Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin

Location

Region: Lake Michigan
Latitude: 44.8282° N
Longitude: -87.3739° W
Waterway Guide: Sturgeon Bay

Destination: Sturgeon Bay

Sturgeon Bay is the first major stop heading south on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan. For those hugging the north and western shores of the lake, it’s the cut-through from Green Bay back to Lake Michigan. If you’ve come down the Michigan side, you can get to Sturgeon Bay to continue your trip south on the Wisconsin side by crossing from Frankfort, the narrowest part of the lake. The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal links Lake Michigan with Green Bay and travels through the middle of the City of Sturgeon Bay.

Sturgeon Bay is a very sheltered harbor. It has three major marinas, two boatyards for repairs, and a public dock. There are many local restaurants, a nice downtown with shops, and an excellent maritime museum, which is one of the highlights of the stop.

The City of Sturgeon Bay is split into North and South by the Bay and the Canal. Downtown is on the North side, and there are marinas on both sides of the bay. There are two bridges and crossing is easy both on foot or by bike.

From Sturgeon Bay, you can head into Green Bay and south to the city of Green Bay (home of the Packers) or head south down the coast of Lake Michigan toward Chicago.

Sturgeon Bay is also part of beautiful Door County, Wisconsin, and makes a great starting point for exploring its many small harbors.

On our second Loop trip, we stayed in Sturgeon Bay twice. First on the South side on our way in from Frankfort, MI. Then, on the north side, we’re on our way back to the lake from Green Bay. Both sides have excellent marinas and facilities.

Where To Eat

On the south side, Kitty O’Reilly’s Irish Pub was our favorite. It has great food and an atmosphere. We also stopped at Sonny’s Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria and the Bridge Up Brewing Company, which are in the same building right at the Michigan Street bridge. While you are there, be sure to pop over to the park and check out the Woolly Mammoth Statue. Also on the south side is Scaturo’s Baking Co & Cafe, which is an excellent bakery, just get there early as they sell out quickly!

On the North Side, Brygga Plates & Pours is on the waterfront, and you can watch the ships go through the Michigan St Lift bridge, they also have entertainment on the weekends. Another recommended stop is the Door County Fire Company, a burger and beer joint in an old firehouse. We recommend Morning Glory by the Bay, just up the street from the marina, for breakfast.

There are many other fine restaurants and bars along 3rd Avenue in the downtown area, including Crate Restaurant for sushi and steak, Trattoria Dal Santo for Italian food, The Gnoshery, Starboard Brewing Company, and The Corner Cafe.

Shopping Therapy

Most of the shopping is in the downtown area on the north side. There are quite a few small art galleries and two glass blowers. Wilkins & Oleander is a nice clothing store, Bliss The Marketplace is a great place to browse, and Dancing Bear Toys caters to both children and adults. Also, be sure to visit OtherWorlds Books. On the North side, just a short walk from the marina, is Heathy Way Market, a health food store with fresh vegetables and organic products.

A little farther afield, about 2 miles from downtown there is a Super Walmart, Marketplace Foods, and Pick ‘n Save grocery stores on the north side of town. On the south side, there is a Target.

Getting Around On Shore

Sturgeon Bay is easy to walk and bike. Two bridges with good sidewalks cross the Bay. Both are lift bridges, but they rarely open at the same time (except for large ships), so you can always cross one of them.

Uber/Lyft are available, but we had to wait 45 minutes for a pick-up. There is also a taxi service Door County Cab, available.

Keeping Entertained

The Highlight of Sturgeon Bay is the Door County Maritime Museum. The museum is a ten-story tower on the south side waterfront featuring a large outdoor observation deck on the top floor and many exhibits detailing the area’s shipbuilding and fishing history. Moored in front of the museum is the John Purves, a 149-foot restored tug boat that saw service in World War 2 and has a long history of service to the area. You can go on a guided tour of this amazing vessel.

On the north side in downtown, are the Door County Historical Museum, and the Miller Art Museum.

If you fancy an outing, you can also bike or hike the Sturgeon Bay Canal Trail West, which runs along the north side of the canal that connects Sturgeon Bay to Lake Michigan. At the Lake Michigan end, you can also visit two lighthouses. The Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal Pierhead Light, and the Sturgeon Bay Canal Rear Light, both of which are beautiful working lighthouses.

Getting There

There are two typical routes for Loopers who want to visit Sturgeon Bay. The first is by following the northern coast of Lake Michigan from Mackinaw Island before crossing into Wisconsin and traveling down the Wisconsin (west) side of the Lake. You will pass Manistique, MI, before entering Green Bay at the point of Door County near Washington Island and the “Death’s Door” channel. Here, you can enter Green Bay and visit Gladstone, Escanaba, and the small ports on the west shore of Door County, then turn east into Sturgeon Bay. If you choose to continue down the west side of Lake Michigan, you can use the Green Bay Ship Canal to reach Sturgeon Bay and Green Bay, then explore Door County from the south.

Another popular route is to travel down the Michigan (east) side of the Lake, visiting Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Charlevoix, Traverse City, Leland, and Frankfort, all popular stops along the Michigan side. Then, from Frankfort, it’s a 50-mile run straight across the lake (its narrowest point) to the Green Bay Ship Canal. We took this route on our second Loop trip, then continued down the Wisconsin side after visiting Sturgeon Bay and Green Bay.

If you are heading north on the Wisconsin side, the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal is 24 miles from Kewaunee, 48 miles from Two Rivers, 55 miles from Manitowoc, and 76 miles from Sheboygan.

Marinas and Anchorages

North Side (closest to downtown)

• CenterPointe Marina – A large marina with easy access to downtown. They are full service with a large repair facility, pumpout, and a great boater lounge with showers and laundry facilities. No Fuel. We stayed here on our way south and really enjoyed our visit. (920) 256-9528
• Stone Harbor Marina – Part of the Stone Harbor Resort and managed by the City of Sturgeon Bay. There are no fuel or pumpout services available. (920) 746-2914
• Town Wall Docking – Just west of the Michigan Street Bridge, near the Stone Harbor resort, there is a wall with tie-offs. It’s not officially listed, but we saw a few boats docked there for the night. There are no services.

South Side (closest to the Maritime Museum)

• Harbor Club Marina – is on the west end of Sturgeon Bay near the Michigan Street Bridge and is well protected by the Jetty. It offers pumpout and minor repairs. This is part of the Skipper Buds marina group. No Fuel. (920) 746-8200
• Bay Marine of Sturgeon Bay – is a large marina with excellent facilities. We stayed here on our way north, and the service was excellent. It is a full-service marina with Diesel, Gas, Pumpout, and Repairs. (920) 743-6526
• Quarterdeck Marina – is another large marina on the eastern end of town. It is also a full-service marina operated by the Skipper Buds group. Diesel, Gas, Pumpout, and Repairs. (920) 746-8200

Where To Find Out More

• Destination Door County – Door County Information.
• Trip Advisor – Things To Do In Sturgeon Bay
• Travel Wisconsin – Sturgeon Bay
• Destination Sturgeon Bay – Activities, Webcams and Events listing

Have you been to Sturgeon Bay? What is your favorite spot?
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