Let me just start by saying that I’m notorious for having the best intentions but sometimes biting off more than I can chew. After almost four months at home (two months with newborns) our annual Door County family vacation was coming up and I knew we needed to make it work. Boys were stir crazy, desperate for a change of scenery, and excited about the possibility of spending time with family…as in, people who were not me and Colin.
COVID made us think twice before we committed; would the vacation rental be clean? Like – REALLY CLEAN? Would we be able to stay clean and safe AND still have fun? Would we literally lose our minds trying to keep it together in a place that wasn’t our home? My Type-A self was shook just thinking about how to load the van (more on that in a bit).
Side note, yes – we have a minivan and I don’t want to talk about it. I’ll save this for another post but just know that they’re practical and if you have nine kids like we do…okay, only four, but still…they aren’t the worst things in the world.
But back to vacation – Colin and I were both completely ready to be somewhere beyond our house so we hunkered down and decided to go. Kids needed it, we needed it, and after all, it was tradition! To feel safe during our trip, we had to be extra thoughtful when planning for our time away. We added a few COVID essentials to our normal packing list:
- Masks and more masks / I knew we’d misplace them during the trip so I packed extras just in case
- Hand sanitizer in all sizes / Kept some in my purse, diaper bag, the car, and the rental
- Wipes / Lysol wipes to disinfect everything around the clock and Wet Ones so the tiny hands were always germ-free
- Water bottles / One per person to keep our mouth germs to ourselves
- Snacks / COVID or not, this is a non-negotiable; we doubled-down to avoid going to the store anymore than needed
- Travel potty / To bypass public restrooms, we brought our favorite travel potty for when we needed it at home or on the go
I’ll spare you the long-winded day-by-day details but the moral of the story: IT. WAS. WORTH IT. My big boys were being total goofballs, playing with their cousins, having adventures in a place they love and despite wearing masks and sanitizing all the things, we all had an awesome time. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Door County is our happy place. It’s a little midwestern beach oasis with all the old-school fun that makes it worth the five-hour drive…and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise! Kidding. Sort of.
Rolling up to Newport State Park with my kid crew. 
After a 5-minute walk, these boys were WIPED lol. 
The Shaughnessy compound in full force at the beach. 
I don’t love lake water but I can build a mean sandcastle. 
We can’t be happy all the time, because three-year olds. 
I despise popsicles for the mess they make but anything goes on vacay. 
Babies had no idea where they were but they were champs on their first trip! 
Big brother Bennett was our #1 baby helper. 
Still made it to our favorite apple orchard and brought all the hand sanitizer! 
Our little lemonade stand man, Liam. 
Tippy-toe smiles for these two. 🙂
If you’ve ever thought about going to Door, check out my shortlist of must-visit spots!
- The Cookery Restaurant & Wine Bar / My personal favorite breakfast spot in Door. THE BEST jams/jellies, tons of healthy options, and plenty of choices my kids will eat. They also serve lunch so you can go there all day.
- Door County Boats / Whether you want to take a tour or rent a boat, Door County Boats really has it all. Our favorite is an early or late afternoon pontoon rental which pairs nicely with snacks on board and cat naps for the kiddos.
- Not Licked Yet Frozen Custard / I’m a big, big fan of ice cream, custard, basically all things sweet. While Wilson’s in Ephraim is my go-to for ice cream (see below), when it comes to custard, it has to be Not Licked Yet. The Door County Sundae is hands-down my favorite dessert during our visit.
- One Barrel Brewing Company / This taproom is new to the Door County scene and open every day! It offers a good-sized menu and gets bonus points for having Wild Tomato Pizza offerings on site!
- Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf / Our boys LOVE Pirate’s Cove and it’s a must-hit spot while we visit every year. There can be a wait depending on the time of day so I recommend getting there early on the weekend or even try for a weekday.
- Sweetie Pies / I’m not a fan of cherry pie myself (GASP) but this is the only place you should buy pie from when you visit Door. I always get the caramel apple but anything you try will not disappoint.
- White Gull Inn / This is a super-quaint, history B&B in Fish Creek. Well-known for their Door County cherry-stuffed french toast that is literally to-die-for. It even won GMA’s Best Breakfast Challenge, eat up!
- Wild Tomato Pizza / If you’re into the wood-fired pizza craze this spot is for you! I love the toppings they offer and we always add some cheese curds to start. Maybe not the healthiest meal we eat during our trip but it is SO worth the calories.
- Wilson’s Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor / When you get downtown Ephraim you can’t miss Wilson’s and it’s definitely worth stopping for. Their old-school soda fountain and ice cream counter has some serious nostalgia but is seriously delicious. I also recommend their root beer on tap which is homebrewed!
- Wood Orchard Market / This spot is a one-stop-shop for apple cider (or cherry) doughnuts, any/all apple treats, tons of locally-made products, and an awesome outdoor play area for kids (see pics above) which has a huge playset, yard games, a gravel track with kid bikes and more.
So…where is YOUR happy place and what makes it so amazing?!?