Door County’s 300 miles of shoreline wrap around islands, shipwrecks, and submerged caves, and some visitors never leave our bustlings towns long enough to really enjoy it. This month, we’re making the case for getting out on the water, whether that’s under sail, behind a paddle, or trolling a line off the back of a charter boat. This is the peak season for it: warm water, ample sunshine, and one very good excuse to be out on the bay when Labor Day weekend rolls around. Book your stay and bring your sea legs.
Many Ways to Get Out on the Water
Milwaukee Magazine put together a great rundown this month on exploring Door County by water, and it’s worth a read before you plan your next visit. Their picks include guided kayak tours through the submerged caves off Cave Point and the quiet Mink River Estuary, sailing right out of Sister Bay aboard Sail Door County’s tall ship the Edith M. Becker, and a faster option in Door County Adventure Rafting, which skims small groups over shipwrecks resting just below the surface. They also cover a scenic boat tour up toward Death’s Door, pontoon rentals for a mellower group outing, and a guide to the county’s best fishing, from Lake Michigan salmon to inland walleye. However you like to get out on the water, there’s a way to do it here.
6 Ways to Explore Door County via the Water
Set Sail Right From Sister Bay
You don’t have to go far. Sail Door County runs its fleet out of Sister Bay, including the Edith M. Becker, a 67-foot tall ship with room for two dozen, and the Passage North, a smaller racing sloop for a more intimate ride. Both operate public sunset cruises and private charters right on the water we look out at every day. If you’d rather learn to captain your own boat, the Ephraim Yacht Club, just up the road, offers lessons.
Sail Door County
The Whole Town Gets on the Water
If you want to see Sister Bay make the most of its waterfront, come for Marina Fest on September 5-6. It’s Labor Day weekend, and the whole town turns out along the marina for a classic and wooden boat show, live music, and a fireworks display over the bay that closes out the weekend. For the best seat in the house, Sister Bay Scenic Boat Tours runs a fireworks and live music cruise so you can watch the show from the water instead of the shore.
Marina Fest – Labor Day Weekend
Getting Ready to Run
Mark your calendar for October 24, and watch this space. The Fall 50 turns 20 this year, and it’s still one of the most demanding, most scenic races in the Midwest: a point-to-point 50-mile run from the tip of the peninsula at Gills Rock all the way down to Sturgeon Bay, with teams of two to five runners tagging out at exchange points along the way (solo ultramarathoners can take on the whole thing themselves, if that’s more your speed). The course runs right past our door here in Sister Bay, and this year, we’re planning to be out on the route with a camera, capturing the action for the newsletter and our website.
If you’re running it, here’s the practical tip: staying in Sister Bay puts you minutes from the Gills Rock start line, instead of on a shuttle bus leaving Sturgeon Bay before 5 a.m. The relay division tends to sell out fast every year, so if your team is in, lock down a room with us now while the fall colors are still just a rumor. Solo, relay, or just cheering from the sidelines with a thermos of coffee, we’d love to have you stay with us!
One More Thing: The Best Perseids in Years
If you’re out on the water after dark, look up. The Perseid meteor shower peaks the night of August 12 into the early morning of the 13th, and a new moon that same night means the sky stays completely dark, with up to 100 meteors an hour possible. Astronomers are calling it the best showing in nearly a decade. Door County’s Dark Sky status makes it one of the better places in the Midwest to catch it, whether you’re watching from a boat deck or a blanket on shore.
The Perseids meteor shower is about to start. How to see it in Wisconsin