Detour #142: Door County, Wisconsin, USA
Winding through Door County Photo Shutterstock
Rare are the locations that provide perfectly scenic drives come sun or snow but the Wisconsin peninsula region does just that, says Ruksana HussAin.
Wisconsin is known for its cheese curds and cherry pie, but Door County is where to go for the most scenic drives in the state. This thumb of the state (as it looks on a map and is referred to sometimes) offers 300 miles of Lake Michigan and Green Bay shoreline to visit.
Summers here are filled with cherry blossoms and wow-inducing sunsets. Your drive around the area is incomplete without those sights, and accompanied by a local brew and some fish fry if you really want to do it right. Much of the area includes agricultural land – expect to cruise by farms and meadows and be greeted by grazing cattle and seasonal blooms in their full glory.
I start in Sturgeon Bay, a shipbuilding hub brimming with fishing tugs and yachts. A trip from there through the charming village of Fish Creek presents a historic main street, galleries, marinas, scenic overlooks, and beaches. At Lautenbach’s Orchard Country winery and market, I get to revel in the glory of some of those famed cherry blossoms and some local sips.
The winery at Fish Creek Photo Shutterstock
A stop at Peninsula State Park, 3,700-odd acres of natural beauty that includes cedar and maple trees among other green residents, is guaranteed to make your day. The 60-foot-high Eagle Tower gives you panoramic views of the area – a photographer’s delight, no doubt. There are multiple campsites and recreation spots here so choose your destination wisely.
If a drive-by-dark expedition is more your style, then Newport State Park in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin’s only wilderness state park, is the destination you want to key into your GPS/maps app. A designated Dark Sky Park, the stars put on quite the tantalising show in these parts of the midwestern United States.
Dark skies over Door County Photo Fern M Lomibao / Unsplash
I drive through Ephraim as I head from one state park to the other. The village has preserved its Norwegian roots and, just like the Scandinavian settlers did 100 years ago, an authentic fish boil dinner at The Old Post Office restaurant is the local experience you cannot miss. My plate stars Lake Michigan whitefish cooked outdoors over open fire. There is an element of storytelling in the performance so reserve a spot in advance.
Horseback riding and farm tours are recommended if you have the time and interest to pursue either. Especially when cherries and apples are in season, preserves, spreads, fruit wine and other delicacies made from nature’s bounty are just the souvenirs to stock up. Watch out for those roadside farm stands, farmers markets and country stores for a good selection.
But when the temps go down, you go from traversing pristine swaths of summer green to skilfully manoeuvring blankets of white in the winter. The very spots you visited in the summer turn unrecognisable with the amount of snowfall the state receives.
A winter white out Photo Erin Larson / Unsplash
Driving along the coast guides one to the tip of the peninsula where a ferry ride to Washington Island on an ice crusher is the highlight of the journey. You can victoriously drive your vehicle right off the ferry once you disembark at the island after you’ve crossed Death’s Door, as the water between the two land masses is referred to thanks to the treacherous terrain and weather that claimed many lives and ships in the past. There are limited ferry rides daily so remember to get the next one back.
On Washington Island, a population less than 1,000 within a 22-square-mile area means I barely cross paths with anyone. A roundtrip can be an hour or so and a day trip is plenty to visit a few tourist spots such as the stavkirke (church), Nelson’s Hall and Bitters Club (where shots of Angostura Bitters is de rigeur), lavender farm and farm museum.
Back on the mainland, driving around through snow with never-ending views of iced Lake Michigan, I halt at Ellison Bay for a tour of some of the lighthouses which are a part of the state’s maritime history.
The Ridges Sanctuary located here preserves the most biologically diverse ecosystem in Wisconsin. A guided tour with the naturalist on-site helps me understand how the unique habitat was created due to a series of ridges and swales formed by Lake Michigan.
I end my journey in Sturgeon Bay where ice fishing at the lake is an excellent seasonal experience as are snowmobiling and snowshoeing, but you could easily lose sight of your way and the hours when every direction is snow-drenched. Give yourself time to arrive at your final location well in advance considering the diminishing daylight.
There are many more spots to stop and admire along the loop that is the Door County Coastal Byway if a longer road trip is in the works. The area looks small but the experiences here are many.
Photo Dave Hoefler / Unsplash