Normally, sunny destinations would be my
preference for winter vacations, so I was
pleasantly surprised by the sheer enjoyment
of the ‘colder’ season when we visited Door County,
Wisconsin last December. Upon arriving at our
accommodation, the Eagle Harbor Inn, we were
greeted by the heat of a welcoming fireplace and
offered a drink of its famous warm cherry cider,
accompanied by seasonal treats such as fruit,
cookies, and nuts.
French fur traders originally called the body of water at the tip of the
peninsula “Death’s Door” because of the treacherous nature of the water
passage and shipwrecks that occurred there. Both local and state
officials used this story and legend to come up with the name for Door
County and, in 1851, it was officially recognized by the state as a county.
Door County has a population of just over 30,000, with Sturgeon Bay – its
county seat – coming in at 9,800. Despite pressures to develop the area,
almost 90% of the land mass remains undeveloped. Door County sits on
the Niagara escarpment, pure limestone. The rock extends 900 miles across to Canada.With 10 historic lighthouses, Door County has one of the highest
concentrations of lighthouse of any county in the U.S. For beach lovers,
the county has over 30 public beaches. Golfers can choose from 11
different golf courses (ranging from 9 to 36 holes).
A premier tourism destination in the Midwest, the 2 million visitors each
year hail from Wisconsin, the nearby states of Illinois and Minnesota as
well as other parts of the U.S. and overseas.
ALL ABOARD!
Door County Trolley tours are a great way to take in the region’s scenery,
and sample food and wine at the same time. Owner/operator A.J. Frank,
who has been in the business for 10 years, shares local legends and trivia
as the trolley traverses the awesome vistas.
Depending on the season, a number of standard and specialty tours area
available. For instance, there is the 5-hour “Winter Wonderland” offering,
that begins with a tasting at one of the county’s award-winning wineries,
followed by a sleigh ride through the beautiful landscapes and topped off
with a fireside lunch at the historic “White Gull Inn”.
There is also the “Progressive
Dining” outing which provides
unique stops for hors d’oeuvres and
cocktails, an elegant dinner at the “Inn at Kristofers’, and a decadent
dessert at the romantic “Eagle
Harbor Inn” or “ Village Green
Lodge”.
Lighthouse, Wine, Scenic and Ghost
tours are just a few of the other
possibilities, not to mention that you
can customize your own tour for
weddings, family reunions, business
group, or the next birthday party.
No matter what you choose - andregardless of the season - the
comfortable cushioned seats along
with speaker system in the heated
and enclosed trolley means that you
can enjoy the tour in total comfort.
For details/rese rvations visit
www.doorcountytrolley.com.
Peninsula State Park As the second oldest state park in
the state, the 3,776 acres Peninsula
State Park in Fish Creek is
celebrating its 100th anniversary
this year. In addition to a number of
bike and mountain bike trails, the
park’s other amenities also include
468 campsites, hiking trails, and
p l a y g rounds.Other attractions
consist of the historic Eagle Bluff
lighthouse, an 18-hole golf course,
Horseshoe Island, an outdoor
musical theatre, and more. The
hiking trails, used during the
summer, turn into cross-country and
snowmobile trails during the winter.
Head for the Dunes The highest sand dunes in
Wisconsin can be found at the
Whitefish Dunes State Park, whichis
also home to eight Native American
villages (listed on the national
Registry of Historic Places) that date
from100 B.C. to the late 1800s. It
encompasses 869 acres, depending
on the lake level, and its beach is
listed among the top 10 beaches in
the US. Accessible to all, the ‘grid
system mat’ makes the beach easily
accessiblefor wheelchairs, wagons,
etc. A wheelchair, which can be operated in water, may be checked out from the nature center and returned after use.
In existence since 1967, the park attracts some 700,000 visitors yearly. The eight educators teach
programmes to thousands of school children each year, while other programmes for all ages can also be found
year round at the park.
Visitors can take advantage of its 9 miles of ski trails (a special candlelight skiing event takes place on the
last Saturday in January); 14 miles of hiking trail; and of course the 93 ft. dunes.
Out-of-state visitors should be prepared to pay an admission fee of $10.00, with all funds going to the park.
Note that motorized ATV’s are not allowed. Pet-friendly, the beach is ideal for walking the dog (certain
restrictions do apply).
LET’S EAT
Foodies can look forward to an eclectic selection of culinary delights in
Door County, which proffers a wide range of eating and dining menus for
your delectation. As one of the top cherry producingregions inthe country,
Door County harvests between10-15 million pounds of cherries each year
of which 95% are of the Monterency variety. Because of their tartness,
theseare used mainly for wines,
jams and preserves. [Mmmm, I
wonder how many cherry pies one
can make withall those
c h e rries?]. Around 50 acres ,
however, are planted with the Bing
variety for your eating pleasure. Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik, located in Sister Bay,
specializes in huge Swedish
pancakes, made in crepe-like style
and served with the restaurant’s
legendary juice and jam. Patrons
shouldn’t be surprised to see
goats grazing on the grass roof
during the warmer months. But
takenote,they adhere to bankers
hours(May to October,Hours: 9:00
to 5:00 p.m.)!Visit www.aljohnsons.com for more details.
Carrington Pub & Grill at the 4-season Landmark Resort in Egg Harbor, is
situated on 40 scenic acres, and overlooks the waters of Green Bay. The
filling buffet, available on a regular basis, is followed by a Comedy Club
performance, thus providing guests with both food for the body and
laughter for the soul. A delightful way to spend an evening! To learn more,
go to www.thelandmarkresort.com.
The Door County Coffee & Tea Company in Carlsville, owned by Vicki
Wilson, prides itself on roasting in the old-fashioned manner over 80
different flavours of coffee. Here you can start your day with a cup of your
favourite java or, like us, have a delicious lunch chosen from their
appetizing menu. We settled on Jack & Dill Cheese sandwich (made with
munster, marble, cheddar,and Swiss cheeses) coupled with Smoked
salmon and corn chowder.You will also be tempted to take with you some
of their gourmet food such as jams, jellies, mustard and dried fruit. Go to www.doorcountycoffee.com to learn more about this great enterprise.
Harbor Fish Market & Grille, in Baileys Harbor
We have fond memories of a superb and beautifully presenteddinner at
this fine dining establishment, which is committed to serving the best in
New England style seafood along with a wide selection of meats and
poultry. Guests can savour the creatively prepared and varied menu in agarden/waterfront setting overlooking Lake Michigan during the warmer
months, or in the cozy dining room all year long. Alcoholic beverages and
wines from the restaurant’s diverse wine list make great accompaniment
to the food, while the service provided by the attentive staff is friendly yet
unobtrusive.Visit www.harborfishmarket-grille.com.
Harbor Landing Restaurant in Egg Harbor was built in 1877 by Eli Thorp,
who had made hismoney in the Gold Rush. The interior has a rustic feel,
with glass-topped tables made from the original doors of the house.All
meals are prepared with local and in-season ingredients, all of which can be enjoyed in a casual and friendly atmosphere.I loved their lemon blast
smoothie, topped with whipped cream that arrived with
the panini-style sandwich and soup I ord e red.
Go to
www.harborlandingeggharbor.com for complete information.
White Gull Inn
This all-season historic inn was established in 1896, and features a
number of beautifully antique-decorated rooms, suites and cottages. It is
also a venue for an authentic “Fish Boil” (Friday evenings November
through April; or Wednesday to Sunday between May to October).
Innkeeper Andy Coulson continues the tradition of the fish boil which was
begun by Scandinavian settlers some 100 years ago, when the oily
whitefish they caught was cooked outdoors over an open fire and fed to
large groups. In this way, they utilized the staples they had in large
quantity: potatoes and fish. The fiery, and colourful, process makes the
pot boil over, thus effectively removing the oil from the pot. Usually
prepared on Friday nights, the fish boil is available to large groups, and
church socials.
All details can be obtained by visiting
www.whitegullinn.com. DRINK UP!
There are five local wineries in Door County, in an ever-expanding grape
growing industry, with the largest (at 30 acres) being Simon Creek
Vineyard & Winery. Our introduction to Wisconsin wines, however, took
place at two other notable wineries.
Orchard Country Winery & Market
Returning from our trolley ride we explored Orchard Country Winery &
Market in Fish Creek, a family-run venture of quality fruits and fruit
products. Operated by the 4th generation of the Lautenbach family, the
winery was established in 1985 and currently has five acres of vineyard,
all of which are planted with 32 cold hardy, French hybrid varietals. After
tasting some of their wines we helped ourselves to samples of their other
products such as sauces, jams, as well as cherry and apple nibbles. More
information is available at www.orchardcountry.com.
Door Peninsula Winery, situated bayside in Door County, is known for its
fruit and sweet/semi-sweet wines. In recent times, however, consumers
are becoming more aware of the premium styles such as Cabernet
Sauvignon and Chardonnay. These easy drinking light wines are great
any time just to sip and savour, but also with food. Complimentary
tastings are available at the bar, and for a nominal fee of $3.00 visitors
can take a tour of the winery. Visit www.dcwine.com for complete
information.
ART, GALLERIES AND ANTIQUES
Alas, there wasn’t time to visit the more
than 100 art galleries, museums and
performing arts venues to be found
throughout the county. However, the three
we did tour were impressive indeed.
Dovetail Gallery/ Studio and Egg Art
Museum in Egg Harbor, housed in the
historic dovetail log home, belongs to
Kathy Mand Beck and Tom Beck. The
g a l l e ry is chock full of intere sting
artifacts, including an egg art museum
with an impressive number of Faberge
eggs as well as an authenticated
Harbor Fish Market & Grille,in Baileys Harbor
We have fond memories of a superb and beautifully presenteddinner at
this fine dining establishment, which is committed to serving the best in
New England style seafood along with a wide selection of meats and
poultry. Guests can savour the creatively prepared and varied menu in agarden/waterfront setting overlooking Lake Michigan during the warmer
months, or in the cozy dining room all year long. Alcoholic beverages and
wines from the restaurant’s diverse wine list make great accompaniment
to the food, while the service provided by the attentive staff is friendly yet
unobtrusive.Visit www.harborfishmarket-grille.com. Harbor Landing Restaurant in Egg Harbor was built in 1877 by Eli Thorp,
who had made hismoney in the Gold Rush. The interior has a rustic feel,
with glass-topped tables made from the original doors of the house.All
meals are prepared with local and in-season ingredients, all of which can be enjoyed in a casual and friendly atmosphere.
dinosaur’ egg. Resident artist, Kathy Mand Beck is renowned for her
carved and etched egg art designs and sculptures. Visitors looking for
that very special gift can commission personalized eggs, symbols of
friendship and love. A visit to her workshop, where she demonstrated the
intricate and painstakingly amount of work required to fashion these
remarkable eggs, brought home the incredible scope of this artist’s talent.
Her copper art rotating sprinkler designs, crafted by husband Tom Beck,
can be found in the gallery’s gardens along with other décor. It was an
awesome revelation to witness Kathy as she painstakingly designed and
created the extraordinary eggs. To see all her works, and learn more about
the gallery, hours of operation and studio demonstrations, go to
www.dovetailgallery.com.
A Decorator’s Gallery, in Egg Harbor, is where you can purchase some
stunning original oils and pastels, limited edition art and prints, or the
more economic prints. On-site framing services are also available. Allow
yourself ample time when you visit, as there is much to see. Go to
www.decoratorsgallery.com for all details.
Ellison Bay Pottery was transformed from a fruit barn in 1974 by John
Dietrich into a studio, gallery and living quarters for John’s
p i t - f i red and functional pottery creations.
Their website is
http://ellisonbaypottery.wordpress.com.
SHOPPING Just in time for Christmas, I took advantage of the multitude of shops and
galleries that were decorated for the holiday season. One stop was the “Country Walk Shops” in Uptown Sister Bay where one could purchase
anything from cookbooks to kitchen utensils, to golf and other accessories,
unique souvenirs and upscale designer fashions.
Egg Harbor provided a fabulous assortment of shopping venues. The Main
Street Shops were festively decorated, especially the “All I want for Christmas … and then some” store. Although the “Cinnamon Windmill”
enticed us, we ended up spending a good deal of time in the “Made in
Britain, Ltd.” where we tasted a number of delicious jams and curds and
considered urchasing plaques/plates made by those who produce street
and underground signs in England. Chocolates and sweets can be ordered
on line, for delivery to your home anywhere in the world. Visit
www.madeinbritainltd.com for details.
Down the street, at The Patricia Shop, shoppers can’t help but fall in love
with its ample selection of high-end and unique women’s fashion.
Shopping in Fish Creek, with its streets and shops decked out in holiday
gear amidst a backdrop of fresh snow, made for a ‘winter marvel’. The
Hide Side Corner Store, with its leather goods and a plethora of other
items, was particularly inviting.
“Jacksonport Craft Cottage”, owned by Joe and the very gracious Sue
Jarosh, occupies the original main floor of an 1860’s era log home that has
been restored. It is a regular treasure trove of craft (such as quilts,
pillows, rugs) and original work of over 100 artists. I challenge anyone to
leave this store without making a purchase….perhaps one of their
exclusive collector lighthouse pins and collector frame? For more details,
visit their website at www.jacksonportcraftcottage.com.
If I’ve managed to pique your interest, then plan to make your next trip to
Door County, Wisconsin. All information can be obtained from their most
comprehensive website at www.doorcounty.com.
Happy travelling!
Anna Cavaliere,Editor/Writer Editor/Writer since 1992 for Enoteca Wine & Food Magazine (now Elite Wine, Food & Travel), Anna has reported on wine and food events from many of the world's wine regions: Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, France, Spain, Malta, Greece, Italy, U.S. and Canada. A member of the International Federation of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers (F.I.J.E.V.), and I.F.W.T.W.A. (International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association). Anna feels particularly fortunate that she can write about her three passions: wine, food, and travel.