Plan Your Stay

Whether you’re here for an afternoon, a weekend, a week, or you decide to never leave, our handy planning guide can give you the best tips and suggestions for how to spend your time while you’re here.

Summer - I Have a Week

On the water

• Kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding
• Sailboat rides and Sunset cruises
• Fishing off the docks and fishing charters
• Jet-skiing and boat charters

Attractions

• Explore Sturgeon Bay’s history at Heritage Village at Big Creek
• Indoor theater at Third Avenue Playhouse or Rogue Theater
• Free music in the park, Wednesdays @ 7 p.m., Martin Park, mid-June through end of August
• Dine indoors or out, at fine restaurants and casual eateries
• Explore a favorite food  of Door County with a stop at award-winning cheesemaker Renards Cheese
• Shop at specialty gift shops and boutiques
• Explore Sturgeon Bay’s art offerings: galleries and districts stimulate your brain’s right side, and make for enlightening shopping and gifts
• Local artist galleries and districts feature openings, classes and gift shops
• Feed the animals at The Farm
• Skaters and BMXers will dig the rails at Door County’s only Skate Park
• Enjoy a beverage at a cafe, brewery, distillery or winery
• Partake in Sturgeon Bay history and enjoy a Fish Boil, or Friday night fish fry
• Tour and experience Sturgeon Bay and Door County on an authentic trolley tour
• Visit the U.S. Coast Guard Canal Station lighthouses and stop at lookout points for views of the canal

In the great outdoors

• Enjoy the fruits of the fields at weekly Farmer’s Markets
• Sweet and tart cherries ripen, waiting to be picked
• Bike around town or off-road on trails in Potawatomi State Park, or a rustic county park
• Stroll the sand dunes, or bask in the spring sunshine at Whitefish Dunes State Park
• Enjoy a picnic at one of the beautiful beaches of Otumba or Sunset Parks, or Whitefish State Park
• Putt-er around the golf course, take a ride on a Segway or zip through the trees on a zip line
• Camp under the trees and twinkling stars
• Fish the canal, bay or lake. Guides and charters available to help hook the big ones.
• Take in a youth baseball or soccer game
• Run off some energy at any of the parks with courts, cages, disc golf, outdoor fitness equipment, and the dog park
• Take a drive to Carlsville and check out the shops, eat delicious food, taste wine and spirits. 
• Take a stroll around the waterfront, watching the maritime hustle and bustle, and relaxing to the sounds of the water and waterfowl
• Check out our  historic walking tour

Traveling with children & teens

• Check out our “In the great outdoors” section
• Free music in the park, Harmony by the Bay on Wednesdays @ 7 p.m., Martin Park, mid-June through end of August
• Learn about Door County history at the  Door County Historical Museum & Archives,  Door County Maritime Museum, and  Miller Art Museum
• Explore a favorite food  of Door County with a stop and tour at award-winning cheesemaker Renards Cheese
• Pick and eat cherries, ripe from the trees
• Tour and experience Sturgeon Bay and Door County on an authentic trolley tour
• Take a drive to Carlsville and visit the country store with a small petting zoo
• Bird watch by the canal, lake or bay
• Take a stroll around the waterfront, watch the maritime hustle and bustle
• Feed the animals at The Farm
• Skaters and BMXers will dig the rails at Door County’s only Skate Park
• Outdoor activities are great for burning off energy
• Visit Cherry Lanes for bowling, arcade games, darts and air hockey 
• Traveling with big or small children? The Farm  is a  great stop for exploration and education
• Do some shore fishing with kids
• Sunset Park is a great park for kids, offering a sandy beach, playground, restrooms and acres of green space with picnic amenities

Traveling with pets

• Check out our "In the great outdoors" section
• Visit the U.S. Coast Guard Canal Station lighthouses and stop at lookout points for views of the canal
• Bird watch by the canal, lake or bay
• Take in the astounding sights and sounds of massive Great Lakes freighters
• Run off some energy (or your canine’s) at the dog park

Events

• Lighthouse Festival (second weekend of June)
• Harmony by the Bay -Free music in the park, Wednesdays @ 7 p.m., Martin Park, mid-June through end of August
• Sturgeon Bay Celebrates, July 4
• Sail Through the Avenues Sidewalk Sale (last Thursday of July)
• Maritime Week (first week of August)
• Maritime on Madison (second Saturday of August)