Fire & Ice Festival
Professional and amateur ice sculptors take up their picks, turning huge blocks of solid ice into beautiful, intricate works of art. Music, food, drinks, and activities follow.
Sturgeon Bay:
Big City,
Small-Town Charm
Watch: City Living by the Water
Sturgeon Bay is the City that Lives On, and For, the Water
Historic charm and the natural beauty of a strategic shipping corridor meet a blue-collar ethic in Sturgeon Bay, Door County’s world-renowned shipbuilding hub. From thousand-foot lakers to small bass-fishing boats, this community’s heritage is all about boats and water.
You can visit the acclaimed Door County Maritime Museum or admire the historic Michigan Street Bridge. Visitors can feast their eyes on historic fishing tugs or the jaw-dropping enormity of container ships. But Sturgeon Bay offers much more than looking: here lies the heart of the county’s music scene, a vibrant arts mecca, and historic shopping districts laden with dining, pubs, and cozy coffee shops. All of this envelops the marvel of the Sturgeon Bay canal and natural wonders of the Potawatomi State Park and nearby preserves. Learn more at SturgeonBay.net.
Restaurants in Sturgeon Bay
Sturgeon Bay’s dining and drinking scene is as diverse as they come, with fine dining in historic landmarks, sushi, ethnic restaurants, healthy kitchens, greasy spoons, and everything in between. One constant is the imprint of the city’s nautical past, represented in the art, on its menus, and in the names of the establishments that make Sturgeon Bay an authentic representation of small-town America.
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Lodging in Sturgeon Bay
With a sprawling resort and conference center on the canal, shoreline resorts on the edges of the city, national hotels, themed hotels, and historic B&Bs nestled into the fabric of a neighborhood, Sturgeon Bay has every type of accommodation imaginable. You’ll find plenty of rental homes and condo options, plus campgrounds outside the city.
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Things to Do in Sturgeon Bay
Once a year, Bay Shipbuilding opens its doors for up-close tours of its facility, but you can admire its work on the bay all year long, especially when the Winter Fleet arrives. Sturgeon Bay is a fisherman’s mecca, with some of the best bass fishing in the world. Tour a restored tug, visit the phenomenal Door County Maritime Museum, learn the history of Door County, stroll down historic 3rd Avenue, or step into nature at Potawatomi State Park on the city’s edge. From sunrise to sunset, you’ll find a never-ending list of great activities in Sturgeon Bay.
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Sturgeon Bay Insider
The Tall Ship Festival
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8 Must-Dos in Sturgeon Bay
Did you know?
In the early days of the National Parks System, Potawatomi State Park was considered for National Park status.
1. Visit the Door County Maritime Museum. Learn how vital Sturgeon Bay was to the World War II effort, cranking out a Naval ship every five days! You’ll also learn that the city is home to innovations like the self-unloading shipping container and the box shipping container.
2. Cast a line. If you like fishing at all, this is the place to do it. The fishing here is so good that it hosted 2015’s ESPN bass-fishing world championship.
3. Hit three distinct shopping districts. The West Side, Third Avenue, and Jefferson Street all offer different but equally enticing shopping experiences, from quaint, small-town shops to sophisticated boutiques.
4. Rock out. Sturgeon Bay is home to Grammy-winning artist pat mAcdonald, who has spearheaded an effort that has made the city a song-writer’s destination, highlighted by June’s Steel Bridge Songfest. Performances in taverns, playhouses, and parks continue all year.
5. Take a lighthouse tour. Sturgeon Bay is home to three lighthouses. The North Pierhead lighthouse, the Sturgeon Bay Canal Station light, and the Sherwood Point light.
6. Get a view of history. George K. Pinney County Park, just north of the city, was once home to the quarrying industry. Here you can get a great glimpse of the geology of Door County to the east and the waters and sunset to the west.
7. Visit Sunset Park. As fine a city park as you’ll find, Sunset Park offers a perfect place for a picnic, a sunset photo, or room for kids to roam. It’s also a great place to admire the mammoth Gantry Crane of Bay Shipbuilding.
8. Catch a performance. Once a movie theater, the Third Avenue Playhouse hosts wonderful small productions in the historic district throughout the year.
Sturgeon Bay Events
Shipyard Tours
Once a year, several shipyards in Sturgeon Bay open their doors to the public. Visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at how ships are designed, built, and repaired as well as tours of local vessels.
Open Bass Tournament
This fishing competition is held on the open waters of Lake Michigan where scores of smallmouth bass swim and fishermen from around the Midwest compete for the biggest and heaviest haul. A second, smaller tournament is held in October.
Fall 50
Teams of 2–5 compete in a day-long footrace across Door County, witnessing the beauty of multiple towns and landmarks, all when fall colors are at their peak.
Today's Temperature
68 °F
clear sky
From orchards and farms to some of the Wisconsin's best birding, Door County is a nature-lover's dream in fall.
