At Door County's Cave Point Park along Wisconsin's thumb, Mother Nature cued up new chords on a crisp January morning. Sun warmed the water, and waves nudged wafer-thin shards of nighttime ice to the rocky shore. They shooshed forward with a rhythmic tinkling and constant crackling. Even more alluring was the brilliant blue-green of Lake Michigan. It hugged limestone cliffs undercut with caves and a snow-white shoreline. Caribbean-colored water lapped against icicles strung as delicately as chandeliers.
"She's singing," Dwight Zeller said of the lake after we ran into each other looking for good photo opportunities.
Zeller manages the historic site at Cana Island Lighthouse station in the warm months, but says winter is his favorite season on the 75-mile-long peninsula.
"If you're looking for a single-word answer," he said, "it's 'quiet.'"
Why go now
Tourists are everywhere spring through fall. They come for flowering orchards, harvest festivals, 250 miles of shoreline, inland forests and the creative vibe of an artists colony known for galleries, concerts and the impressive Peninsula Players Theatre.
Winter visitors find a calmer, cozier Door County. There's a sense of rejuvenation and romance while watching wind, water and ice conjure new twists on frosty scenery.
On a more practical front, winter lodging is more affordable. While many attractions do close, you can still find good eats, browse galleries and boutiques, participate in creative workshops and enjoy the outdoors with cross-country skiing, sleigh rides or shoreline hikes before thawing out with steaming mugs of hot cherry cider.
