All photos courtesy of Palladium Hotel Group.

Originally published in Fathom

CAP CANA, Dominican Republic – My visit to TRS Cap Cana was the perfect antidote to pandemic fatigue. The family-owned boutique hotel nestled within an azure marina caters to travelers who want a quiet, adults-only refuge, with all-inclusive and curated amenities. (Parents with kiddos have plenty of other Punta Cana resorts to choose from, such as TRS Turquesa or Barceló Bávaro Palace, both of which have a drop-off kids club, playground, and kiddie pool). I like my waves and my accommodations calm, so this resort was my cup of MamaJuna (a Dominican spirit made from rum, red wine, and honey, spiced with tree bark and herbs).

The vacation vibe began immediately at check in, where my five traveling companions and I were greeted with mojitos. As we sipped cocktails on the lobby terrace, I could feel my stress melting away in the heat. While waiting for our rooms, we ducked into the air conditioned lobby café for an iced coffee. The barista said guests can get a tutorial on how to brew the famously robust Dominican cafecito. (Tip: A proper abuela-approved coffee requires roasting beans and brewing in a moka pot, called a “greca” around here.) The closest beach, Juanillo, is a five-minute shuttle away.

When our rooms were ready, we were introduced to our butlers — or as I came to think of them, our on-call genies. The butlers were our 24/7 go-tos for everything: making dinner and spa reservations, booking tours, packing and unpacking, stocking the mini-fridge, serving our favorite drinks by the pool. When I had a problem with my room card, my butler was a speed-dial away with a replacement. (I was glad I saved the butler’s number in my phone as soon as I meet him.)

Our rooms were the Junior Suite Swim Up category, with a hammock and chaises on the patio by the lap pool that overlooked the fountains and communal pools. My room had a living area with a pillow-topped sofa, dining table, small kitchen space with mini-fridge and Keurig coffee maker, a walk-in closet, and an elegantly appointed bathroom with a rainforest shower. While these are the most requested rooms, those who want more luxury and space can stay in an Ambassador Suite — two bedrooms, a living room, indoor/outdoor shower, patio jacuzzi, a fully stocked wet bar, and stunning views from the wraparound terrace.

The plate of local fruit and chocolates left to welcome me in my room looked inviting, but I left it temporarily untouched in favor of a dip in the lap pool and shower before lunch at Boulevard Fishing Lodge. A cool breeze from the marina fanned us as we watched yachts and fishing boats cruising into the canal. I ordered quinoa and avocado salad from Woscar, our affable waiter, who surprised us with an amuse bouche of stuffed grilled zucchini.

We were fully rested by our second day and ready to take a shuttle to sister resort TRS Turquesa in Punta Cana to rock out at the Chic Cabaret restaurant and club. We had a welcome cocktail outside the club, where beautiful showgirls twirled in illuminated costumes as a DJ spun. Around 8 p.m., we were ushered inside for the Vegas-style revue. We ate a surprisingly delicious dinner while a talented troupe of scantily-dressed men and women performed a non-stop medley of tunes from the 1960s to the present — from “Hit the Road Jack” and “Proud Mary” to “Faith” and “Vogue” to “Earned It” and “New Rules.” After three hours of head-spinning costume changes, singing, dancing, and acrobatics, the audience was beckoned onto the stage to dance with the performers (we did). The after-show moved outside and the party continued until 1 a.m. I pulled a Cinderella and left around midnight. And though my clubbing days are behind me, I can’t tell you how fun and cathartic it felt to dance with abandon.

Location

TRS Cap Cana is on the east coast of Punta Cana, surrounded by 6,000-plus acres of tropical forest. Cap Cana is considered one of the safest areas in the Dominican Republic.

Hotel Style

The resort is completely chill — conducive to a hammock nap with a drinks-by-the-marina-at-sunset vibe. Because of its proximity to the town of Cap Cana, you feel like a part of the local culture rather than a typical tourist (or, at minimum, you’ll feel culture adjacent).

This Place Is Perfect For

Weddings, honeymooners, solo travelers, and grown-ups in need of childless R&R (adults only resort, so no floaties in the pools). One female guest from New York City was there on her own for a post-divorce vacation. Guests are a combo of Americans (majority), Europeans, and Latinos, including Dominicans.

But Not So Perfect For

People who want a beach resort. A hotel shuttle makes regular trips to Juanillo, a secluded beach five minutes away.

What’s on Site

Restaurants, bars, café, spa, small gym, upper and lower pools with swim-up bars (volleyball nets upon request), and a marina beach.

Food + Drink

The resort has a variety of restaurants and cuisines to choose from, including Capricho for self-serve buffet or a la carte breakfast; Helios or Fishing Lodge Boulevard for lunch; El Gaucho, an Argentinian restaurant for carnivores; and Tentazino, an Italian restaurant, where I had a tasty seafood risotto at dinner. An outdoor grill serves poolside snacks; the café provides croissants and sandwiches. The lobby bar offers classes on rolling Dominican cigars; Xtra Time Sports Bar has a big-screen TV, darts, and foosball. Room service is available 24 hours a day.

The Rooms and Suites

The 115 luxury suites have terraces overlooking the marina. The decor is modern Mediterranean with vibrant colors of the ocean and sunset. The suites have a free mini-bar, Keurig coffee maker and pods, local fruit and chocolates, and TV with English-speaking channels. The Wifi is free.

Drawbacks

No on-site oceanfront. The hotel offers a shuttle to a nearby secluded beach.

Standout Detail

The staff is super friendly. Everyone from the housekeeper to the house manager will greet you with a congenial ¡hola! The baristas and bartenders are proud of their local spirits and custom, and seem to genuinely enjoy giving demonstrations for guests about how to mix a Dominican cocktail or brew a cafecito. Our group had a local art teacher give us a workshop on painting sunsets and palm trees on Panama hats.

What to Do Nearby

Guests who want to venture outside the resort can book excursions with their butler — cycling, horseback riding, fishing, ziplining at Scape Park, and hiking. You can rent a car if you want to roam on their own.

Good to Know

The pools close at 7 p.m., so if you like evening swims, ask for a room with a swim-out pool.

Getting Here

Punta Cana International airport is ten minutes away by car. The butlers can schedule airport transports.

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Authentic Mexican hospitality meets ultra luxurious living in Cabo San Lucas

The newest addition to the family-owned Mexico Grand Hotels is the super-luxe Vista Encantada Spa Resort & Residences, complete with 36 exquisitely appointed one to three-bedroom suites (each with a terrace or balcony, plunge pool, and kitchen) that overlook the dramatic Sea of Cortez. Wherever you stay on this property, you will be steeped in Mexican history and culture, with furnishings, décor, and paintings of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, all by local artisans and artists.

Located on the Baja peninsula, Los Cabos is best known for its resorts, fishing, golfing, boating, and a thriving nightlife. Vista Encantada (translates to enchanted view in Spanish) lives up to its name, thanks to its rooftop infinity pool, the largest in the region, and 360-degree vistas. The jewel in the crown of the property, the rooftop pool has a Jacuzzi and cushy cabanas, where you can relax with a cocktail and light bites from the nearby El Ático bar. Pop inside for more panoramic views while you work out at the Sky Gym, or pamper yourself at the Milagro Wellness Spa that offers a menu of natural healing treatments. The Mayan massage begins with an ancestral prayer, fragrant incense, and ends 50 minutes later with the gentle ringing of a bell as cups are placed on your blanketed, blissed-out bod. Afterwards, you can take a dip in the spa pool (with a sea view, of course), or enjoy a break in the sauna.

The resort has a variety of dining options including Mestizo del Mar, for contemporary dishes made with fresh, organic ingredients orchestrated by Chef Oscar Rodriguez Garcia. For an al fresco experience, there’s Los Riscos Mesquite Grill at the adjacent Hacienda Encantada Resort & Residences, where you can start with a glass of Villa Sandi Prosecco and scallop toast topped with avocado mousse, red onion, and pickled lemon and finish with a crème mango brûlée. Enjoy the sounds of waves breaking against the Baja cliffs as your tension melts away with the Mexican sunset.

Here’s what sales and marketing director, Gabriel Ibarra, had to say about the most requested room at the Vista Encantada.

What are some fun facts about the hotel or rooms?

Vista prides itself on its amenities, activities, and personalized services. Guests can choose to have 24/7 butler service; a baby concierge who will provide a crib, creams, and diapers prior to your arrival; use of the Kids’ Club for some adult time; a pre-stocked fridge and pantry; and an unpacking/packing service. Foodies can opt for the All-In Gourmet Indulgence plan, exclusively for guests of Vista Encantada. This includes in-room sparkling wine upon arrival; complimentary room service; premium wine and liquor upgrades; an extensive selection of fine meats and seafood, and much more.

Any of our guests can take a cooking class with Chef Garcia, or learn about the tequila-making process at a tasting with our expert sommelier Christopher. Those seeking spiritual rejuvenation can sign up for a “temazcal,” a centuries-old sacred Mexican ritual held in a sweat lodge and run by one of the town’s shamans. The two-hour ceremony involves chanting, prayers, and the burning of fresh herbs such as mint, eucalyptus, and chamomile. Call the hotel’s Guest Experience Manager to book any of those upgrades.

What is your favorite room?

My favorite room is the two-bedroom swim-up villa that has a small, private pool on the balcony.

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“Tourist in My Own City” by Jodie Gould

I love wine. I like it so much that I thought it unwise to order by the case for fear that I might overindulge. I love it with dinner and after a long day; Netflix and chilled wine. (My husband prefers beer.) So when I heard about City Wine Tours in New York I was all in. The tour bills itself as a wine tasting for those who know what they like, but may not know a lot about what they’re drinking. For $75 you get six wines with hors d’oeurvres at two restaurants. This is a fair price given that a glass of wine in New York ranges from $10 to $15!

The first stop was L’Aile ou la Cuisse (aka A.O.C.) on Bleeker Street in the West Village, where I met up with a group of friendly wine enthusiasts that included three women who went to high school together in New Jersey, a couple from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and another couple from the Philippines and Paris. Our “wine ambassador,” Aimee, who left advertising to become a somelier, was warm and eager to answer all questions. She served us a variety of French wines, including Les Terres Blanches (tasted like Champagne), a Brut (which means it’s dry) from the Loire Valley, a Pinot Blanc from Alsace, and a Bourgogne Rouge from Burgundy.
One should never drink on an empty stomach, so we gleefully helped ourselves to plates of cheese, bread and charcuterie (French for cold cuts).

Our second stop took us across the border to Tio Pepe on W. 4th Street, a neighborhood fave since 1970 (the Beatles ate there back-in-day), where we were schooled on Spanish wines, including a Rosado Garnatxa Negra from Navarra, a Segrel Albarino from Rias Baixes, and a Don Jacobo Crianza from Rioja. Our yummy food pairings were coco flatbread with goat cheese, bacon and fried egg, and blistered shishito peppers with sea salt.

So what did I learn from tippling the white and red fantastic? “Legs” (those lines that drip down the side of a glass) are residual sugar. Thicker lines, more sugar. Swirl your glass on the table to prevent spillage. Make your own wine cellar by storing bottles in a cool, dark place. Box and screw top wines are fine, and natural corks are better for the environment than rubber ones. Sulfites (a preservative) will not give you a headache, but one of the 72 other additives in wine might. You know what else will give you a headache? A hangover; so sip and savor!

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This oceanfront resort in Los Angeles offers luxury with sustainability

Originally published at Dujour.com 

When Marineland in Ranchos Palos Verdes, best known for its famed resident, Shamu the whale, closed after nearly three decades, the land was eventually converted into a 102-acre oceanfront luxury resort. Terranea Resort offers 582 plushly-appointed rooms, each with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Every room has a terrace or outdoor space, a bathroom with a separate stone tub, private shower and loo.

If it’s privacy and pampering that you crave, you can opt for a spacious Bungalow Suite located on the water’s edge for honeymoons and romantic getaways, or a residential-style Casita. Families who want extended stays can purchase a furnished ocean-view golf front Villa with up to 2,800 square feet of living space. Whatever you choose, all Terranea guests are greeted with a free glass of sparkling wine and can indulge in a myriad of amenities. Treat yourself to an afternoon at the lavish spa (I had the Honey Body Bliss massage, made from the resort-owned bee hives.) for an après treatment, swim in the spa pool, soak in the hot tub, or take a cold plunge with a steamy cup of turmeric tea in the open-air, seaside lounge.

Terranea’s on-site recreation includes four salt water pools (one for adults only), a seaside fitness center, kayaking, paddleboarding, scuba diving, and a 9-hole, par-3 golf course. There are eight restaurants, including Nelson’s, named for a character from the fifties TV show Sea Hunt, filmed at the nearby coves; Bashi, a pan-Asian bistro that serves family-style portions; or the elegant Mar’sel, where you can dine under the stars on garden-to-table California cuisine.

The resort prides itself on its nature-inspired sustainability. This includes a farm housing six chickens, 13 acres of restored kelp (a natural water purifier), and a Sea Salt Conservatory (a greenhouse for harvesting sea salt from the ocean). Guests can take coastal hikes where naturalists enthusiastically identify local marine life, flora and fauna.

Below, Terranea’s Experiential Marketing Manager, Andrea DeKoning, tells us about the elegant property and what makes this SoCal resort so special.

What’s the most requested room?

The Shearwater Suite is the most requested room and my favorite due to its private, oceanfront wraparound balcony! The suite is 1,800 square feet, with a living room, library, a kitchenette with a full-size refrigerator, a master bedroom with a dual-vanity bathroom, and a dining room that seats eight. 

What makes it so special?

The Shearwater’s private oceanfront balcony is located on a cliff! From this viewpoint, you have the perfect location for dolphin and whale watching and a panoramic 270-degree view of the Pacific Ocean, making this one of the rare places where you can see the sun both rise and set over the ocean from a single vantage point. The Shearwater Suite also comes with unlimited use of a Lexus.

What is the rate?

Shearwater starts at $2,445 a night.

Any fun facts about the hotel or rooms?

Terranea is celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year. All guests have complimentary use of a Lexus for up to three hours. There are special events and activities all year. Buy a culinary immersion package with Mar’Sel’s Chef Bernard; make your own olive oil during the Olive festival, get your feet wet tide pooling with a naturalist, or take artisan crafting and archery lessons. Another popular event is yoga under the moonlight!

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“From celebrities, to supermodels, to busy moms, renowned cosmetic dermatologist Dr. Doris Day has kept them glowing in over twenty years of practice. She knows that all women have something in common: they want to look and feel more beautiful. Everyone deserves to feel gorgeous, but Dr. Day has learned that a true sense of beauty is not only face value. Rather, beauty begins way beyond the epidermis. For one to look their best they must tap into the power of the mind and emotions. Addressing feelings can have a major impact on the way people see themselves and look to others. When one feels great, they radiate beauty.

In Beyond Beautiful, Dr. Day proves the power of the mind on appearance, with compelling case studies illustrating the correlation between self-reflection and looking better. She also offers countless easy, practical skincare and makeup tips, effective natural treatments, and the latest in aesthetic breakthroughs to help readers of all ages and skin types uncover their most youthful, radiant, beautiful selves.”

Available on Amazon

“Whether you are having problems with your job, your spouse or your kids, worries are like projections on a movie screen that show up on your face and in your body. The Skin Whisperer Dr. Day has graced our stage many times with her secrets to feeling younger and healthier and moving Beyond Beautiful.”

—Dr. Mehmet Oz, Professor of Surgery, Columbia University, host of “The Dr. Oz Show”

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The Ultimate Girls’ Trip: Stowe Away to Vermont

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Six Nashville Restaurants at the Top of Our List

Believe it or not, Nashville is known as much for as its food as for its music scene, although often, the two are combined. Wondering where to get the best eats in Music City? Head to one of these six Nashville restaurants, or better yet, make reservations at all of ’em, Cowgirl.

COUNTRY EATS: SIX NASHVILLE RESTAURANTS WE LOVE

Chauhan Ale & Masala House

23 12th Ave North, Nashville, 615-242-8426

Executive Chef and co-owner Maneet Chauhan, who is a judge on the Food Network’s “Chopped,” has spiced up the Gulch area with a restaurant that offers a happy marriage of Southern staples and traditional Indian food. Locals like Taylor Swift have been spotted there, and globally-inspired drinks and drafts are abundant. Try the Moni and the Mule, for example, made with aria gin, ginger, lemon, lavender, tamarind soda and mint.

One particularly memorable appy is the Gol Suppa Shots, widely sold, we were told by the friendly Chef Chauhan, on the streets of India where she grew up. The light semolina puffs are filled with black garbanzos and potato. Pour in a little mint cilantro water, pop in your mouth, and wait for it to gently kick your taste buds like an Indian spur.

Images of Bollywood films projected onto the walls make this “gastropub” even more hip and exotic.

Le Sel

1922 Adelicia Street, (615) 490-8550

There was a time when Nashville nosh was mostly BBQ ribs and chicken joints, but those days are long gone now that Music City is also a Foodie City. Witness the opening of Le Sel, a new French restaurant located in Midtown on the ground floor of the Adelicia apartments, where Taylor Swift calls home (how many times can one drop TS’s name?).

Le Sel offers a cheeky spin on iconic French dishes during Saturday brunch, and a tip of the cowboy hat to the South. From its graffiti-inspired artwork to the staff’s bow ties and aprons by a local designer, owners Benjamin and Max Goldberg are on a tear to open as many high-caliber restaurants in town as possible. My breakfast consisted of a sublime omelet resting atop a crispy potato pancake.

City Winery

609 Lafayette Street, 615-324-1010

Plan on visiting the city’s first and only fully operational winery, restaurant and theater space located in the Pie Town District. You can tour the winery and order tastings of the house brands paired with a selection of local cheeses.

Oenophiles can produce their personal blend with the help of the restaurant’s winemaking team—and make up to 21 cases under their very own label. Try the farm burger, one of the local’s favorite dishes, along with your wine, which is served with Muenster, caramelized onion, pickle, sundried tomato aioli, lettuce, and fingerling frites. Vegetarians can have the black bean & chickpea burger instead.

Come for the food, wine and entertainment!

5th and Taylor

1411 5th Ave North, (615) 242-4747

This relatively new arrival to the Germantown section is the creation of Chef Daniel Lindley, whose menu is inspired by the Sunday dinners of his childhood, with his traditional yet refined American fare that includes venison Carpaccio with charred kale, sunchoke, and caper; beer can chicken with swiss chard and beer sauce; trout with truffled faro, beet and sunchoke; and roasted cauliflower, acorn squash, poblano quinoa.

For dessert, you can order the Elvis Moon Pie, which is fried with bacon (you read correctly). The pastry chef drew a likeness of the man himself in chocolate sauce. As I dipped my spoon into Elvis’s image, who walks in but Connie Britton, the actress who plays Rayna Jaymes on TV’s Nashville. Heads turned but no one made a fuss, as Nashville has cultivated its celebrity cool.

The exquisitely designed warehouse space features rustic high ceilings, fiddle leaf fig trees, and candles on the center divider where a statue of General Francis Nash stands. I don’t know what your Sunday dinners were like, but mine were often unwrapped and unfrozen.

Capitol Grille

Hermitage Hotel, 231Sixth Avenue North, 615-345-7116

Canadian designer and HGTV host Karen Healy, toasting Capitol Grill’s Art Deco men’s room

Even if you don’t stay at the luxurious Hermitage Hotel, you might want to get gussied up and go to its AAA Four Diamond-rated Capitol Grille. Chef Tyler Brown’s elegant, creative southern cuisine uses only the finest farm-to-table ingredients for his dishes.

Go for the heirloom grits in tomato gravy (best grits I’ve ever tasted), followed by the Loop de Mer, a lightly braised bass, and a luscious southern coconut lime cake.

Once a private men’s club, the restaurant is open to all genders as is its restored green-striped Art Deco men’s room, which has a shoe-shine stand inside. It is a favourite stop for a photo opp during bachelorette parties and prom nights.

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken

5209 Charlotte Avenue, 615-712-7137

Want some real southern fried chicken that doesn’t come in a bucket with a white-bearded Colonel? Hungry locals head to Hattie B’s in West Nashville for poultry that’ll knock your boots (and socks) off. If you’re a wimp like me, you’ll stick with the mild, but if you have an adventurous and sturdy palette, I dare you to try the Too damn hot or Shut the cluck up.

You can wash it all down with pitchers of beer and sides of potato salad, collard greens and slaw. Talk about comfort food.

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Tired of the same old vacation spots? Ready to try something new? We’ve got a few requirements this summer. We’re looking for the best artisan cheese, wine, craft beers and fine dining—and not necessarily in that order. Look no further than Door County, Wisconsin. With 250 miles of dramatic shoreline overlooking Lake Michigan and Green Bay (as in the actual bay, not the home of the Packers), Door County, Wisconsin is a little-known getaway destination for those who enjoy the bucolic pleasures of farm and lake country, pristine nature reserves, cherry orchards, and indulging in award-winning restaurants, wine, beer, and cider tastings.

No worries if you’ve never heard of Door County. It’s a peninsula on the western rim of the Niagara Escarpment that arches from Niagara Falls through Ontario and Michigan to the southeastern part of Wisconsin. Door County is home to five state parks, 11 lighthouses, 34 islands, and caves that date back millions of years. It’s most famous, however, for cherries, wineries, breweries and, of course, cheese (hey, it’s Wisconsin!).

Aside from the indigenous Native Americans, the Scandinavians, Belgians, Irish, and Canadians eventually made their way through the treacherous waters (once called Death’s Door) to settle there. One explorer, Jean Nicolet, left Quebec in 1634 paddling more than 1,000 miles to Lake Michigan before landing in Door County believing it was China. My kingdom for a GPS!

If you visit sometime between spring and autumn, here are a few places you’ll want to explore.

Your Guide to Door County, Wisconsin

Where to Eat in Door County

Who says Wisconsin is only beer, brats & cheese?

Best Brekkie: Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant

With a nod to its Nordic heritage, this family-owned Swedish restaurant opened in 1949. Order a breakfast of Swedish pancakes topped with ligonberry jam (cross between a cranberry and a currant), and, for the decadent, whipped cream.

Best viral moment: The herd of goats that graze peacefully on the sod roof. In the words of Bruno Mars, don’t believe it just watch.

Best Fish: Fish Boil at Rowleys Bay Resort 

The Fish Boil is a Door County tradition, held each evening at the Rowleys Bay Resort. As we watched buckets of whitefish, onions, potatoes, and salt being poured into a bubbling caldron, a sprightly 94-year-old actor playing the eponymous Peter Rowley regaled us with amusing stories about the area’s history.

Best viral moment: When kerosene is thrown onto the fire producing an enormous plume of black smoke. The fish boil is served in the hotel restaurant with a full buffet that includes homemade cherry pie.

Best Beef: Root Bistro & Wine Bar

Behind the Scenes in Root Bistro

Located in downtown Sturgeon Bay, this high-end restaurant could be a transplant from Toronto’s Queen Street West or NYC’s TriBeCa. The chef plays with sweet and savoury flavours, offering an array of small plates, including decadent bacon-wrapped dates, shrimp tapas and pan-roasted beef tenderloin. Save room for the apple tart. The drink menu features local wine, beer, and cider, as well as bottles ranging from California to New Zealand. There’s 25% off wines on “Wine-Down Wednesdays” and live music on Thursdays. (Caveat: the kitchen closes at 8:30 pm, so go early bird.) 

Best Coffee: Door County Coffee & Tea

Do not miss this popular breakfast haunt, where you can sample coffee roasted on premises behind a see-through window. You can attend a “Coffee College” lecture given by the vivacious owner (a combo of caffeine and passion) and get schooled about where to get the best beans (Sumatra is number one, Colombia second). Try the Cherry Crème, Raspberry Butter Crunch or Carmel Pecan scones with your Joe.

Best Tapas: Parador 

Started by a worldly restaurateur and his Iberian-born wife, Parador is a magnet for foodies who come for its locally-sourced tapas, sangria and kitchen that stays open late. (When in Wisconsin, do as the Spanish do.) Our plates included charred cauliflower with whipped goat cheese; “patatas brava,” crispy potatoes with herb and fiery sauce;  and “cocas” (Spanish flatbreads), with roasted eggplant and caramelized onion spread. Dessert? Don’t miss the “churros” with spiced chocolate. Yo adoro Parador!

Where to Nibble Cheese in Door County

Wisconsin lives up to its reputation as North America’s top cheese producer and here’s where you should go to get cheesy:

Renard’s

Operating for more than a half-century, Renard’s hand-crafted cheese is delivered fresh each morning (the process starts at midnight) from local farms. There are 65 cheeses to sample or buy, including two- to ten-year-old cheddar, Colby, Blue, Gouda, Parmesan, and spreads (try the chocolate cheese fudge if you dare!). Tours of the factory are available with reservations. The curds are so fresh they squeak when you bite into them! 

Door Artisan Cheese Company

The newest kid on the Door County cheese block offers a variety of hand-crafted samples, including a signature creation soaked in Belgian beer. Take a tour of the caves where the cheeses are made and stored, or dine in the airy restaurant where you can pair your cheese plates with regional and international wine or craft beer.

Where to Sip Wine, Beer & Cider in Door County

“Drink Wisconsinably” is a state slogan—for a good reason. When going on tasting tours, have a designated driver, or check out the trolley schedule that stops at the vineyards, breweries, and distilleries.

Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market

This is one of the best winery tours in Door County. Start at the tasting bar where you can select up to six free samples from the 30 estate-grown wines. Our guide led us through the cherry orchards and vineyards, ending the tour in the big red barn where we watched a short video about winemaking.

Best viral moment: The mechanized cherry picker that literary shakes the fruit off the trees. Grab a free wineglass and head out to the cherry pit spit, where you can try to break the state record (38’3” for women).

 Door Peninsula Winery and Distillery

Housed an historic schoolhouse, you can pop your cherries on fruity, sweet and semi-sweet wines. If you like your spirits harder, you can also try the fruit-infused vodka and gin. Ask to taste the bold Sinister wine, followed up with the full-bodied and tart. Redemption.

Bier Zot

Door County is arguably the Mecca of Malt, so a trip here must include this gastropub that has eleven drafts, one cask, and nearly 100 bottles to pair with its European-inspired menu. Order the “flight” (four beers to sample). Don’t be shy about asking for recommendations—the men who run Bier Zot travel the world looking for most uniquely-crafted beers. One of your tastings may be Oude Gueuze, a three-year-old Belgian beer made with a blend of three vintages and, according to the menu, “a ridiculous amount of funk.”  Delish!

Door Country Brewing Company Tap Room & Music Hall 

Want blues with your brews? This late-night tap room has a backyard beer garden is where you can listen to a live band, nosh from the food truck, and gather around an open fire. The tap room offers a wide selection of locally-sourced “eco-conscience” beers, including the Polka King Porter, Little Sister Witbier and Farm House Ale.

Island Orchard Cider

Don’t leave Door County without tasting the cider, which, make no mistake, is not that concentrated stuff you had as a kid. The tasting menu includes Oak Aged Apple Cider, Pear Cider, Apple Cherry Cider and Apple Lavender Cider (yes, lavender is edible and drinkable).  

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Where to Hear the Best Live Music in Nashville

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