Then read on, if you dare, to learn how to completely mess up a vacation. It's a true story from way back in 1994, and it was weird enough that I wrote it all down the day I returned to Milwaukee. The right way I suggest you decide in advance where and how you would like to stay. Door County is actually larger than most people realize, stretching from Sturgeon Bay all the way up to Rock Island. Location is key, but so are your accommodations.
Camping is a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy nature.
Motels and bed and breakfasts in the area tend to be a little pricey, and unless you're fortunate enough to know someone with a cabin, I'd pick the camping. Less than an hour northeast is the popular Fish Creek, Egg Harbor, Sister Bay, Ephraim and more. The Lake side, or east side, is more subdued, less developed and populated mostly with locals. But that can be fun, too. It depends on what kind of trip you are planning.