Door County cherry season: The Ultimate Guide

Door County produces millions of pounds of tart Montmorency cherries each year, and the entire peninsula transforms into a cherry-obsessed wonderland from mid-July through early August. This guide covers every cherry experience a family could want — from picking your own fruit straight off the tree to devouring cherry-stuffed French toast voted America's best breakfast, pit-spitting contests, cherry bratwurst, and farm markets overflowing with jars of cherry salsa and bottles of cherry wine. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway from Milwaukee or a full week's vacation from Chicago or Minneapolis, this is your definitive roadmap to cherry season on the Door County peninsula.

Door County sits on an 80-mile-long peninsula jutting into Lake Michigan, with two main highways forming a natural loop: Highway 42 runs up the lively western (Green Bay) side through Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Ephraim, and Sister Bay, while Highway 57 traces the quieter eastern (Lake Michigan) side through Jacksonport and Baileys Harbor. The two roads diverge just north of Sturgeon Bay and reconnect at Sister Bay, making it easy to experience the whole peninsula in a single road trip. Nearly every town along the way has a cherry farm, bakery, or market worth stopping for.

Cherry season

Understanding the cherry calendar is essential for planning. Door County's cherry trees put on a spectacular show of white and pink blossoms in mid-to-late May, typically peaking around the third week and lasting seven to fourteen days. Destination Door County maintains a Cherry Blossom Tracker on their website to help visitors time a visit. By early June the petals have fallen and tiny green fruit appears on branches.

The harvest itself is brief and weather-dependent. Sweet cherries (including Bing and Rainier varieties) ripen first, usually becoming available for picking around early July, often near the Fourth of July. The famous Montmorency tart cherries — the backbone of Door County's cherry industry — follow about two weeks later, with u-pick season running from roughly mid-July through mid-August. The entire picking window lasts only four to five weeks, and orchards farther south on the peninsula (near Sturgeon Bay) tend to ripen a few days before northern orchards around Sister Bay. Always call ahead before visiting any orchard, because a rainy spell or hot snap can shorten the season dramatically.

A few practical notes for families: book accommodations early, as Door County draws roughly two million visitors annually and July–August is peak season. The nearest major airport is Green Bay–Austin Straubel International, about 45 minutes to an hour south of Sturgeon Bay. Bring sunscreen, hats, and closed-toe shoes for orchard visits (there's limited shade among the trees), pack dark clothing for the kids (cherry juice stains are real), and carry wet wipes. And set expectations for little ones — tart Montmorency cherries are sour straight off the branch. They're meant for pies, jams, and ice cream, not snacking. Sweet cherries are the ones kids can pop in their mouths all day.

The best u-pick orchards for families

Door County was once home to more than 700 cherry growers farming over 10,000 acres. Today the industry has consolidated, but roughly 2,500 acres of cherry orchards remain, and a handful of outstanding farms welcome families for pick-your-own experiences. Here are the top options, organized geographically as you drive up the peninsula.

Choice Orchards in Sturgeon Bay (4594 County Road HH) is a 150-acre farm established in 1984 on land that was once part of the world's largest cherry operation. Sweet cherries open around July 4 and tart Montmorency cherries around July 15. The trees are kept low enough that kids can reach the fruit without help — a huge plus for younger children. Beyond picking, the farm features a 10-acre evergreen maze, a playground, picnic tables, and a charming Orchard Museum that recounts Door County's cherry history through artifacts and a restored picker's shack. The farm market sells jams, frozen and dried cherries, honey, and pre-picked fruit. Open daily 9 AM–5 PM during cherry season (roughly July 1 through August 15).

Soren's Valhalla Orchards (6491 County Road J, near Forestville south of Sturgeon Bay) is a smaller, family-run operation frequently recommended by locals. Run by UW–River Falls agriculture graduates, it offers pick-your-own sweet cherries and strawberries along with a farm market stocked with tart cherries, apples, and other seasonal fruit.

Meleddy Cherry Orchard in Maplewood (about 10 minutes southeast of Sturgeon Bay) is described as a hidden local gem — beloved for its simplicity, scenic setting, and top-notch fruit. Their 2024 season opened July 9. Check their website (meleddycherryfarm.com) for current-year availability.

Hyline Orchard Farm Market (8240 Highway 42, between Egg Harbor and Fish Creek) has been family-owned since 1958 and spans 150 acres of cherry and apple orchards. They grow both Montmorency tart and Bing sweet cherries. What makes Hyline special for families is the personal touch: staff drive you out to the orchard on golf carts, and there's a free kid activity area with a bounce house. Back at the market, sixth-generation matriarch Loretta (now in her 80s) still oversees the baking of exceptional homemade cherry pies, cherry-raspberry pies, and apple donuts with real fruit chunks. They also press their own cherry juice, cherry-apple cider, and cherry-raspberry cider. Pre-picked and pre-pitted cherries are available if you'd rather skip the picking. Hyline is open year-round for the market; call 920-868-3067 to confirm cherry-picking dates.

Lautenbach's Orchard Country Winery & Market (9197 Highway 42, Fish Creek) is the peninsula's most complete cherry destination — orchard, winery, bakery, and family playground all in one. Established in 1955 and now in its fourth generation, the 100-acre estate grows five varieties of tart and sweet cherries. U-pick tart cherries open in mid-July. The on-site bakery turns out fresh cherry pie, cherry donuts, cherry turnovers, and cherry strudel daily during season. The winery offers complimentary tastings and build-your-own flights from more than 50 wines and hard ciders made from estate-grown fruit. Kids will love the playground, yard games, and — the star attraction — the permanent cherry pit-spitting lane out back, where visitors try to beat the Wisconsin state record (48 feet, 1 inch). Lautenbach's maintains a Cherry Spit Hall of Fame. The farm also hosts a Summer Harvest Cherry Fest in July with wagon rides, guided tours, and pie-eating contests. Summer hours run Sunday 9 AM–4 PM, Monday–Thursday 9 AM–5 PM, and Friday–Saturday 9 AM–6 PM.

Seaquist Orchards (11482 Highway 42, between Sister Bay and Ellison Bay) is Door County's cherry titan — the largest tart Montmorency cherry grower in the county, farming approximately 1,000 acres of tart cherries and over 50 acres of sweet cherries, producing around six million pounds of fruit per year. They offer pick-your-own cherries in season and operate a massive farm market with a from-scratch bakery whose cherry pie is widely considered the best on the entire peninsula. Kids will enjoy the large shaded playground with a sandbox and pedal car track, and the whole family can watch the canning kitchen in action through viewing windows. Seaquist produces 72+ varieties of handcrafted jams, jellies, pie fillings, and salsas — all made on-site. They also host their own Cherry Festival in late July (the 2024 edition was July 27) featuring cherry pit-spitting and pie-eating competitions, a bounce house, face painting, orchard wagon tours, a dunk tank, and water balloon tosses.

Barnard Farms (5807 Highway 42, Sturgeon Bay) deserves a mention for eco-conscious families: this bee-friendly orchard avoids broad-spectrum pesticides and grows an impressive range of fruit including cherries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, plums, pears, and peaches.

Cherry treats you absolutely cannot miss

The cherry eating in Door County goes far beyond pie — though you'll want plenty of that too. Here's where to find the peninsula's most iconic cherry foods, organized by experience.

The must-eat breakfast is at the White Gull Inn (4225 Main Street, Fish Creek), where the Cherry-Stuffed French Toast won Good Morning America's "Best Breakfast in America" challenge in 2010. Thick slices of egg bread are stuffed with Wisconsin cream cheese mixed with tart Montmorency cherries, griddled golden, and dusted with powdered sugar. The inn serves more than 100 orders a day in peak summer and goes through 8,000 pounds of Seaquist cherries per year. Breakfast is open to the public. The White Gull is also home to one of Door County's most beloved fish boils — whitefish, potatoes, and melted butter followed by homemade cherry pie for dessert, served year-round on select evenings with a dramatic boilover spectacle. Fish boil plus cherry pie is the quintessential Door County dinner; other excellent options include Pelletier's Restaurant (Fish Creek), the Old Post Office Restaurant (Ephraim, in a historic waterfront building), and the Kettle Black (Fish Creek, overlooking the harbor).

For Swedish pancakes topped with warm cherries, head to Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant & Butik in Sister Bay — famous for the live goats grazing on its sod-covered roof from late May through mid-October. Expect a wait; it's one of the most popular restaurants on the peninsula, and kids are mesmerized by the rooftop goats.

For cherry pie, the competition is fierce. Sweetie Pies (Settlement Shops, 9106 Highway 42, Fish Creek) bakes towering four-to-five-inch-tall cherry pies with roughly eight cups of fruit per pie, sourced from Hyline Orchard. "No fillers, no jam, no goo" is their mantra, and Rachael Ray named them among the top 10 pies in the country. They produce 80–100 pies daily in summer. Also available: cherry crumble, cherry-rhubarb, and gluten-friendly cherry. Bea's Ho-Made Products (Highway 42, Ellison Bay, near the tip of the peninsula) is a rustic roadside spot on a family homestead dating to 1884, and multiple reviewers call their traditional lard-crust cherry pie — cherries cooked with only sugar and flour — the single best in Door County. Seaquist Orchards' bakery pie and Hyline's homemade version are also in the conversation.

For ice cream and frozen custard, three destinations stand out. Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor (9990 Water Street, Ephraim) has been serving scoops since 1906, making it one of the oldest ice cream parlors in Wisconsin. Their Door County Cherry ice cream and the Eagle Harbor Perfection sundae (cherries, hot fudge, pecans, whipped cream) are legendary, and the old-fashioned soda fountain with a jukebox is pure nostalgia. Not Licked Yet (4054 Main Street, Fish Creek) is the family-activity champion — a frozen custard shop established in 1982 with a giant playground, a duck pond fed by Fish Creek, hand-carved gnome decorations, and Custard Karaoke on Friday nights. Order the "Door County Sundae" (vanilla custard, hot fudge, Door County cherries, pecans) or the "Snowball Inferno" (molten Door County cherries, vanilla custard, chocolate shell). Their in-house cherry pie is also excellent. Door County Creamery near Sister Bay offers something different: Amarena Cherry Gelato made from goat's milk (half the fat of ice cream) alongside their cherry chèvre goat cheese and farm tours.

For cherry donuts and baked goods, Wood Orchard Market (8112 Highway 42, Egg Harbor) is the standout — a third-generation, 200-acre fruit farm with a bakery turning out cherry donuts, cherry strudel, and cherry pie. It's arguably the most kid-friendly market stop on the peninsula, with a playground, pedal carts, and free cider popsicles for kids. Lautenbach's bakery is another excellent choice for fresh cherry donuts, turnovers, and strudel.

For savory cherry dishes, seek out cherry bratwurst from Marchant's Meats (a local Door County butcher) or Waseda Farms (organic Berkshire pork cherry brats). The Cherry Hut (8813 Highway 42, between Egg Harbor and Fish Creek) serves cherry chipotle rib tips, Door County–style hot dogs with cherry chutney and goat cheese, plus a Cherry Bowl salad with cherry lime vinaigrette. Alexander's in Fish Creek offers salmon basted with cherry barbecue sauce, and The Cookery (also Fish Creek) serves a turkey and cherry chutney sandwich on granola bread.

For cherry wine and cider, Door Peninsula Winery in Carlsville (the peninsula's oldest winery, established 1974) produces a flagship Sweet Cherry Wine, a Cherry Old Fashioned Wine Cocktail in cans, Cherry Mimosa Cider, and Chocolate Cherry Wine, plus free guided tours daily. Lautenbach's offers flights from 50+ wines and ciders in their rustic cupola tasting room. Von Stiehl Winery in Algoma (Wisconsin's oldest licensed winery, established 1967) pioneered Door County cherry wine and still produces Sweet Cherry, Dry Cherry, and Cherry Bounce, with tours through underground limestone aging tunnels. Simon Creek Vineyard near Sturgeon Bay won a Double Gold Medal for their Door County Cherry Wine, chosen by USA Today as Wisconsin's pick for "50 Wines from 50 States."

Note for blog readers: Cherry Republic is a Michigan-based company with no Door County location, and the former Door County Bakery in Fish Creek has closed its retail operation.

Jacksonport Cherry Fest anchors the season's biggest celebration

The peninsula's marquee cherry event is the Jacksonport Cherry Fest, held on the first Saturday of August at Lakeside Park along the shores of Lake Michigan (6282 Highway 57, Jacksonport). The 2025 edition falls on August 2, and the 2026 festival is listed for August 1. Organized by the Jacksonport Historical Society since approximately 1995, this free-admission, one-day celebration runs from 9 AM to 4 PM and draws visitors from across the Midwest.

The food alone is worth the drive. The Jacksonport Women's Club bakes fresh cherry kolaches using Catherine Mueller's recipe passed down three generations — bakers arrive at 4 AM to prepare, and these sell out fast. The bakery booth also serves cherry pie, ice cream sundaes, and deep-fried cheese curds. A separate food booth opens at 9 AM with cherry brats, regular brats, hamburgers, hot dogs, and pulled pork from Door County Custom Meats. A jam booth sells cherry jams and pie filling.

Beyond food, the festival features a juried arts and crafts fair with talented Midwestern vendors, the Herb Mueller Memorial Car Show (free for spectators; $10 registration for participants), and live music under a big tent from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM. For kids, there's a Penny Hunt on the Beach (registration at 12:30 PM, hunt at 1 PM for ages 3–5 and 6–8), face painting at the playground, and appearances by Miss Cherryland and Miss Door County for photos. Free tours of the restored 1880s Erskine Root Cellar add a historical layer.

For those seeking a cherry pit-spitting contest — the Jacksonport fest doesn't feature one, but two other venues do. Seaquist Orchards includes pit-spitting in their late-July Cherry Festival, and Lautenbach's Orchard Country maintains a permanent pit-spit lane open during regular business hours all season long.

Where to stock up on cherry products

No family leaves Door County without a trunk full of cherry goods. The peninsula's farm markets and specialty shops collectively offer an astonishing array of products, and most will ship nationwide if your luggage can't handle the haul.

Seaquist Orchards Farm Market (Sister Bay) is the single best one-stop shop, with 72+ varieties of handcrafted jams, jellies, pie fillings, and salsas, plus frozen cherries, dried cherries, cherry juice, cherry syrup, and their legendary whole cherry pies. Their online store ships most shelf-stable items year-round. Koepsel's Farm Market (9669 Highway 57, Baileys Harbor) is Door County's oldest farm market, operating since 1958. Their bestseller is the chopped cherry jam, and they stock 87+ varieties of homemade jams, jellies, and fruit butters alongside cherry granola, cherry vinaigrette, and generous free samples. Online ordering is available at koepsels.com.

Wood Orchard Market (Egg Harbor) specializes in cherry salsa, cherry honey mustard, cherry horseradish sauce, and cherry strudel — unique products you won't find everywhere. Lautenbach's Orchard Country (Fish Creek) ships curated gift boxes (Cherry Lover's Classic, Cherry Lover's Supreme) and offers cherry pancake mix, cherry poppyseed dressing, chocolate-covered cherries, and cherry Riesling wine. Wisconsin residents get free shipping on a case of wine or cider.

Cherry De-Lite / Country Ovens (229 East Main Street, Forestville) is a must-visit even on a rainy day. This factory store produces the original Door County dried tart cherry ("Cherry De-Lites") and offers a viewing window into the production line, a video tour, and abundant free samples of dried cherries, cherry juice, chocolate-covered cherries, and cherry salsa. They're open year-round and ship anywhere in the country.

Grandma Tommy's Country Store (Highway 42/57, just north of Sturgeon Bay) serves as an excellent first-or-last stop on the peninsula — a big red barn stocked with cherry pies, cherry donuts, cherry fudge, cherry mimosas, dried cherries, and create-your-own gift baskets featuring local products.

Door Peninsula Winery (Carlsville) sells not just cherry wines but a full line of Fat Louie's brand cherry food products: cherry salsa in three heat levels, Cherry BBQ Sauce, Cherry Bourbon BBQ Sauce, cherry wine jelly, cherry wine cheese spread, and cherry wine beef sausage. Their "Everything Cherry Box" gift basket bundles the best of it. The online store ships wine to 20 states and food items more broadly. Wienke's Market (County Road S, between Algoma and Sturgeon Bay) is another year-round option with unusual finds like cherry cheddar cheese, cherry brats, and cherry summer sausage, all made without preservatives.

The Cherry Hut (Fish Creek) rounds out the shopping experience with cherry pies baked fresh each morning (they sell fast), 25+ private-label wines with free tastings, and a curated selection of local cherry products alongside a food menu and Bridge Up Brewing taproom with fire tables and live weekend music.

A sample itinerary and final tips

A three-day cherry-focused trip could look like this:

Day one, enter the peninsula at Sturgeon Bay, stop at Grandma Tommy's or Cherry De-Lite to get oriented with samples and products, grab lunch, then pick cherries at Choice Orchards or Soren's Valhalla.

Day two, drive Highway 42 north, picking at Hyline or Lautenbach's in the morning (arrive early for the best fruit), grabbing cherry donuts at Wood Orchard in Egg Harbor, eating cherry-stuffed French toast at the White Gull Inn, watching goats and eating cherry pancakes at Al Johnson's, and ending the day with a Door County Sundae at Not Licked Yet or a scoop at Wilson's in Ephraim.

Day three, visit Seaquist Orchards' farm market and playground in Sister Bay, sample cherry wine at Door Peninsula Winery or Lautenbach's, squeeze in a fish boil dinner with cherry pie, and stock up on take-home products at Koepsel's in Baileys Harbor.

A few final notes: Door County's cherry industry dates to 1858, when the first Montmorency trees were planted. By the 1950s, the peninsula earned the nickname "Cherryland USA" and produced an astonishing 95% of the nation's tart cherry crop. Today, competition from Michigan has shifted that balance, but Door County remains the country's fourth-largest cherry-growing region, and the quality and concentration of cherry experiences per square mile is unmatched. The peninsula's unique microclimate — alkaline limestone soil, temperate air moderated by surrounding waters, and gentle winds that aid pollination — still produces exceptional fruit.

Conclusion

Door County's cherry season is compressed into a precious few weeks, but the sheer density of experiences makes it one of the best food-focused family trips in the Midwest. The key is planning around the mid-July to early-August harvest window, calling orchards before you go (the season shifts with weather every year), and booking accommodations months in advance. Beyond the cherries themselves, the peninsula offers five state parks, kayaking at Cave Point, lighthouses, goat farms, and some of Wisconsin's most charming small towns — all within easy driving distance of each other. Start at the southern end in Sturgeon Bay, work your way north to Ellison Bay, and let the cherries guide you. Your family will leave with stained fingers, full stomachs, and a cooler packed with enough cherry jam and dried cherries to last until next July.