Door County Honeymoon trip-Pics added!
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iloverags2 · 06-14-2002, 04:36 PM

Ok, all it took was two people asking about Door County and I had an urge to share with everyone! [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] I just love this place...so here goes...a report from July 2000.

Who: Russ and Cindy

When: July 3 – 8, 2000

Occasion: Our Honeymoon!

Day 1 – Romance awaits

Although our wedding was on June 30th, we didn’t start our Door County trip until the 3rd of July. We married in Chicago (my hometown), so Russ’ family all flew in. They had never been to the Windy City before, and we felt a sightseeing weekend was in order for them!

We arrived in Door County late afternoon on the 3rd. The Ephraim Inn, a bed & breakfast in Ephraim (duh!) was our choice for hotels. It is truly difficult to pick a place to stay in Door County…so many choices, and most of them excellent places. The Ephraim Inn won out mainly because of its views, but also because of its romance. Our room would turn out to be a great fit for our honeymoon…The Friendship Hearts Room. The owners mentioned this is chosen most often for weddings. We felt we were carrying on a tradition. Its location was awesome…second floor, on the end towards the harbor. A gorgeous view of Eagle Harbor (which is part of Green Bay), and the breeze coming in was unbelievable. Our windows remained open for almost our entire stay.

Russ had never been to Door County, so we ventured off a bit, to look around Ephraim, which is one of several small towns in DC. We noted a bit of trivia while walking about…Ephraim is a dry town. Since neither of us are drinkers, this suited us just fine. And seeing how the next town is only a five-minute drive away, there’s no need to worry if an urge appears. My sister had given us a picnic basket loaded with goodies, including a bottle of Door County Wedding Wine, so we felt prepared just the same.

Wilson’s, a small restaurant noted mostly for their ice cream, was located just in front of our B&B. We decided on grabbing a quick bite for dinner here capped off by an incredible dessert, before heading across the street to watch the sunset from the harbor. I’m convinced there is no other sunset like Door County’s. They are absolutely gorgeous. To this day I have not taken one photo that does it justice.

We were welcomed back to our room with chocolate chip cookies on the nightstand, and wishes for a pleasant evening. This would become a nightly ritual.

[ 06-17-2002, 07:41 PM: Message edited by: iloverags2 ]

iloverags2 · 06-14-2002, 04:39 PM

Day 2 – Fireworks, Fish Boils, and the Fourth

We awakened to an aroma that only a B&B could provide. Honestly, our thoughts were of a continental breakfast, but not here! This was a full-fledged affair. Breakfast consisted of farmers eggs (I’m not sure what was in them, but they were awesome – The Ephraim Inn keeps their recipes are guarded secret, and with good reason!), warm banana muffins, and the best granola I have ever tasted in my life. This would become the highlight of the trip (well, ok, not THE highlight, but we won’t discuss that here), and we looked forward to it every morning.

Being 4th of July, we weren’t sure what activities would be going on, only the parade in Egg Harbor. For whatever reasons, we headed in the opposite direction! Sister Bay, the next town north, has a wonderful “mall” with cute shops, so we decided to take a few hours and browse. Always a mistake if you’re with me. I don’t just browse, I buy! Not sure what we ended up with there, but by the time we were finished, the back seat of the car was filled to the brim with packages. It’s impossible to go to Door County and not come out with a new wardrobe, or entire room change for a section of your house. The people, or I should say artists, who live up here are talented beyond words, and their offerings are just too difficult to pass up.

Believe it or not, after our large and scrumptious breakfast, we were hungry again at lunchtime. If anyone has been to Door County, and Sister Bay in particular, they know the place not to miss is Al Johnson’s. What makes this place so unusual? Well, the goats nibbling from the grass roof for one. And this is an authentic Swedish restaurant, so the meatballs are a killer! Russ was taken aback by the servers, who for the majority spoke with accents. He was surprised by its authenticity, and asked about it. We found out some of the younger people they hire actually live in Sweden, and are over here on extended breaks or exchanges. Getting back to lunch, Russ had the meatball dinner. He not only finished the entire thing off, but managed to swipe the vast majority of my meatballs also. Fine by me…I had the Swedish pancakes with lingonberries, which are to die for!

By now, we were definitely in need of exercise, as we had probably put on quite a few pounds in just a few short hours. A drive over to the Lake Michigan side of DC brought us to Cave Point Park. This is on my to-do list each and every time I go up there. The most beautiful waves crashing into the caves. It is so awesome and breathtaking. Really no words to describe it. For those who are not faint of heart, you can climb down the small bluffs and walk by the caves, which have all been created by the lake and its waves.

While I’m more of the go, go, go type, Russ likes to take a rest at some point during the day. We decided to head back to the room for a quick nap before heading out for the evening.

Since the fireworks wouldn’t be starting until 9:30 or so, dinner was our first stop. Door County is known for a few things, one of the best known being its Fish Boil. What’s a fish boil? Well, they throw some fish, potatoes, and onions in a large kettle…cook it…toss kerosene under the kettle to create a huge flame…the water boils over! Truly a sight to see, and for some reason my family has always gotten a kick out of this. Neither Russ nor I eat fish, but The Viking restaurant provides excellent fried chicken also, and you get the rest of the goodies normally reserved for the fish eaters. Another great thing about The Viking, seating is outdoors at picnic tables, and really creates a fun atmosphere. Two older couples sat down with us, and were just tickled we were on our honeymoon. Had a blast chatting it up with them. Oh yes, and a fish boil is always topped off with a slice of famous Door County Cherry Pie (another thing DC is known for – its cherries!). I’m not a cherry eater, but I can never resist the pie here.

After finishing yet another huge meal, we were off to Gills Rock, which is the furthest town north on Highway 42. Arriving at 8:30, we thought we might be a bit early. Good thing we got there when we did. The parking was going at a quicker than quick rate, and finding a place to camp out could have been a nightmare had we gotten there even 10 minutes later. They were shooting the fireworks off a boat in Green Bay, so we sat at the marina, and watched boats come and go for the better part of an hour. With envy, of course!

An incredible fireworks display sent off the day with a bang!

iloverags2 · 06-14-2002, 04:41 PM

Day 3 – Tours, golf, and drive-in’s

Once again we woke to an incredible smell coming from directly below us. Today’s breakfast featured an Ephraim Inn omelet, cherry slice (we had to have at least one at some point!), and of course granola. After eating and relaxing a bit, and leafing through previous guest’s comments in the guest book, we decided to head out and make this a Russ day. He had gone through book after book of information, and since it was his first trip, he was going to pick out places he wanted to see.

Our first stop, The Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay. It was about a half-hour drive, which to me was great. As we passed through Fish Creek and Egg Harbor, I had a chance to explain to Russ the different things there are to do in each town, and point out places of interest (at least to me!). The museum was cool, with more information then I would have guessed. Russ enjoyed it, as he is a boat buff, and found all the gadgets interesting. He managed to pick up a few books from the museum store, which would keep him busy on our drive back to Florida at the end of our trip.

We would pass by the Door Peninsula Winery on our way back, so Russ figured this would be another good stop. I had been on the tour here several times, but agreed to go again since Russ had never been. Good thing we did. Only one other couple did the tour…we felt so bad, as several people were in the store, but few were willing to watch the tour. It’s actually quite interesting as they explain the entire process of making wine, and take you to the cellar where it is fermented (COLD!). We picked up some wine, and had to grab a few bottles on request for my family members, who we would be seeing again on our return back. No one in my family can make a trip to DC without being inundated with all kinds of requests to bring something back!

Knowing this would be a good point for Russ to rest, we headed back to Ephraim and made a quick decision to lunch at the Second Story Restaurant, which is located in the Ephraim Shores Motel just down the street from our B&B. This turned out to be, by far, one of the best meals we had. Not only did we have a window table (which from the second floor gave great views of Eagle Harbor), but also we had the entire restaurant to ourselves. And, the Italian beef sandwiches were awesome to boot!

After a short nap, and deciding we would see “The Perfect Storm” that evening, we headed out for a few rounds of mini golf at Pirates Adventure. Needless to say I didn’t win any! Oh yes, one bit of advice for anyone who plans on visiting and playing mini-golf…wear bug repellant!

Door County still boasts one of the best drive-in theatres around. Russ was thrilled to be going, and we decided to make this as authentic as we could. Our first stop over was at Digger’s Grill in Fish Creek to grab a few hot dogs & fries (I couldn’t remember what the food was like at the drive-in, so we took the safe route). By the time we made it back to the theatre, a line of cars was snaking along the highway shoulder waiting to get in. Well worth it, as the theatre is still as good as it always has been. Clear reception on the radio, not a bad place to park the car, and an awesome screen. Enjoyed every moment of this, and thought it was a great way to cap off a perfect day.

iloverags2 · 06-14-2002, 04:43 PM

Day 4 – Parks and picnics

If I didn’t mention what we had for breakfast every morning at the Inn, I would feel guilty, so here goes. Sesame cheesebake eggs, cinnamon rolls, and granola!

Door County has one of the most incredible state parks in Wisconsin…Peninsula State Park. It is located between Fish Creek and Ephraim, and offers views that are postcard perfect. Our day would be spent here, exploring and enjoying. We decided a picnic in the park would be perfect, so headed first to the grocery store to load up our picnic basket.

Five hours would be spent at the park, driving the scenic routes, and stopping at the waysides to enjoy the views. There are two main roads, one is along the shore, and the other is along the top of the bluff. We did the Skyline drive, and stopped several times to enjoy the peace and beauty of Green Bay below us. There is a tower, which lofts folks 250 feet above Green Bay, and has spectacular views, which were breathtaking and beautiful. After a quick look from above (with as many people climbing up, I did not feel safe or comfortable on this small, wooden contraption), we started to look for a good place to picnic. Driving along I spotted a lone picnic table on a small bluff, which just happened to be overlooking Eagle Harbor, with Ephraim across the way. How perfect was that?! With no one else around us, we enjoyed every moment we spent here…being silly, being serious, and being in love! It was hard to give up this spot, but we soon knew there were still several spots to explore. A happy family saw us leaving and grabbed the table before anyone else could.

We drove into the park a bit and spotted prairie dogs (they are just so cute) and deer. An incredible thing happened when we stopped to get a better look at one set of deer…a mother began feeding her baby. It was so beautiful. We quietly left them be, and knew we just experienced a site rarely seen. A few hundred feet away we spotted two more very young deer. Just gorgeous. With this, we felt we had seen it all in the park. The remainder of our afternoon was spent shopping in Fish Creek. This is my favorite town to shop in, as they have so many quaint stores, and such a variety of them. The town just bustles during the day. Oh yes, and one of my favorite treats is in Fish Creek…Not Yet Licked frozen custard! Had to stop for a scoop of chocolate!

With such a packed day, we didn’t get a good rest in, so headed out to dinner early at the Mission Grille in Sister Bay. This is such a cool place. It is a renovated church. They still have a few of the old pews and use them for benches in the booths. Russ commented that it seemed so peaceful in there, and I have to agree the atmosphere is usually tranquil in this place. So much so, I couldn’t remember what either of us ate!

A peaceful way to end the day.

iloverags2 · 06-14-2002, 04:45 PM

Day 5 – I let the ex-motorcycle owner drive the Wave Runner!

This would turn out to be our last breakfast at the Inn, as we were planning on hitting the road early the next morning before breakfast would be served. I savored every bit of breaded eggs with pear sauce, poppyseed bread, and granola. It was at this point I finally asked the owners if they sold their granola. What luck! They did, and we ended up buying not only two for ourselves, but a bag each for my mom and my sister’s since we would be seeing them on our way back. (Ok, I’ll fess up now…we have come to discover in recent months they sell their granola online – this must be something new. You can find it at www.theephraiminn.com But save some for me! And yes, we have ordered it for our anniversary!).

All week long we had talked about taking a catamaran ride on Eagle Harbor. I do this on every visit, and mentioned to Russ it’s not to be missed. Little did I know he had other plans. All he said was put your bathing suit on. Being a trusting person, I figured he just meant I might want to get some rays while on the boat. Ha! We got to the rental shack, which was located across the street from the Inn. Russ manages to rent a Wave Runner before I could figure out what he was doing. I was in trouble! See, this is an oversized boy, who used to own a motorcycle, and likes fast rides. Well, I was in for the ride of my life. And we had this little contraption for an hour! So there I was, on the back of the Wave Runner, riding around Green Bay, hanging onto my new hubby for dear life, screaming my lungs out. [You know what I also have from this excursion? Pictures of him laughing his head off (ok, big smiles anyway). I must admit, this was a total blast though, and my biggest fear was mostly falling off and dying of hypothermia from the cold water. We managed to stay on it though the entire time, and had a great time exploring the waters.

Our morning filled of fun made us a hungry couple. Once again we headed to the other side of the peninsula and lunched at Sandpiper in Bailey’s Harbor. Great Italian Beef sandwiches, but still not on par as with Second Story in Ephraim. While over this way, we checked out the Ridges Sanctuary, which is gorgeous and peaceful. Very few people over here, which gave us a chance to linger and read up on the foliage and animals we were seeing.

Instead of napping, today we spent our down time snacking on cheese & crackers, and enjoying the view from our room one last time.

A round of mini-golf was called for (I challenged, and once again lost!) before our last dinner. We decided to head over to The Viking fish boil. Russ really enjoyed this ritual, and the food is well worth it here. Again, we sat with an older couple and enjoyed their company.

An evening stroll in Ephraim, and watching the sunset was topped off with an ice cream at Wilson’s.

What a relaxing way to end our stay.

DreaminDisney · 06-14-2002, 06:34 PM

What a Great Report. Sounds like you really loved it (who wouldn't) I love seeing those goats on the top of that roof! We look for them everytime. I'm also glad you found your granola [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed it. Makes me want to go back NOW [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

iloverags2 · 06-17-2002, 07:33 PM

Here are a few pics (now that I know how to put them in posts!)

Russ and Cindy in front of The Ephraim Inn

Cave Point Park

Sunset at Gills Rock

[ 06-17-2002, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: iloverags2 ]

Bert & Sully · 06-17-2002, 07:53 PM

Wow, nice shots Cindy! Thanks for posting them! That's quite a tall man you got there [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] !

DreaminDisney · 06-17-2002, 07:55 PM

Beautiful Pictures! They look like Post cards! Did you take these? Man, I can't wait to go back.

You guys look so nice, too! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

AKLRULZ · 06-17-2002, 07:58 PM

Cindy! Fabulous! Thank you for sharing the pics, too! [img]graemlins/love.gif[/img]

Tinkerbelly · 06-17-2002, 08:02 PM

Wow awesome pictures! Thanks for sharing! I would love to go there sometime.. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

iloverags2 · 06-17-2002, 10:38 PM

Elaine...yup, he's a tall one...6'7". Of course, it doesn't help I'm only 5'4".

Debbie...yup, took the ones of Cave Point and Gills Rock. I'm convinced you can't take a bad picture anywhere in DC! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

wdwlovers · 06-17-2002, 11:13 PM

Thanks for sharing Cindy! I love your pictures. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

PS - I LUV WDW · 06-18-2002, 07:12 AM

Thanks for the report and the pictures!

Quote:

What makes this place so unusual? Well, the goats nibbling from the grass roof for one.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">Yup - must be unusual. My Mom and Dad were out that way for a vacation and came home with lots of pictures of said goats!