Door County Beaches

Here are some of the best beaches in Door County:

• Nicolet
• Otumba
• Waterfront Park / Sister Bay
• Egg Harbor
• Whitefish
• Fish Creek
• Sand Bay
• Hotz Memorial
• Rock Island
• Baileys Harbor
• Frank E. Murphy
• Lakeside
• Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal
• Ephraim
• Pebble
• Schoolhouse
• Sunset
• Anclam
• Haines
• Ellison Bay
• Clark
• Portage
• Percy Johnson
• Sand Dunes

Going to the beach in Door County is one of my favorite things. Gorgeous blue-green water. Sand between your toes. The sound of waves crashing into the shore. Minutes turn into hours with no agenda other than relaxation. It’s no wonder the beach calls to us so strongly, and Door County beaches are among some of the best in the United States. Going to the beach is one of the most popular things to do in Door County, and in most cases, it is completely free. This post will tell you everything you need to know about Door County beaches.

Are you planning a vacation to Door County? Use Hello Door County’s guide to the best hotels in Door County to find your lodging. This is the best starting place to find great deal on Door County hotels.

24 Best Door County Beaches

Nicolet Beach in Peninsula State Park

Nicolet Beach is located inside Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek. It is a sandy beach with a nearby store offering boat and bicycle rentals and concessions. Because Nicolet beach is in a protected bay off of Green Bay, the water temperatures are typically warmer here than at other Door County beaches. While it normally costs money to get into a Wisconsin state park, there are ways to get into a state park for free.

For more information, make sure to check out our dedicated post on Nicolet Beach.

Website
Phone: 920-868-3258
Address: 9462 Shore Rd, Fish Creek, WI 54212

Otumba Park Beach

Otumba Park Beach is a great place to spend a day right in the heart of Sturgeon Bay. Located on Sturgeon Bay’s west side waterfront, this 3-acre park gives good views of Sturgeon Bay’s downtown and shipyards.

Otumba Park Beach is a highly accessible beach given its location inside Sturgeon Bay, the paved walkway that leads up to it, and the Mobi-Mat which allows easy access to the water for wheelchairs and walkers. The park facilities also include a picnic shelter, restrooms, grills, tennis courts, a playground, and a basketball court

Check out our post on Otumba Park and Beach for a more in-depth look at this great property in Sturgeon Bay.

Address: 212 W Locust Ct, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235

Waterfront Park / Sister Bay Beach

The Sister Bay Beach, located at Waterfront Park, is a popular beach right in the heart of Sister Bay, with lots of restaurants and activities around. Many people enjoy diving off of the pier. If you stay in Sister Bay, you will be able to walk to the beach, and when you need a break from the beach, walk to one of the many businesses in this popular Door County village.

For more information, check out our comprehensive post on Waterfront Park/Sister Bay Beach.

Address: 2362 Mill Rd, Sister Bay, WI 54234

Egg Harbor Beach

The Egg Harbor Beach is a sand beach located a short walk from downtown. Known for its calm and protected waters, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals are available. This beach has lots of services available and is a good all-around option.

For more information, check out our comprehensive post on Egg Harbor Beach.

Whitefish Dunes Beach

A mile long, White Fish Dunes Beach at Whitefish Dune State park is one of the most striking and impressive sand beaches in Door County. Whitefish Dunes State Park protects a unique and fragile topography and ecosystem in Door County. This is a favorite place to swim on hot days, and dog-lovers will enjoy this park as it has a designated pet swimming area.

The beach is not what it used to be in recent years given historically high water levels, but as of 2022, the beach has been coming back. Given its location on Lake Michigan, many may not want to swim except during the hottest days of the year. This beach is also subject to powerful wave action and rip tides, so please exercise caution.

At the northern end of the beach, listen to the sound that your feet make in the sand. The beach at Whitefish Dunes State Park has “squeaky” or “singing” sand, a rare phenomenon found on only a few beaches in the world.

Restrooms and a picnic area are available.

If you’re interested in visiting Whitefish Dunes Beach, make sure to check out our comprehensive post on it for more information.

Fish Creek Public Beach

This sand beach in the heart of one of Door County’s most popular tourist destinations has a swimming area, viewing dock, bathhouse with bathrooms and changing rooms, water bottle fill-up station, and a foot-washing station.

Check out our post on Fish Creek Public Beach to learn more about this great location to swim in Door County.

Sand Bay Town Park Beach

The locals are going to kill us for telling you about this one. Sand Bay Town Park of the Town of Liberty Grove is a hidden gem of Door County. On the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula, the waters here are especially inviting for a swim on the hottest days of the year. This has a sand beach, swings, picnic area with grills, restrooms, and a non-motorized boat launch for those who would like to ply Lake Michigan’s waters by kayak.

For more information, check out our comprehensive post on Sand Bay Town Park Beach.

Hotz Memorial Town Park Beach

Along the shallow and sandy Europe Bay of Lake Michigan, Hotz Memorial Town Park has a small sand beach as well as grills, a nonmotorized boat launch, picnic tables, and restrooms. you won’t find many crowds here, but you will find a lovely place to spend a morning or afternoon. This park also allows free access to hiking in Newport State Park.

For more information, check out our comprehensive post on Hotz Memorial Town Park Beach.

Rock Island State Park Beach

Known as one of the most beautiful beaches in Door County if not in the Great Lakes, the swimming area at Rock Island State Park is a rare and elusive gem of beach. It will take you two ferries and a journey across Washington Island to get there, but you will be rewarded by an experience that few can boast of. Once you’re on Rock Island, make sure to tour the historic boathouse and take a hike up to Wisconsin’s oldest lighthouse.

Check out our comprehensive post on Rock Island State Park Beach to learn more about this great strand of sand.

Baileys Harbor Ridges County Park Beach

Baileys Harbor Ridges County Park is named after sand ridges formed by the Lake Michigan shoreline in previous centuries. This is a renowned place for birdwatching and surveying unique flora.

The beach at Baileys Harbor Ridges County Park is sandy and comparatively shallow, making it a favorite for families with young children. But, these features also make it an ideal place for kiteboarding, and if you’re lucky, you will be able to watch kiteboarders perfecting their art in the Lake Michigan waves.

Facilities available include parking, picnic tables, and restrooms.

For more comprehensive information, check out our full post on Baileys Harbor Ridges Town Park Beach.

Frank E. Murphy Park Beach

The Frank E. Murphy Park on Green Bay in Egg Harbor has a three hundred foot sand swim beach. In addition to the beach, the park also has a dock and boat launch. Facilities include a playground, volleyball court, picnic area, pavilion, parking and restrooms.

For more information, check out our comprehensive post on this beach.

Lakeside Park Beach

Lakeside Park in Jacksonport has 158 feet of sandy beach. Facilities include two covered picnic shelters, restrooms, charcoal grills and a boat ramp. This is the location of Jacksonport’s annual polar plunge.

Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve Beach

Owned by the Door County Land Trust, the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve has a sandy beach that is good for swimming and for beach combing. You won’t find many people here, and facilities are nonexistent except for a parking lot. However, you will find excellent views of the Ship Canal and Pierhead lighthouse, and walking the breakwater is also fun.

For a comprehensive look at this beach, check out our full post on the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Nature Preserve Beach.

Ephraim Public Beach

A small sand beach in the heart of Ephraim. Walkable to several Ephraim hotels. Parking and bathrooms on site. a Good option for a morning or an afternoon at the beach, though there are other beaches with more services in the are, like Nicolet Beach.

Check out our comprehensive post on the Ephraim Public Beach to learn more.

Sister Bay Pebble Beach

Made of smooth pebbles, this is a good beach to get away from the crowds in the relatively busy Sister Bay area. People enjoy laying out towels and resting on the beach, and some will swim here as well. But, you’ll want some appropriate footwear for swimming and walking the beach. This is not one to go barefoot on.

Check out our comprehensive post on Sister Bay Pebble Beach to learn more about this unique pebble beach.

Schoolhouse Beach on Washington Island

A geological wonder, Schoolhouse Beach is one of only five beaches in the world comprised entirely by limestone pebbles. The stones are worn smooth, but you will probably want some sort of footwear to explore and swim. Public restrooms are available here as is a picnic area with grills.

Check out our comprehensive post on Schoolhouse Beach to learn more about the natural wonder.

Sunset Park Beach

A sand beach on Sturgeon Bay’s East Side, it is part of the larger Sunset Park Complex, a very complete city park with athletic facilities, restrooms, playgrounds, and more.

For more information, check out our comprehensive post on Sunset Park Beach.

Anclam Town Park Beach

This Lake Michigan sand beach in the Town of Baileys Harbor has lots of amenities including a playground and bathrooms. This is a great place to go if you want a beach right in a village, with all of the opportunities that affords, like proximity to restaurants, but you also don’t want the crowds on the Green Bay side of Door County. The Lake Michigan waters can be cold early in the season, but will feel quite nice on the hottest days of the year.

Check out our comprehensive post on Anclam Town Park Beach to learn more.

Haines Town Park Beach

In Southern Door County, Haines Beach is extremely popular with the locals. It is a perfect beach for children since it is quite shallow and the waters quite calm. Since it is in a shallow, protected bay off of Green Bay, the water here warms up faster than most beaches in the area. On nice weekends, boats will line up outside of the swim area. Bring some lite beer, rag on the Bears, and you’ll fit right in with the crowd here. Not many amenities here, though – only picnic tables and portapotties.

If you’re camping in the Brussels area, this is a great spot to visit.

Check out our comprehensive post on Haines Town Park Beach to learn more!

Ellison Bay Community Park and Beach

A shallow, sandy beach in a full-service park with a picnic area, grills, gazebo, playground, and restrooms. A non-motorized boat launch is also available.

Check out our comprehensive post on the Ellison Bay Community Park Beach to learn more!

Clark Lake Beach

A small sand beach on an inland lake in Door County. This beach is in the Jacksonport area, right by Cave Point County Park and Whitefish Dunes State Park. While this park has few amenities (portapotties are about it), many enjoy the warm, calm waters in comparison to the water of Lake Michigan or Green Bay.

Check out our comprehensive post about Clark Lake Beach to learn more!

Portage Park Beach

Near the city of Sturgeon Bay, this is the site where boaters would portage from Lake Michigan to the bay of Sturgeon Bay before the digging of the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, this park has over 40 acres including woods and a sand swimming beach.

Check out our comprehensive post about Portage Park Beach to learn more!

Percy Johnson Memorial County Park Beach

This 5-acre park on Washington Island has a 500 foot sand beach, restrooms, and a picnic area with grills. A great place to watch sunrises, it also affords views of Hog Island.

Check out our comprehensive post on Percy Johnson Memorial County Park Beach to learn more about this spot!

Sand Dunes Park Beach

On the south side of Washington Island, this nice, sandy beach affords great views of Detroit Island and feels like a world away. Definitely a worthy stop for anyone who has braved crossing the Death’s Door Passage.

Learn more about Sand Dunes Park Beach.

Map of Door County Beaches

What To Think About When Planning a Visit to a Beach in Door County

What are the air and water temperatures?

While visiting Door County beaches is a year-round activity, the air and water temperature will affect what kind of activities you participate in. Believe it or not, but the dead of winter is an amazing time to visit beaches in Door County to witness the various ice formations that arise, including Green Bay’s famous ice shoves. Kayaking at Door County beaches is an activity that people participate in from Spring to Fall.

However, swimming, standup paddleboarding, and sunbathing are activities that require higher air and water temperatures. Sunbathing is generally possible from mid-May through mid-September, when the air temperatures are likely to be in the 70s or above. While a few brave souls swim in Door County waters even in the middle of the winter, most will not want to do much swimming until mid-June in Green Bay or mid-July in Lake Michigan.

Where is the beach located?

Beaches on the Green Bay side of Door County will typically have warmer water temperatures than beaches on the Lake Michigan side over the summer months. However, the beaches on the Lake Michigan side become very appealing on the hottest days of the year. Generally, the beaches on the Lake Michigan side can have larger waves. This might be appealing to some, but these waves can sometimes be dangerous, especially for small children. Beaches on Lake Michigan also often are larger and more visually striking – there’s something about seeing the water out to the horizon that fills the soul.

Some beaches in Door County are less accessible because of where they are located. The swimming beach on Rock Island, for example, is known as one of the loveliest beaches, but it is not easy to get to.

What does it cost?

Most Door County beaches don’t cost anything to visit, but a few do. Nicolet Beach, for example, typically costs money to access because it is in a state park.

What kind of services are available?

Some Door County beaches have many services available, including rentals, snack bars, flush toilets, nearby businesses, and more. Some beaches, however, are much more limited in what they offer and may not even have latrines available.

Dog-friendly Door County Beaches

If you want to take your dog with you to cool off, Whitefish Dunes State Park has a pet swimming area. Be ready to walk as it is about a mile down a trail to the dog beach.

Water Quality

Door County typically has clean water at its beaches. However, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources monitors water quality at beaches across the state and maintains an advisory map. Review this map before a beach visit to ensure good water quality at the beach you would like to visit.

More Roundups of Things To Do

Check out our other roundups of things to do in the area:

• Best Things To Do in Door County
• Best Door County Tours
• Best Kayak Tours in Door County
• Best Door County Boat Tours
• Door County State Parks
• Best Door County Beaches
• Door County Lighthouses
• Best Things To Do Near Baileys Harbor, WI
• Best Things To Do Near Carlsville, WI
• Best Things To Do in Egg Harbor, WI
• Best Things To Do Near Ellison Bay, WI
• Best Things To Do in Ephraim, WI
• Best Things To Do in Fish Creek, WI
• Best Things To Do Near Forestville, WI
• Best Things To Do Near Gills Rock, WI
• Best Things To Do Near Northport, WI
• Best Things To Do in Sister Bay, WI
• Best Things To Do in Sturgeon Bay, WI
• Best Things To Do on Washington Island, WI
• Free Things To Do in Door County
• Things To Do in Fall in Door County
• Things To Do with Kids in Door County
• Things To Do in Winter in Door County

Public Beaches in Door County

All of the beaches listed above are public beaches. However, this does not mean that all of them are free to visit. Some beaches, namely, those that are inside State Parks, will require a small amount of money to access.

However, this is the small minority of beaches, and most are free of charge to use. In addition to these public beaches, some hotels and resorts will have their own private beaches.

Sturgeon Bay Beaches

The following beaches are in or near Sturgeon Bay:

• Sunset Park Beach
• Otumba Park Beach
• Portage Park Beach
• Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Beach
• Haines Beach

Beaches Near Green Bay WI

Door County is a good option to visit if you are in Green Bay and looking for a nearby beach. The following beaches are closest to Green Bay:

• Haines Beach
• Sunset Park Beach
• Otumba Park Beach
• Portage Park Beach
• Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Beach

Door County Rock Beach

Door County has two popular rock beaches. The most popular rock beach is Schoolhouse Beach on Washington Island. This is the legendary beach of limestone pebbles, one of the most unique beaches in the world, and renowned for its clear water. Another rock beach in Door County is Pebble Beach in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. Less famous than Schoolhouse Beach, it is still a unique place to visit.

Conclusion

Door County Wisconsin has lots of awesome beaches for you to encounter the sun, wind, and waves. You don’t need to go to the East or West Coast to hit the beach.

If you want to learn more about other beaches in Wisconsin, check out our post on Wisconsin beach towns.

Door County Beaches FAQ