FALL - A SEASON FOR YOUR SENSES

Fall Color Tour Ideas

Explore The Door - Fall Video Clips

Fill your senses with the dazzling colors, pungent smells and quiet sounds of nature in Door County this fall. Whether you’re enjoying the outdoors, exploring local farm markets or taking in one of the many colorful fall festivals, you’re sure to have a relaxing and memorable getaway in Door County. Fall colors generally begin to turn in mid-September and usually peak by mid-October.

Experience the Door’s fall beauty firsthand by hiking or biking through one of five scenic state parks. Designated trails are available in each park and provide a combination of stunning fall vistas and just the right amount of exercise. Or treat yourself to a scenic tour by car, boat, trolley, horse-drawn carriage or even an eagle-eyed view with a picturesque airplane ride. A list of available fall color tour options can be found below.

For your taste buds, there are roadside stands and farm markets at nearly every turn, offering crisp apples from local orchards, aromatic hot cider, and the bounty of the local harvest. Jams, jellies, locally caught smoked fish, fresh pies and locally produced wines are but a sampling of what you’ll find. And don’t forget about the popular Door County fish boil – this traditional meal of locally caught whitefish, potatoes, onions and more cooked over an open fire can be found at local restaurants throughout the fall season.

Door County also has some of the best harvest festivals in the Midwest with pumpkin decorations, parades, collector cars, arts & crafts, fireworks and more all in a scenic fall setting only Door County can offer. Be sure to check out our calendar of events for a list of fall events, but don’t forget about regular on-going events such as concerts, theatre and trolley tours that help visitors experience all that Door County has to offer.

One bit of advice: the fall foliage season is very popular. We advise making reservations early if your travel plans will include a weekend. 

Fall Color Tour Ideas

For a self guided tour of Door County by car, we recommend the Door County Circle Tour. This tour takes visitors up one side of the peninsula, over to Washington Island and back, then back down the other side of the peninsula. You can do the tour in a day, but ideally should spread it out over at least a few days to truly be able to explore the entire county and spend some time stopping at places of interest along the way.

Download a printable Circle Tour map (PDF file): Higher Quality Faster Download  

Besides your own vehicle, there are several great ways to explore Door County’s magnificent fall colors. Here are a few ideas:

Take a scenic airplane ride for a visually stunning color tour – tour options

Explore the brilliant fall colors on a boat tour – tour options

Rent a bike to explore Door County’s parks or scenic back roads – bike rental options

Hop aboard the Door County Trolley for a guided tour – tour options

Slip into a kayak for a guided tour by paddle – tour options

Explore picturesque wooded trails on horseback – horseback ride options

Check out even more options from different tour operators in Door County.

Explore The Door - Fall Video Clips

Join Explore The Door host Jon Jarosh as he checks out some popular Door County fall activities in these short video clips from past episodes of Door County’s award winning travel show: