Surrounded by water, Door County is home to the most shoreline in the state.  That being said, there are loads of nautical activities to keep the aqua fans busy.
The Door County Maritime Museum provides a base for the nautical heritage of the area.  Located at the dock adjacent to the Museum is Door County Cruises, home of a retired Chicago Fire Boat Tour which conducts a two hour tour from one end of the bay of Sturgeon Bay to the other end at the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal.  If you are interested in seeing the boat producing businesses in Sturgeon Bay, the Saturday of the first weekend in May is host to the Rotary International sponsored Shipbuilding Tour, where all three establishments are open for tour.  If you can't make it that weekend, Bay Shipbuilding Corporation, located along North Third Avenue and Sunset Drive can be witnessed from behind protective fencing along those streets.  Famous for its 1000' freighters and barges, Bay Ship is the work horse of the shipbuilding industry; comparably Palmer Johnson, Inc. is the fun cousin with its luxury yachts.  On warm days, the garage doors of Palmer Johnson's are usually open and you can witness the latest creation from Jefferson Street at First Avenue.  To round out the trio, is Great Lakes Yacht Services, most easily seen from the Michigan Street Bridge on the northeast shoreline, directly across the bay from the Maritime Museum.
Keeping the shoreline in mind for your lodging, the best views can be had from the following establishments: Stone Harbor Resort, Westwood Shores, Bay Shore Inn, Cliff Dwellers, Bridgeport Resort and Glidden Lodge, as well as many of our homes and cottages that are for rent.  As for dining establishments that have a water view, try Stone Harbor Restaurant, Bluefront Caféand Birmingham's Bar & Cottages. If watering holes are more to your taste, we have plenty of pubs, taverns and bars in the area
With so much water in the area, the fishing is always great whether you're ice-fishing or charter fishing.  With so many charter fishing guides to choose from, there's no reason you can't find a fish big enough for the mantle.  If you are the do-it-yourself variety, the local marinas will be able to help you with overnight stays for your boat, Yachtworks will help you with your boating needs, and the parks have plenty of launching facilities.  
If fishing isn't your forte, try swimming the waters of the lakes and bays that make Sturgeon Bay great.  Also located in the state, county and city parks, the sand beaches provide a refreshing dip for warm summer days.
To cap off the nautical inspired trip to Sturgeon Bay, bring something to represent the boating lifestyle back to friends and family.  The boating lifestyle is exemplified in our gift shops: On Deck Clothing Company for apparel, Yachtworks for the perfect captain's accessories, and many of our stores specialize in nautical accessories: Door Country Gifts, Essence Gift Shop, Beachside Cottage, and Sherry's Hallmark.