Ever since I had applied to UW-Stout, with a major in Graphic Communications, I became intrigued with marketing. One of the requirements that Stout has for most if not all, majors is to have an internship or co-op before graduating. So, I began my search in the fall/winter of 2020 to hopefully get an opportunity in the summer of 2021. After a while of looking for an internship, I finally came across one that caught my attention right away, and that of course was with Door County Adventure Center. The description of the position sounded very fun and exciting, so I decided to apply. Once interviewed by the Operations Manager, Abbey, I felt confident that this was a position I wanted to take and later did. 
I was one of three other girls who were also hired as a marketing intern. We had our first meeting before the season had begun, where we went over what our roles and responsibilities would be. There were three different locations that each of us got put at and rotated through every month. Everyone was in charge of posting on social media on certain days of the week, mine being Friday and Saturday. In addition, we also had to post every week on Google My Business, which was specified to the location we were at; my days were Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. It was our job to go out and take pictures and videos of the different adventures and services offered for content to post with those different platforms in mind. We were also given the task of writing a blog once a month, with topics of our choice, but still relating to Door County Adventure Center. All of us did get one day a week specifically for marketing, so we could achieve those goals. Additionally, we all met for a marketing meeting to go over what was working for the company and what we needed to add/work on. For example, we went over poster distribution, contest ideas for customers, holiday graphics, sales and discounts, creating Tik Toks, etc. Each of us put a lot of effort into our position and with that saw quite a bit of improvement within the company’s marketing department. 
The internship overall taught me a lot and gave me hands on experience that I will take with me into future positions. Having the flexibility to create and come up with different marketing strategies for DCAC was definitely a big perk of the role. It was fun to see everyone’s ideas and combine all of our skills, which made working together easy. For future marketing interns at Door County Adventure Center, if you are up for an adventurous summer in a fun and exciting work environment where you get to express your creativity this is the place for you! 

Below are a few projects of my own:

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Here at Door County Adventure Center, we offer quite a few packages that allow you to choose two different adventures and by doing so, you save money! You can of course mix and match between our locations, so that your adventures with us are tailored to your liking. One thing we personally don’t offer, but still coordinate on is Segway tours. We work with a couple guys, Nick and Rick, who have their own separate Segway companies. If you book with either of them and then with us, or vice versa, you “Segway and save!” The Segway tours offered by Nick are Cave & Dunes, Sturgeon Bay, and Egg Harbor and the tour offered by Rick is Rowley’s Bay (Off-Road Tour). The tours normally last an hour and a half to two hours. All of these tours, as you may have noticed, are within all of our locations we have at Door County Adventure Center! Nick does have specific instructions on where to meet for each of his tours, which is on our website under each of the packages. Rick has a trailer that he sets up right next to our building across the street from Rowley’s Bay Resort. 
 
Riding on a Segway is definitely just as fun as it sounds. From my own personal experience, it’s actually not as hard as it may seem. It’s not necessarily like riding a bike, but there are handles to hold onto. In order to steer, you move the handles side to side as if your hands are sliding across a horizontal pole. It’s important to avoid trying to turn, going back to the feeling of riding a bike. Your balance plays a key role in controlling the Segway’s speed. If you lean forward on your toes, you are going to go faster and if you lean back on your heels, you will slow down or even come to a stop. The feeling is similar to a hoverboard, if you have heard of those, but with more stability since you have something to hold onto. Anyone can ride a Segway and if you are a beginner don’t worry, the appropriate training will be provided and you will catch on fast! Once you get used to the feeling, it will come pretty natural after a while. 
 
So, if you are at a loss of what to do or just want to cross it off your list, riding a Segway is the perfect answer. Don’t forget to bundle with Door County Adventure Center to save money and experience more fun!

Door County is home to all different types of fruit wineries. Located up and down the entire peninsula, many of these wineries have even been passed along through generations. 
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When looking at some of these wineries a little closer, it is noticed that many of them are located close to our DC Adventure's Egg Harbor Beach location! Relaxing with a glass of wine after a long day at the beach sounds the perfect day! Listed below are just some of the popular wineries in Door County.

First is Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market, located in the village of Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Fish Creek is the next town north of Egg Harbor when traveling on Highway 42. The winery is located on 100 acres of land that have been in the Lautenbach family since 1955. Lautenbach's Orchard Country Winery itself was established in 1985. 
The Lautenbach’s make their wine from a variety of different fruits that they grow within their property. These fruits include cherries, apples, grapes, raspberries, and pears. Their family also operates a farm market that sells everything from pies to cheese!

Next is Door Peninsula Winery is located in Carlsville, Wisconsin, a small town in between Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor. Located right off of Highway 42! The winery was established in 1974 in a two-room schoolhouse! As the years went on and the business grew, they eventually had to expand to a larger facility. Today, they have over 60 different wine selections!

44 Wineries is a small chain of wineries within the state of Wisconsin.  Door 44 Winery is a 6 acre vineyard located in Sturgeon Bay, while Parallel 44 is a 10 acre vineyard located in Kewaunee. This winery is also along Highway 42, but located south of Carlsville. An interesting fact about these wineries is that they are both located within the 44th parallel north of the equator. The northern circle of latitude also goes through places like the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. Prime wine country!

Located in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin is Stone’s Throw Winery, one of the few wineries close to our Rowelys Bay location! This winery is unique in comparison to others because they use California grown grapes to make their wine. In 1993, founder Russel Turco thought of the idea to use grapes from California and bring them to Door County to make wine! 

There are so many restaurants in Door County it’s hard to choose where to go. If you’re looking for something a little different or unique, I’ve got the places for you! After personally going to some of these restaurants myself, I have found some crazy things on these Door County menus that make going out to eat way more fun. If you’re like me and love going out to eat, but never know where to go or want to try something new, I’ve got some recommendations that Door County has to offer. The first being PC Junction. This restaurant is located in Baileys Harbor and maybe you guessed it from the name, but it’s train themed! Once seated and you’ve put your order in, a train comes around and delivers your food and drinks right to you! Some of the menu items include the “Conductor” and the “Sidecar.” This place is definitely one that stands out and is fun for the whole family. PC Junction is also only a seven minute drive from Egg Harbor Beach, which is one of our sites where we offer kayak and stand up paddle board rentals; more fun for the family! Next on the list is Sonny’s, which is in Sturgeon Bay. After working up an appetite from our Adventure Zip Tour this is the perfect place to go. They are an Italian Pizzeria, where they, of course, specialize in pizza. They have unique toppings and combinations that spice up your average pizza. However, this is not my main focus when it comes to Sonny’s. The one thing in particular that I’m thinking of on their menu will make your eyes bulge. That thing is a giant soft pretzel. It is pretty much the size of the pizza they serve and if you get it to go they will even put it in a pizza box for you! You can get this oversized pretzel with a few different dipping sauces that will cure your craving for this classic snack; something you’ll probably want to share with someone else too! Moving onto one of my favorite things to order at a restaurant, Bloody Mary’s! These drinks are so fun and my favorite because they come with all the fixings you need for a snack or sometimes even a full meal. There are a couple different places in and around Door County I have heard of that have outrageous Bloody Mary’s. In Algoma, which is right on the coast of Lake Michigan, is a place called Smashed on the Rocks. When I tell you their Bloody Mary’s are loaded, that is an understatement. They are HUGE! The drink comes with basically everything under the sun, including things like a soft pretzel, a corn dog, a donut, a hard boiled egg, a mini cob of corn, etc. All I’m saying is make sure you go on an empty stomach. The other place that also has crazy Bloody Mary’s is Shipwrecked in Egg Harbor. These come in 20oz “souvenir” glasses that you actually get to take home with you when finished. It comes with the classic fixings like a beef stick, pickle, and cheese, but they don’t stop there! You’ll just have to see for yourself what this whole drink has to offer and don’t forget to order a chaser that is freshly brewed from Shipwrecked themselves. If you decide to go later in the evening, our Sunset Kayak Tour at the Egg Harbor Beach can be the perfect ending to your night. The last meal I suggest you try if you’re in Door County is the fish boil. There are quite a few different places that offer amazing fish boils like Waterfront Mary’s, Pelletier’s Restaurant, and White Gull Inn, so it’s up to you to decide! Overall, a fish boil typically consists of cooking a variety of vegetables and a specific type of fish over a fire outside. You and whoever you invite, get to sit and watch the deliciousness unfold, and soon enough be able to dig in. I hope with all of these cool, fun, and even a little crazy, restaurant suggestions you find something that will add to making your experience here in Door County something to remember. 

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Do you know what the best thing to do is on the spur of the moment on vacation? Zip lining, of course!
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It is a super fun adventure that will leave you with nothing but good memories and fun times to look back on. However, one thing that can ruin your zip-lining experience does not have the proper attire. So this is going to be your insider's guide as to what not to wear when you go zip lining. So let's start from the top of your head and work down to your feet.


At the very tip-top, hats! They are such a great way to keep the sun off your face, but sadly, they don't exactly fit under the helmets used to keep you safe during zip lining. If you still want to wear your hat that day, you can, but make sure to take it off before getting geared up to go zip lining.
Next are glasses or sunglasses. These are a yes! Of course, you can wear them with your helmet and on the zip line. We want you to see all the sights that you can on our zip line tours and not be blinded by the light. So if you have them, rock them! 
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​When you book, we know that it can be confusing what the weather will be. You're on vacation, so we knit isn't easy to be dressed for the right experience. We hope that this helps and that we'll see you zipping soon!

Egg Harbor Village Beach is located within the village of Egg Harbor and stretches approximately 500 feet along Green Bay. It is one of the most popular and visited beaches in the area! Perfect for spending time with family, there are many shops and restaurants located within walking distance! Door County Adventure Center offers an array of water activities within this location. There are paddle board and kayak rentals, sand toys and concessions, as well as a sunset kayak tour that launches off the beach!

​Whitefish Dunes State Park is one of five state parks in Door County. The park consists of 863 acres of forest and dunes and a mile-long beach that runs along the coast of Lake Michigan. In the summer of 1967, the park became registered as an official Wisconsin state park. The main reason behind this was to ensure the sand dunes and the unique wildlife were protected. The park holds many different hiking trails that serve as ski touring trails in the winter months! Door County Adventure Center is one of the only tour companies in Door County that operates within a state park, and that is Whitefish Dunes State Park! DCAC conducts a Cave and Dunes kayak tour that departs right off the beach!

​Schoolhouse Beach is located on the north side of Washington Island and ironically has no sand. Its shore is made up of smooth, limestone pebbles. It is one of 5 beaches in the world that is entirely sand-less. For years, people would take home pebbles as souvenirs of their travels to Washington Island. This ultimately caused a drastic decrease in the pebbles. Today, it is illegal to take any of these glacier-polished pebbles off the land.

I am so happy I was chosen for this position. I have gained some great first-hand experience to take with me in my future career, and some lifelong friendships as well! All while living in the gorgeous gem of Wisconsin that is Door County. I 100% recommend this internship to everyone, it has truly been a once in a lifetime experience for me! ​

Starting my marketing internship for Door County Adventure Center, I had no idea what to expect. Coming from Illinois, I had never been to Door County before (and only been to Wisconsin a few times). I was nervous to move to a new place with new people for the whole summer, but I was excited to gain marketing experience and move away from home.
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As soon as I arrived at the intern house, I knew that I made a great decision to spend my summer in Door County. All of my teammates made me feel welcome and included right away. A week-long orientation helped us learn how to work together as a team and also get to know each other. Soon we became close friends. It was so much fun going on all of the kayak and zip line tours, as well as learning a little more about what this company has to offer. This internship exceeded all my expectations and truly was a summer that I will never forget.​