Winter is the best time to think about your Door County summer plans
Winters in Wisconsin — and in the Midwest in general — has a way of sparking our imaginations. Especially when it comes to dreaming about summer.
When the days are short and the landscape is quiet, it makes it much easier to envision what we want more of — sunlit mornings, views of open water, and weekends away that actually feel like vacations: unhurried and restorative.
That’s why January is the perfect time to start dreaming about a weekend getaway in Wisconsin — and in this case, Door County. If you’re planning ahead for warmer months, we’ve done a New York Times-style “36 Hours in Ephraim” that you can use for your itinerary once summer arrives, with Ephraim Shores Resort as your homebase:
36 Hours of a weekend getaway in Wisconsin, Ephraim-style
Friday Night: Arrival & Ease
Arrive in Ephraim in the early evening hours, and get a front-row seat to the sunset from Ephraim Shores Resort — all you need to do is cross the street to our private sundeck for the view. After you’ve seen the sun off for the evening, walk to the new La Sirena for a relaxing dinner, or to the Old Post Office Restaurant for a traditional fish boil (and a fiery boilover show!).
After dinner, take a walk along the shoreline before heading back to Ephraim Shores — a perfect excuse to enjoy a sweet treat from Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor.
Saturday Morning: Slow Starts
Begin the day with coffee and breakfast at Sunset Harbor Grill — where all you need to do is walk upstairs, and you’ll have your choice of a variety of homemade sweet and savory breakfasts.
From there, the day is yours to shape! Head to Ephraim Boat Rental at South Shore Pier to rent a pontoon boat and spend a few hours on Eagle Harbor, or head into Peninsula State Park for a round of golf at its golf course or a scenic hike, complete with sweeping views of Green Bay. Any summer weekend getaway in Wisconsin should be accented with beautiful scenery, and you’ll find plenty of it in Ephraim.
Saturday Late Afternoon: Wandering, Well
Your afternoon can be a choose-your-own adventure, based on what you want a weekend getaway in Wisconsin to feel like. Head to some of our local shops — Shorewood Village Shops at the north end of the village are great spots to go if you’re in the need of some retail therapy.
Or, if art and history are your interests, make sure to take in the latest exhibit at The Hardy Gallery or visit the Ephraim Village Museums to learn more about our village’s story. Just want to be out in the sunshine? Grab a spot of sand at Ephraim Beach!
Saturday Evening: Performances & Peacefulness
As evening arrives, there’s no shortage of things to do depending on your mood. Maybe it’s a quick dinner at Prince of Pierogi or Anatolia Cuisine DC for some Polish or Mediterranean food before heading to a show at Northern Sky Theater, Peninsula Players Theater, Door Shakespeare, Birch Creek Music Performance Center, or the Door Community Auditorium.
Or, perhaps it’s a little slower of a night, including a pre-dinner drink at Pearl Wine Cottage and a second stop for the weekend at Wilson’s (no judgement here — more ice cream is never a bad thing!).
Sunday Morning: One Last Look
On Sunday morning, take a final walk along the water, have that last cup of coffee, grab a breakfast burrito from Good Eggs on your way out of town. That’s it! Another weekend getaway in Wisconsin is in the books.
If you got to everything on your weekend’s to-do list, congrats! If not, know that the best Door County vacations aren’t necessarily about checking boxes — they’re about how time feels while you’re here. That, and you’re never too far away from another weekend getaway in Wisconsin — and in particular, Ephraim.
Ephraim Shores Resort — a waterfront Door County resort for the whole family
Located in downtown Ephraim, Ephraim Shores is a family-friendly resort for groups of all sizes. From our private sundeck overlooking Eagle Harbor and our many room types to our beautiful waterfront location, Ephraim Shores has everything your family needs for the perfect vacation. Some of our amenities include an indoor pool and hot tub, an exercise room and game room, and bikes for our guests to use. To make your reservation, contact us at 877-854-2371 or visit our website at ephraimshores.com.
View the original post on a weekend getaway in Wisconsin here.
