Door County: Lighthouses, Lake Views, Orchards & Artists

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:30 p.m.

Afternoon: Once you have checked-in with the resort’s front desk, walk to the Road Scholar table located in the lobby to register with the group leader and receive your program packet and other information. If you arrive after 5:00 p.m., please ask for your packet when you check-in at the front desk.

Dinner: In our reserved section of the resort’s restaurant, a buffet including freshly baked bread, salad bar, soups, hot entrees, and dessert, plus coffee, tea (hot/iced), soda, water will be waiting for us; other beverages will be available for purchase.

Evening: During the evening orientation, the group leader will give a warm welcome, lead introductions, review the program schedule, discuss logistics and safety guidelines, and answer questions you may have. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may be changed due to local conditions/circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Unless specified otherwise, transportation will be provided primarily by motorcoach, which will require going up/down a few steps when getting on/off. Evenings at leisure offer opportunities for independent exploration, engaging in local activities on your own, or simply relaxing and making new friends among fellow participants. The group leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The remainder of the evening will be spent getting acquainted with your fellow Road Scholars, settling in, and getting a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Activity note: Walking about 1 mile; approx. ½ hour on grass and paved road.

Breakfast: In our reserved section of the hotel’s restaurant, we will enjoy a plentiful buffet offering rotating choices such as eggs, breakfast meats, hot cereals, pastries, yogurt, and fruit, plus coffee (regular/decaf), tea, juices, water.

Morning: We’ll go for a walk along the water and down to the bay. The owner of the resort will accompany us giving a historical account of the resort and discuss the area’s Mink River Estuary and Newport State Park. What once was a run down fishing camp has been re-imagined as a vintage resort along the beautiful water. Savor the fresh lake breezes before returning to the hotel. Later, we will have an opportunity to learn more about some amazing artwork by a local watercolor artist. Our artist will share his love of watercolors as he explains his process and gives a quick demonstration; then it will be our turn. Don't think, just do! You'll be surprised with the results and you'll have a great keepsake to take home.

Lunch: In the hotel restaurant, we will have a special plated meal exclusively for Road Scholar with a choice of sandwich, fresh fruit, and dessert, plus coffee (regular/decaf), iced tea, milk, soda, water.

Afternoon: We will travel to Seaquist Orchards to see a family orchard operation. At one of Door County's largest cherry and apple orchards, we will ride on the motorcoach through the test orchard and learn about the fruit industry. At the end, enjoy a cup of cherry juice or apple cider and explore the farmer’s market full of local products.

Dinner: A visit to Door County wouldn’t be complete without a fish boil. We’ll join the resident storyteller at the resort’s fire pit to learn about the fish boil and the colorful characters who figure in its history, while enjoying the picturesque Newport State Park as a backdrop. Be prepared for the spectacular “boil over.” Hotel restaurant buffet, featuring the traditional entrées and sides of an authentic fish boil, plus dessert. If you're not a fan of fish there will be lots of other delicious choices.

Evening: We’ll have another artist share his photography work with us, Door County style.

Activity note: Walking for approximately 1 mile (about ½) on park trails. Steps up into the motorcoach.

Breakfast: Hotel restaurant buffet.

Morning: We’ll be joined by a local naturalist to learn about the formation of the Niagara Escarpment and the unique geologic features of the peninsula. The Niagara Escarpment is most famous as the cliff over which the Niagara River flows, creating Niagara Falls, and the Niagara Escarpment runs from near Rochester, NY to the northwest of Chicago. Then, we will board the motorcoach with our naturalist for our field trip. We will hunt for fossils along a rocky beach and visit Ellison Bluff County Park to see the Niagara Escarpment. The peninsula is on a tilt so there are steep bluffs on the Green Bay side and sandy beaches on the Lake Michigan side. We’ll take a walk through the park to look for seasonal wildflowers before boarding the motorcoach for our next stop.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Fish Creek, we will have a plated meal with a choice of sandwich, side, and slice of cherry pie, plus choice of soft drink, iced tea, coffee, milk or water.

Afternoon: After lunch, we’ll ride to Peninsula State Park for a docent-led visit to Eagle Bluff Lighthouse where we’ll visit the living quarters of the lighthouse keepers and their families and hear stories of shipwrecks and the life of “keeping the light.” This beautifully restored lighthouse sits atop a bluff above the Bay of Green Bay. Before leaving the state park, we will stop at the newly renovated Eagle Tower. We can either take the stairs or the ramp to climb above the trees for a spectacular view of the Bay. We’ll then return to the resort at the end of our field trip.

Dinner: Hotel restaurant buffet.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Walking about 2 miles total throughout the day; combination of paved walkways, woodchip paths, lawn, and uneven ground. Ferry crossing takes about 1/2 hour each way. Driving for short distances at a time aboard coach. Steps up into motorcoach.

Breakfast: Hotel restaurant buffet.

Morning: We’ll board our motorcoach for a short trip north to where the main part of the peninsula ends, at Northport Ferry Dock. We will board the Washington Island Ferry for a 30-minute crossing to the island to explore the island, its history, and culture. Washington Island sits about 7 miles north off the tip of the Door County Peninsula. A historical home to native peoples due to the abundant fish and freshwater, the island was settled by Icelandic and other Scandinavian immigrants in the late 1800s. Today, there are about 800 residents who live year-round on the island as well as thousands who visit. Everything must be transported over by ferry including food, furniture, and even livestock. You never know what you'll see while waiting for the ferry. Our first stop is at a replica medieval Norwegian stave church (Stavkirke) built to honor the Scandinavian heritage of the islanders. Take some time to view the charming weathered exterior and dragons overlooking the roofs. Then go inside to see the remarkable stave construction. Our next stop is just down the road at the lavender farm. Depending on the time of year, we may see newly planted plants, the beautiful purple haze of lavender in bloom, or plants being harvested for oil to be used in a multitude of products. It is a lovely place to visit at any time of the year. We will learn more about cultivating lavender, the dream of the owners to create the farm, and be able to walk among the plants sampling a variety of products created from the oil.

Lunch: Plated lunch at a local island restaurant.

Afternoon: We’ll continue our island exploration with a stop at Schoolhouse Beach. This rocky shore of wave tumbled rocks is a popular place for residents and visitors alike. You might try skipping a rock over the water or stacking stones to make a cairn, but please don't take the rocks; they are protected by law. After our island field trip, we’ll head back to the ferry for another 30-minute crossing to the mainland. Back on the main peninsula, we will stop at Sister Bay. Known for its beautiful beach, art galleries, fantastic restaurants, and stunning sunsets, Sister Bay will give you a feel for the livelier side of Door County.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: After dinner, we will take a short ride to one of Door County's theaters to attend a professional musical and dramatic production.

Activity note: Walking in and around museums; about 2 hours of standing and walking. Steps up into motorcoach.

Breakfast: Hotel restaurant buffet.

Morning: We will start the day with a field trip to Surgeon Bay. On the way, we will stop at Cave Point County Park, the most iconic natural landscape in Door County. Our next stop will be the Door County Maritime Museum. Located along Sturgeon Bay's busy waterfront, the Maritime Museum showcases the area's rich maritime roots. Hard-working fishermen, brave ship captains, skilled craftsmen, bold inventors, and solitary lighthouse keepers are just some of the personalities you’ll discover in the galleries of the museum. A museum staff member will lead us around the museum and its exhibits.

Lunch: At a local restaurant in Sturgeon Bay, located along the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, we will have a soup and salad buffet with lemonade, iced tea or water included; other beverages available for purchase. If we’re lucky, we’ll see the Michigan Street steel bridge open for a sailboat to pass through.

Afternoon: Before visiting another museum, we will be joined by an award-winning taxidermist to learn about the art of taxidermy. We will see examples of fish, mammals, and birds. Don’t shy away from this surprise hit presentation! Our next stop will bring us to the Door County Historical Museum, voted “Best Small Museum in the Midwest” by the Chicago Tribune. Educational displays portray Door County’s unique history including early settlers, orchards, industries, and more. The Pioneer Fire Station showcases three beautifully restored fire trucks including a rare 1920 Oldsmobile. The spectacular "Seasons of Life" wildlife diorama created by our guest-taxidermist features over 100 native species. The taxidermist will tell us how the exhibit was created, from the bird and animal mounts to the painted mural with realistic rocks and leaves. The amount of detail is truly amazing. We’ll then return to the resort.

Dinner: Hotel restaurant buffet. Share some of your favorite experiences from the program with new Road Scholar friends.

Evening: A local musician will join us at the resort for some casual entertainment to close out our final evening together. Afterwards, be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Check-out is by 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Hotel restaurant buffet. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!