Kayaking in Caves! A Must-Do In Door County!

Living in Door County is a total dream, and I didn't think it could get any better until I recently explored Cave Point from a kayak! Seriously, this is the MOST BEAUTIFUL moment I've ever experienced in DC!

Not only was the water a Caribbean green color, but you actually can kayak into caves! It felt like Hawaii, not Wisconsin! It was absolutely AMAZING! 

So how can you do this excursion? 

Peninsula Kayak Company
6300 Hwy 57- Jacksonport, WI 
Phone: (920) 918-4314

Book your guided group tour here: https://peninsulakayakcompany.com/tours

The nice people at Peninsula Kayak will get you set with all the main equipment you need: life jacket, paddle, and sit-on top kayak.

What To Bring:
-Sunscreen (or apply before you go)
-Plenty of Water to Drink
-Small Snacks (I brought almonds & a LaraBar)
-Hat or Sunglasses 
-Shoes & Clothes That Can Get Wet
-Windbreaker or Hoodie (it's always cooler on the Lake!)
**Optional- waterproof phone protector that floats (HIGHLY RECOMMEND!) I got mine at Dunhams Sports in Sturgeon Bay beforehand for $19.99

So here I am all geared up! Can you see my phone protector case in the reflection of my glasses?!?! 

My tour guide did take photos for me and then "airdrop" them to my iPhone at the end of the tour so I didn't actually need to bring my phone with. But it was nice being able to take some of my own photos too. So either leave your phone in the car and have the guide take some for you, or protect your phone with a floating waterproof case! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! ;-) 

So I gotta admit...I was NERVOUS to do this tour! I have only gone kayaking twice in my entire life before this outing.  So it was safe to say I was not an experienced kayaker and that made me have doubts...

"Would I be able to complete the tour?"
"Would I get tired and fall behind the group?" 

The great news is that this tour is for ALL SKILL LEVELS! In fact, most of the guests that do the guided tour are kayak newbies like me!!! SO that was a freaking relief! There were tweens, grandmas, and everyone in between! Almost ANYONE can do this! 

My tour guide, Trey, was really awesome at keeping at my pace and said all the guides will let the group set the pace for the outing. So if you are a newbie, you have nothing to fear!
*If you are an avid kayaker, you may find yourself always ahead of the others. You might want to rent a kayak and do an independent outing. ;-)

When we headed out, the water was so calm and serene. It was beyond relaxing (even though I was giving my arms quite a workout!) I just soaked in the beauty of my surroundings and felt so relaxed. There's just something about being on the water that feeds my soul! 

The beauty of the bluffs and the bright color of the water was just AMAZING! The crazy thing is that I have visited Cave Point numerous times, but being IN the water and looking at it from this view was just a TOTALLY different experience. 

There were tourists at Cave Point Park standing on the bluffs and waving to us. Some brave people were cliff jumping at a spot called "The Devil's Donut" for those of you readers that are into that thing... I'll cheer you on from the sidelines, but no way are you getting me to jump in! I'm getting anxiety just thinking about it! Gah! So anywho...

The absolute highlight of the outing was actually getting to paddle IN A CAVE! It was such a cool experience.

For those of you who are taller than little old me (I'm 5'4") you will have to duck quite a bit to navigate into the cave, but it's well-worth it!

For some odd reason all of the photos we took in the cave came out blurry. Such a bummer!  But you can still get an idea of how cool this was. I literally felt like I was in a different world! Seriously, have you ever seen Wisconsin water THIS color?!?! 

Shortly after our cave adventure, we paddled up to a patch of shallow water with exposed rocks to pull the kayaks up and take a break. 

We got out and stretched our legs. I had a snack to refuel...it was a nice break. Also, an extra bonus is that there was a bathroom at the park, so we walked the park trails to use the outhouse (yes, you read that right..it's a nice building but it does have deep outhouse toilets and no sinks...just hand sanitizer) before heading back out to finish our adventure. 

Walking the trails at Cave Point is always a scenic treat.  Here's a photo of myself on Mother's Day when I walked the trails with my family...what a view!!!! Again, LOOK AT THE COLOR OF THAT WATER!!! How on Earth is this Lake Michigan and not an ocean?!?! #nofilter #sopretty



When got back to the kayaks, we headed back out in the water and continued forward.  We passed the Whitefish Dunes! It was interesting to see how the shorelines quickly changed from large rock formations to beautiful sand hills! 

Another thing that happened when we got on the Dunes side was our calm water got wavy! It was really fun riding the waves, and my guide taught me how to line my kayak so I wouldn't tip... but holy guacamole...my arms were getting tired!!! We were towards the end of our excursion and this was making for a MUCH harder paddle for our last stretch!!! 
I just kept telling myself to keep paddling...maybe, just maybe this is what I needed to do to get "Michelle Obama arms!" Ladies out there...you know what I mean! ;-) 

And here I am....I DID IT!!! I survived and you will too! haha

I had such a feeling of accomplishment and also a deep inner calm all at the same time. It was quite the "high!" 

I had such a memorable day. And I became hooked on kayaking! I actually took my family out the following week to kayak Cave Point again!!! We launched our own kayaks at Schauer Boat Launch and headed to the caves! 

Rather Do Your Own Outing?
Maybe the guided tour isn't your thing, but Peninsula Kayak Company also rents kayaks and paddle boards! Rent for a 2 hour time slot, or for the full day. Get that info here. 

If you do your own outing, drop in at Schauer Park Boat Launch. It is a $5 launch fee per vessel, but is a quick paddle up from Cave Point (this is where the guided tour will drop you in too, but no extra launch fee if you are part of their group tour.)

Traveling With Kids? 
If you have little kiddos during your trip, you can get a double kayak for the two of you to ride together (if they will sit nicely the entire trip.)

If you prefer to leave the kids out of this excursion, there are some fun things for the littles to do with a chaperone while you are kayaking:

1- At Peninsula Kayak Company they have a shaded sandy area with a relaxing swing.

3- There is also a really fun restaurant across the street with bean bag games outside. Island Fever Rum Bar & Grill has a great menu loaded with local food and an extensive drink list! (I may or may not have stopped here for an adult beverage after my kayak tour! lol) 

There's even a little free library exchange with a park bench to read a book! This is across the street from the park (kiddy-corner from Peninsula Kayak Co.)

No matter what you prefer-- a solo tour or guided, kids or no kids-- kayaking Cave Point is a hands-down, absolute MUST!  Make sure you put this on your Door County "Bucket List!" You won't regret it! 

Have Fun, 
Milissa 

About the Author, Milissa Kloida-
Milissa is a wife, mother, and passionate Door County resident.

She is a Certified Tourism Ambassador for the Door County Peninsula and a wealth of knowledge for you during your vacation! 

Milissa and her husband are the owners of DENN, a new store and creative community in Door County. 
Stop by her store, say hi, and chat during your visit to DC! 

DENN- Door County 
--------------------------
Handcrafted Furniture, Artisan-Made Gifts, Antiques, DIY Supplies

www.DennShop.com 
www.facebook.com/DennShop
Instagram: @denn_decor 

Have you done the Cave Point Kayak Tour before? Let me know! 
What other DC places do you love to paddle?  Comment Below!