When we travel to Door County, we almost always go as a family. Sometimes, an extended family with all the cousins! Over the years, that has meant some weeks in March for Spring Break. If you know Wisconsin weather, you know this time of year can be “iffy.” The days could be warm and sunny, cold and windy, snowy or rainy or a mixture of all of it. Whatever the forecast brings, we have found ways to have fun and enjoy all that the peninsula has to offer. Make sure you start with your home base.
The right vacation rental can give all members of the family the escape they need and really make it feel like a getaway. Some of the Northern Door Vacations luxury properties come with the fun built right in: ping pong tables, arcade games, large screens for movie nights and fireplaces for roasting marshmallows. And when you’re ready to venture out…
Get Creative at Hands On Art Studio
A rainy afternoon or cool spring morning is the perfect excuse to get creative at Hands On Art Studio. This beloved Door County art destination offers dozens of family-friendly activities where kids and adults can paint pottery, fuse glass, create mosaics, or even try clay projects.
It’s a place where creativity takes over and everyone leaves with a handmade souvenir. Pro tip: don’t go on your last day. Many of the projects you will create will be ready for pick-up the next day, so plan accordingly! We have many of the projects the kids have made hanging up around the house.
Bowl a Few Frames at Sister Bay Bowl
If your crew loves classic family fun, head to Sister Bay Bowl. This retro bowling alley has been entertaining Door County visitors for generations. As you can see, it’s not a big bowling alley. You may have to wait your turn. Good thing there’s a full restaurant and bar attached for snacks and refreshments. (The bowl is known for it’s Old Fashioneds and Friday Night Fish Fry.)
As with many Door County establishments, winter hours are limited. You might need to make this an evening activity, complete with pizza, before heading back to your vacation rental to plan the next day’s activities!
Explore Door County’s Springtime Natural Beauty
Spring is a beautiful time to experience Door County’s outdoors. Trails begin to thaw, birds return, and the lakeshore views are spectacular.
A few easy adventures families love:
Hike the scenic trails at Door County’s beautiful state parks. Climb the famous Eagle Tower for panoramic views of Green Bay. Walk along the rocky shoreline and hunt for skipping stones or fossils. If the wind does it’s thing, look for mounds of ice shoves along the shore.
After a day outdoors, returning to your cozy vacation rental makes it easy to warm up, cook dinner together, and relax. But before you do that…
Treat the Kids to Door County Sweets
No spring break trip is complete without a few sweet stops. Unfortunately, most of our favorite ice cream shops are closed for the season. Until they reopen in April or May, may we suggest some other fun ideas. Visit Uncle Tom’s Candy Store for classic candies and saltwater taffy. Door County Confectionery, has all the sweet treats and cute stuffed animals. And you can always get a cozy mug of hot cocoa at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant. Pair it with some Swedish pancackes, and you’ll have them all sugared up!
To round out your days, there are a number of coffee shops and family friendly restaurants that are open during the winter months. Husby’s Bar and Grill, Wild Tomato Pizza, Bayside, Della Porta and The Mink River Basin, to name a few. Again, always check ahead for winter hours,
The Perfect Spring Break Home Base
We think the best spring break trips balance adventure and downtime, and that’s exactly what you’ll find when you stay in a Door County vacation rental. We love having space to spread out after busy days exploring the peninsula. A little wine and cheese for the grownups while the kids are off playing games or getting in some quiet screentime.
With the right vacation rental, your spring break in Door County becomes more than a trip—it becomes a tradition your family will look forward to year after year.
