Winter Adventure in Door County, Wisconsin

Midwestern winters are notoriously long; they can drag on sometimes for six months with little sunny relief.  As a Chicago native, I have learned to embrace the fun that winter can supply and there's no place better than Door County, Wisconsin to experience the beauty and exhilaration of a real winter wonderland.

Door County boasts 300 miles of pristine shoreline and five stunning state parks that offer unlimited options for reveling in winter. If you visit on Jan. 1, you are treated to the spectacle of the annual polar bear swim. That's when hundreds of crazy locals plunge into freezing Lake Michigan.

If you crave more tame pleasures, there's always the usual winter pursuits of skiing and ice skating. On a recent trip, I hopped a snowmobile, snow tubed, snow shoed and even zip lined across Door County's beautiful landscape. Here's my itinerary for the perfect active winter getaway:

Settling In

Door County is spread across a sprawling peninsula that supplies a range of lodging options including resorts, historic hotels, rustic cabins and charming inns. My personal favorite are the inns because the local friendliness and cozy details like fireside snacks and homemade soaps are on full display. I spent my first morning unwinding at Eagle Harbour Inn, where the whirlpool and fireplace helped relax my muscles and prepared me for the upcoming  outdoor activities.

Gliding Through The Snow

It was my first time riding a snowmobile and I was excited about racing over the fresh snow that covered the area's fields and dairy farms. Heading to Zettel Snowmobile rentals, I was outfitted in a snow suit, helmet and goggles before I selected a cherry red snowmobile to ride. Since I didn't have any experience, I rode with a guide who was familiar with the county's 200 miles of winding, scenic trails.

We zoomed through forests, farms and bluffs. The icy beauty of the trees and terrain decorated in snow looked like it was lifted from a Christmas card. The trails were dotted with locals and visitors who snowmobile regularly, racing along the trails with ease. I was glad for my guide but the trails are open for snowmobilers of all experience levels.

Frosty Slides

I grew up sledding down various snowy hills in my neighborhood but I had never tried snow tubing. Trekking to Hill 17, a steep hill in Peninsula State Park, I discovered that it's one of the most popular spots for sledding and tubing. Hundreds of kids and adults clutched sleds or inner tubes and slid down the hill that's actually part of the Peninsula State Park golf course.

The climb up the hill seemed endless, but once I was at the top, a big push from one of the attendants sent me whirling down the hill so fast I barely had time to catch my breath. Sitting in the tube and gliding down the hill was the best fun. It was well worth the climb but after four turns, my legs felt like I had run a marathon.

Icy Steps

My legs were surely developing muscles they never had because snow shoeing was next on the schedule. I had snow shoed before but was looking forward to glimpsing the ethereal winter scenery of Whitefish Dunes State Park, which stretches over 867 acres along the eastern shore of Door County. With three feet of freshly fallen snow, the snow shoe hike did not disappoint. I strapped on the shoes and was guided through about four miles of the trail.

The views of frozen Lake Michigan and ice formations glistening in the sun were stunning. With temps below freezing, hand and foot warmers are definitely a necessity with snow shoeing but I barely noticed the cold, the winter beauty was so lovely.

Zipping Through The Wintery Air

I have zip-lined through various tropical landscapes but I never knew you could zip line in winter until I landed at Door County Adventure Center. Boasting the highest zip line in Door County, the company operates zip lines all year round. I thought that was pretty exciting until it started to snow. Really, really snowing, with lots of wind.  They call it a white out in these parts.

But that was the real adventure of a winter zip, so they suited me up and we trudged through the snow to the first platform.  It was a 750-foot zip across a field but with the wind and snow blowing in my face, it seemed much longer. I felt accomplished after reaching the end but I opted not to do the other two platforms because of the snow (eight inches) and cold. The cold and snow is inevitable in Door County but I love the wide range of opportunities to enjoy it.