Bike Tour of Wisconsin’s Green Bay, Lake Michigan, Door County

The trip begins in Green Bay, at a brand new hotel next to Lambeau Field. Arrive early to take the tour of Lambeau and the Green Bay Packers Museum and Hall of Fame.

Our group will meet in the early afternoon to allow time for a casual spin ride hugging the shore of the Fox River and offering beautiful views of St. Norbert College, popular local fishing spots, the De Pere historic locks and dam, and quintessential Wisconsin countryside. We will reconvene in the early evening for dinner as a group. Lodge Kohler, our AAA Four Diamond home for the night, is home to a rooftop bar overlooking Lambeau Field, and a fine restaurant. 

After a breakfast on the banks of the Fox River, we will head into the heart of Door County. Our day's ride will start in an area of Door County known as Southern Door and will take us north through gently rolling fields through the heart of what was once the largest concentration of Belgian communities in the New World. Along the route, see beautiful barns, rolling fields, and the ever-present water views of Green Bay.

After lunch en route, we will spend time in the afternoon exploring one of Door County's jewels, Potowatomi State Park. The park is named for one of the tribes that inhabited Green Bay’s shores when the Europeans first arrived. They called themselves Bo-De-Wad-Me, meaning “keeper of the fire.” The tribal name and spelling were changed over time on maps to become Potowatomi. Walk one of the many shaded birch-lined trails. Watch the deer graze and hawks soar above the tree lined lakeside cliffs that form the western edge of the Niagra Escarpment stretching from Wisconsin to New York. Or, just take in the panoramic view from atop a 75-foot observation tower. On clear days, you can see 16 miles across the majestic waters of Green Bay from its 225 feet high vantage point above the water.

We end our day today in the charming town of Sturgeon Bay. Named Wisconsin’s friendliest small town, Sturgeon Bay is the county seat of Door County and the only city on the peninsula. Settled in 1835, its economy originally was based on lumbering. That changed, however, when the canal linking Green Bay and Lake Michigan opened to shipping in 1881 and altered the economy of the town of Sturgeon Bay.

We will spend our evening at the Stone Harbor Resort on the shores of Sturgeon Bay. Savor the sunset views before dinner as a group this evening at one of the many charming options in town.

Our morning starts with a ride heading east along the shipping canal connecting Green Bay and Lake Michigan, before turning north along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. At this point, take a moment to see two of Door County's eleven lighthouses. Many of Wisconsin’s early settlers came by Great Lakes steamships. These shipping lines eventually petitioned the US Government to commission lighthouses along the dangerous rocky shoreline of Lake Michigan.

Our ride continues, winding along the lake shore, catching glimpses of the water between unique waterfront homes and cottages. Spend a few miles spinning lakeside, and then head inland to ride through some of Door County's many orchards. We will be visiting during the heart of Door County’s cherry season. Roads sprinkled with cherry trees greet us with shiny red globes of fruit peeking out from beneath the green leaves. We might even see some harvesting in progress with mechanized “tree shakers” able to harvest 4 trees per minute!

We will lunch this afternoon at a local winery, where you can choose to stay and sample wines, possibly including a vintage or two of cherry wine. Or, you may continue pedaling to the picturesque town of Fish Creek, our home for the next three nights. The afternoon is yours to explore nearby Peninsula State Park, charter a fishing boat to try your hand at catching the local walleye, pike, trout or salmon, or wander the flower box lined streets and shops of charismatic Fish Creek.

Our home in Fish Creek is the elegant White Gull Inn. Settle in prior to enjoying dinner on your own at one of the many options Fish Creek has to offer.

Today is a cyclist’s dream day! We make our way to the largest island in Door County, Washington Island. Once home to large fishing operations, the island now houses only 650 residents year-round creating an ideal cycling destination filled with miles of quiet roads. Opt to bike or shuttle to the 30-minute ferry that will take us to the island across the strait after which Door County was named. Originally named by early French explorers as Porte Des Mortes, meaning "Door of Death", the strait was known for its treacherous currents and climate which caused many early navigators to be lost in the strait. Upon our safe arrival on the island, we will spin along empty scenic roads, catching views of the lake, surrounding islands, and sleepy island villages. Watch for fishing pelicans soaring above the water as we pedal the roads along the rocky shoreline.

After lunch in the early afternoon at one of the local gourmet eateries, we will make our way back toward Fish Creek via the road network winding its way through Northern Door County. The “Top of the Thumb” is highlighted by the communities of Ellison Bay, Rowleys Bay and Gills Rock. These charming villages are home to an abundance of small museums, artists’ galleries, shops and restaurants. In between is quintessential Door scenery. We will reconvene this evening to recount the day’s adventures and tell stories of our successful navigation through the “Porte Des Mortes” prior to dinner on your own in yet another wonderful option in Fish Creek.

We begin our day today with yet another bountiful White Gull Inn breakfast – perhaps their award-winning cherry stuffed French toast! Today is a day to take advantage of the spectacular views offered in nearby Peninsula State Park.  Gentle climbs are rewarded by bluff top views of sparkling Lake Michigan and descents to the sandy beaches along the shoreline.  There is an option to continue pedaling a short distance to lunch in the quaint fishing town of Bailey's Harbor. Named for a ship captain who took refuge from a violent 1840’s storm in the natural cove which defines the village waterfront, the appealing town of Bailey’s Harbor has a mix of shops and galleries to explore. Along our route returning to Fish Creek, take a minute to stop at the Edgewater Gallery sculpture garden - a worthwhile stop even if art is not "your thing." The late afternoon is yours to enjoy strolling the charming streets of Fish Creek before we finish our evening with dinner as a group.

Our final day returns us to Green Bay. After a brief van shuttle, we will bike from Brussels, WI all the back to Lodge Kohler on a mix of low traffic roads and paved paths. Scenery includes the shore of Green Bay and pastoral Wisconsin farmland. Lodge Kohler will provide rooms for showers and a champions’ lunch prior to departure.