Study says Door County is a Top 20 tourist destination nationally for families of all ages

Christopher Clough, Green Bay Press-Gazette

DOOR COUNTY - Door County − a great place to visit for families of all ages.

So says a study whose results were released in late November that ranks the Peninsula as one of the "20 Best Multigenerational Travel Destinations in the U.S.," where it joins a roster of some of the most popular and best-known tourist spots in the country.

The study was commissioned and published online by Gogo Charters, a nationwide charter bus service. It analyzed 100 popular travel destinations across the country, using data sourced from online travel site Tripadvisor and AreaVibes, a demographic data analytics company in Toronto that calculates a Livability Score for communities across the U.S. and Canada.

Each destination was assigned a score based on the categories of family-friendly activities (up to 30 points), safety (30 points), lodging options for large groups (25 points) and amenities for all age groups (15 points). The scores in each category were added together, and the top five in each of four geographic regions (South, Northeast, Midwest, West) make up the final Top 20, with Door County placed in the Midwest region.

In a blog post about the Top 20 on the Gogo Charters website, writer Madeline Parks cited Door County as "a superb choice for multigenerational trips, offering natural beauty, outdoor activities, and cultural exploration for all ages. Its picturesque landscapes, including the scenic coastline and lush forests, create a serene backdrop for relaxation and adventures like hiking and boating."

Parks also noted the historic lighthouses, art galleries and artisan shops that for years have been among the Peninsula's main attractions, along with the fresh produce and farm markets and burgeoning farm-to-table restaurants that "offer culinary experiences for diverse palates." She wrote that the variety of local lodging establishments, from inns to cottages to resorts, offer comfortable space for a variety of family sizes.

The blog also mentioned three particular family-friendly activities or sites for each of the top 20 destinations. The selected sites for Door County were Cave Point County Park north of Sevastopol, Peninsula Players Theatre in Fish Creek and Cana Island Lighthouse in Baileys Harbor.

Joining the Peninsula in the top five Midwest destinations were three very well-known, unsurprising selections:

  • Rapid City, South Dakota, with nearby Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Memorial and Badlands National Park;

  • Branson, Missouri, with its live entertainment theaters and Silver Dollar City theme park in the Ozark Mountains;

  • and Traverse City, Michigan, with its natural beauty and arts scene on the Lake Michigan shoreline.

The fifth one may be less obvious, but Sandusky, Ohio, was recognized as the home of Cedar Point theme park, several museums and recreational opportunities on Lake Erie.

The rest of the Top 20, by region, are:

  • South: Destin, Florida; Williamsburg, Virginia; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; Orlando; and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

  • Northeast: Washington, D.C.; Cape Cod, Massachusetts; Ocean City, Maryland; Bar Harbor, Maine; and Cooperstown, New York.

  • West: Anaheim, California; Lake Powell, Utah; Honolulu; Yellowstone National Park; and Estes Park, Colorado.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Door County rated a Top 20 tourist destination for families of all ages

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