About Rowleys Bay Resort

lodge and floral displayYes, we’re off the beaten path. We often joke that if you arrive at Rowleys Bay Resort, you were either looking for us or lost. Our guests think that is one of the best things about our resort. Granted, we are not for everyone. If you’re looking for an ultra-modern downtown hotel, that’s not us. We’re proud to be a vintage resort with a direct bloodline to old-time Door County, a place where vacation memories linger from generation to generation.

Rowleys Bay Resort is situated on 100 secluded acres dominating a pristine and undeveloped bay with 700 feet of Lake Michigan shoreline, making it one of the most picturesque locations in Door County. Whether you prefer a traditional room, suite, cottage or spacious vacation home, you’ll find the atmosphere here to be casual, relaxed and friendly. Simply put, we offer Door County’s affordable waterfront vacation experience with an unmatched combination of activities and amenities.

Welcome to Rowleys Bay!

Emphasis on Outdoor Activities

To the northwest of Rowleys Bay Resort lies the Mink River, one of the few unspoiled estuaries in the Great Lakes system. Bordered by protected Nature Conservancy property, the river flows through coniferous swamps, a large marsh and empties into Lake Michigan at Rowleys Bay. On a boat, canoe or kayak trip, you’ll see blue-joint grass, willow, dogwood, alder shrubs, bulrush, wild rice, cattails, bur-reed, water lilies, osier, dwarf lake iris and dune thistle. The north side of Rowleys Bay is bordered by Newport State Park, with Sand Bay Park providing a southern border, accessible via the resort’s five miles of hiking trails.

Birders can enjoy four-season bird watching on the Mink River Estuary and the resort’s never-frozen bay. An estimated 200 species pass through annually, including bitterns, great blue herons, black-crowned night herons, sedge wrens, yellow rails, northern harriers, marsh hawks, blue-winged teal, loons, black ducks, red-breasted mergansers,swans, sandhill cranes and bald eagles. On any given day you will see a variety of birds using the bay as a landing strip.

Rowleys Bay Resort’s marina and DNR launch provide direct access to legendary Four Foot Shoal, one of the best places to catch trophy king salmon in Lake Michigan. Other fish found in the waters include steelhead, brown and rainbow trout, northern pike, perch, walleye and small-mouth bass. The launch area also is a quick getaway to Lake Michigan and the Mink River for aqua adventures such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing and windsurfing.

If you don’t want to travel with all your gear, or just want to try a new sport, a variety of rentals are available just outside the resort’s front door. DC Adventure Center offers kayak tours, a 500-foot Adventure zipline through our forest canopy, and stand up paddleboard (SUP) rentals and tours of the Mink River. Seaquist Segway will take you off-road on a tour of our expansive trail system, and fishermen can hook up with Captain Tim Guckenberg and his Reel Addictions Charters. For landlubbers there is volleyball and basketball.

Full Service Resort Amenities

Jewel, Resort Owner.

Jewel, Resort Owner.

As the largest waterfront resort in Door County, Rowleys Bay Resort accommodates and caters to the needs of a wide range of groups. With our banquet hall, meeting rooms, restaurant, bakery, pub, pool, fitness room, game room and other amenities all under one roof, families and groups feel safe and connected.

A great way to enjoy the beauty of Rowleys Bay is to linger over a cup of Door County Coffee and enjoy a sweet roll at Grandma’s Swedish Bakery. The bakery has tantalized the taste buds of Door County visitors and natives for 40 years with homemade pastries, decadent pecan rolls and other from-scratch bakery items. Family recipes have been handed down from generation to generation, ensuring visitors will receive the same authentic Swedish delights originally baked by Grandma.

Rowley’s Pub is our new cozy waterfront pub. Sip our signature Rowleys Bay Lemonade or pick from a wide selection of beer, wine and mixed drinks to enjoy at our waterfront windows. Build your own pizzas and enjoy other made-to-order pub grub. The décor theme is 50’s and 60’s water sports, reminiscent of vacations past. The outdoor veranda is perfect for those long summer nights.

Learn more about the history of Rowleys Bay

Media Mentions

MEDIA NOTES Style Guidelines: Rowleys Bay the place does not have an apostrophe, so Rowleys Bay Resort and Rowleys Bay Restaurant do not. Rowley’s Pub is the pub of Peter Rowley, so it has an apostrophe. Contact the General Manager for more information.

Artistic References