Door County Communities: Sister Bay
Of all the towns in Door County, Sister Bay has probably changed the most since I started coming to the peninsula nearly thirty years ago. When I first came up in the early ‘90’s, Sister Bay was just a small town with a couple downtown shops. Today, it’s Door County’s boom town.
As the largest Northern Door community, Sister Bay has emerged as a thriving tourist spot. From its Town Centre, you can walk to several different places depending on what you want to do. From shopping to restaurants, beer gardens to coffee houses and ice cream parlors to the beach, everything is just a short stroll.
Door County Hotels
We’ve stayed at a number of places in Sister Bay, including The Scandinavian Lodge, Birchwood Lodge and Church Hill Inn.
But recently, we’ve found the Yacht Club at Sister Bay, and we really enjoy it. It’s centrally located – just down the street from the beach and the downtown shops.
Downtown Sister Bay
If you stay at the Yacht Club at Sister Bay, a typical day might look something like this: a short walk to breakfast at Al Johnson’s for their Swedish pancakes and a cup of rich, dark coffee. Their thin pancakes are the best on the peninsula.
After breakfast, we always take some time to watch the goats on the roof – yes, they literally have live goats that spend their days on the roof of the restaurant. It’s the perfect spot for a photo op.
After a few minutes, we head up the street for some shopping at On Deck Clothing Company and Spot – two Door County favorites.
When we’re done spending, we’re off to the beach for a quick dip in the lake and a little sunbathing on the 600 feet of sandy shore. Then it’s back to the hotel for a shower and a nap.
Late afternoon includes a walk back over to Al Johnson’s Stabbur Beer Garden for a cocktail, before dinner at Sister Bay Bowl and Supper Club. Known for its fish fry, Sister Bay Bowl is a must. Plus, there really are six vintage bowling lanes in the back of the restaurant where, after dinner, you can roll few games, as we always do.
On the way back to the hotel, it’s a quick stop for a cone at Analog Ice Cream and Coffee.
Back at the Yacht Club, we put on a fire and play a few board games.
That’s an entire day of non-stop entertainment, shopping and eating without ever getting in the car.
More to do around Sister Bay
But if you want more, there are several other great things you can do around Sister Bay.
One place we go often is the Sister Bay Sports Complex. If the weather is nice, the complex has baseball, softball, and soccer fields, in addition to basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts.
During colder months, there’s a small sledding hill, and an ice rink for skating.
In December, we stopped by the complex for a few hours so my sons could play a little hockey. There’s also a concession stand and a warming house where my wife and I sat and watched.
And last summer, my son, Tyler, and I went over to the baseball field for a few hours and had a whiffle ball home run contest. We also kicked the ball around for a bit on the soccer fields.
During New Year’s Eve, Sister Bay puts on a spectacular fireworks show. We’ve caught the show a couple times, and it’s awesome.
Needless to say, my family enjoys playing here.
Door County Orchards
Sister Bay has a couple other of our favorites, including our favorite orchard, which is just north of downtown. Seaquist Orchards has all our Door County’s favorites, including Honeycrisp apples, jams, fresh pies, and cherries. We stock up every time we come up. They also have a great outdoor maze, and for part of the year (during non-Covid times), an indoor maze.
More Sister Bay Restaurants
My absolute favorite restaurant on the peninsula is Northern Grill. I love the ambience, the pizza, and most of all, their specialty drink, the cherry bomb. They’ve been closed most of the past year because of the pandemic, but they do plan to reopen in 2021. We always grab a pie, and a couple cherry bombs when we’re in town.
The tables all have Trivia Pursuit cards to help pass the time, plus there’s billiards, video games and outdoor games for the kids. It’s the perfect family-friendly, northern Wisconsin pub.
Another favorite that my family stumbled on to last summer is the Boathouse on the Bay. Located right on the bay on the north end of town, Boathouse on the Bay is the perfect spot for a drink and a burger – which is exactly what I had when we stopped in.
During summer – in non-Covid times – the Boathouse has live music out on their deck overlooking the water. Imagine – warm weather, live music, a drink and the sunset – can you say perfection?
Ice cream in Sister Bay
Our favorite ice cream shop is just north of town on highway 42. Door County Ice Cream Factory & Sandwich Shoppe is the perfect evening stop on your way back to your hotel. My wife and I love the Door County Cherry in a waffle cone. But you really can’t go wrong here. Tyler always gets a bowl of mint chip, and my older son, Riley, likes their chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich.
Regardless of what you get, Door County Ice Cream Factory & Sandwich Shoppe is the perfect way to end a day.
Adventure shops in Sister Bay
Two of my favorite outdoor shops are in Sister Bay. My personal favorite type of shopping is outdoor adventure shopping, and Ecology Sports one of the best. Located north of downtown, Ecology is stocked with outdoor clothing and accessories for the active minded.
My other favorite is Bay Shore Outfitters. Just south of town, Bay Shore sells adventure clothing and outdoor gear, like kayaks and skis. They also have a great rental program where you can rent kayaks, paddle boards, skis, snowshoes, and bicycles.
Sister Bay is also home to one of our favorite mini golf courses on the peninsula. I’ve never hid the fact that Red Putter in Ephraim is our favorite, but Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf in Sister Bay is just as fun. With a pirate theme, sunken ships and cascading waterfalls, Pirate’s Cove is a hole-in-one.
After a fun, active day, when you’re finally exhausted, the Sister Bay lakefront is one the best spots in Door County to sit, unwind and watch the sunset. Grab yourself a pizza from Wild Tomato, walk a block over and watch the sun go down on another spectacular day.
If you’re looking to stay in Sister Bay, book your spot early. Vacancies fill up quickly, so if you’re looking towards the spring or summer, book now. Check out our Door County lodging directory for a complete listing of Door County hotels, resorts, bed & breakfasts, and campgrounds.
What do you like to do in Sister Bay? Let us know in the comments below.
