Recreation

Rentals

Outdoor recreation equipment which doesn’t require an engine can be rented from several outfitters. Bay Shore Outfitters (27 South Madison Ave., 920/818-0431, www.bayshoreoutfitter.com [1]) downtown opposite—sort of—the Maritime Museum and other locations has rentals as well as guided tours. Figure $25 for a daily bike rental, more for a kayak.

Boats, canoes, and other outdoor gear can be rented from Boat Door County (920/743-3191), with several locations in Sturgeon Bay—the easiest being the Maritime Museum (120 N. Madison Ave.). Potawatomi State Park also has rentals, including kayaks.

Charter Fishing

Door County [2]’s sportfishing charter fleet ranks near the top five in the state in total salmon takes on a seasonal basis, but that’s in numbers only. Factoring in relative populations, Door County [2]’s communities are way ahead of the pack. Around here, lunkers prevail. The Wisconsin DNR says Sturgeon Bay charters have more fish per trip than any other north of Milwaukee, and a record 44.92-pound chinook salmon was landed (by a 16-year-old) off Sturgeon Bay near the legendary fishing spot called the Bank (as in bank reef); however, Algoma won’t let you forget that it was from an Algoma charter boat. Most people don’t know that the smallmouth bass and walleye fishing around here can be some of the best in Wisconsin, especially for flyfishing in late spring. As always, obtain a local list and do some advance work.

You can also contact the 24-hour fishing hotline (920/743-7046).

Biking

Pick a direction and you’ll find grand bike touring. This author loves to head up the lake side in the morning (starting from the Coast Guard Lighthouse—note that there can be lots of traffic on Highway T!) and then head back along the bay in the afternoon. The Ahnapee State Trail, best suited for mountain bikes but road bikes can handle it fine, starts just south of town and runs to Algoma. For non-deadly off-road riding, simply head to Potawatomi State [3] part south of town.