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Wisconsin

Door County: Lighthouses, Lake Views, Orchards & Artists

Program No. 12334RJ

Explore idyllic Door County, where you’ll discover centuries-old orchards, historic lighthouses, alluring lake views, and artists who capture the beauty of this unique peninsula.

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Regional Studies Small Group

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Protecting the Environment

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6 days

5 nights

14 meals

5B 4L 5D

Check-in, Welcome Dinner, Orientation

Egg Harbor, WI

Watercolor Artist, Orchard, Fish Boil

Egg Harbor, WI

Local Geology, Flora, Lighthouses, Local Entertainment

Egg Harbor, WI

Ferry Crossing to Washington Is., Stave Church, Local Life

Egg Harbor, WI

Cave Point, Historical & Maritime Museums

Egg Harbor, WI

Program Concludes

Egg Harbor, WI

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At a Glance

Discover Wisconsin’s famed Door County, a peninsula home to five state parks, 10 lighthouses and 300 miles of scenic Lake Michigan shoreline. Savor fresh lake breezes and be inspired by the steep bluffs and sandy beaches on either side of the peninsula. Learn about Door County history, art, geology and culture from local experts like an award-winning taxidermist, a watercolor artist, a lighthouse docent, naturalists and orchard owners. Visit state parks and fascinating museums that showcase the area’s rich maritime roots and unique history, and enjoy an authentic Door County fish boil with a resident storyteller.

Activity Level

On Your Feet

Walking up to one mile, rocky terrain on field trips; climbing stairs.

Small Group

Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

Go inside and learn about the keepers of the beautifully restored Eagle Bluff Lighthouse.
Enjoy a ferry ride to Washington Island.
Uncover the unique climate and geologic history of the peninsula by examining the Niagara Escarpment with a local naturalist.

General Notes

An airport transfer from the Green Bay airport to the resort is available at an added cost. Participant flights should arrive in Green Bay by 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Departures on Friday should be scheduled for noon or after.

Featured Expert

All trip experts

Ed Fenendael

A native of Wisconsin, Ed began his art career over 30 years ago. He works in several media, but his main focus is watercolor and watercolor/ink. Ed's paintings can be found in Washington D.C., at Atelier Galerie in Giverny, France; at Morning Mist Studio (his private gallery) in Door County, in numerous corporate and private collections throughout the world; and the Miller Art Museum's permanent collection. He has studied at the Kansas City Art Institute, the University of Wisconsin and graduated from Marquette University. He teaches watercolor and offers workshops in the United States and abroad.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Ed Fenendael View biography

Terrie Cooper View biography

After 15 years of working in nature centers throughout the state, Terrie Cooper returned to her home in Ellison Bay to work as associate director of the Door County Land Trust. With a master's in environmental education and natural resources management from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a bachelor’s in secondary education, biology and conservation from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she is a naturalist and educator.

Len Villano View biography

Photographer Len Villano built his first darkroom in his parent's bathroom at the age of seven (much to the chagrin of his three sisters). And while he’s trained as an architect and is an environmentally-conscious musician, photography is still the primary method Len uses to interact with the world around him. When he’s not waiting for the perfect light, Len serves as the photography director for the Peninsula Pulse.

Katie Krouse View biography

Katie Krouse currently serves as executive director of The Ridges Sanctuary, sharing her passions for conservation by leading the organization to protect and preserve the unique ecosystems found within. With a background in aquatic sciences and evolutionary biology, Katie has translated her interests into programming, conservation, and engagement through programs such as the Festival of Nature and land restoration activities. The Ridges Sanctuary, near Baileys Harbor, is considered one of the most ecologically diverse sites in the region by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Mike Orthober View biography

Mike Orthober became interested in wildlife at a young age. By the time he was in high school, area hunters were calling on his skills. He won “Best in the World of Fish” at the World Taxidermy Championships and has since judged national and state competitions. Mike created the Wildlife Exhibit at the Door County Historical Museum, using not just his taxidermy skills, but also painting the background and creating and constructing the habitat. Mike was inducted into the Taxidermy Hall of Fame in 2019.

Scott Litwiller View biography

Scott Litwiller is a career educator. As an elementary teacher, principal, and superintendent, Scott enjoyed developing and improving programs. He brings this same approach to the Road Scholar programs hosted by Covenant Harbor and enjoys interacting with other life-long learners.

Suggested Reading List (5 books)

Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop

You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.

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Door County: Lighthouses, Lake Views, Orchards & Artists

Program Number: 12334

On the Road to Death's Door

by M. J. Williams

Emily and Stan Remington's maiden voyage in their newly inherited RV takes a lethal turn when a body fall off the top of their vehicle. The retired couple find themselves at the center of a murder investigation involving a politician, a corporate executive, and a hippie priest. The rookie RVers inevitably butt heads with the local sheriff as their investigation takes them from a backwoods cabin in Wisconsin's scenic Door County to the Bishop's Chancery in Madison to an abandoned island in the infamous Death's Door Straits.

Guarding Door County: Lighthouses and Life-Saving Stations

by Stacy Thomas

Jutting out of Wisconsin into the blue waters of Lake Michigan, the scenic peninsula of Door County is endowed with the longest coastline of any county in the nation. Since the mid-1800s, the region has boasted a strong maritime industry, dependent on the constant vigilance and efforts of U.S. Coast Guard units. The county has been home to as many as 12 historic light stations, as well as three life-saving stations. Beginning with Pottawatomie Light in 1837 and Sturgeon Bay Canal Life-Saving Station in 1886, keepers and surfmen survived both boredom and peril to ensure safe navigation and commerce, while rescuing those in distress. Through archival photographs, stories of shipwrecks, rescues, service, and pride spring to life. Rare rescue images of the Otter, a schooner which wrecked in 1895, are especially noteworthy.

Door County Visitors Guide

by Door County Chamber of Commerce

Published annually, this visitors guide is your key to everything happening in Door County. Order online at www.doorcounty.com or call toll-free 1-800-527-3529. You'll find recommendations for restaurants and activities throughout the peninsula.

My Kind of County: Door County, Wisconsin

by John Fraser Hart

The shores of Door County, Wisconsin have long served as an idyllic retreat for Midwestern families. The region's scenic beauty is augmented by a rich history that reflects the classic American experience and John Fraser Hart now pays homage to the "Cape Cod of the Midwest" in this engaging chronicle. A renowned scholar and a summer home owner in Door County for over fifty years, Hart possesses intimate knowledge of the physical geography and cultural history of the region. With his incisive geographer's eye, he charts the gorgeously sprawling landscape that draws more than two million visitors annually, including the limestone bluffs along Green Bay that loom as high as 200 feet. He also explores Door County's agricultural heritage -- including the famous cherry orchards -- was well as the difference between the Green Bay and Lake Michigan sides of the peninsula, and the quiet interior region. The book then turns to the cultural aspects of the region, examining diverse topics such as the history of the first ethnic European settlers, the tourist economy, and the settlements' primarily Belgian architecture. Detailed maps and vibrant photographs complement Hart's engaging prose, making "My Kind of County" the perfect gift for day trippers, summer residents, and geographers alike.

Door County Tales

by Gayle Soucek

Befitting its role as Wisconsin's thumb, Door County has its own unique pulse. It is the idyllic paradise "north of the tension line," that sends many unsuspecting tourists spiraling into an addiction that lands them in a summer home. It is also the "Door of the Dead," which some historians blame for more shipwrecks than any other body of fresh water in the world. The variety of nature's splendors and terrors is matched by the cast of characters that has risen up among them. In "Door County Tales," these characters are given free rein, which seems only proper in a place where one might walk out of a restaurant and see goats grazing on the roof.

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