Places to Stay : Sturgeon Bay

Beach Harbor Resort
3662 North Duluth Ave.
Sturgeon Bay, WI   54235
800-388-8055

Beach Harbor Resort is situated on the water and next to Potawatomi State Park. The resort has 500 feet of water frontage, its own beach and waterfront bar and grill (Waterfront Mary’s) and rents bikes, boats and jet skis.  

Location
As you head north on the main highway, you’ll come to Duluth Ave (before crossing the Bayview Bridge). The area is residential in spots, and this is actually a dead-end road. 

“It’s a little out of the way. And it’s not a dead-end. It’s the road to Beach Harbor,” said innkeeper Jon Hanson with a laugh.

Checking in
Meet Jon and Patti Hanson, the innkeepers, or a member of their staff at the office where you check in. It’s in a separate building near Waterfront Mary’s and tucked behind the main building with the rooms.  Available here are some brochures on area attractions as well as information on boat and ski rentals. And we also liked seeing the Door CountyNavigator.com “Pocket Navigator(tm)” displayed. This is a great handy guide to area restaurants.

Rooms and cottages
There are 33 rooms available in a motel-style building on this five-acre campus. Also available are two cottages, which are in proximity to the water and have pretty views. One of them has three bedrooms, living and dining rooms and a view of water and its own firepit.

As to the rooms, you can choose from a room with a king-size bed and sofa sleeper (there are seven available); a room with a double bed and sofa-sleeper (seven available); or a standard room with two double-size beds (19 available).

Each room has a private bathroom, refrigerator, microwave, cable TV/DVD.

The rooms we saw were clean, carpeted, and outfitted with a table and chairs near the window.  They had views of the greenspace, but not necessarily the water.  There is a washer and dryer on the premises for guest to use.

The Hansons, who have owned Snug Harbor Resort in Door County for 17 years, purchased Beach Harbor five years ago. They did a lot of work to the property at that time including installing a new roof, replacing old carpeting in rooms with new carpeting and outfitting the rooms with new furniture.  The resort was built in 1981.

“Fishermen like to stay here because of our location, but we also get a lot of families and people who come for family reunions. There is so much for them to do here,” Jon said.

Resort amenities
Speaking of things to do, Beach Harbor Resort has a sand beach affording a gradual entry into the water, Jon says.  The area is renowned for being a great fishing spot for walleye, salmon and more.

There are also swings for kids to play on and a lot of picnic tables on the grounds and abundant parking.  A firepit (wood is provided by the resort) is available, too. 

We especially liked the convenience of boat and ski rentals.  Right here you can rent boats of all types: pontoons, speedboats, fishing boats, sailboats or canoes.  Also available are jet skis and harbor tours, fishing charters and skiing and tubing charters.  Bike rentals may also be arranged. Beach Harbor guests get 10% off the regular price of boat rentals.

“You can get the whole family together on a pontoon boat,” Jon says.

Another place people gather is Waterfront Mary’s Bar and Grill, also located on the Beach Harbor grounds. This place has a fantastic view of the water—actually called the Bay of Sturgeon Bay, Jon says.  Guests have opportunity to meet the locals, area fisherman and other people who happen upon this popular spot.

“It’s a good bar,“ Jon says. 

Oh, and mark your calendar for Taco Night Tuesdays, Wing Wednesdays (cost is nominal per wing, and 13 homemade sauces are offered), and live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Waterfront Mary’s seats about 50 people year-round and 120 in the summer, when the outdoor seating near the water also opens up.

Breakfast
Waterfront Mary’s is also the place to enjoy the continental breakfast, which is included in a stay at Beach Harbor Resort. It’s served from about 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and features donuts, yogurt, cereal, fruit, coffee and juice.

Nearby attractions
Jon and Patti know the area well, and said they like to spend a lot of time informing their guests of nearby attractions.  Their tips include visiting neighboring Potawatomi State Park. It has 1,200 acres of forest and many hiking and biking trails.

The innkeepers also provide directions to county parks, Toft’s Point, Cana Island and, of course, ideas for water sports and fun.

“People are interested in the water and Potawatomi State Park.  They can fish off the dock at Beach Harbor. Families do well here, and it is a reasonably priced place for them to stay,” Jon says.

“We like to spend a lot of time with people and will advise a special trip for them,” Jon says.

He often recommends a drive up the middle of the Peninsula, as opposed to the coasts, during the fall.  And during the winter, the drive to Beach Harbor is a pretty scenic one, too.

“It’s pretty when the snow falls. It ‘s like going through a white tunnel as you go down the road,” he says.

So go down the road (that would be Duluth Ave.) to discover Beach Harbor Resort, and let them know DoorCountyNavigator.com sent you.

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