Welcome to our Book of Adventures

Door County is a part of our love story…

Door County, Wisconsin is a 4 hour drive from our home. My parents always drove here in the summer and fall, but I had never been. Nate had been going to Door County for years and loved it…he insisted we take the trip together. Our first adventure to this beautiful part of the Wisconsin wilderness was the fall of 2018. Nate showed me all of his favorite places…it meant the world to me. It is a beautiful area and if you haven’t traveled here before, consider it in the future…it is lovely. It is now our most favorite romantic and outdoorsy local getaway ❤️ To help you plan your Wisconsin adventure, I’ve put together a list of things that we know are winners…and so romantic!

1. Washington Island and Bike Riding

Nate said… “let’s take the ferry over to Washington Island and ride bikes together”… Yes!!!! I don’t ride bikes very often, but when I do, I prefer to do it with my husband on an island. I’d say it’s kind of our thing, we do that exactly a lot. Washington Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Peaks Island.

The Washington Island Ferry Line picks you up in Ellison Bay and is $16 per adult. We brought both of our new Treks on this trip (my birthday present from Nate!). This was such a pleasant way to spend the day. While on the island, stop at the Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm! We shopped, ordered lavender champagne, and sat outside together and chilled. WONDERFUL. The beaches are also a must-stop-and-see. We rode our bikes to Schoolhouse beach where you can see the limestone rocks that are perfectly rounded and smooth. I had never seen a beach like this…we had a moment.

2. Fish Boil

Don’t miss an opportunity to do one of these!! Every time we go to Door County, without fail…we have dinner at The Old Post Office. I think it has the best fish and presentation. It is said that the Scandinavian immigrants brought the fish boil to this area. Cooking fish this way fed a lot of people…at that time, mostly lumberjacks, fisherman, and laborers. It’s really something to see….they get the water boiling hot, they add the salted fish, and then they light that fire up to ‘rager’ level and BAM!!…fish is done.

This web page is a great source of information behind the infamous Fish Boil, don’t miss this!!! If you love white fish smothered in drawn butter AND a slice of cherry pie at the end, make reservations now 🍒 and enjoy a romantic dinner for two Door County style. For another romantic dinner option, The White Gull Inn in Fish Creek has a delicious restaurant! Unless it is the dead of winter, you’ll need to make reservations for sure. This is a popular place.

3. Cherry-Stuffed French Toast

Cherries are a thing. When visiting Door County, one must buy (and eat) a famous Door County cherry pie AND one must order the cherry-stuffed french toast at The White Gull Inn. Nate surprised me with a cottage here (so cute!) and he said that we HAD to have the stuffed french toast. If you go to their website here it is prominently featured. This Inn is beautiful to stay at all year long. If you are looking around for accommodations, the White Gull Inn is exceptional.

4. Snow Shoeing

This was really awesome… we rented snow shoes at Nor Door Sport and Cyclery (they ALSO rent fat tires….) and made our way over to Peninsula State Park. It’s really the best way to do a winter hike.

We bundled up and set out on a snowy exploration. We hiked down to the water where Nate made his way out onto the ice. Right where he entered the frozen lake was one single rose. I must have stared at it forever…the day before had been Valentine’s Day. Someone had hiked down to that exact location and left one rose on the frozen lake. It was perfectly red and preserved. It was so sweet and sad, I of course left that spot wondering what the story was. Amazing that we found it…it’s a big park and a big lake. We had stumbled upon someone’s love story.

5. Stay at a B&B

Nate loves Bed & Breakfasts… one of our visits included a stay at The Hummingbird Inn. This was a small, intimate B&B. We had an exceptional breakfast cooked just for us (we were the only guests there) every morning. The grounds and gardens were beautiful and we had our own private bonfire every evening. They even had a cute storage shed to keep our bikes safe at night. Our days were filled with low-key adventure, our nights with red wine, a romantic fire and great conversation.

…And, One More…Wine!

Those who know me know that I looooooove a glass of red wine. Door County does have wineries and we do tastings everytime we go. Door County wine is no Willamette Valley, however, it is fun to do together. I recommend trying a few…I mean, you’re there already, why not? Here are 3 to try on your next visit… Door Peninsula Winery, Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market, and Harbor Ridge. Enjoy!!

We hope you find all the nooks and crannies of Door Country as romantic as we did. We love going there, wish it were closer! Every time we go, we do something different. I cherish this area of Wisconsin and the wonderful memories I have there with my husband. From bike riding to walks along the lakeshore and fabulous restaurants…I have been drinking the Door County 😊 Wisconsin kool-aid ever since!

#GoAdventure

Heather and Nate

Cheers!