Activities Available In Door County
Door County affords many opportunities to experience the nostalgia of your youth in one of the most picturesque areas of the Midwest! Do you remember going to the Drive-In Movie Theater? In Fish Creek, you will find the Skyway Drive-In www.doorcountydrivein.com. Take your significant other for an old fashioned movie date or bring the kids and show them ‘how we rolled in the old days’!
Peninsula Players Theatre www.peninsulaplayers.com in Fish Creek is America’s oldest professional resident summer theatre. This beautiful outdoor venue produces new musicals, comedies and whodunits monthly throughout the summer and into fall. American Folklore Theatre www.folkloretheatre.com offers original musical theatre under the stars in Peninsula State Park. Birch Creek www.birchcreek.org hosts a summer concert series for people with diverse musical tastes.
Our many area state parks have kept their beauty and character for generations. Consider visiting Newport State Park http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/newport, a ten minute drive from the resort, where you can bike and hike along Northern Door County’s scenic shoreline. Peninsula State Park http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/peninsula has entrances in Ephraim and Fish Creek, about twenty minutes from the resort, where you may choose to climb the Eagle Tower or visit Nicolet Beach. Whitefish Dunes State Park http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/whitefish and Cave Point County Park http://www.door-county-wisconsin.net/cave-point-door-county.htm offer beautiful and unique landscapes approximately forty-five minutes away.
Bayview Resort & Harbor can be your home base for other ‘mini-adventures’ around Door County. We are only a ten minute drive from the Washington Island Ferry Dock www.islandclippers.com in Gills Rock or drive another two miles to the car ferry www.wisferry.com in Northport. On Washington Island, you can visit Schoolhouse Beach or Mountain Park & Lookout Tower(one of the best views in Door County and well worth the climb!) or drive to Jackson Harbor and get a sense of Door County Maritime History at this historic fishing village. You can also take the small ferry from Jackson Harbor to Rock Island State Park http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/rockisland. If you are a serious cycling enthusiast, you may elect to take the passenger ferry and see Washington Island by bike. For those with kids, check out the Ostrich Farm(and zoo) on West Harbor Road. For the adult crowd, visit Nelson’s Bitters Pub, perhaps the oldest continuing operating bar in Wisconsin. While at Nelson’s, ask about the history of their ‘medicinal’ remedy during Prohibition and then join their Bitters Club. 
Visit http://www.washingtonisland.com/visitors-guide/attractions/ to see these and other Washington Island attractions.
You have several possibilities for viewing Door County from the water and many people will assert that this is the BEST way to see Door County!
Sail away on Door County’s only tall ship, the 62’ wooden schooner Edith M. Becker, and experience views only possible from the water. Take the kids and listen to the cannon thunder on each trip! Sail Door County www.saildoorcounty.com offers four trips daily in Sister Bay, 10 minutes away!
‘A bad day fishing is better than a good day at work!’ -Unknown Author. See our Fishing Page for more information on how and where to catch our nationally famous smallmouth bass as well as walleye, northern pike, salmon and perch. You can hire a local pro guide by contacting www.jackislandcharters.com or www.lateeyessportfishing.com. Jack Island Charters also offers guided duck hunts in the fall.
For those with an adventurous spirit and the desire to captain your own ship, contact Sister Bay Boat Rental www.sisterbayboatrental.com and charter your own boat for fishing, skiing, tubing or exploring many miles of Door County Coastline. Don’t forget to ask us about slip availability should you desire to keep your boat at the resort during your stay. We offer weekly and daily (off season only) rates for our cottage renters.
Although the resort offers complimentary kayaks and canoes, there are other beautiful locations around the peninsula that are well worth seeing via these silent sports. Two such places are Cave Point and Whitefish Dunes State Parks, where you can paddle past sea caves and along Door County’s largest sand beach. For information on guided kayak tours for adults and children, contact Kayak Door County at www.kayakdoorcounty.com.
See our Dining Page for information and links to many restaurants available locally. Several are within walking distance, including The Viking Grill(home of Northern Door County’s oldest Fish Boil and a tasty breakfast), The Mink River Basin Supper Club, Wickman House, Pasta Vino and Brew Coffee House. Island Orchard Cider’s tasting room is located on Garrett Bay Road, a 5 minute walk. Savory Spoon Cooking School, on Highway 42, offers couples cooking classes.
Door County hosts many local wineries that offer traditional grape wines as well as local cherry wines. Many have tasting rooms where you can sample their products. Take the guided tour of several wineries on the Door County Wine Trail www.doorcountywinetrail.com or get a map and brochure in the office and visit them on your own schedule.
‘Ty, what did you shoot today?’ ‘Oh, Judge, I don’t keep score.’ ‘Then how do you measure yourself against other golfers?’ ‘By height…’ Whether you are a Ty Webb or a Judge Smails, you will find a suitable golf course in Door County. Bay Ridge www.bayridgegolf.com in Sister Bay offers a regulation 9-hole course. Peninsula State Park Golf Course www.peninsulagolf.org in Ephraim has 18 holes, a driving range and spectacular views. Alpine Resort www.golfatalpine.com and Stonehedge www.golfstonehedge.com are about 30 minutes away in Egg Harbor. Maxwelton Braes Golf Course is located on Highway 57 in Baileys Harbor.
Shopping: Whether you are interested in antiques, clothing, jewelry, art or other area specialties, you’ll find a variety of stores, boutiques and galleries to visit in most of the small towns of Door County. There are so many options that we won’t begin to try and list them all here, except to suggest that you start your search locally in Ellison Bay at Turtle Ridge Gallery www.turtleridgegallery.com (fine art, jewelry and leather handbags) and Newport House Gallery www.newporthousegallery.com (art, fine antiques and home accessories). Silver Poplar Studios Gallery www.silverpoplar.com offers unpredictable art displayed in an eclectic barn, Russian estate and gardens.
If you would like to visit a one-stop-shop for books on many topics related to Door County, go to Peninsula Bookman www.peninsulabookman.com on Highway 42 in Fish Creek. They have a children’s section and an outstanding collection of History titles that will keep you entertained for hours while on vacation.
For something different(adults and children), visit Hands On Art Studio www.handsonartstudio.com in Fish Creek and explore your creative side. Note to guys: It’s not all painting and pottery. You can use fire to decorate metal(aka weld stuff)! Oh, they serve beer too.
For the kids: The possibilities are nearly endless! Visit The Farm www.thefarmindoorcounty.com, about 45 minutes away, where children can wander about at a ‘Living Museum of Rural America’ and interact with many friendly animals. Also see Play Farm Village at Plum Loco Animal Farm www.plumlocoanimalfarm in Egg Harbor. Stop for lunch in Peninsula Center at PC Junction www.pcjunctiondoorcounty.com and watch your burger and fries delivered via train. Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor www.wilsonsicecream.com in Ephraim, an old fashioned Soda Fountain, is a favorite destination of children where ice cream and sandwiches are served and a juke box plays the classics. Mini-golf is available in Sister Bay www.piratescove.net and at The Red Putter in Ephraim. For those who feel ‘the need for speed’, ride the go-carts at Johnsons Park on Highway 42 in Sister Bay. If you forgot to bring that ‘favorite’ toy on vacation and your little one just won’t let you forget about this unforgiveable oversight, stop by Kid Works on Main Street in Fish Creek for a suitable replacement.
We have many brochures, maps and other information on activities in the office. Stop by if you have any questions. Explore and have fun!