Our Road Trip to {Door County, Wisconsin} #RoadTripChip

I partnered with Cape Cod in exchange for sharing my honest opinion.

My family loves to travel both by air and by car. Sometimes we just drive for an overnight somewhere locally just for a staycation. Recently my family drove about four hours north to Door County, Wisconsin and it was the perfect road trip destination.

After hearing so much about how cute of town Door County was I couldn’t wait to check it out. The drive from our Chicago suburb was super easy and luckily we had some great snacks to get us through the ride. I had a bag full of Cape Cod Chips and a flavor to satisfy each of my family members cravings.

So what did we do when we arrived in Door County?

Our first stop was the Door County Visitor Center. I always love Visitor Centers as they are so helpful in planning activities and giving recommendations. I had a great associate help me and tell me all about Door County that I felt prepared for our trip.

We ended up arriving in Door County later than I had planned so we made the most of the time we had there. Peninsula State Park was pretty much where we spent the whole day. It is about a 30 minute drive from the Visitor’s Center but well worth it.

Here are some other suggestions I was given by the Door County Visitors Center, just keep in mind like I did over what time the businesses close:

• The Farm a living museum of rural America. A family favorite!
• Cave Point County Park for breathtaking views of Lake Michigan. (5360 Schauer Road Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235)
• Pick your own cherries at Lautenbach’s Orchard Country or other pick-your-own cherry orchards
• Stop by Renards Cheese to pick up some squeaky cheese curds.
• Stop at Sunset Park in Sturgeon Bay to stretch the legs, enjoy the beach or view the nearby Great Lakes freighters at Bay Shipbuilding Company
• PC Junction for lunch where food is delivered by train around a counter made of old doors. Lots of outdoor activities for families.
• Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant in Sister Bay is an iconic Door County restaurant with goats on the roof.
• Rooftop terrace dining at The Harbor View Grill in Egg Harbor for good food and an amazing view of the water
• Sonny’s Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria for waterfront dining in Sturgeon Bay

Now I will say first off if you plan to hit a shop or winery in Door County, do it right when you pass it. I saw so many cute shops that I wanted to check out but they all closed before I was able to go after our State Park fun. So lesson learned to check out closing times and keep them in mind!

Why did we choose Peninsula State Park?

It is an over 3,000 acre park with activities to cover whatever your interests are. My family was split with what we wanted to do and this state park was able to make all of us happy.

First stop was the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. We have never seen a lighthouse before and it was so cool to be up close. We missed the tour but just being up close to it and reading about the history was so cool.

My 8 year old pointed out that the lighthouse looked like the one on our Cape Cod Chips, so of course I had to take a picture!

Next we hiked along some of the trails. My boys love exploring forests and even my daughter got into the hike!

To cool off after our hike, we were able to cool off at the beach. The beach was clean and offered rentals which my boys were over the moon about.

We were able to rent a water bike and my boys took turns riding it all over the bay. They are still talking about it with their friends at home over how cool it was!

After hours at the beach, I had to drag my kids away to grab dinner. We ended up at Mill Supper Club. I had planned to hit the ice cream place, Not Licked Yet, near the State Park but we ended up with a wrong turn and drove the other way. Mill Supper Club seemed like a perfect local dinner spot and we had a great meal there. The food was good and prices were as expected.

While Door County was a drive for us, it really is a cute little spot to visit. It’s a different place than what were used to and you feel like you are in a little beach town on an island. One street we drove down was literally on the beach and people were walking around and just enjoying the weather and crossing over to the beach. It felt very down to earth and easygoing, nothing like the hustle and bustle of the city (or even suburbs of Chicago.) I think I’d rather go back next time with just my husband to enjoy the breweries and wineries in the area and just walk around the town!

Looking for more ideas? Check out DoorCounty.com. Don’t forget Cape Cod Chips to get you through the road trip!

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