The Best Wisconsin Road Trip Includes Door County Cherry Picking
Door County is definitely on the list of popular Wisconsin tourist destinations. When there are days that you just need to get away, Door County is a great place to go. When it’s cherry picking season and the cherry trees are full and ripe it’s an even better time.
A visit to Door County cherry-picking calls for a road trip. That doesn’t always mean a romantic road trip. Door County cherry-picking is the ideal time for a girls’ day out. This could be time with friends or it could be a road trip to do some door county cherry picking with your daughters. Door County has something for almost anyone.
Where is Door County, Wisconsin?
Door County is about a 45-minute drive north of Green Bay up the peninsula. When looking at the map of Wisconsin many people say it looks like a glove. Door County consists of almost all of the thumb.
Located in Door County are more than a dozen small charming towns, on a peninsula between Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
Door County offers visitors more than 300 breathtaking miles of shoreline with dozens of public beaches. When visiting Door County you have the rare opportunity of being able to watch the sunrise and the sunset without ever leaving the county.
As Wisconsin natives, we’ve been coming here for years and the beauty never changes. It is the ideal place for a relaxing and romantic road trip.
Door County History
The earliest settlers to Door County were Scandinavian, and they brought with them many of their customs. The men were fishermen and lumberjacks. One of the customs they brought with them was known as a fish boil. A Door County Fish Boil is an experience that visitors to the area can still enjoy today.
There is no mistaking the Scandinavian flair of many of the shops and restaurants. The Scandinavian influence makes shopping and eating in Door County a very unique experience.
Unlike other parts of Wisconsin, the soil in Door County is perfect for growing cherries, grapes, and even lavender. This makes Door County a perfect place to retreat for wine tasting, some cherry-picking, or enjoying the fragrance and romance of walking in the lavender fields.
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Getting to Door County
Getting to Door County is half the fun. Make the drive part of your trip, meaning if something catches your eye, give yourself permission to stop and explore.
For most Wisconsin residents Door County is an easy road trip. A road trip is a great opportunity for a little girl-talk to catch up on what’s been happening in everyone’s life. Or the ideal start to a romantic date.
Green Bay, Wisconsin is the last major city before hitting Door County. If you are flying into Wisconsin, Green Bay Austin Straubel Airport would be the nearest airport to Door County.
If you are flying into Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, Door County is only a three-hour drive.
From either airport, the best way to enjoy Door County is to rent a car and enjoy the scenery during your short drive. You will want the car in Door County so you can get around to all of the unique places.
What You Need to Know About Door County Cherry Picking
When is Door County Cherry Season
Door County Cherry season is between mid-July and mid-August depending on Wisconsin’s weather. This makes a summer road trip the perfect time to spend the day cherry picking.
We timed our visit just right! It was cherry season and many of the orchards were open for picking. When I mentioned to my daughters I was going on a road trip to Door County cherry picking, they were very excited but insisted we make a weekend out of it. Door County is the ideal place for a weekend getaway.
Where to go Cherry Picking
Although Door County has numerous family-owned cherry orchards, not all of them are open for public picking. Make sure to call ahead and see if the farm you are thinking of is open for picking and ask which cherries are ripe.
If you are already on an adventure in Door County, you will know it’s cherry picking season when you see all of the cars lined up in the cherry fields. Even if you just want to pick a little bucket, it’s fun being in the fields.
What to Know Before You Go
Three types of cherries grow in Door County; Montmorency is a more tart cherry and is normally used for jams and juices, Balaton is a sweet-tart cherry and is good for baking, the third type of cherry grown in Door County is the Sweet Cherry which is good for snacking or in fruit salads.
Depending on your winemaker, any of these varieties are good for making wine.
We chose to stop at Lautenbach Orchard. Lautenbach’s is a family farm that has been in operation since 1955. In addition to the cherries this year-round farm grows popular fruits including apples, grapes, raspberries, and pears.
Many of the things that are produced using the fresh fruits from the Lautenbach farm are available to purchase in their store, including fresh baked goods and a wide variety of wines.
Of course, you will want to do some shopping before picking your cherries. Don’t be surprised when you leave the store with bags of goodies, such as wine, freshly baked cherry pie, jam, bread, cheese, and even cherry salsa. Trust me here when I say the cherry salsa is amazing!
The store was also filled with numerous gift ideas all centering around cherries or Door County. What a treasure we found when we stopped at Lautenbach Orchards.
At Lautenbach’s, you purchase empty cherry buckets in the Lautenbach Orchard store. Cherry-picking is a little different than strawberry picking, which we love to do also.
Even the little ones can do some serious cherry picking.
When cherry-picking you first purchase your bucket for a set price. You are then directed to the area of the orchard you can pick.
On this particular day, it was way at the other end of the orchard. We were able to drive out into the orchard and find our area to pick.
We were free to enjoy the orchard and fill our buckets with nice ripe cherries. You always want to look for nice firm dark red cherries when picking. You can fill your bucket as full as you can.
When you are finished picking you do not need to go back and have them weigh your cherries. If it fits in your bucket you are good to go.
When we first drove out into the cherry orchard. We wandered for a while taking pictures before we chose our cherry tree and started picking. It was so much fun giggling, watching the families picking cherries, enjoying the trees and the neighboring grape fields.
Door County Cherry Festivals
Cherry season is a big deal in Door County. Many of the local farms hold festivals to celebrate the cherry harvest. Some of the local churches and communities also hold cherry festivals throughout Door County.
During the festivals, you can find everything from wine tasting, pie judging, games, food, local craft fairs, live music, and activities for the kids.
Did if forget to mention adult games also? Does anyone want to do some cherry-pit spitting? Gary is really good at it. He tried his hand at it on one of our previous Door County weekends and came in second. Pretty good for the first time trying cherry-pit spitting. (say that three times.)
As you can see, Door County cherry picking makes for a wonderful road trip for couples or even a girls’ day. But Door County is so much more than just cherries. Check out the other fun things we found.
Things to do in Door County
Cherry picking is not the only thing that Door County is known for. Door County is filled with many amazing things to fill your day and night. These are some of the many things we had to choose from during our road trip in addition to the cherry-picking.
Door County Coffee
Door County Coffee and Tea has to be your first stop. I swear you can smell the roasting coffee while driving up. It is the perfect stop for that first cup of coffee or even the second cup of the day. While you are there don’t leave without grabbing a scone to go with it.
This is also the ideal place to start your day of shopping and stretching your legs before ordering your coffee. If the weather is nice Door County Coffee has tables and chairs set up outside for visitors to sit and enjoy the early morning sunshine and breeze under the trees.
Even if you are not needing your caffeine fix, you really have to include a stop at Door County Coffee on your list. Not only can you stop in and buy freshly roasted Door County Coffee to take home, but you can also buy scone mixes in their large attached store. You will also find so many gifts and special items under their roof. You will surely find something that needs to go home with you.
Strolling the Marina and Enjoying the Beach
No stop in Door County is complete without a stop at the marina, it is so much fun to just stroll and dream. Depending on the weather you must put your feet in the sand. It may not be the ocean, but feeling the sand between your toes just makes it a vacation.
Door County Shopping
Shopping is so much fun in Door County. Each of the little towns along the peninsula offers its own unique shopping experience. You won’t find any chain stores, each of the unique stores is locally owned and operated.
You will find stores offering everything from one-of-a-kind clothing, to beachwear, holiday items, kitchen gadgets, home decor, jewelry, artwork, and antique shops. I couldn’t keep up with the list of all the places we stopped to shop but these are just a few of our favorites.
- Mistletoe Holiday House ~ A great way to start dreaming of Christmas.
- Door County Candle Co. ~ A 20-year tradition in Door County
- Fat Louie’s Olive Oil Co. ~ They offer varieties of dipping oil you have never thought of.
The chicken rode in the front seat with us the rest of the day.
This list could go on forever, there are so many fun shopping opportunities in Door County. You may want to plan a girl’s weekend and not just a one-day girl’s day.
Door County Restaurants
Door County is filled with a wide range of restaurants, It’s really hard to choose where to eat. Everyone has their own specialty, and what they do they do well. We are going to have to make a return visit to try more places. One day is just way too short to explore Door County.
We found so many amazing places to eat in Door County and in this blog post, you can read all about more than twenty Sister Bay Restaurants.
Wild Tomato Wood-Fired Pizza
Pizza does not get any more authentic than this. Not only is the pizza made in a wood-fired oven, but if you are seated on the patio, you will notice the numerous tomato plants and herbs that they are growing.
All pizzas are made to order. All of the other items on their menu are as delicious as their pizza.
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant is an authentic Swedish family-owned business. It is known for two things, first is the goats grazing on the sod roof. Second, is the food, have you ever had authentic Swedish pancakes? Even if you have I’m sure you have not had them the way Al Johnson’s serves them.
Don’t be fooled these are not just pancakes, they are amazing, and so is all of their food.
Door County Ice Cream Factory
No day in Door County would be complete without a stop at Door County Ice Cream. There is nothing like local, homemade ice cream.
While there, be sure to ask for samples before choosing. They have some amazing flavors like Door County Cherry and Deaths Door Chocolate. It’s hard to pick a flavor.
Wine Tasting
One additional stop is necessary for any trip through Door County. To top off a day of shopping, sightseeing, eating, and cherry picking you must stop at one of the local wineries for a wine tasting.
Door County Peninsula Winery is one of our favorites! Although we do try to patronize all of them, we always add a stop to Door County Peninsula Winery. One year we enjoyed the Cherry Drop on New Year’s Eve in Sister Bay and then on New Year’s day after doing a polar plunge in Lake Michigan this was our go-to stop to warm up. We love being able to sample the new wines of the season. It seems each year we find a new favorite.
Best Places to stay in Door County
With so many options in Door County for places to stay, we wanted to give you our top three picks.
Country House Resort – Sister Bay
Country House Resort is a charming and cozy resort located in Sister Bay. The resort overlooks the serene waters of Green Bay and offers a peaceful and tranquil retreat for those seeking a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The resort has 46 rooms and suites, each offering stunning views of the bay or the lush gardens surrounding the property. You can enjoy a range of amenities, including a heated outdoor pool, tennis courts, and a private beach.
The resort is also just a short distance from some of the area’s top attractions, including the Door County Maritime Museum and the Peninsula State Park. Country House Resort is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a relaxing getaway in beautiful Wisconsin.
Newport Resort, Egg Harbor
Newport Resort is a delightful resort located in the heart of Egg Harbor. The resort has a selection of spacious one, two, and three-bedroom beautiful suites.
Each suite features a fully equipped kitchen, a fireplace, and a private balcony or patio overlooking the beautiful woodlands and gardens surrounding the property.
Guests can enjoy a heated indoor swimming pool, a hot tub, and a fitness center. The resort is also situated within easy reach of some of the top attractions in Door County. Whether you’re traveling with family, friends, or a loved one, Newport Resort is an excellent choice for a relaxing and enjoyable stay in Egg Harbor.
What a great Door County weekend this turned about to be! So what are we going to do with all those fresh cherries? I’m pulling out a few of my favorite recipes.
Cherry Bounce
4 cups Door County Cherries (remove the pits)
1 quart of your favorite liquor
1/2 cup sugar
Combine all of the ingredients in a large mason jar. Refrigerate and set aside for at least 1 month (mine will wait till Christmas)
Occasionally tip the jar upside down and back again to mix.
Alcohol content increases the longer you let it sit.
Serve in a holiday drink or on a dessert.
Cherry Pie Filling
This is my favorite recipe from allrecipes
4 cups pitted tart red cherries
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Place cherries in a saucepan over low heat. Cover the pan and heat until the cherries release their juices and come to a simmer. About 10 minutes. Stir often.
In a bowl, whisk the sugar and cornstarch until smooth and blended. Pour the sugar mixture into the hot cherries and juice. Thoroughly mix. Simmer on low until the filling thickens about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool.
Use it as your pie or tart filling. You can water-bath can the filling for later use.
I also made cherry salsa, cherry BBQ sauce, cherry syrup, and cherry jam. It was a busy week but will be worth the extra effort. You can get all six of my cherry recipes by requesting them below.
