So beautiful! It was snow covered today but still worth a…read moredrive through and stop at the gorgeous beach! We will certainly return in the summer.

Newport State Park is located toward the topmost point of the Door County peninsula…read more We stopped by on a day when we decided to drive the length of the peninsula. It actually had somehow escaped my attention that there are multiple state parks in Door County. I knew of and have visited and camped in Peninsula State Park but hadn't heard of Newport State Park. It's a beautiful state park with both beachy and woodsy areas. The coolest thing that i wished I'd known sooner on our recent trip to Door County is that it's been designated an International Dark Sky Park. Star gazing in the rich splendor of Door County? This is your spot.

Door Bluff Headlands was an unexpected find during my visit to Door County. It's off the beaten…read morepath, with just a small turnaround/parking area, a portable toilet and some trails. The trails take you along the bluffs overlooking the water, and meander inland. There isn't signage and I'll admit that I ended up taking a bit longer of a hike that I planned on because I lost track of where I was. Because of it's location and amenities, you're not likely to encounter a lot of other people on your hike (but the ones I did were friendly). There was some fog on the day I visited, which gave the trail and view of the lake a mysterious air, and I joked that it looked like I'd found the edge of the map as the view just disappeared a short way out into the water. Per a handwritten sign on one of the trees, the park is also home to the highest point in Door County!

Read through the reviews to get an idea of the trail and any markings. We did not and gave up…read moreafter 15 minutes as we had no idea where the trail was taking us. Other than that if you like paths through trees that go up and down then this is for you.

So gorgeous and so appropriately named for the view! Just stroll down Main Street after dinner and…read moreyou can catch a fantastic view of the beautiful lake. It's definitely more of a park than a beach. Come at sunset and the ambiance is just lovely and everyone seemed to really respect the area. There aren't many benches or places to sit so you may find yourself standing for a bit to watch the sunset. If you're feeling adventurous, you can climb around the barrier to walk down and sit on the stone shore for a more intimate view. Very romantic place for our anniversary!

What a cute little park at the end of a street! It is right on the water and there are several…read moreplaces to sit and relax. It is an amazing spot to catch the sunset over the bay, read a book, write, meditate, chat, etc! It is not a beach in the sense of warm, golden sand between your toes; however, there is a path that leads you to the water's edge. Parking can be a bit tight on the small road so I suggest parking a little further away and walking, especially in the warm weather months. A Door County gem!

This island is definitely worth the ferry rides to get there. You can tour the lighthouse and hike…read morethe entire island. The lighthouse attendants are so friendly and knowledgeable. Very beautiful place to see.

Rock Island is, well, rocky. Make sure you have sturdy soled shoes or hiking boots because hiking…read morearound without them will sincerely tire out your feet. Unless you have your own boat access, you will take two boats to get there. The first is from the tip of the Door County peninsula to Washington Island, and the second is from Washington Island to Rock Island. Now, you may take your vehicle to Washington Island, but Rock Island is pedestrian traffic only. That is because there is nothing on it....it's uninhabited forest save for birds and some ground dwelling animals, like squirrels and chipmunks. You may hike around the island (it's large, but not huge, it doesn't take all day), and primitive camp. There are a few buildings you can visit and some you can even go in. Food and beverage is allowed, but you must bring it with you, and take all trash with you when you leave. Make sure to get back to the dock at one of the scheduled departure times, especially if you need to make the ferry back to the mainland. If you miss the last boat on either island, you're stuck until the following day. 6/2025

Beautiful views from Cave Point! Free parking & no admission required. Stroll…read morethrough the paths or walk to the lake's edge. Worth seeing the rocks & waves. There were a group of artists painting from the lookout points. So cool to see their work.

I never knew there was such a beautiful place in Northern Wisconsin that felt like the ocean…read more Turquoise blue waters and beautiful trails. Definitely worth visiting! The water was a little cold, but it is fall in northern Wisconsin.

Five stars, and this is based on a one day visit, of approximately 3 hours!…read more We were heading home from our stay at Peninsula State Park, and stopped in to check it out, since I had never been here before. What a lovely park! We picnicked down by the boat launch, which looks out over Sturgeon Bay and Sawyer Harbor. Our view actually consisted of two islands and the homes thereon. There is a shelter, of sorts, very near the boat ramp, and we learned that it is actually a place to process your catch....there are metal tables there to do what you need to do. After eating, we drove through the park to take in the sights and get a feel for it. We headed up to the tower, and as of our visit, it is still closed. We continued to the Old Ski Hill Overlook and got out to take some photos. We drove through more forest and ended up at the Nature Center and Park Store. Here you can rent bikes, canoes, kayaks, and paddle boards. You can also pick up a souvenir or two, or some snacks. We made a pit stop at the toilets (flushable and with nice showers) before heading out and on our way home. This park is located within a decent distance of Sturgeon Bay, but is also remote enough that you won't get the sounds of the city disturbing you at night. It is an easy drive up the peninsula from this location, and day trips are definitely doable. The only downside, as others have mentioned, is that there is no beach at this park. If that is a deal breaker, there are 4 more state parks in Door County to choose from. I don't know if we will ever camp here, but I can definitely say that I am not opposed to another visit! 49/2022

Pretty large state park. We got a $16 day pass and drove around. We attempted to do a hike through…read moreone of the forested trails but there were just so many mosquitoes that we had to abort. Even the mosquito repellent couldn't keep them away and I got bit through my clothes. We got a great view on top of the tower. And then ventured towards the dock where apparently sometimes you can catch the fisherman come back with their catches.

Excellent park and lighthouse! Island easily accessible by foot or (if it happens to be operating)…read morea free tractor ride. Very scenic views, especially from the top of the lighthouse. This is definitely a must-see in Door County.

A lovely little spot to learn about the history of lighthouses in Door County, and to enjoy a view…read moreif you are brave enough to climb up 97 stairs to the top. Deb climbed up and enjoyed the view from the lighthouse. For myself, my $12 admission fee was spent on touring the lighthouse keeper's cottage and enjoying the surrounding area. The grounds are well-maintained, just pretty as a postcard. The beach provided a lovely breeze on such a hot day. It is pretty much entirely made up of sharp seashells, so maybe don't attempt it barefoot. There is a short, rocky and uneven walk from the welcome center to the lighthouse. There is also a tractor with a trailer that can take people across, but to my understanding, it isn't always available. It was on the day we visited, but we opted to walk. The parking lot is pretty small. If you are visiting at a busy time, it might take a little while to find a spot. I think Cana Island Lighthouse is absolutely worth a stop if you are in the area.

Marinette Waterfalls - there's Good News and there''s Bad News. On top of that, we need to know The…read moreGood, The Bad and The Ugly. The Good News: Marinette County bills itself as the "Waterfall Capital of Wisconsin" and judging from the amount of fast water on the rivers in the county, there is plenty of evidence to back up that claim. The county tourism people would like you to come visit and tour the waterfalls. The Bad News: No one publishes a dedicated map to help you find the waterfalls and plan out a route to see them. There are too many to see in one day, possibly even two days. Without a map or a plan, you're liable to take three or four days to see them all and do a great deal of criss-crossing and back tracking to accomplish your goal. Incidentally, Marinette County does publish a map on their website that has waterfalls in the legend. It is one of six maps on the website and is not identified as a "waterfalls" map. It is the first of three maps listed as "Marinette County Waterfalls, Recreation & Snowmobile Maps" but once you print it, there's so much detail you can't see much of anything. It is next to useless as a PDF file, too. Now for the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The Good: Some of these waterfalls are breathtaking and well worth the effort to see them. The Bad: Others, not so much. The Good: Some are easy to reach without an real hiking experience. The Bad: Many are at the end of unimproved trails and will require some creative hiking to reach them. The Ugly: Some of the trails are a bit dangerous and downright scary to reach. A few caveats for potential waterfall hunters: 1) Most are off the beaten path, several miles from main highways. 2) Most of the access is on narrow, gravel roads, shared by enormous logging trucks. If you like your car to be kept in pristine condition, waterfall hunting in Marinette County is not for you. Drive with care! 3) Most of the waterfalls are in county parks. A nominal daily fee is required, however, once the fee is paid for the day, the permit is good in all the county parks. 4) Plan your day(s) before you head for Marinette County to go waterfall hunting. 5) Many of the waterfalls are actually whitewater rapids, very popular with rafters and kayakers but not so exciting for people looking for dramatic drops. I took a few hours and located the waterfalls on a map app and located the GPS coordinates. I was surprised how many of them are actually close together, but how far out some of them are. You actually have to go to Michigan to see waterfalls on boundary waters. My own favorites? Dave's Falls, Four Foot Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Twelve Foot Falls, Strong Falls and McClintock Falls. There are others that I need to go back to Marinette County to see.

In a whim, we decided to stay one night here to tour the historical landmark town. So glad we did…read more We got a site, #18, in a Thursday night, by making a request on the website. We have had luck with all the parks finding openings within a week or two of our travel (thought we tend to travel during the weekdays in the summer) The historical iron smelting village is fascinating. The state has done a wonderful job preserving the various community buildings, the iron smelting factory and some of the homes in the community. It is truly a loving, outdoor museum. Great information on signs and plaques throughout. We visited about two-hours before sunset on a Thursday evening. We rode to the historical village and were able to ride our back to the campground , after sunset. The village is bikable which is a great if mobility is an issue. There's a lot to see and it's spread out. Excellent photo ops around sunset. The sun sets behind the community area and the buildings can be nice "props". The sun also reflects off the rocks of the Niagara Escarpment which makes for a pretty photo. We biked the handicap road back to the campground. It's an easy and direct route between the two areas. There are clearings among the trees to get a wonderful, private view of the sunset. The trip is worth it simply to check out the historical community. What a gem in the UP. The campground was fun, yet busy and crowded for our tastes. Site 18 is good for a tent with some fairly flat grassy areas around it. The bro G bird behind and to one side of had RV's and were flexible about letting us spread into their site to find a good place for our tent. Similarly, the neighbors to our right, #20, camped in the bed of their truck. They struggled to find a level space and were concerned about mid with possible space. They parked partially on our site. It all worked out; we had great neighbors, but it was a bit of juggling. The fire rings can also be closer to a tent than we prefer. The washroom was close by and was clean. Small number of shower stalls to share with lots of people. Other sites looked larger and might have offered more privacy. The star of the show is accessibility to Lake Michigan. Wonderful sandy beaches. Lots of good walking, hiking. We would return to have more time to check out the peninsula. We had dinner at a fun restaurant in the water, not far from the campground (10-minutes): The Dock Grill & Bar. Nice people. Beautiful patio view of the water and good "bar food" options. The Shell gas station also has a mini mart with good meat and deli items, some grocery selections and frozen food.

Almost didn't go here as it was a little off our travel path. So glad we did tho. This place is…read moreamazing, old village with buildings intact and a great historical story. You can see the past while you're here. Great photo ops here as well. If you need to use a wheelchair, they have a wheelchair equipped for terrain that you can use, I thought this was amazing!

This is one of our favorite stops while visiting upper Michigan. This park has a beach with a…read morenaturally rocky shore as well as a sandy beach for swimming. The park features a volleyball court and a pretty nice playground. There is a road that circles the park which a lot of people use for walking. We like to look for sea glass on the Rocky shoreline.

Beautiful park located on 45 acres at Poplar Point in the city of Menominee, MI. Scenery includes…read moregreat views of Green Bay and the shoreline of Menominee and Marinette, WI. Lots of areas to have a picnic and there are pavilions available. May be best to just do a drive or walk through on your way to your vacation destination. Lots of recreation areas including volleyball, hiking and swimming. It's early June and there were tons of baby geese feeding on the grass. Bugs were really bad though.