A Weekend on Washington Island in Door County, Wisconsin with Kids

WASHINGTON ISLAND GETAWAY

Washington Island, Wisconsin is one of the most unique getaway destinations in the state. If you’re trying to figure out what to do in Door County, I would highly recommend spending a day or two on Washington Island.

It was the end of a hectic summer. Between adjusting to life with a 4th baby and moving across the country, we were ready for a quiet escape in nature. So, we took our kids for a weekend camping trip on Washington Island and found plenty to occupy us on the 35-square-mile isle.

With beaches, lavender fields, history, bike trails, and small-town charm, you’ll find that there’s no better place to calm your racing thoughts and disconnect from the stresses of everyday life than this slice of heaven off the tip of the Door Peninsula.

I’ll share how to get to Washington Island, what to do, what to pack, and tips for camping on the Island. Add this spot to your Wisconsin bucket list - it’s one of the Badger State’s coolest hidden gems!

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Schoolhouse Beach on Washington Island.jpeg

HOW TO GET TO WASHINGTON ISLAND, WISCONSIN

Washington Island makes the perfect road trip from Milwaukee (195 miles), Chicago (270 miles), Minneapolis/St. Paul (350 miles), Madison (230 miles), or Green Bay (95 miles).

DRIVING THROUGH DOOR COUNTY

Simply make your way up the Door Peninsula. If you wanted, you could use that time to explore Door County with your kids, or you could just enjoy the scenery and the winding roads from the comfort of your car and drive straight to the Northport Pier.

We took Highway 42 to Sister Bay. Be sure to enjoy the Jens Jenson Winding Road! It’s absolutely stunning.

WASHINGTON ISLAND FERRY

Once you arrive at Northport Pier, you will wait in a line of cars for the next ferry. Someone will come walking along the line of cars taking payment for tickets. I would highly recommend taking your car across the ferry since it’ll be a lot easier to get around the island with a car.

If you decide not to take your car across, there is a parking lot at Northport Pier.

(Side note: if you were wondering whether you’ll be able to take an RV or camper on the ferry, the answer is YES! We saw a few on the same ferry as us).

We did not get out of the car on the ferry, but there is outdoor seating and a heated cabin in case you want to get out and enjoy the views.

The trip across the channel (called Death’s Door) takes about 30 minutes. Be sure to bring some motion sickness medication if you get queasy!

Check out the latest prices and schedules here.

GETTING AROUND THE ISLAND

As I mentioned, it’s easiest to navigate the island with your own vehicle. I think. the only reason to leave your vehicles behind is if you’re planning to rent bikes or mopeds as soon as you arrive on the island.

WASHINGTON ISLAND CAMPGROUND

Our family had been itching to make use of our tent all summer, so we decided to camp on Washington Island instead of staying in a vacation rental or inn.

We stayed at Washington Island Campground, which I believe is the only campground available on the island.

CAMPSITE OPTIONS

At Washington Island Campground you can choose between several different campsite options:

non-electric tent campsites
electric and water tent & RV campsites (this is the one. we chose)
group sites (both non-electric and electric)
rustic cabins (no toilets)
rustic cabins (with toilets)
deluxe cabins
premium cabins

CAMPGROUND AMENITIES

Washington Island Campground has indoor bathrooms and showers, a pond for swimming with inflatable toys, a playground, and a complimentary minigolf course.

WASHINGTON ISLAND CAMPGROUND REVIEW

We really enjoyed our stay at Washington Island Campground. With 4 kids, we chose a campsite close to the lodge with restrooms. It was still. a bit of a walk, but we didn’t mind!

Unfortunately, the restrooms were not very clean. I didn’t expect much since it’s a campsite, but the floors were covered in mud the entire 3 days we were there.

Campsites are fairly close together, but still feel fairly private because they’re separated by trees. They’re in the shade, which was perfect for us since we had a baby with us.

We did hear people up talking and laughing into the night but didn’t mind because we brought a sound machine and our kids were able to sleep through it. We were also there on a weekend, so it made sense that it was more crowded and vibrant.

Overall, I’m happy with our choice to stay at Washington Island Campgrounds. I would definitely come back!

WHAT TO DO ON WASHINGTON ISLAND WITH KIDS

SCHOOLHOUSE BEACH

Schoolhouse Beach was by far our favorite spot on the island. We ended up going twice, and the kids keep asking to go back to the “rock beach”!

Schoolhouse Beach is unique because instead of sand, it’s made up of large, smooth limestone rocks. The glacier-polished stones are so special, in fact, that it’s against the law to take them from the beach!

You can take a swim in the crystal clear (but cold!) lake, skip rocks, or build rock sculptures with your kids. This is also a perfect place to practice your photography skills. We went at sunset when the light was soft and really brought out the blue in the water.

We came back the next day during the afternoon to swim and play. The afternoon sun was nice and warm while the lake water was ice cold. That didn’t stop us from taking a dip, though!

TIPS FOR VISITING SCHOOLHOUSE BEACH

During the day, this beach was fairly crowded. If you’re going for beautiful photos, I would highly recommend going at sunrise or sunset for perfect lighting and fewer people.
Bring water shoes. I ordered inexpensive water shoes for our whole family on Amazon before we went. I also saw water shoes for sale at Mann’s Mercantile on Main Road on the island. It will protect your feet when walking on the stones, and my kids LOVED wearing their water shoes.
I would highly recommend a pool float. I can’t imagine anything more relaxing than floating along the lakeshore as a family. That’s something I will definitely be bringing next time!
If you have a baby or young toddler, consider bringing a waterproof baby carrier. There isn’t really a soft place to set your baby down, or really any shade except in the forest behind the beach. I used this one for our 5-month-old, and it worked perfectly! You can check the current prices here.

FRAGRANT ISLE LAVENDER FARM

You can visit the Midwest’s largest lavender grower at Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm. You do have to pay $5 per adult to walk through the lavender fields, but if you spend $20 in the gift shop you get 2 free tickets. There are tons of photo spots and rows and rows of lavender to wander through. In fact, I saw a man walking laps through the lavender!

Fragrant Isle also has a lovely little gift shop with various lavender products to purchase, as well as lavender-inspired bakery items, ice cream, and cafe lunch options.

A few tips:

I would try to go earlier in the day or closer to closing time. We went midday and it was pretty crowded and the lighting was very harsh. Our photos still turned out fine with a little editing but would have been prettier with softer lighting.
Try to plan your visit for July or August when the lavender is in bloom.
There are bees everywhere, but don’t worry! They’re just doing their jobs. We were able to walk through the rows of lavender without an incident, though the kids were a little nervous.
You can visit the u-pick field and pick your own lavender to take home.

HISTORIC ISLAND DAIRY

So the name Historic Island Dairy is actually a bit of a misnomer since this location is now mostly a lavender farm and gift shop. The lavender fields here are significantly smaller than Fragrant Isle, but it’s free AND they have a life-sized wooden train for kids to play on.

I would say if you’re visiting with young kids like we were this was actually the better lavender field to visit. The kids spent a long time playing make-believe on the train and would have stayed all day if we let them.

There were also a few cornhole boards set up so you could play a game of bags if you want.

Wander through the (small) lavender fields or peek inside the old wooden building for a lesson on how lavender is harvested.

There is also a gift shop full of lavender products to browse if you want to escape the outdoors for a little bit.

MAIN ROAD

On the main road in town, there are plenty of shops and restaurants to explore. We stopped at Mann’s Food for a few extra grocery items, Mann’s Mercantile (because I was looking for a memory card for my camera) where. you can find outdoor gear and souvenirs, and Island Cafe for a Door County Cherry Smoothie and Lavender Lemonade.

If you’re looking for more restaurants, there are plenty of unique stops around the island. We mostly ate at our campsite, but I saw good reviews for the following places:

Jackson Harbor Soup & Sandwiches - great place to stop for lunch with a lovely view of the water.
Red Cup Coffee House for your daily caffeine fix
Island Pizza for a no-fuss dinner

WASHINGTON ISLAND FARM MUSEUM

Because we were aiming to take it slow and relax, we didn’t have a packed itinerary, which means we missed out on the Farm Museum.

It’s a self-guided tour, which is nice if you have young children. You can take it at your own pace and get what you want out of it.

Seems like a nice low-key way to spend an hour or two if you’re looking to fill your day!

COUNTRY ROADS

One of our favorite things to do on our trip to Washinton Island was simply to drive around and enjoy the quiet country roads. With forests, beaches, and farms, there’s actually some variety to the views. Sometimes when you’re traveling with little kids you just need them to be all strapped into their car seats for a little bit so you can relax.

Of course, if your kids are a little older or you’re an avid biking family, you can definitely enjoy the country roads by renting bikes once you’re on the island.

AN EPIC WISCONSIN VACATION SPOT

Washington Island was the perfect family getaway. It was so unique and different from what you normally associate with Wisconsin and the Midwest, so it truly felt like an epic family vacation without ever leaving our home state!

I hope you get the chance to experience Washington Island with your kids. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience for all ages.