Do you have a summer getaway so good its on repeat? We do.

The journey to Door County (DoCo) from Madison, WI is part of what makes it so fun! Who doesn’t love a little road trip!?

Green Bay, WI is our favorite little pit stop and the point at which vacation mode is officially activated for us. We’re far enough away from home to have no real interruptions (kinda?), and so close to our vacation destination that we can almost taste it!

Green Bay is home to the Green Bay Packers, Carter’s favorite NFL football team, and it’s a beautiful town to take a break, grab a snack and a pint from Hinterland (great with food allergies!) and fuel up for the remaining hour in the car. The Packer pro-shop is impressive and worth the stop! If you have time to eat at 1919, or take the stadium tour, we highly recommend as it’s full of cool NFL history (Hello, Vince Lombardy!)

When we first started summer vacationing in DoCo, we would stay in Sturgeon Bay, one of the first little towns in the Door Peninsula. Sturgeon Bay is lovely! The sunsets are incredible and so is the downtown area. We’ve really enjoyed Sister Bay lately, its a little more remote and has more options for food allergy dining.

Oh Sister Bay, where do we even begin?! What draws us back each year is Sister Bay Beach, and its walkability to shops, excellent restaurants, and coffee shops. Sister Bay is further north than a lot of the little towns, and a short drive to Northport, the northern most point of the Door Peninsula where you can take the ferry to Washington Island. Its quieter than other towns, and the scenery is unparalleled. In many ways, this area reminds me of Northern California, the Healdsburg area, so pretty.

What’s extra sweet is the abundance of live music at the beach band shell and surrounding outdoor eateries late at night, the free yoga in the park, and fourth of July fireworks that make it extra special.

The place we stay at is also walking distance to the beach, which is a huge luxury because summer nights can be quite busy and parking is tough. Reserve far in advance, summer is prime time and it books up very quick!

Some of our favorite places:

  • Husbys – we love the menu, games and live music! We have also ordered take-out many times.
  • Wild Tomato – we love the outdoor seating, and the beach bar! Perfect for hanging out at the beach and letting the kids run around at the beach playground.
  • Boathouse on the Bay – 100% seafood restaurant with amazing sides, always allergy friendly, Chloe loves the fresh shrimp with old bay seasoning. The views from this restaurant can’t be beat!
  • Sip – regular stops at Sip while on vacation here are a must! What a gem. They have the best coffee and the games outside for the family are wonderful and totally chill! The food and bakery items are also great but not nut free.
  • Al Johnsons – everything here is nut free which we love! The crepe pancakes are delicious and sweet! The coffee is strong. Word to the wise, get there early!! The Swedish boutique is a great place for unique gifts (while you’re waiting for your table).
  • Kokos Ice Cream – we discovered a new ice cream place that is 100% plant based and nut free during our 2024 visit, and we will be back! The flavors are unique, and made fresh. The staff is SMART about allergies! The decor is lovely- perfect place for a quick little photo op with a pink parasol!

Our 2024 trip was wonderful. We spent so much time at the beach, Peninsula State Park, golf and the pool. We missed out on boating this year, but its on our list for next time!

We ❤ Sister Bay. Our 2025 trip is already booked.