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

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.

Effigy Mounds National Park

September 9, 2020June 13, 2012 by traveler

Effigy Mounds – McGregor, Iowa Officially called Effigy Mounds National Monument, Effigy Mounds is located in the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River a few miles north of Marquette and McGregor, Iowa. Visiting the park is a great opportunity to get some healthful exercise, enjoy a nature walk through a mature northern hardwood forest, experience some … Read more

Isle Royale National Park

August 15, 2022April 23, 2012 by Ross Reinhold

Hiking the Isle Royale National ParkImogen Reed, Guest Contributor At the far northwest of Michigan is an island closer to both Minnesota and Canada than any other part of the state. So far in fact, that if you wanted to drive from any other part of Michigan you would have to go through at least … Read more

Fall Color Thunder Bay Ontario

November 17, 2023October 19, 2011 by traveler

Things to see and do in Thunder Bay In this post: Fall Color, Golfing, Dining, and visiting Fort William During our recent Minnesota North Shore Color Tour, we decided to extend our travels to run up as far north as Thunder Bay, Ontario. The color was not as striking as what we found along Minnesota’s … Read more

Fall Color and Events – Duluth & North Shore

August 15, 2022September 7, 2011 by traveler

What’s Happening in Duluth and along the North Shore in the fall Duluth September Events The Duluth-North Shore fall season begins the second weekend of September with Duluth’s annual LakeWalk Festival. See more about Duluth’s Lakewalk here. Later that month the annual Oktoberfest will be held in Duluth’s Bayfront Park. German Beer & Food, Oktoberfest … Read more

Fall Color Michigan Upper Peninsula

September 14, 2021September 6, 2011 by traveler

Scenic Fall Color Drives from Marquette to Sault Saint Marie, Michigan

During the last week in September, 2010 Jo and I toured the central UP to investigate first hand the fall foliage and color changes. Our trip began on September 20th and lasted through the 28th. (See Days 1 & 2 Reports Here) The table below gives you links to various portions of our trip so you can see what we found and notes of interest.

Upper Peninsula Fall Color Drive Posts:

—up color tour – days 1 & 2

—up color tour – days 3 & 4

—up color tour – days 5 & 6

—up color tour – days 7,8 & 9

In many cases we were a little early for the best color but did find some nice fall color scenery at Tahquamenon Falls and around Marquette. Yet even the areas where color was just beginning to change were worthwhile visiting. The waterfalls were spectacular. We love the nice crisp fall air, no bugs, and less competition for motels, campsites, and various attractions and things to see and do. A vigorous fall hike doesn’t get you all sweated up like summertime!

Grand Sable Dunes from the Log Slide Overlook in Pictured Rocks National Park

When might you expect peak fall color in the Upper Peninsula? See our Fall Color Reports – Michigan UP

–Ross

UP Fall Color Tour – Pictured Rocks

August 15, 2022September 30, 2010 by traveler

Monday September 20, 2010Munising, Michigan color tour – days 1 & 2 color tour – days 3 & 4 color tour – days 5 & 6 color tour – days 7,8 & 9 In late September Jo and I traveled to the Upper Peninsula with her sister Donna and our brother-in-law Dan to enjoy some … Read more

UP Fall Color Trip -Tahquamenon Falls

August 15, 2022September 29, 2010 by traveler

Friday, September 24thSault Sainte Marie, Ontario Thursday afternoon after touring the Corps of Engineer’s Soo Locks facility we crossed the International Bridge to the Canadian side. We camped at a nice KOA facility just North of town; Donna and Dan had a nice spacious suite at a hotel in town. It rained all afternoon and … Read more

UP Fall Color Tour – 4