Adore the Door

OK, I’m in another quandary, writing about a place that – most likely – many readers have visited... perhaps many times. However, I have “adored” Door County, Wisconsin, for more than 30 years. At first, it was because of the free horseback riding that was part of the tariff at a Bates Motel where my parents chose to stay. Today, it’s for the wide array of things to see and do (and shop and eat).

The Beginning of the Door

It’s a little difficult to pin down precisely when “the Cape Cod of the Midwest” was founded, but the first recorded English use of the name occurred in 1810. The French named the strait between the northern tip of Door County and Washington Island Porte des Mortes (Death’s Door) because of the treacherousness of the water. It’s estimated that hundreds of shipwrecks lie at the bottom of this spot where Green Bay and Lake Michigan meet.

Speaking of Things Old...

While Door County has something of a reputation as antiquer’s delight, the choice of really good stuff is a bit limited. Chelsea Antiques offers a dizzying array of expensive French and English antiques, large (massive wardrobes) and small (silverware), in a couple of restored barns that are worth visiting in their own right.

The Food is Fine

Thirty years ago, fine dining on the Door was pizza. Today, excellent options abound that don’t involve greasy fingers. The Mission Grille is one of the finest restaurants in Door County. Located in Sister Bay, and housed in a refurbished turn-of-the-century church, it offers a wide array of “modern American” food (whatever that means) and a wine list that includes more than 500 choices.

I couldn’t possibly write about Door County without mentioning Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant, a longstanding – and worthy – icon of Sister Bay. With goats on the grass roof and a log-cabin-meets-Scandinavia feel, I recommend the Swedish pancakes with lingonberries... no matter what time of day you’re there.

I’ll end my food recommendations with heresy. Door County is known for its fish boils... Don’t go. I have yet to attend one where the food was worth the price; you’re paying for the outdoor “boil over” and the privilege of eating mushy whitefish.

And So is the Wine

A few wineries have popped up on the Door, but only one is really worth a visit. Located almost precisely in the center of the county, Stone’s Throw Winery uses small lots of grapes purchased from Napa, Sonoma and Monterey, California, as well as some from its fairly recent homegrown, hardy grapes, to make pinot noirs, zinfandels, cabernets, merlots, Rieslings, and a port that’s worth the trip itself. Stone’s Throw also offers fine dipping and olive oils, and pasta and chocolate sauces that make a side trip even more worthwhile.

To Salve Any Guilt

I have encouraged you to eat and drink to your heart’s content, so now I’ll point you to some ways to burn off a few of those extra calories. Door County offers lots of options to get your heart rate up, from kayaking to horseback riding. But I recommend a visit to Peninsula State Park, for a bike ride or a hike in the summer, or a stunning cross country ski excursion in the winter.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

You now have shopped, eaten well, and exercised. Now, I offer just one recommendation for a place to lay your weary head at the end of the day: The Eagle Harbor Inn in Ephraim. The location is great – nothing is too far away on the Door – and you can opt for a traditional room or a large suite, each of which features a small kitchen if you want to save a little money, and lots of room to spread out. A bonus of staying at the Eagle Harbor Inn is that almost literally on the doorstep of the inn is LeRoy’s Water Street Coffee. Order the best mocha you have ever had – made with homemade fudge sauce, rather than Hershey’s syrup – and sit outside and watch the water and the cars go by.

One Final Note

I hesitate to recommend visiting Door County during the summer. I know it’s anathema, as it has been a summer playground since the first tourist visited the area many years ago. But these days, it is so full of Chicagoans, Green Bayites, and Twin Citians during the summer that it’s almost like driving on the Crosstown. Things settle down a little around October 1, and it’s a great place to visit in the winter, although you’ll find a lot of shops and restaurants closed. No matter when you go, I hope you adore the Door as I do!

Comments

[Sea Birds]

There are also tortoises (a Mauritian speciality), monkeys and tigers. http://guidebook.morewrite.com/2008/10/10/a-sunburned-haven-for-sea-birds-and-hardy-fishermen-part-2/