Fill your senses with the dazzling colors, pungent smells, and quiet sounds of nature as you hike or bike the dozens of state and county parks in Door County, Wisconsin. 

• Did you know?  It was the French who named the treacherous waters separating Washington Island from the mainland, “Portes des Morts” or Door of Death.  This is where Door County gets its name (www.doorcounty.com).

Or treat yourself to a relaxing, scenic cruise by car, boat, or horse-drawn wagon. You can even get an eagle-eyed view of the changing colors with a scenic airplane ride. Fall colors begin to turn in late September and usually peak by mid-October. The fall color hotline at the Door County Visitor Bureau provides updates. Call (920) 743-4456, ext. 3, then 6.

For your taste buds, there are roadside stands and farmers’ markets at every turn, offering crisp apples from local orchards, aromatic hot cider, and the bounty of the local harvest. And what would harvest season be without festivals? Door County has some of the best in the Midwest with pumpkin decorations, parades, collector cars, arts and crafts, and fireworks.

Reluctant to let the glow of summer fun fade? Fall offers one more chance to enjoy some of your favorite summer activities such as golfing, antique hunting, sailing, horseback riding, gallery browsing, fishing, and sightseeing.

Whether you’re staying in an elegant inn, cozy B&B, modern resort, cabin, motel or campsite, fall will put you in touch with the peninsula’s natural beauty at its best.

Check out these insider suggestions sure to get you going…

Enjoy an authentic Fish Boil dinner - a dining experience found only in Door County.  A traditional Door County fish boil features fresh Lake Michigan whitefish caught by local fishermen and cooked outside over an open fire, just as it was 100 years ago by the Scandinavian settlers of the Peninsula.   

•  Did you know? The fish boil tradition began as an economical way to feed large, hungry groups of lumberjacks and fishermen.  Churches picked up the tradition to raise money, and people from all over would come to taste the local fish, potatoes and Door County cherry pie. Eventually area restaurants followed and the Door County Fish Boil became a “not to be missed” event for every visitor.

Board the Door County Trolley for a narrated scenic tour to see breathtaking vistas from Door County’s scenic bluffs overlooking the islands, learning local legend and lore along the way (www.doorcountytrolley.com).

• Did you know?  Door County Trolley also offers a lighthouse tour, scenic tour, Jewel of the Door tour, progressive dinner outings and more.

Celebrate the season with a tour at Orchard Country Winery & Market in Fish Creek, a fourth generation family business featuring quality fruits and fruit products carefully crafted in the winery and cider mill.  Tour and taste at the winery and peruse the market for specialty products like jams, sauces, cherry and apple products and more (www.orchardcountry.com).

• Did you know?  Founded in 1985, Orchard Country Winery is a small family owned winery housed in a historic dairy barn, built in the early 1900s.

Explore Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor with its gleaming white tower and keeper’s home of cream city brick.  This 1869 lighthouse has withstood countless storms, witnessed great maritime dramas and is well-known as one of the Great Lakes’ most photographed lighthouses (www.dcmm.org/canaisland).

• Did you know?  Door County has the second largest concentration of lighthouses for any county in the US.