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Kids’ Beat: A Northern Door guide for children, parents and grandparents

OK, we’re here…NOW WHAT? That is a phrase I’ve heard from more than a few people in the years since I became a parent. As a full-time mom and a full-time resident of Door County, I’ve been asked for the answer to that question by visiting friends, family members, parents and grandparents. Well folks, here it is! I’ve compiled a comprehensive list of places and activities that people of all ages can enjoy. I have asked many local friends for their insider favorites and have also included highlights from friends who are summer guests. Many events are family friendly, such as barn dances and trolley tours, and some are just for kids, like camps and art classes.

In the course of compiling this, I discovered just how much there is to do – especially in the case of the water rentals and sightseeing tours! There are also beaches, parks and playgrounds in virtually every town on the peninsula – be sure to ask the visitor information offices for locations and hours. This guide is limited to the Northern Door area (north of the Highway 42/57 intersection in Sturgeon Bay) since that is what I am most familiar with, but perhaps in future years it will be expanded further.

In this section, you’ll find a calendar; a phone directory of organizations, medical facilities and places to pick up forgotten items like swim toys, fishing equipment or camping equipment; and other short blurbs related to kid’s activities. We’ve done our best to be thorough, but of course there are endless ways to entertain children and there are certainly fun things to do that we’ve forgotten. If you have an organization that caters to kids, or another idea to share, let us know by emailing [email protected] so we can grow this resource in the future. In the meantime, I hope this guide can help parents, grandparents and kids make your vacation in Door County as memorable and fun filled as possible.

A final recommendation:  I highly encourage readers to use the directory to call ahead to verify times, places, directions, etc. Many camps and classes will need advance enrollment and information.

Enjoy!