Guide to Door County, WI - Egg Harbor

Full disclosure here - I've spend the least amount of my time in Door County in Egg Harbor, we're normally north in Sister Bay or Ephraim. So if anyone has any favorite places here, I'd love to hear!

Eat:

1. Shipwrecked Microbrewery & Restaurant - Fun casual restaurant and bar. Short walk to the beach, right downtown, and they have a great selection of their own beers.

2. Trio - Craving pasta? Trio has great Italian and French dishes. We don't get down to Egg Harbor that much, but I always try to stop here when we do.

3. The Bistro Bar & Grille - Another great casual place for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It has a fun patio to sit outside and enjoy both the food and the weather.

Do:

1. Egg Harbor Beach and Marina - The great thing about Door County is that most of the towns are beach towns. Egg Harbor has a great beach for swimming and a fun marina to explore.

2. Wine Tasting
a) Harbor Ridge Winery and the Wisconsin Cheese Masters Shop - This is another one of my favorite stops in Door County because the wine shop and the cheese shop share the same parking lot. How much better can it get? Start at the Harbor Ridge Winery for some free wine tasting (their oaky Cab is amazing!) and the walk a few steps over to the Wisconsin Cheese Masters and take a cheese journey (No really, that's what the sign says) when you sample some of their many cheeses. So much goodness.
b) Door Peninsula Winery/Door County Distillery - The Door Peninsula Winery/Distillery has a special place in my heart. We used to come here when we were younger to taste the fudge and olive oil (while my parents tasted the wine) and in the last few years it opened a distillery in another part of the old schoolhouse building. They produce small batch gin, whiskey, vodka, and now brandy. This is my favorite gin ever. EVER.
c) Simon Creek Vineyard - This vineyard is inland a bit, but if you're in Egg Harbor it's not too far of a drive. Another winery that I'd recommend visiting.

3. Antiquing - Egg Harbor is near some great antique stores. Some of my favorites are Old Orchard Antique Mall which feels like it's miles long and full of fun and Bay Trading Company which has an entire room full of architectural discards such as shutters, mantels, doors and other goodness. If I had a house in Wisconsin I'm pretty sure half of the decor would come from that shop.

4. Kurtz Corral - If you want to ride horses through the countryside, this is the place to go. They're open all year, but summer and fall are my favorite times to explore the fields on horseback.

5. Various locations - cherry picking - Door County is known for their cherries. If you're up there while they're in season (late July to early August) definitely go cherry picking! There are numerous orchards and locations, so just find one that's close to you.

Guide to Door County, WI - Fish Creek

Eat:
1. Cooper's Corner - Fantastic food and a great environment. They have indoor and outdoor seating, but my favorite is their second story patio and bar where you can eat and watch the hustle and bustle of the main street below.

2. Bayside Tavern - This is your typical Wisconsin neighborhood corner bar, and it's fantastic. A favorite of locals and sailors, with pub grub (fantastic chowder!) drinks, and a relaxed casual atmosphere.

3. The Cookery - PIE!!! The cookery has great food - especially breakfast - but pie is the most important thing here. Door County cherry pie. If there's only one thing you do in Fish Creek, get some pie from here and eat it. You can thank me later. Growing up we used to stop here and get a cherry pie to go. We'd take it back to the condo and eat it all weekend. It was delicious and I miss it greatly.

4. Mr. Helsinki - This restaurant has been around for a while but I just discovered it this past year. Which is a shame, because it's incredible and I wish I would have gone there more. Its menu is a mix of crepes and Asian fusion - which sounds really weird but it works. You can get a variety of crepes for lunch, and all sorts of Thai inspired cuisine for dinner. It's also a wine bar with a great selection.

5. Not Licked Yet - This is a gnome themed frozen custard stand. Yes, you read that right. It's awesome. It's a mix of Scandinavian and gnome decor located right along a creek (I'm assuming it's Fish Creek). Also, if you're not a midwest native, frozen custard is a creamier and more delicious version of ice cream. I'm a fan of stopping by here for a scoop of ice cream - excuse me - custard, but they also serve burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches. Worth visiting for the decor alone.

Do:
1. Fudge House/Door County Confectionary - I mentioned this before in the Sister Bay guide, but stop by either the Confectionary or the Fudge House for some free samples of fudge. They're right next to each other and are nestled in with a bunch of cute shops.

2. Shopping at all the cute independent shops - Fish Creek has probably the best selections of little independent shops in Door County. Everything from clothing to souvenirs to a grocery market and deli where you can get supplies for a trip into the state park or a lunch by the beach.

3. Alibi Marina - I don't think you can rent boats here, you'll have to hit up some of the other towns or Peninsula Park for that. But If you have a boat, you can rent slips and this is a great marina to wander around and take in the sites. There's a park right there so you can bring a picnic lunch and watch the boats go by.

4. Wine Tasting (more to come next week with Egg Harbor)
a. Orchard Country Wine and Market - I love the markets like this that are in Door County. They have everything you could ever want - salsas, mustards, preserves, baking mixes, dressings, oils, jams, etc. And usually there are free samples! They also have free wine tasting here. If you like sweet, fruity wines this is the place to go. They have all sorts of fruit/grape wines that are made on site. The wines here are a bit too sweet for my own taste (I like bolder, dryer wines) but I have many family members and friends who prefer their wines. Even if you're not into wines, check out their market!

b. Stone's Throw Winery - Don't like sweet fruit wines? Look no farther! Stone's Throw is probably the most "high end" winery in Door County. Their grapes are all brought in from California and if you're looking for your standard merlots, cabernets, and chardonnays to taste this is the place to go. They have really great wines and a very cool wine cellar-like atmosphere.  They're a bit east of Fish Creek, but it's definitely worth the quick drive!

5. Peninsula State Park (See Guide to Ephraim for specific activities) - The park is located between Fish Creek and Ephraim so not matter which town you're visiting, it's easy to access the park and all it's activities.

We Come from the Land of Ice and Snow

Aren't vacations just the best? I wish we could have stayed longer in Wisconsin and seen more of our friends and family. A few more days to relax in Door County wouldn't have hurt either.  

Regarding the title of this post, I think it's a Led Zeppelin song lyric? But all I can think of is that viking kitten youtube video. Either way, Wisconsin is definitely a land of ice and snow in winter, but summer is absolutely amazing. 

We spent our time visiting in the Milwaukee area then escaping up north for a few days. I found my old bike from when I was oh about 12. I think that's the last time I rode it too, hence my slightly terrified and hysteric face in the photo. They say it all comes back right? Luckily it did and we rode bikes into the little town of Sister Bay. Sadly, some of my favorite places were no longer there (goodbye Sister Bay Cafe! You will be greatly missed!) but we did find a few new favorites. I also read Harry Potter by the pool. It was glorious. (Book 3 if you want to know, one of my favorites.) We explored lighthouses and went to Peninsula State Park for some hiking. We watched the sun set over the harbor and stuff ourselves with amazing food. Then it was back to Milwaukee for more catching up with friends and back to Phoenix way too quickly. Not sure the next time I'll be back, but I'll sure miss it. 

Also, can we just talk about this picture for a moment? This was at the magazine stand at the grocery store. How much more Wisconsin can you get? Stay awesome, WI. And full of cheese. Definitely stay full of cheese because I will be back. 

Also, is "culture, the word on cheese" a national magazine or this this just a Wisconsin thing?? I must know! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a cat video to look up on youtube.