Door County offers the traveler so much to do in summer. Sometimes it's overwhelming to figure out what to do when ... there's so much choice! Let us help you find some fun things to do. Check out our articles! Our kids section pays particular attention to what kids might want to do during their visit. After all, it's their vacation too, right? We're working on several feature articles to be published soon, and we'll be covering as many of the festivals this year as we can. Look for write-ups and lots of photos. Why not bookmark this site for future reference? See you in Door County, where every season charms the spirit.
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Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Copyright 2008
For those of you that are repeat visitors to Ephraim, there are certain landmarks that you would insist newcomers have to see in order to state that they had been to this town. For most, these landmarks include the Anderson complex, which is composed of four main buildings. One such building is the Anderson Barn, which contains photographs, artwork, artifacts and stories of Ephraim’s history. The Barn is also home to the wheel of the ship Ebenezer, which was the only schooner that was built in Ephraim.
One other must-see part of this complex is the Anderson Dock, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Anderson Dock is a working dock, with seasonal and transient slips available for rent, and is best known for the graffiti-covered dock warehouse.
For those of us old enough to remember drive in movie theatres, we’re also old enough to remember when they began to disappear. Having grown up near Chicago, a double screen drive in theatre was one of our favorite family destinations. Sadly, the majority of the drive in theatres that once existed no longer do. In Wisconsin, the number of drive ins has dropped from sixty-five to just ten. One such gem is the Skyway Drive In located between Fish Creek and Ephraim.
Founded by Orville and Elton Voeks, the Skyway was their second theatre business, having founded the Lake Cinema in Baileys Harbor. Unfortunately, after just over fifty years of business, Lake Cinema, one of the last Quonset Hut-style theatres left in the country, was sold in 2000 and torn down in 2001 after changing hands for sixth time.
Luckily for us, who have fond memories of drive in theatres or have yet to experience one, the Skyway did not meet the same fate. Built as a single screen theatre, the Skyway Drive In began operation on July 26, 1950, and has been operational continually ever since, making it the second longest running drive in theatre in Wisconsin.
"Wine is sunlight held together by water." ~ Galileo
In 1976, the world of wine was turned upside down when California beat France in a blind taste test. It began with a dream, turned into perfection of process, a few other events that turned nicely into a "based on a true story" movie, and resulted in a chardonnay that rocked the foundation of wine culture. "You mark my words," Alan Rickman (as sommelier Steven Spurrier) states, "we’ll be drinking wines from South American, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, India, China ... this is not the end ... this is just the beginning."
As Cole Porter once sang , “Another opening, another show.” When it comes to Peninsula Players, Theatre in a Garden, it is more like three days. Three days to tear down one show, and put up another. A simple task? Far from it.
One of the greatest things about Peninsula Players is the family feel you can’t help but notice upon stepping onto the grounds – from the interns to the crew to the recurring actors – Peninsula Players is a place of family. Everyone pitches in – to pull out carpet staples from the floor, to tag costumes for the next show, gathering props and hanging lights. It takes everyone to make this miraculous change in just seventy-two hours. And when the new show starts, it is hard to believe another stage, another cast, another show existed in this very space.
But that is just part of the magic that is Peninsula Players.
Did you know that there's a new club for VW enthusiasts in Door and Kewaunee counties and beyond? There is. Spawned by the loneliness Doris often feels for other VWs and by the zeal of her owners, the Peninsula VW Club started its engines in 2009!
Saturday, June 13 ... The club's first event of the summer season is called "Rally 'Round the Lights" and is held in conjunction with the Annual Door County Lighthouse Walk. VWs of all vintages and types and VW enthusiasts of all ages are welcome to join the fun. The majesty of Door County's historic lights will be graced by an elegant entourage of one of the world's most loved automobiles. New or vintage, VWs rule!
Cana Island from the air. Photo courtesy Dick Felzer
Most people aren’t aware, but Cana Island was not home to the first lighthouse in Baileys Harbor. The first lighthouse, located on a different island off Baileys Harbor, was built of native stone from Alison Sweet’s quarry, the man who proposed and was awarded the contract by the Federal Government. By 1866, fourteen years after it was built, the condition of the lighthouse had declined quite a bit. Though the project of fixing up the lighthouse was awarded $15,000, it was decided that it would be better to build a new lighthouse located on Cana Island. The first lighthouse shone until December 1, 1869.
Door County boasts five state parks (as well as eighteen county parks and countless local parks) filled with hiking/biking trails, lighthouses, wildlife, and many more things for your family to explore. You can picnic, fish, golf and swim. If you prefer to vacation during our winter months, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and snowmobiling are also available. With vehicle admission at $5 daily for Wisconsin residents and $10 daily for non-residents, the state parks are a very affordable form of entertainment and exercise. (To make this adventure even more affordable, you can park in downtown fish creek and walk in to Peninsula State Park.) For more information: Newport (920) 854-2500; Peninsula (920) 868-3258; Potawatomi (920) 746-2890; Rock Island (920) 847-2235; Whitefish Dunes (920) 823-2400.
It’s that time of year – the temperatures are getting warmer, the sun seems to shine brighter, and the last day of school is inching closer. Summer is just around the corner! And with summer, comes vacation.
Perhaps this year, a trip to Disney World is out of the question. Perhaps the idea of spending a couple hundred bucks for a night or two at a hotel is a tad too much. Perhaps you’re struggling to put together a plan for your family this summer. Perhaps you want a romantic getaway with your sweetie.
