Door County underrated as a travel destination? U.S. News says it is
The travel department of U.S. News & World Report wrote that while Door County is well-known for summer tourism, there’s good reason to visit in winter.
Door County is known across the country as a popular tourist attraction for the summer and fall, of course. But the travel editors at U.S. News & World Report apparently believe it’s a great place to visit in winter, too.
That’s why U.S. News & World Report placed the Door at No. 3 on their list of the Best Underrated Travel Destinations in the U.S. in a May 12 article on their website by senior travel editor Elizabeth Von Tersch.
The article ranked 26 destinations that it said aren’t as well-known or featured frequently on a national level as other tourist hot spots. Selections were based on votes for possible destinations by readers of the website, input by U.S. News travel editors and factors such as crowds and things to do.
The U.S. News travel section has highlighted Door County as a top destination for travelers recently – an article on their site from March of 2025 ranked the Peninsula No. 18 among the Best Weekend Getaways in the Midwest, and the Door topped a 16 Most Romantic Getaways in Wisconsin list in September of 2023.
But in ranking Door County third as an underrated destination, the article said travelers should look beyond its well-known, very popular summer and fall scenery and activities and focus on its quieter offseason, which still offers some things to do.
“Most snowbirds stay far, far away from Wisconsin in the winter, but that’s the most underappreciated season in Door County,” the article said. “During this quiet time of year, visitors can cross-country ski or snowshoe on 250 miles of trails. Plus, frozen lakes are perfect for skating or ice fishing. Many of the region’s wineries and supper clubs stay open year-round, offering a surefire way to warm up.
“Though there is more buzz about Door County during summer (when refreshing lakes draw crowds) and fall (which brings out the leaf-peepers), this destination maintains its wonderfully slow pace no matter the season.”
Ranked ahead of Door County were St. Simons Island, Georgia at No. 1 (underrated in comparison to well-known tourist attractions in neighboring Florida and South Carolina, the article said) and Sawtooth National Recreation Area in Idaho at No. 2. Following Door County in the rankings were the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, at No. 4, and Block Island, Rhode Island at No. 5 (comparing Block Island to better-known seashore locales in the are like Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts).
Other locations in the Upper Midwest on the article’s underrated list are Duluth, Minnesota, at No. 8; Des Moines, Iowa, at 11; and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan at 18.
To read the full article, visit travel.usnews.com/rankings/best-underrated-destinations-usa.
Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or [email protected].
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