Scenic is
one of the most common descriptors of Door County. Picturesque,
beautiful, pristine: all very accurate. But too often it seems new
visitors are forced to zoom by the natural scenery in their cars, or
force others to take it in as they slowly peer out of their windows.
Chet
Gerlach and his wife Barbara found a way to capture the entire
peninsula without causing a traffic accident. Last summer, they parked
their car in Sturgeon Bay and spent the rest of their five-day vacation
biking. “Whenever my wife and I go on vacation we almost always end up
going on a bike tour because it is such a great way to experience a
place,” Chet says.
Recreation
in Door County is abundant, and it seems no other summer pastime is
more popular than golf. Many vacationers and locals alike enjoy their
days off hitting the links. And with at least ten golfing options to
choose from in Door County, there are many things to consider when
selecting where to play.
The following featured courses have been chosen for their
distinctiveness, offering different ‘personalities’ better suited for
differing styles of play.
Jenn accepts a donation towards the cost of her fantastic voyage.
Some of
the descriptive words that people use when talking about Jenn Gibbons
are “leader”, “strong”, and “role model”. She is all of these things and
so much more. At twenty-seven years old, she is doing something that
most people would not have the courage to do in their lifetime. It all
started nine years ago when she said, “yes,” to the girl who asked her
to join the college rowing team at Michigan State University. Little did
she know she had just made a decision that would change her life and
the lives around her for years to come.
Beaconing
out from the sunny Sister Bay Marina, one boat stands above the rest:
Sail Door County’s Edith M. Becker. She is the newest addition to their
charter fleet, and her rich history gives patrons an unforgettable
experience aboard.
Owner
Peder Nelson explained the background of his new ship while on a recent
afternoon cruise, along with the typical staff of a captain and two
crew members.
"Yes, Virginia, Door County has cherries to sell!"
The
Wisconsin Cherry Growers would like to announce that even though this
year’s cherry crop is much lower than usual, Door County cherries are
available for purchase this season. “We
originally anticipated a crop of 500,000 pounds out of a potential
12,000,000 pounds,” commented Terry Sorenson, President of the Wisconsin
Cherry Growers, Inc.
The
attraction of Wisconsin State Parks as family-friendly, affordable, and
fun places to visit for a day, a weekend, a week or longer continues to
grow with advanced camping reservations up 9.3 percent over the same
period in 2011.
“State parks and
trails have always offered a great experience at a great value, and we
welcome the surge in visitors,” said Kimberly Currie, of the Wisconsin
State Parks program.
Sister
Bay Marina, located in Northern Door County, has gone through a
complete transformation. Those who haven’t been to Sister Bay recently
may find it hard to recognize the waterfront park and newly expanded
marina that now boasts more slips and amenities than any other in
Northern Door County.
“The new marina means a greater maritime experience for both visitors
and residents of Sister Bay,” commented Robert Kufrin, Sister Bay
Village Administrator.
At the big green barn south of Dunn Road in rural Sturgeon
Bay, the lawn ornaments are mind-boggling. It’s the home of Team Leadership
Center, Inc. (TLC) and Door County’s Adventure Center, a magnet for families
who seek an active bonding experience and a professional beacon to companies
worldwide who want the best teambuilding experience.
I met Mary and Eric Erickson during the course of routine
business in the summer of 2011. Basically,
I sell houses and they wanted one.
A condominium in Sister Bay, to be exact, because their family had
visited Mariner’s Pointe on vacation and had fallen in love with the community
and with Sister Bay in its entirety as a year-round village. During their transaction, Mary and I
developed a friendship that lasted beyond the sale. Besides the fact we both have a healthy sense of humor and
can text reallyreallyfast, we have
one sure thing in common—we both love northern Door County.
While Eric is very calm (exactly the trait I would want
in a surgeon, if I were due for some surgery), Mary is a lightning bolt,
Steve & Janice Wood of Wood Orchard near Egg Harbor.
Steve Wood’s parents left the heat and humidity of St. Louis to come to
Door County in 1955. Thus the Wood Orchard was born, and today it encompasses 200
acres of apple and cherry trees, plus crops such as strawberries, raspberries
and asparagus that supply the landmark Wood Orchard Market north of Egg Harbor.
Spring
has sprung early, and many of Wisconsin’s volunteer Adopt-a-Highway
(AAH) crews are springing into action, picking up a winter’s worth of
unsightly trash along state highways. Along with helping keep our
roadsides clean and green, Wisconsin’s dedicated AAH workers make the
state an even more attractive destination for travelers while saving
taxpayer dollars. Last year, Wisconsin AAH groups picked up over 156
tons of trash that was then disposed of by county highway crews.
Everyone is invited
to the Door County Buy Local Farm Tour and Mixer.The event will be held on Tuesday, May 1st,
between 4pm and 7:30pm at Waseda Farms, 7282 Logerquist Road in Baileys Harbor.This is a family-friendly
activity on a farm, so bring your children and casual shoes!
Arrive at 4pm and
take a guided tour of the 100-year old farming estate.Visit with the exhibitors in the local
foodie exhibit and mixer hall, more often referred to as the machine shed!
The
nation’s top advisor on efforts to protect the Great Lakes from Asian
carp will speak at the annual Wisconsin Lakes Partnership Convention
April 10-12 in Green Bay.
Asian
Carp Director John Goss of the White House Council on Environmental
Quality will talk about the administration's recently released 2012
Asian Carp Control Strategy Framework. That plan outlines 58 action
items and more than $50 million in investments to keep Asian carp from
establishing self-sustaining populations in the Great Lakes. Goss also
will provide an update on actions to prevent the invasive fish from
entering the Great Lakes.
Sturgeon Bay, Marinette and Oshkosh businesses and residents
were represented at the Strictly Sail Chicago Boat Show held on January
26-29. Of course, sailboats use wind power to cross great distances,
but now can use solar power to run electronics, and bottom paints that
don’t foul the water while repelling weeds. A few booths presented
unique ideas or used materials made in the USA.
Peninsula State Park has gone to the birds. The park teamed up with the Village of
Ephraim to earn Bird City recognition. It’s the first time a Wisconsin
state park has done so.
The Bird City status recognizes the importance of Peninsula and
Ephraim as a migration corridor, as Wisconsin Great Birding Trail
destinations, and as places attractive to eco-tourists.
"The people who fought to establish Peninsula knew it was an
irreplaceable landscape," said Peninsula Naturalist Kathleen Harris, who
worked on the Bird City application with the Ephraim Business Council's
Tourism Administrator Rachel Willems and Ephraim Trustee Steve Sauter.
"Some of those people were Ephraim residents and along the way they set
aside wonderful gems in their own village."
Stars
are
bright with minimal light in Sister Bay, creating an ideal venue for
star
gazing. Hobby and professional astronomers, and anyone who enjoys
looking at
and contemplating the celestial bodies in the night sky, are invited to
attend
a Star Gazing Party on August 13, 2011 in the Sister Bay Sports Complex.
Stargazing begins after dark. (The event had been scheduled for August
6, but cloudy conditions intervened.)
Sturgeon Bay area: The salmon fishing picked up this week with
hauls of 10+ fish hasn't been uncommon. The catch has been a mixed bag
with Steelhead and Chinooks dominating the species being caught.
The
majority of the fish seemed to be caught on spoons but only watermelon
was constantly being reported as a hot color.
Boaters and anglers: Watch out for the orange flags and buoys that
mark commercial fishing trap nets set in Lake Michigan. Steer clear and
give these markers a wide berth to avoid getting tangled in the nets.
Learn more on the DNR's Trap Net page.
This week was another up and down week for fishing weather. We
saw a few days with slow western winds that allowed more boats to launch
but also saw some days with strong eastern winds that limited fishing.
The Memorial Day weekend saw beautiful weather that allowed many boats
to launch in order to search for fish. The water conditions remain cold
for this time of the year with many boats reporting temperatures ranging
from low 50's to low 60's in different areas.
Updated constantly ... What's going on in Door County
Welcome to DoorCountyTravelersJournal.com!
If you are looking for interesting places to visit and things to do, you're in the right place. This online magazine features articles that help you get the most out of your vacation in Wisconsin's magical Door Peninsula. Get useful visitor information and be sure to check out our Kids Edition to find places that children like to go. The opinions and recommendations herein are solely those of our contributing writers. Event information subject to change without notice.
We also publish articles of interest to local residents. Submissions and story ideas are welcome.
