Sault Ste. Marie-Algoma
The city, known for its International Bridge border crossing and the recreational locks connecting Lake Huron to Lake Superior, offers many boating opportunities. It is a convenient gateway for visitors arriving by air, roadway and boat from the U.S.
Downtown is located directly on the riverbanks, with a waterfront boardwalk that is popular with walkers and anglers who can cast their line a stone’s throw from the main street shops. Northern Ontario’s third largest city also specializes in urban outdoor spaces, including a wintertime skating trail and the mostly-paved 22.5-km (14-mi.) John Rowswell Hub Trail that skirts the St. Marys River shoreline and is a popular workout route for cycling, rollerblading and walking.
Not far from the city, the rural beauty of Algoma Country serves up some of Ontario’s best hiking, paddling, fat biking and wildlife watching. At Searchmont Resort, the diverse terrain, long runs and impressive 213-m (700-ft.) vertical drop make it a playground for alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snow mobil ing(www. northern ontario. travel/ al go ma-country ).
DRIVING ROUTES
Sault Ste. Marie is a popular starting point for the scenic drive north along the breathtaking shoreline of Lake Superior, North America’s largest freshwater lake. In the city, travellers can refuel and stock up on supplies for the road trip. Some driving routes are marked by interpretive panels tracing the footsteps of the Group of Seven, Canada’s famed 20th century landscape painters.
FESTIVAL FUN
The people in Sault Ste. Marie know how to celebrate and they open their doors to visitors.
The multi-day WTF Festival in June changes its focus and theme each year. In 2019, WTF stands for “With the Family,” with a lineup of family-friendly entertainment and activities (www.wtffestival.ca).
The annual ROTARYFEST, in July, blends carnival rides, music and a popular ribfest (www.rotaryfest.com).
A cold weather feast of outdoor activities, Bon Soo includes live music, snow sculptures, disc golf, a polar bear swim and bum slides in the popular Winter Playground (www.bonsoo.on.ca).
MUST-SEE ADVENTURES AND ATTRACTIONS
Sault Ste. Marie, fondly called the “Soo,” is a bustling place, with something happening in every season.
The scenic Agawa Canyon Tour Train is an interactive Canadian Signature Experience, operating late June through early October. The historic rail cars glide alongside sparkling lakes, unspoiled forests and the rocky granite of the Canadian Shield. Autumn is one of the best times to visit, when the woodlands are ablaze with colour (www.agawatrain.com).
The dazzling beauty of Agawa Canyon Park inspired the Group of Seven artists to paint their vibrant landscapes; a number of sketches are on display at the Art Gallery of Algoma (www.artgalleryofalgoma.com).
The interactive Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre fills a large airplane hangar with dozens of bushplanes, water bombers, a 3D film and flight simulator (www. bushplane.com).
The Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site consists of two of the oldest stone buildings northwest of Toronto. Year-round, costumed interpreters show visitors the culture and norms of domestic 19th century life in the region. The property’s rooms and gardens are restored and maintained in period style (www.ecnhs.com).
Algoma’s natural wonders offer countless opportunities for fly-in fishing, hunting, wildlife watching and nature opportunities, in warm months as well as colder ones.