Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin is a charming, small town of around 1,000 people that is located on the eastern shore of the Door County peninsula.
I highly recommend that you visit it while you are in the area and visit the following:
Harbor Fish Market & Grille: I enjoyed a great lunch overlooking the water. The lobster roll was a perfect choice. They feature a Live Maine Lobster Boil on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. They have a lovely garden for outdoor seating as well. 8080 Hwy. 57.
Door County Brewing Co.: At 8099 Highway 57, this is a new location of this family owned craft brewery that was established in 2012. There is a tap room and music hall where you you can taste one of their porters, stouts, IPAs and whitbier (wheat beer) and catch a live music concert year-round. There is a backyard beer garden where you can sample locally sourced food and cheese from their own Magnolia Cheese Co. They also have a food truck from Chives Restaurant serving pizza and a fish fry on Fridays.
Owned by Harbor Fish Market & Grill, Custard’s Last Stan is now Harbor Frozen Custard. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, this is must when you are in town. The vanilla frozen custard with Door County cherries was really great. I highly recommend it. 8078 State Highway 57.
Florian 11 Supper Club: This is a classic Wisconsin supper club from 1956, that features chicken, pork, steak, fish and seafood dishes. It has great views overlooking the water in downtown Baileys Harbor. Remodeled in 1972, it now features food, music and dancing. 8048 Highway 57.
Chives Restaurant, a local farm-to-table spot, is also a great option for lunch, dinner and brunch. It is located at 8041 Highway 57. It has a great menu with many excellent choices.
Bearded Heart Coffee: At 8101 Highway 57, this is a fun coffee shop with great coffee from four Midwestern coffee roasters. They feature a number of coffee drinks and use goat’s milk as a substitute to cow’s milk. The menu also has a number of home baked pastries, toasts and sandwiches.
Another fun spot to try is The Blue Ox located in a Door Country landmark from 1887. It is known for it burgers, homemade chili, beer and billiards with a vintage atmosphere.
I recently read that TheBaileys Harbor Cornerstone Pub, at 8132 State Highway 57, is a fun spot when you are in town. Located in an historic hardware store building from 1886, this is a casual place for sandwiches, burgers and a fish fry on Fridays.
Koepsel’s Farm Market: At 9669 Highway 57 in Baileys Harbor, this is a popular location for jams and jellies, cheese, homemade dressings, canned goods and chocolate cherries. I am enjoying their cherry jam at home!
Nathan Nichols & Company, 8068 Highway 57: Make a point to walk through this really lovely home furnishing and design store.
To stay in Baileys Harbor, The Blacksmith Inn gets good marks. 8152 State Hwy. 57, as does the Gordon Lodge which has a house, lodge rooms, cottages and suites. 1420 Pine Dr.
Open May through October, a highlight that should not be missed is the Cana Island Light Station which is an historic lighthouse from 1869 with an 89 ft. tower. It is located north of downtown. After driving down a narrow road in a residential area, you can get to the island by walking across the causeway or taking the wagon pulled by a tractor when the water levels are high. Once on the island, you can visit the home of the lighthouse keeper and climb the tower to the top for great views.
The Ridges Sanctuary: Located near the Upper Range Light and the Lower Range Light just outside of Baileys Harbor, The Ridges Sanctuary is a 1,600-acre nature preserve and land trust. It is listed as a National Natural Landmark, Important Bird Area and Wisconsin State Natural Area. There are a number of trails that allows you to explore the beauty of the area. 8166 Highway 57.
Lover of lighthouses will love the Door County Lighthouse Festivals which happens in June and October of each year.