Practicing Sustainability in Door County

It's no secret the Door County community is on a mission to protect, preserve, and care for the local environment and culture. We're excited to see word is spreading that you can have a fun, satisfying, and action-packed adventure up here while still ensuring your trip activities sustain and respect our local community and outdoor spaces.

Here are a few fun-filled, family-friendly activities perfect for teaching kids about the beauty of the great outdoors and the importance of being good stewards to the world around us.

1 • Take a day-long hike, keeping things slow and stopping to admire the incredible forest, lake, and peninsula views.

2 • Attend a community farmers market or pick your own fruit at a local orchard or farm and see what it really means to eat fresh, local, and seasonal produce and ingredients.

3 • Bring your fishing equipment and cast a line from a marina, or charter a fishing boat and learn how to fish safely and sustainably from the pros.

4 • Go wildlife viewing and look for birds, small mammals, insects, and more. Watching animals in their natural habitats can help kids see there's a whole, wild world out there to be discovered from a safe distance.

5 • Go lighthouse hunting and reflect on Door County’s rich maritime past and how the lake and local shipbuilding culture have influenced day-to-day life.

6 • Enjoy an island adventure and lake views via bicycle. Teach kids that fitness is not only healthy but fun and rewarding too.

7 • Do some stargazing at Newport State Park and marvel at the largeness of the planet and the universe.

8 • Take a guided naturalist tour at a state park to get an in-depth lesson about its ecology and history.

9 • Attend a play or musical event and get the kids excited for the performing arts — and instill the idea that arts and cultural pursuits are as worth preserving as our outdoor ones.

Pledge to Leave No Trace