Door County Pier, Credit: James Jordan

With the recent 100th anniversary of Devils Lake State Park, Wisconsin getaways have been on my mind. Devils Lake now hosts roughly 1.8 million people each year, all of whom I’m sure enjoy some sweet sunshine and maybe a swim or hike. This Wisconsin wonder is indeed special to many people. It got me thinking about how many families will be spending time this Fourth of July weekend at their own special places and Wisconsin wonders.

For my family, that place would be our beloved Door County. I have looked forward to our yearly summer trip up to Door County for as long as I can remember. A tradition my parents started long before kids, we have made the half-day journey to Wisconsin’s Northeast Peninsula every year of my 21 years of existence, with the exception of 2 years. A majority of those trips were spent camping in the breathtaking Peninsula State Park, a place I will always hold very dear to my heart.

Each trip was a week filled with biking, kayaking, swimming, hiking, hunting crayfish, skipping rocks, pulling garlic mustard, eating ice cream, feeding the ducks, watching the sunset and getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, a combination of activities that I wouldn’t give up for anything. Whether it was scaling the sand dunes at White Fish Dunes State Park, riding the ferry to Washington Island or visiting one of the many lighthouses the list of memories I have from Door County seem endless.

These memories remind me of why it is so important to protect Wisconsin’s natural resources. My family’s yearly trip to Door County was significant to fueling my interest in environmental protection and why I am now an intern here at Clean Wisconsin. So enjoy the long holiday weekend outdoors, and please share with us… Where is your favorite Wisconsin wonder?

-contributed by Ella Schwierske, media intern