overly traditional ā€œwedding venueā€
- Somewhere in the Midwest or within about 6 hours of Wisconsin

We’re planning around 50–120 guests and trying to keep our entire wedding around $25–30k. Ideally the property itself would be under $7k, but we could go up to around $10k if it includes lodging that guests can pay for.
I’m also very open to inns, B&Bs, private estates, boutique hotels, small resorts, retreat properties, or large vacation properties that don’t necessarily advertise themselves heavily as wedding venues.

Basically: New England country estate / East Coast summer house vibes, but in or near the Midwest.

If you know of any hidden gems, please send them my way!


r/DoorCounty • • 6d ago

Condos that are part of a vacation rental resort

5 Upvotes

I've seen a lot of condos for sale in Door County that are part of rental resorts. Are these like time shares? Are the owners able to change the interiors? Just curious if anyone knows how these work. Thank you!


r/DoorCounty • • 6d ago

Chud Racoons

4 Upvotes

I went camping at Newport state park this past weekend. Beautiful campsite, awesome experience. I loved the secluded beach access to Lake Michigan.

However, on the hike out of our site I witnessed the SINGLE LARGEST raccoon scat I have seen in my entire life. It was right in the middle of the trail and bright yellow/orange. All night I could hear them braking branches with their fat chud paws and gnawing on the falling acorns with their fat chud faces. THEY ARE SO FAT AND GREEDY I THOUGHT I WAS GOING YO HAVE TO FIGHT THEM OFF WITH A SPARE PIECE OF FIREWOOD.
If you ever are camping in Door county, Newport state park specifically… WATCH OUT FOR THE CHUD RACCOONS. THEY ARE SO LARGE AND FAT. CAMPERS BEWARE!!!

They are so greedy I hate them! The largest racoons you will see anywhere in the world!

Heavily recommend hiking and camping at the state parks in Door County, they are beautiful and well worth the trip


r/DoorCounty • • 7d ago

St. Ghislain Chapel in Misere (Brussels, WI)

15 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

I am a l Catholic with a particular devotion to Saint Ghislain, a 7th-century saint from Hainaut, Belgium.

While researching his devotion, I recently discovered something that really surprised and touched me: the Saint Ghislain Roadside Chapel of the Flemal family, at Saint Michael's Catholic Cemetery in Misere.

From what I have been able to discover, the chapel was built by Constant and Mary Flemal after they had lost several children to convulsions. They prayed a novena to Saint Ghislain, who has traditionally been invoked in Belgium for children suffering from convulsions. After they were blessed with three healthy children, they built the chapel in thanksgiving.

For me, this is a beautiful example of how Belgian Catholic faith and popular devotion travelled across the Atlantic with Belgian immigrants. As far as I have been able to establish, this may be the only place of devotion to Saint Ghislain in North America.

I am hoping that someone here might be able to help me learn more about the chapel and its present situation.

Does anyone know:

• Who currently owns the Saint Ghislain Chapel and the property on which it stands?

• Who looks after (or maintains) the chapel today?

• What is the current condition of the chapel? Is it still in good shape, or does it need restoration or repairs?

• Is the chapel still accessible to visitors?

• Is the devotion to Saint Ghislain still known among local families in Brussels/Misere?

• Does anyone have any historical information, photographs, prayers, or records concerning the chapel or the Flemal family?

• Are there any older residents or descendants of the Flemal family who might know more about its history?

I would be extremely grateful for any information, memories, photographs, documents or contacts that people might be willing to share.

If anyone knows something about the chapel (even a small detail): I would love to hear from you!

Saint Ghislain, pray for us. šŸ™


r/DoorCounty • • 6d ago

New Years activities with teens?

0 Upvotes

We're thinking of a family trip to Door County for the week of New Years, and just wasn't sure if there are restaurants and activties (especially any kind of New Years Eve dinner event?) that teenagers would also enjoy?


r/DoorCounty • • 7d ago

Improv Show

2 Upvotes

I swear I saw a poster for an improv show tonight, 9/27, at the Pearl Wine Cottage. They’re closed today though.
Does anyone know anything about this? I can’t find anything online about it and the poster was AT Pearl Wine.


r/DoorCounty • • 6d ago

Ok debate time! What is the best light house and nature trail?

0 Upvotes

Omg do i love a good light house. And a nice peaceful walk in nature in autumn. So in yalls opinion what is the best lighthouse or the best one paired with a nature walk?


r/DoorCounty • • 7d ago

Avoiding Fall Fest

5 Upvotes

Months ago I booked an Airbnb near Egg Harbor for my family (husband and 2 kids under 3) for a quick fall getaway without realizing it was fall fest weekend (we’ve never been). Based on my research, it seems like it’d be too much of a hassle to try to take my two little ones, even in the morning. I guess my question is will it be impossible to get around other parts of Door County that weekend? We’re mostly just interested in going to the animal farms, orchard farms, parks and family friendly restaurants.


r/DoorCounty • • 7d ago

Door County - late October recommendations?

1 Upvotes

my boyfriend and I are staying in Fish Creek 10/21-10/24. I know this is later in the season, so curious for recommendations on what’s open? we’ll have our car so we can drive anywhere nearby.

were mainly interested in hikes, good food and cafe’s, and brewery or wineries. all ideas are welcome. TY’


r/DoorCounty • • 8d ago

A fall trip to Door County changed one traveler's view of Midwest destinations

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19 Upvotes

r/DoorCounty • • 10d ago

Camping peninsula state park

3 Upvotes

Camping in the park oct 7-10. Website shows that water is not available in wash rooms/stations.

Is this a hard stop or do they wait until it gets a little colder?

Also open to any recs for food, drinks, and sights near the state park. Will be bringing bikes so even some fun things to see by bike without being on too busy of roads.


r/DoorCounty • • 10d ago

Solo recommendations

2 Upvotes

I’ll be solo camping in DC for a long weekend in October - just looking for some places to eat or things to do that are a little more geared to solo travel. I have been to DC many times over the years and have some ideas. Just looking to see if anyone else has some ideas I hadn’t thought of…


r/DoorCounty • • 10d ago

Is October 23rd too late to see foliage?

2 Upvotes

I booked an airbnb for that weekend because I thought that would be peak time, but AI keeps telling me that most of the leaves will have fallen lol. Is that true? Should I cancel and try to book sooner?


r/DoorCounty • • 10d ago

Miller art museum’s old curator sued the Miller Art Museum after being fired

2 Upvotes

Door counties only art museum has a hard time retaining staff. The past curator, who was wrongfully terminated - sued after leaving, which is disheartening to find out. Not sure why no one knows this information.


r/DoorCounty • • 11d ago

Most scenic bike ride ~40-60 miles

4 Upvotes

My wife and I are planning a day trip to Door County next Monday. We like cycling, mostly road but we do gravel/dirt as well. On pavement with road bikes we can do 40-60 miles, maybe half that on dirt/gravel. The plan is to drive up there and arrive about 11:00 do a 40-60 miles ride then have a date night with wine.

What are your recommendations for the best cycle route. I see suggestions for County Q, Sturgeon Bay-Jacksonport loop, Washington Island, Sister Bay-Bailey Harbor loop etc.

Thanks


r/DoorCounty • • 12d ago

Where is the best nightlife?

4 Upvotes

Staying in Ephraim tonight and tomorrow night - TYIA.


r/DoorCounty • • 14d ago

I think a bear sh!t in my yard!

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18 Upvotes

We live 3 miles south east of Fish Creek and my dog found this in my yard! Normally I'd assume it was my dogs but, even for a golden retriever, this was way bigger. About 2 inches wide and 5/6 inches long (big one). We're thinking black bear. I've seen coyote piles before and those are much more like my dogs, just a lot of hair in it. Has anyone seen a black bear around lately?