At the Door County tourism website, www.doorcounty.com, you can search by type of lodgings -- from resort to campground -- and location. The site shows lodgings where pets are allowed and rooms are available for the disabled.
Except for holiday weekends and the first three weekends in October, you can arrive without a reservation and ask for help at visitor centers, though your choices may be limited. It's always best to reserve in advance. Do it by phone, so you can chat with the owner.
When to go
In July and the first half of August, every village has free outdoor concerts, and there's a lot going on: festivals, naturalist hikes, plays, tours. Lodging rates are highest then.
Rates start to go down the third week of August. In September, which most locals think is the best month in Door County, the weather is good (Lake Michigan keeps the peninsula warmer than the rest of Wisconsin) but the crowds are gone. The first three weekends of October are very crowded. Midweek is a good time to come in fall.
Think ahead for next year: You can get great lodging rates and specials in May and the first two weeks of June, at some places throughout June if you go midweek.
BETH GAUPER
