Hello Door County lovers! I just got back from a week in wonderful Door County…notice I didn’t say wonderful week. That’s right, folks, it was overcast, cold, and rainy every single day of our vacation. We didn’t see the sun until we were packing our bags and heading south down Hwy 42. But…did that ruin our trip? Oh no…we still had a fun, relaxing time. Here are the top 10 things we thought of to do on those rainy days:

10. Go to Al Johnson’s–but be prepared to wait–everyone else will have the same idea.

9. Go bowling in Sister Bay, but same story on waiting. With only one small bowling alley in Northern Door, this place can get crowded. Try early afternoon or late morning to get right on the lanes.

8. Go to a movie in Sturgeon Bay. The Cinema has all the new releases and it’s right next to Pick N Save in case you forgot to pack any necessities.

7. Go shopping. Fish Creek offers two shopping strips with covered porches: Top of the Hill shops are probably most convenient, but the shops right on Main Street can keep you fairly dry as you browse as well. In Egg Harbor, the Main Street Market shops are entirely enclosed as well.

6. Go to your favorite sit-down restaurant: whether it be Summer Kitchen, the White Gull Inn, Harbor Fish Market & Grille, or the Inn at Cedar Crossing, you can sit back and enjoy a leisurely meal without worrying about missing out on outdoor fun.

5. Go for a drive: Enjoy the scenery and explore parts of the Door you’ve never seen before.

4. Tour a winery: There are plenty to choose from, and you’ll get to see wine in all stages of production. Of course, the best part of your tour will be sampling from over 50 varieties of fruit and grape wines.

3. Peninsula Players: If you haven’t seen a production in this state-of-the-art new facility, you should. You will feel like you are in another world in the midst of mother nature, yet you’ll be warm and dry in a beautifully crafted modern outdoor theatre. Bring a blanket and cuddle with your sweetie as you hear the soft whispers of rain on the roof.

2. Hand’s On Art Studio: Get your creative juices flowing and while away the water-filled hours creating masterpiece after masterpiece at this wonderful studio. You could literally spend a week’s worth of rainy days (and a week’s worth of wages) creating everything from your own custom-made dish sets to mosaic wall hangings.

1. The best thing to do on a rainy day in Door County might just be the same as the best thing to do on a rainy day anywhere. Cuddle up with your sweetie, grab a good book and a cup of hot chocolate, find a window with a view, and laze away the hours. How often do you really get the chance?

Interesting question, don’t you think?  I have to say, being from Idaho originally, that I’m not really one to say one way or the other.  So, to make it fair and to get an opinion from all, I open the question up for discussion.

Is Sturgeon Bay really part of Door County, Wisconsin?

I’ve been using Facebook a lot lately to meet fellow Door County lovers and actually proposed this question there. Here are a few responses I received:

While Sturgeon Bay technically IS Door County, I personally don’t think of that town when I think of Door. It’s far too commercialized and doesn’t share the same essence and overall feel of the villages further north. I suppose it’s necessary to have some sort of business district in any county, but Sturgeon Bay, to me, feels like it could be transplanted into any other water-bordering Wisconsin county — especially with a Super WalMart coming in the next few years. I’ve told people before that I think of Door as truly beginning once you pass the last stop light (the 42/57 split). - Nick F., Lake County, IL

Nick is an avid Door County Fan and has been going to Door County for years.  He really appreciates the culture and heritage that the Door has to offer.

Another person I talked to, Steve who is originally from Milwaukee but now lives in Chicago, said the following in answer to our question:

I do. They are so close to each other, Even Washington Island is part of Door County in my opinion. My wife and I agree that going to Door County is like a piece of Heaven! The drive up there is so scenic.

So, a few mixed reviews.  Personally, after having visited Door County now for 5 years with my wife’s family (who has gone to Door County at least 2 or 3 times per year for over 25 years), I think Sturgeon Bay is a bit commercial to really be a “Village” in Door County.

I talked to a man today who stated to me clearly, and almost with a bit of disgust, that I had “forgotten to include Sturgeon Bay in the Reviews on the Door County Website.”  He insisted that Sturgeon Bay is definitely part of Door County, the map says it all.

What do you all think?

Okay, are you ready to join in the Door County conversation?

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Things to share on a blog: Opinions that may agree or disagree with the blog post, stories or personal insights relating to the blog post, links or other resources that add to the blog post, answers to questions posed by the blog.

Hope to see you on our blog soon!

At Door County Reviews, we’re asking Door County experts to leave their opinions to help Door County vacationers plan their trips and get the most that Door County has to offer.  But, maybe you feel a little self-conscious about leaving a review.  Don’t worry–here are 5 fool-proof tips that will give you the confidence you need to raise your voice and join in the conversation.

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Tip #2:  Be specific.  If you’ve got a favorite, or least favorite hotel, shop, or restaurant, make sure you tell us why you love it or, less-than-love-it.  What makes The Rushes my favorite time-share resort?  Why do I always order the same thing at the Florian?  And why do I prefer the Top of the Hill shops in Fish Creek?  If I don’t tell you, I probably won’t convince you!

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Tip #5:  Remember that you have valuable input and your opinion matters!  It doesn’t matter if you’ve been to Door County once or more times than you can count.  If you have an opinion about a business, than you should share it with us.  Door County Reviews is the only website of its kind: the public is our voice and offers an authentic snapshot of the best and worst of Door County.  Please share with us today!

You’ve probably checked out the up-and-coming website doorcountyreviews.com by now.  This website has been built by us, a husband & wife team of Door County lovers; we want to do everything we can to hold our ties to Door County, and also create a place online for people to share their own Door County traditions and stories.  If you are like we are, if you’ve got leisure time, you’re probably spending it in Door County. (This is true for us, even though we live across the country in Utah!)  But, even though we go so frequently, we find that we often hit the same spots: the tried and true traditions.  We created Door County Reviews in part to broaden our horizons, and everyone’s horizons.  How many trips does it take before you realize that the best thing to order at Villagio’s is the bacon & spinach salad?  How many trips before you give lingonberries a try at Al Johnson’s?  Please, leave your reviews at doorcountyreviews.com and fill us all in on the wisdom you’ve compiled through your vacations.  We’re currently working on partnerships to make these reviews worth your while!  Look for coupons in the future!

So, in the last few weeks, we’ve been having a friendly debate about which Door County, Wisconsin village is the “best.” Some people have noticed that I did not include Sturgeon Bay in this debate. Which, of course, inspires the question: do you consider Sturgeon Bay to be part of your Door County experience?

Geographically, Sturgeon Bay is, of course, part of Door County. However, my Door County experience begins at the stoplight where 57 and 42 part ways just north of Sturgeon Bay. Why? To me, Door County is all about leaving “the real world” behind. No malls, no Wal-marts, no chinsy chain stores. Everything is quiet, old-world, authentic. To me, Sturgeon Bay feels like either the jumping off point to a simpler time and place, or the re-emergence into a busy life, depending on whether we’re coming or going.

Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like Sturgeon Bay. It’s great on a rainy day to hit the cinema. We almost always stop at the Pick n Save here to stock up on groceries, and let’s face it–it’s always nice to have a Target within driving distance. We’ve even bowled here a few times in the winter when Sister Bay Bowl was all booked up. And Sturgeon Bay even has a few bastions of Door County culture hidden in its “big city” streets. The Inn at Cedar Crossing is somehow part of my Door County experience, even though Sturgeon Bay is not. The ambiance of the restaurant somehow transports it back in time and into the Door County culture I love to escape to. But, dear Sturgeon Bay, don’t be offended, but you just don’t quite cut it–and you aren’t part of my Door County.
Is Sturgeon Bay a part of yours?

Okay, so perhaps my title is a little misleading.  How can there really be a definitive answer for the best of Door County?  Really, people, it’s like choosing your favorite child.  From time to time, one may be in your good graces more than others, but when it comes down to it, you love them all the same, and for different reasons.  My favorite Door County villages are as follows, but your list may look very different depending on your interests:

Fish Creek:  tops my list because of the wide variety of things to do (Peninsula Park, anyone?), some fabulous restaurants, the quintessential best Door County shopping, and the quaint small town harbor feel.  Fish Creek is also a perfect location midway up the peninsula.  In my book, Fish Creek is the center of things.

Ephraim:  first runner up–since us frail humans tend to put so much emphasis on appearance, how could I pass up perfect postcard Ephraim?  One hour sitting on its sandy beaches, overlooking the white steeples peeking out of the trees, sailboats dotting the perfect blue and Peninsula’s lush forests standing guard on the bluff…it inspires pure R&R.

Egg Harbor:  Third place.  It was a close call and Sister Bay almost took this coveted spot, but Egg Harbor is a happening place with gorgeous scenery as well.  Harborview Park gives this community a true sense of character and with all the shops, there is lots to do in Egg Harbor besides just take in the beautiful views–not to mention golf Alpine.

Sister Bay: Honorable Mention.  Not only is this the home to some fabulous Door County Restaurants, getting to Sister Bay is a fun drive in itself.  I love coming down the steep hill and getting to overlook the whole main stretch of the town on the way to see the goats on the roof each year. Sister Bay is a breath of fresh air and feels like the closest thing to authentic Scandinavian culture outside of the Baltic.

The Not Yet Ranked but still Real Great: Bailey’s Harbor, Carlsville, Jacksonport, Ellison Bay, Gills Rock
So-what do you think?  Did I get it right?