Sailboat on a mooring at sunset in Door County, Wisconsin

Door County, Within a Drive of Home

About two and a half hours from Milwaukee, three from Madison, four from Chicago and five from the Twin Cities. Waterfront, village and second homes across all of Door County, from Sturgeon Bay to Washington Island.

Get New Listings First

Door County Second Homes for Midwest Buyers

Door County, Wisconsin is a peninsula about two and a half hours north of Milwaukee, three hours from Madison, four from Chicago and five from the Twin Cities, with more than 300 miles of shoreline on Green Bay and Lake Michigan, five state parks, and villages and towns from Sturgeon Bay to Washington Island. Christie’s International Real Estate | @properties elleven represents buyers and sellers of waterfront, village and second homes across the county, led by Erika Skogg, who grew up on the peninsula.

Milwaukee

~2½ hrs

I-43 north to Green Bay, then Highway 57 onto the peninsula.

A drive Milwaukee families have made for generations.

Madison

~3 hrs

US-151 to Fond du Lac, I-41 to Green Bay, then Highway 57.

An easy Friday-afternoon drive across the state.

Twin Cities

~5 hrs

East across Wisconsin to Green Bay, then Highway 57.

Or a nonstop Delta flight from MSP to Green Bay.

Drive times to Sturgeon Bay, per the Door County Visitor Bureau. Fish Creek, Ephraim and Sister Bay are 30 to 45 minutes farther.

Aerial view of a Door County harbor village with sailboats moored on Green Bay
2½–5 hrsfrom Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago and the Twin Cities
300+ miof shoreline
5state parks
11historic lighthouses
~30,000year-round residents
Door County, Wisconsin (co.door.wi.gov) and the Door County Visitor Bureau.

Private and new listings

Get New Door County Listings First

Many of Door County’s waterfront homes change hands before they reach the public market. Buyers on this list hear about them first.

Why Door County

Why a Second Home in Door County

Closer Than It Looks

Two and a half hours from Milwaukee, three from Madison, four from Chicago, with nonstop flights into Green Bay from O’Hare and Minneapolis–St. Paul.

Exceptional Value

Door County’s waterfront offers more privacy, more shoreline and more home than Lake Geneva or Michigan’s shore, at better values.

A Summer With Its Own Pace

Sailing out of Sister Bay, cherries in July, and evenings that end with a sunset over Green Bay.

Boats tied at a dock on a calm Door County harbor
Clear water and a pink sunset over Green Bay in Door County

Featured Door County Properties

Waterfront, village and second homes across all of Door County.

View Listings
Kayakers over clear water along a wooded Door County shoreline

Bay side and lake side

Where Second-Home Buyers Look in Door County

  • Sturgeon Bay

    Gateway · bay and lake

    The gateway, open year-round

  • Egg Harbor

    Bay side

    A bluff-top village on Green Bay

  • Fish Creek

    Bay side

    Harbor village beside Peninsula State Park

  • Ephraim

    Bay side

    White clapboard along Eagle Harbor

  • Sister Bay

    Bay side

    Marina, beach and village center

  • Baileys Harbor

    Lake side

    The quiet side, on Lake Michigan

  • Jacksonport

    Lake side

    Long sand beach facing east

  • Washington Island

    Island · ferry from Northport

    A 30-minute crossing from Northport

Questions from second-home buyers

Buying a Second Home in Door County

How far is Door County from Milwaukee?

Sturgeon Bay, the gateway to Door County, is about two and a half hours north of Milwaukee by car, up I-43 to Green Bay and Highway 57 onto the peninsula. Fish Creek, Ephraim and Sister Bay add another 30 to 45 minutes.

How far is Door County from Madison?

Sturgeon Bay is about three hours from Madison by car, taking US-151 to Fond du Lac, I-41 north to Green Bay and Highway 57 onto the peninsula. The northern villages of Fish Creek, Ephraim and Sister Bay add another 30 to 45 minutes.

How far is Door County from Chicago?

Sturgeon Bay, the gateway to Door County, is about 250 miles and roughly four hours north of downtown Chicago by car. Fish Creek, Ephraim and Sister Bay add another 30 to 45 minutes. The usual route is I-94 to Milwaukee, I-43 to Green Bay and Highway 57 into Sturgeon Bay, and leaving the city outside rush hour makes the biggest difference.

How far is Door County from Minneapolis–St. Paul?

Sturgeon Bay is about five hours from the Twin Cities by car, heading east across Wisconsin to Green Bay and north on Highway 57. Delta also flies nonstop from Minneapolis–St. Paul to Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport, about 50 minutes from Sturgeon Bay by car.

Can you fly to Door County?

Yes. Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB) has nonstop service from Chicago O’Hare on American and United and from Minneapolis–St. Paul on Delta, and Sturgeon Bay is about 50 minutes from GRB by car. Private and charter aircraft use Door County Cherryland Airport (SUE) in Sturgeon Bay, and Ephraim–Gibraltar Airport serves the northern villages.

What do waterfront homes in Door County cost?

Door County waterfront homes range from the high six figures into the multi-million-dollar range, with Sister Bay, Fish Creek, Ephraim, Egg Harbor and Baileys Harbor among the most sought-after areas. Current listings are updated below from the MLS.

Should I buy on the bay side or the lake side of Door County?

The Green Bay side, on the west, has the sunsets, sheltered harbors and the busier villages of Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Ephraim and Sister Bay. The Lake Michigan side, on the east and often called the quiet side, has sunrises, long sand beaches and more space around Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport. Buyers who sail or want dinner within walking distance often choose the bay, and buyers who want quiet often choose the lake.

Is Door County a year-round place to live?

About 30,000 people live in Door County year-round. Sturgeon Bay has the county’s hospital, airport and full-time shops and services. The northern villages are busiest from May through October, and fall color, cross-country skiing and quiet winters draw a smaller crowd the rest of the year.

Can I rent out a Door County home when I’m not using it?

Often, depending on the home. Short-term rental rules are set by each town and village, and rental homes need a tourist rooming house license and room tax registration. We confirm the rules for a specific address before an offer is written.

I already work with a real estate agent at home. Can they stay involved?

Yes. Christie’s International Real Estate | @properties elleven is part of the Christie’s International Real Estate network, so an agent you already work with in Milwaukee, Madison, Chicago or the Twin Cities can refer you to our Door County team and stay involved from first showing to closing.

Does Christie’s International Real Estate cover all of Door County?

Yes. Erika Skogg and the Door County team represent buyers and sellers across the whole county, from Sturgeon Bay and the southern towns through Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Ephraim, Sister Bay, Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport, out to Washington Island.

Who represents Christie’s International Real Estate in Door County?

Erika Skogg grew up in Door County, comes from three generations of local real estate and is the first Christie’s-affiliated agent based on the peninsula. Reach her at 920.603.8111 or erika@doorcountychristiesrealestate.com.

Updated October 2026

Sailboat on calm water off a stone beach in Door County

Erika Skogg

Start Your Door County Search

Erika Skogg grew up in Door County and is the first Christie’s-affiliated agent based on the peninsula. She follows up with every inquiry directly.