Scenic Fall Color Train Ride

August 23, 2022October 24, 2012 by traveler

Friends of 261 Fall Train Ride The group of volunteers (members of the non-profit Railroading Heritage of Midwest Ameria), who support the Milwaukee Road Steam Locomotive #261 and classic railroading, operate a number of train excursions throughout the year. Included among these are a fall color train operating out of Minneapolis offering two trips on … Read more

Fall Colors and Scenic Travel in Door County

October 31, 2023October 20, 2012 by traveler

Fall Scenic Drives and Interesting Places to visit in Door County Wisconsin

Traveling in Door County catching some great fall colors, visiting Door County’s quaint villages, playing a little golf, and finding who has best hamburgers and sandwiches on the peninsula.

Ephraim, Wisconsin — Along the lakeshore in Ephraim in Door County Wisconsin

Sunday, October 7th.

While the temps were cool (50 degrees) the sun came out to show off the colors and offer a beautiful day to drive around the peninsula. Our first stop was at Door County Coffee’s Café and Coffee Roasting headquarters, a place we first heard about on Wisconsinmade.com. A great place for breakfast or lunch if fresh roasted gourmet coffee with your meal is an important ingredient. Over 100 coffee blends are available in their company store. In addition they have a pretty decent selection of unique gift items that are fun to browse through even if you are not in the market for gift ideas.

Door County Coffee Company – Outdoor Patio

Next stop was Egg Harbor’s PumpkinPatch Festival. We found the town in full swing with arts and crafts &tents all about town and all the artisan shops open with specials available. Down by the lakefront music by Big Mouth & the Power Tools playing classic rock and blues and lots of food for the hungry festival goer. Even though I just had breakfast, couldn’t pass up the BBQ roasted corn-on-the-cob.

Ephraim, Wisconsin

Wilsons Root Beer — Yummy Whitefish sandwich and fries with homemade
Root Beer

We drove through Fish Creek but didn’t stop as our destination was Ephraim, Wisconsin and Wilson’s Old Fashioned Café and Soda Shop. We ate on their screened in porch as the sun was keeping it warm enough.

Others stayed inside in the 1950’s Soda Shop mileau. You’d expect LaVerne and Shirley or Fonzi to walk in any minute. Playing on the authentic juke box were some a selection of Chuck Berry, Elvis, and Beach Boys tunes.

Jo and Donna had the burgers and pronounced them tasty. They came with a generous helping of fries, more than either could handle. Dan had the Reuben Sandwich which came with an extra generous helping of sauerkraut and chips + home made cole slaw. I had the Whitefish Sandwich and it passed the test – hot, not fishy tasting, and not overly breaded. I also had the fries and homemade cole slaw. I couldn’t finish all my meal either. Both Dan and I also had Wilson’s signature old-fashioned draft root beer served in a frosty mug. Beats A&W for sure.

Wilsons Ephraim — Wilson’s Soda Fountain & Cafe, Emphraim, WI

Wilsons Ephraim, WI — Old fashioned booths and juke box at Wilsons

Peninsula State Park

While Dan and I golfed the course at Peninsula State Park, the girls went hiking on some of the trails in the park. (See our golf course review here). The park offers over 10 hiking and nature trails with a variety of terrain, fauna, scenic lookouts and degree of difficulty. The 2 mile Eagle Trail is perhaps the most scenic with 150 feet high cliffs, lookouts over the lake and dense forest but it is also rated as a “difficult hike.” Jo and Donna were looking for a less strenuous outing so they chose to hike the 3 mile Skyline Trail. Beforehand they warmed up on a part of the Vita Course, a 1 mile loop with numerous exercise stations. The park’s camping capacity is huge, offering 468 camp sites, including 101 with electric service for RV camping.

Peninsula Park Hiking — A view of Horseshoe Island from the Skyline Trail, Peninsula Park

After hiking and golfing we returned to our lodging on the waterfront on Sturgeon Bay. That evening a beautiful sunset looking across the bay.

Sunset Sturgeon Bay, WI — Sturgeon Bay Sunset

More Door County Things to See and Do.

Hiking at Whitefish Dunes State Park on the Lake Michigan side of the Peninsula.

More Door County Fall Color Pictures

Here’s a Google Map showing some of the locations we visited during our fall scenic travel tour of Door County and some links to other articles on our Door County visit.

View the complete Door County Travel map in a larger view, with links to various destinations and attractions

Links to more Door County Travel articles

Discover more information on Door County at HelloDoorCounty.com

Door County Fall Color Pictures

October 31, 2023October 19, 2012 by traveler

Fall Color Pictures – Traveling around Door County, Wisconsin

During our fall color trip to Door County, Wisconsin we encountered some cool and overcast days but still managed to see most of the county and get some decent fall color pictures. Some of these you can see in our other Door County articles on visiting Door County villages, Hiking at Whitefish Dunes and golfing some of Door County’s top golf courses.

Driving along Bay Shore Drive between Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor

View from the pier at Murphy County Park, Door County

Continuing along the Green Bay side of Door County we encountered some nice color in and around the picturesque village of Ephraim, Wisconsin

Along the lakeshore in Ephraim in Door County Wisconsin

Continuing along the Green Bay side until the tip at Hedgehog Harbor

Garrett Bay, Door County, WI — Garrett Bay at the tip of Door County

Door County Fall Color — Door County Scenic Drive

Over on the “quiet side” of Door County near Whitefish Dunes State Park

Small park on Whitefish Bay south of Whitefish Dunes State Park

A couple of neat barn quilts along Door County’s rural roads

barn quilts door county — An unusual artistic quilt block decorates this rural Door County barn

barn quilt door county — Barn Quilt near Jacksonport, Door County

Our visit to Door County was in the second week of October. Peak color would have been the following week. However, the trade-off could be even cooler weather than we encountered so we were happy with our choice ot timing of our trip.

Here’s a Google Map showing some of the locations we visited during our fall scenic travel tour of Door County

View Door County Trip in a larger map

Discover more information on Door County at HelloDoorCounty.com

Roscoe

Whitefish Dunes State Park

October 31, 2023October 9, 2012 by traveler

Hiking Whitefish Dunes Park, Door County, Wisconsin

On the second day (October 8th) of our fall color trip to Door County we decided to explore the eastern side of the peninsula, called the quiet side since it has fewer resorts and fewer tourist attractions. One popular spot, however, is Whitefish Dunes State Park. Several hiking trails, an extensive sand beach (great for swimming in the summer time), picnic areas, nine hiking trails, and a nature center. Whitefish is a day use area so there are no camping facilities.

We decided to hike the Red Trail out to the Old Baldy observation tower located on the highest of the dunes that line the lakeshore in the park. The loop provides a variety of terrain running near the lake shore on the way out and then behind the dunes on the way back to the nature center. The 2.8 mile hike was just the right amount of exercise. We packed in a lunch which we enjoyed in the enclosed shelter near the nature center. Although a sunny day, the temps were in the 50s and the wind was roaring more than 25 mph so finding the enclosed shelter was a welcome discovery.