DOOR COUNTY (NBC 26) — For places like The Farm in Sturgeon Bay and PC Junction Restaurant in Baileys Harbor, the weekend brought both familiar faces and first-time visitors. Both businesses say they expect as many if not more tourists than last year.
- Businesses in Door County share their experiences from the first weekend of tourism season.
- Longtime visitor Justin Rebman compares today’s Door County to the quieter version he knew as a kid
- Destination Door County’s 2023 figures show when and how tourists visit the peninsula
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Justin Rebman has been vacationing in Door County for more than 30 years.
"Well, it's interesting, because as a kid it was so much more quiet than it is now," Justin Rebman said.
Now, he brings his kids and says the county can get crowded, especially this time of year.
Watch: Season’s greetings: Door county’s tourism season hits full steam
According to a 2023 fact sheet from Destination Door County, about three-quarters of the peninsula’s tourists visit between May and October. That year, the area drew an estimated 2.5 million visitors.
"It has become so much more popular, but I think just the beauty of the area you can't keep it to yourself," Rebman said.
On Memorial Day, he brought his four kids to The Farm, just north of Sturgeon Bay. It opened for the season this weekend
For Shirley Tanck, whose family bought The Farm in Sturgeon Bay 23 years ago, opening weekend is one of the busiest times of the season.
"It started out very busy this weekend, and I think the whole county has been very busy," Tanck said.
In Baileys Harbor, it’s the same for PC Junction a well-known family train-themed restaurant that opened for the season on May 16.
"We’ve steadily grown over the years. I think last year was the year before, and we would anticipate growing again," Terry Hanusa, whose brother owns the restaurant, said.
Tyler Hanusa, the son of the owners, says the first weekend they’re open is mostly locals but by Memorial Day weekend, both longtime visitors and plenty of new faces arrive in Door County.
"For the families, you’ll get a couple generations of different families. So, grandma and grandpa used to bring their little ones here, and then all of a sudden, their little ones are coming back with their little ones," Tyler Hanusa said.
Both businesses say they’re excited for the rest of the summer, hoping to become a Door County tradition for families who vacation here year after year.
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