For a Real-Life Holiday Wonderland, Visit Door County, Wis.

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For a Real-Life Holiday Wonderland, Visit Door County, Wis.

By Glenda Winders

In early November, when the cherry and apple harvests are over and the last of the colorful foliage has faded and fallen away, much of Door County, Wis., shuts down. Hoteliers regroup for the spring; chefs dream up new dishes; Ann Young says she and her husband Butch, who run the Sievers School of Fiber Arts on Washington Island, use the months when tourists aren't visiting their shop to concentrate on their loom-building business.

Some locals head for warmer climes, but for the intrepid snow-lovers who remain, the best part of the year is about to begin. And for anyone committed to getting away from it all for the holidays, this is the place to come.

Door County is the 70-mile-long peninsula on the eastern side of Wisconsin that juts out into Lake Michigan, so the same dramatic rock formations, hiking trails and waterscapes that attract summertime visitors provide the perfect venue for frosty wintertime fun.

Peninsula State Park, which gets 50 to 60 inches of snow in an average winter, has 16 miles of groomed ski trails and 17 miles of snowmobile trails. The two-mile Minnehaha trail between the Niagara Escarpment and Green Bay is perfect for snowshoeing and provides scenic views to the tune of pileated woodpeckers doing their work throughout the forest. The 17th hole of the golf course transforms into a hill for sledding, tobogganing and tubing.

Potawatomi, Newport and Whitefish Dunes state parks and Cave Point County Park also offer ski trails and endless snowshoeing possibilities -- a perfect way to track wildlife and take photographs. One especially good spot is The Ridges Sanctuary, a 1,400-acre preserve near Baileys Harbor named for the sandy ridges that denote the former beach lines of Lake Michigan.

A horseback ride from the Kurtz Corral is another way to see the snowy scenery and wintertime wildlife. The advanced trail ride for experienced equestrians includes a stop at Simon Creek Winery for some tasting.

Locals may be out on the frozen lake playing broom ball -- a game like hockey that uses a broom instead of a stick -- or ice skating. If you stop in at a local pub to inquire about the best spots for ice fishing, you might very well be invited to share a shanty while you learn how to carve a hole in the ice, monitor your tip-ups and tell stories.

If your idea of holiday fun has more to do with snuggling by a fire and sipping goblets of eggnog than playing in the ice and snow, the villages of Door County offer plenty to do -- from folk art shows, theatrical productions and musical performances to tree-lighting ceremonies and holiday home tours. One possibility is a wine-tasting tour in a heated trolley, which is followed by a horse-drawn sleigh ride and a cozy lunch at the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek.

With the countywide "Holidays and Holly Nights" promotion, some hotels offer special winter rates worth checking out, as well as packages that include extra surprises.

The Eagle Harbor Inn in Ephraim offers a one-night special for guests who want to write out their holiday cards while they sip mulled cider by a fireplace, and it includes a gift certificate to encourage local shopping. Their Holiday Magic Package includes breakfast in bed, herbal whirlpools by the fire and Swedish massages.

The Inn at Cedar Crossing in Sturgeon Bay promises a fireplace and whirlpool in every room and a festive basket of goodies that will include sweets, candles and an ornament guests can take home for their own tree. Several other hotels offer similar packages.

You might want to consider staying at the Thorpe House Inn, the White Gull Inn or the Whistling Swan, all in Fish Creek, since guests are invited to a progressive dinner during all the weekends in December and some in January. You'll have cocktails and hors d'oeuvres at one, dinner at another and dessert at a third. The best part is that you'll be transported to each venue by a horse-drawn wagon that will take you past seasonally decorated homes.

If you decide to stay on into January, be sure and join the local Polar Bears, whose annual plunge into Lake Michigan takes place at noon on New Year's Day. That event happens at noon at Jacksonport's Lakeside Park. At 1 p.m. that same day an impromptu New Year's parade livens up Egg Harbor. Whitefish Dunes State Park will host a candlelight ski event on Jan. 30, with Peninsula State Park following suit on Feb. 6 and Newport State Park on Feb. 13.

Also in February, you can catch the Fish Creek Winter Games, an ice carnival that features such colorful events as ice golf and toilet-seat tossing. And if you missed the earlier progressive dinners, the Door County Trolley will be hosting theirs for the rest of the winter.

After that, it may be time to head home. Not that there isn't plenty more to do in wintery Door County, but you'll need time to plan your summer return and a whole different set of adventures.
IF YOU GO

Getting there: Fly into Green Bay and rent a car for the drive north.

Where to stay: Visit www.doorcounty.com for listings of hotels, restaurants and activities.

For progressive dinners: www.whitegullinn.com/progressive.html

For trolley and sleigh tours: Door County Trolley, www.doorcountytrolley.com

For sleigh rides without the trolley component: Mayberry's Carriages, www.mayberryscarriages.com

For horseback rides: Kurtz Corral, www.kurtzcorral.com

For ski and snowshoe rental: Bayshore Outdoor Store in Sister Bay, www.kayakdoorcounty.com; Ecology Sports in Sister Bay, www.ecologysports.com; Nor-Door Sport and Cyclery in Fish Creek, www.nordoorsports.com

For ice fishing: Remember that you'll need to purchase a Wisconsin fishing license. For information about fishing conditions, call the Door County Visitor Bureau at 920-743-4456.

What to bring: Appropriate clothing for winter activities -- long underwear, heavy socks, sweaters, boots, coats, scarves, hats and gloves.

Best-kept secret: Door County is famous for its Montmorency cherries, so cherry pie will be on the menu everywhere you go. What often isn't advertised is the cherry juice and champagne cocktail. Yum!

Glenda Winders is a freelance travel writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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