Fall in Door County. There’s nothing like it. Okay, maybe the folks in Vermont would have something to say about that, but it has to be a similar experience. A coworker once commented after a trip through the Door Peninsula, that he hadn’t seen such beautiful fall colors since his days in New England. This year, we set aside a weekend in early October to do some “leaf peeping” and we weren’t sure what to expect. It had been such a hot September. (The “September Sizzle” is what a local meteorologist called it.) But the warmer weather didn’t seem to dampen the vibrancy of the fall leaves. It was a perfect day and a perfect little road trip through some of our favorite Door County scenic spots.
We’ve been to Door County in the fall many times over the last three decades. We have our favorite destinations but this time we were looking for new roads to explore. A quick check of Destination Door County and we had our answer. As part of their three day fall tour itinerary was a route that was on our way to Sister Bay. Perfect. We drove by Waseda Farms as suggested. A stand of nearby birches reminded us of some George Shipperley paintings we’ve seen at Edgewood Orchard Galleries in Fish Creek. So we obviously needed a picture of that. And then, as we headed north and came to a stop, there before us was a lovely, gray barn. Not only did it have a barn quilt with an eight-pointed star, that apparently symbolizes abundance, a tapestry of vibrant fall colors framed it along one side. We were in love.
We headed to Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant to fuel up for more leaf peeping! Hot Cocoa for the kids, bloody marys for the adults and Swedish Pancakes and meatballs for all. Pro tip: Get there early! The wait at 11 in the morning on a fall Saturday was more than two hours. We are lucky enough to have a daughter living in Sister Bay who could go early and and get our names on the list!
After eating and peeping the goats on the roof, we traveled north to one of the most famous and most photographed roads in all of Door County… Highway 42 at the tip top of the peninsula.
The curves and bends near Northport are a favorite for photographers. And always have been. (The previously mentioned itinerary has one of those great shots of it from a better vantage point.) But now, as you can see below, the spot is also a favorite spot for “instagrammers.” We spotted a few content creators venturing into the middle of the road to snap the perfect pic. Careful out there! But the drive is fun and the views are stunning so we can hardly blame them.
If you have time in the day, we recommend a quick side trip off the highway as you head back south. Ellison Bluff County Park features a beautiful drive, hiking trails and a scenic overlook. You’ll get a great view of the water, without all the crowds you often find at Peninsula State Park.
Our next destination was the ever popular Peninsula State Park. We took Beach Road out of Ellison Bay Bluff Park to get back on to the main highway. Another gorgeous, scenic drive with old, stately homes on the bay that have been there for generations.
And then we took a little pause on taking in the fall colors, to add a little more color to the building at Anderson Dock. There are rules on what you can write, how big, how high up and what types of paint you can use, but it’s always a great photo op!
We have written about Peninsula State Park before. We love the beach, the hiking trails, and the bike trails. Friends pf ours don’t let a summer pass without camping there. And we always recommend to Door County first-timers, that they take a trip up Eagle Tower to see the panoramic visitas of the shoreline. In the fall, it’s at its most stunning.
On this day, the colors were really putting on a show. We love how the newly constructed tower, sweeps through the trees. It’s 100 steps to the top and then we meandered down the 850-foot, fully-accessible canopy walk. We would recommend not going on a weekend if you can avoid that. We ran into a long line of cars waiting to get through the admission gate along the Ephraim entrance. And parking was a challenge. But as you can see, worth it!
If you’re wondering, all pictures were taken with an iphone. The ones with a filter and border were put through the “Cross Process” app. We hope you love Door County in the fall as much as we do!
Whatever the season, Door County is a beautiful place to explore. Winter is one of our favorite seasons with it’s quiet beauty. Book your getaway today at Northern Door Vacations.
