Places to Stay : Fish Creek

The Whistling Swan Inn & Restaurant
4192 Main St. P.O. Box 193
Fish Creek WI
920-868-3442
innkeeper@whistlingswan.com

While the Whistling Swan Inn is steeped with history, the place’s vibe today is light and a tad contemporary.

You choose one of seven rooms in a 120-year old building located in Fish Creek, perhaps the most foot-friendly place on the Peninsula for shopping, dining and wandering to the beach. 

From the spectacular veranda, which stretches alongside the three-story white wooden building, you have a view of Green Bay waters, too (the shore is just about a half-mile down the block).

So if you like staying in the heart of it all and in a place with an eclectic style and upbeat staff, this is the inn for you. It’s also the inn, where “everybody knows your name.”

“It’s an extended family feeling here. We are able to talk with everyone who stays here and remember their names,” says Lindsey Weigel, manager.

Seven rooms, so reserve early

This is a hot spot, especially on summer weekends.  Make a reservation as soon as possible for one of four standard rooms, a deluxe room or one of the two suites. 

The pretty suites have French doors, separating a sitting area (with a sofa sleeper) from the bedroom with a queen-size bed. 

Large vintage windows emit a lot of sunlight. The walls in the suite we perused were painted a soothing tan color. The door and window trim is painted a warm white throughout the inn.  

All suites and rooms have a private bathroom, air conditioning, cable television and telephone.

Original hardwood floors are exposed in the wide hallway separating the rooms—rooms one through four have westerly views, while rooms five through seven have views to the east.

We also found our way to the deluxe room; it was spacious with a queen-size bed and a sofa sleeper. The standard room we saw was so inviting, its antique bed piled with toss pillows. Nearby was a vintage dresser. 

“Each room has its own feel. People have been looking for a place that is not so nautical and not frilly Victorian,” Weigel says. “And we have claw foot tubs in all but two bathrooms.”

Indeed, the bathrooms are beautifully done with brass fixtures, pedestal sinks and vintage-inspired flooring.

Beyond your room

Take the time to wander around the Whistling Swan, where you can ask staff about the inn’s history as well as Fish Creek lore.  You can also check out the black and white photographs on the wall in the reception area.

Included is a photo of the Whistling Swan when it was the Welcker’s Casino, owned by Dr. Herman Welcker. 

“It was not a casino in the sense of casino today, but in a sense of social hall,” Weigel explains.

Hmmmmm.   

The piano in the reception area was owned by Dr. Welcker, too. With a fireplace and inviting sofa and two leather chairs with nail-head trim, this is a nice space to have a drink or wait for your table at the excellent Whistling Swan Restaurant.

Speaking of nice spaces, head out to the veranda for continental breakfast, which is included with your stay. Tables are dressed with white tablecloths and every seat offers a pretty view. The veranda, enclosed with full windows and screens, is protected from pesky bugs and cooled by huge fans.

“It is the summer spot to be.  The infamous veranda,” Weigel says. “And our front porch is the best place for a cook drink in the afternoon—a beer in the afternoon is even better.”

The Whistling Swan is owned by Bill and Michelle Tressler, who also own Hinterland Brewery, Green Bay. So, all beers here are on tap.

On the town

The Whistling Swan shops are on the lower level of the building—here you’ll find Luna Café, which sells a variety of hot and cold drinks as well as homemade cookies and sweets. The raspberry bars are fantastic.

Next door is Brilliant Stranger, a delightful shop with a travel theme. The merchandise includes games and activities for kids to do on vacation—many things are displayed inside old suitcases. It’s a fun place to browse.

When you need ideas for things to do on the Peninsula, be sure to ask Weigel or Scott Zimmerman, manager. They enjoy sharing their favorite “nooks and crannies of the County” such as live music that often is not published in Peninsula publications.

“You can find live music six days a week on the Peninsula. Fred and Fuzzy’s (a waterfront bar and grill in Sister Bay) has live music on Tuesdays,” Weigel says.

Finally, you may be wondering, as we were, do swans really whistle?

“We get that all the time,” says Weigel with a laugh.

“I don’t think they do.  But they call me ‘mama swan’ around here, and I whistle.”

So, we cannot ensure you’ll hear swans whistle, but we do believe you’ll have a wonderful stay at this pretty inn in the heart of the Peninsula. And please tell them DoorCountyNavigator.com wet your whistle. 

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