LAKE MICHIGAN (East Shore)

Lake Michigan has a surface area of 22,300 square miles, making it the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. and the 5th largest lake in the world!  Door County’s eastern Lake Michigan shore boasts fabulous sand beaches and dramatic cliff coastlines. Spectacular sunrises and serene moonrises are found on these eastern shores.  Many enjoy boating, fishing (Walleye, Salmon, Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Muskie, and Lake Sturgeon), walking, swimming, kite surfing, and even a New Year's Day dip in Lake Michigan! 

You'll find the majority of Door County's sand beaches along the peninsula's eastern Lake Michigan coastline. Jacksonport and eastern Sevastopol offer some of the best walking sand beaches. You'll find them along S. Cave Point Drive, Glidden Drive, Lake Forest Park Drive, and North Lake Michigan Drive. Other northern areas with sand beaches are Ridges Road in Baileys Harbor, North Sand Bay Road east of Sister Bay, Europe Bay Road and S. Porte Des Morte Road in Gills Rock area.

Also along this eastern coast, you'll find some spectacular ledge cliffs and rocky shores, not to mention fabulous views. For those early risers, the eastern shore boasts fabulous sunrises. And in the early evenings, you can relax to the romantic beauty of the moon rising over Lake Michigan. Island views are found along Bues Point Road and Cana Cove Road in Baileys Harbor where you'll see Cana Island as well as at the very tip of the peninsula along Porte Des Morte Road where you'll see Plum, Detroit, and Washington Islands.

There are two large marinas on the lakeside in Baileys Harbor.