Door County - The Official Visitor Guide 2008 - (Page 18) the GameS oF the PeninSula Winter And of course there’s Hill 17, every kid’s favorite excursion. Peninsula State Park’s 17th hole becomes a sledding hill come winter, and the first good snowfall even draws a few adults out to rekindle childhood thrills. While there you’ll hear the buzz of snowmobiles taking advantage of the efforts of the local snowmobile club that works diligently to keep up over 250 miles of trails. It may be the question most commonly asked by Door County visitors. “What do you do up here in the winter?” ertainly, it’s a valid question, given our isolation and the common misperception that the entire peninsula populace shutters the doors and windows to head south shortly after the last Ping-Pong balls are dropped on Fall Fest Sunday. But our isolation is part of our culture, and we’ve created some pretty unique forms of entertainment over the years to make our winter wonderland one of the Midwest’s most popular winter weekend getaways. It starts with the annual New Years Day Polar Bear Swim in Jacksonport, where thousands gather to watch hundreds of hearty (crazy?) souls brave the icy waters. Later in the day, Egg Harbor hosts it’s famously off-beat New Years Day Parade small-town America at its best. Then there’s Fish Creek’s Winter Festival, a celebration with such time-honored traditions as the bike-toss, cherry-pit spit, ice bowling and sleigh rides. But we don’t spring to life for one weekend only. Our five beautiful state parks offer beautiful scenery and trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and sightseeing. For a special experience, Newport, Potawatomi, Peninsula, and Whitefish Dunes State Parks all offer candlelight ski outings throughout the winter. A climb up Eagle Tower can be as awe-inspiring in winter as any time while the waters of Lake Michigan lie still before you, as if Mother Nature has been put on pause. C There are two lighted ice rinks on the peninsula, with hockey rinks and recreation skating. The Teresa K. Hilander Community Ice Rink is the pride of Sister Bay and home to the Door County Broomball League. Equipment is available on-site if you want to give the sport, a Northern Door tradition, a shot. You can also lace up your skates at the Memorial Field Ice Rink in Sturgeon Bay. Hundreds of us take to the frozen bay each winter to form ice fishing “villages” along the shore. Stop by any local tavern and it shouldn’t take long to find a good place to experience ice fishing, though it might not be the exact location where the fish are biting. And when we’re through playing, we gather in our favorite coffee shops to warm up and catch up. There are more than a dozen in the county. A few of the favorites are Leroy’s Waterstreet Coffee in Ephraim and Kick Coffee on 3rd Ave. in Sturgeon Bay. In Egg Harbor it’s the Bridge, and in Fish Creek the Blue Horse Bistro. If you’re looking to avoid the chill altogether there are few better samples of Door County than the venerable Sister Bay Bowl, a Wisconsin landmark. It’s one of the few remaining bowling alleys without electronic scoring, and a glimpse at the alley will take you back, as the six lanes are the originals Hill 17 at installed by Earl Willems Peninsula State Park over 40 years ago. The lanes are open for non-league play Friday through Sunday nights and during the day. Those not wishing to test their scorekeeping skills can hit the more modern Apple Valley Lanes in Sturgeon Bay. Those of us who work long hours through the busy summer use the winter as an opportunity to take in some of the cultural activities we miss out on all summer, like the Clearing, Hands On Art Studio, the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay, or classes at Peninsula Art School. There are other benefits to visiting Door County in winter as well. The thinner crowds mean quick and personal service at restaurants and shops, where you’re likely to meet someone who’s more than happy to share with you what makes this community so great even when the throngs clear. Chances are, your new friend will be here to greet you in dozens of future visits as well. - Myles Dannhausen, Jr 18 The Official Door County Visitor Guide WINTEr AT CANA IslAND lIGhThOusE http://www.doorcounty.com/do/seasonal.aspx#Winter
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