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.
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.
There's going to be a brand new event in Door County starting in 2009. A Renaissance Fantasy Faire will be held from Sept 26 - 27, and Oct 3 - 4, 2009 at the Gerald Keuhn farm. The location is just north of Carlsville on Monument Point Road. Plans include horseback activities including jousting, customed players depicting the 16th century, and craft and vendor booths. The family-friendly festival is to be modeled after the Renaissance Faire that has been staged for many many years near the Wisconsin-Illinois border.
This is the kids' section of the website. We'll keep adding Door County topics of interest to kids. The Kids Edition of the Door County Travelers Journal is edited by an elementary school teacher and is kid safe.
If you have a story about Door County to contribute, please let us know. We'll probably publish it!
With a resounding thunder of applause, six high school students stepped onto the Door Community Auditorium stage before a sold-out house February 7th to compete in the 5th Door County Idol competition. Singing from the heart, the contestants performed songs from Broadway musicals, pop tunes, ballads, and original compositions.
Representing Gibraltar, Southern Door, and Sturgeon Bay High Schools, Ben Kerwin, Lily Larsen, Monica Lenius, Kirsten Logerquist, Liz Neuman, and Wesley Schwartz received rave reviews from judges Hervy Hodges, Jeanne Kuhns, and Larry Thoreson. Following the final ballot count, the winner was…senior Lily Larsen.
