Free
Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site
A historic lock with island trails over the rapids, and boats locking through in season.
Home / Guides / Sault Ste. Marie
Algoma, Ontario
Sault Ste. Marie
On the St. Marys River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron: a train into a canyon of waterfalls, historic canal locks and the wild Superior shore.
Photo: The Agawa Canyon Tour Train, WabbitWanderer from London, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sault Ste. Marie sits on the rapids of the St. Marys River, facing its Michigan namesake across the water. Watch the ships pass through the locks, then stroll the waterfront boardwalk.
Head north on the Agawa Canyon Tour Train into the Canadian Shield to a canyon of waterfalls, or drive to Lake Superior Provincial Park's rugged coast. Be adventurous. The North starts here.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Hiawatha Highlands and Crystal Falls
Trails through forest just north of the city to a pretty waterfall.
Free
Waterfront boardwalk
A long riverside walk past parks, the marina and the Roberta Bondar Pavilion.
Free
Bellevue Park
A big riverside park with gardens and a greenhouse on the east side of the city.
Free
Fort Creek Conservation Area
Trails along a creek valley inside the city.
Cheap
Lake Superior Provincial Park
Rugged Superior shoreline, Agawa Rock pictographs and beaches, about 90 minutes north.
Cheap
Agawa Rock Pictographs
Ochre paintings on a Lake Superior cliff in Lake Superior Provincial Park. Reach them only when the lake is calm.
Paid
Agawa Canyon Tour Train
A day-long train ride north to Agawa Canyon, with a stop to walk to waterfalls and a lookout.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Paid
Soo Locks Boat Tours
Cruises through the giant American locks from the Michigan side. Passport needed.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Cheap
Ermatinger•Clergue National Historic Site
One of the oldest stone houses in northwestern Ontario, built in the early 1800s.
Paid
Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Historic bush planes and forest-fire aircraft in a waterfront hangar.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Sault Ste. Marie Farmers' Market
A Saturday market at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion on the waterfront.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
- Agawa Canyon Tour Train Experience
- Soo Locks Boat Tours Cruise
- Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre Tickets
Part of our Algoma and Lake Superior guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The Agawa Canyon train takes a full day and leaves in the morning.
- Lake Superior Provincial Park deserves a day of its own.
- It's a long drive from southern Ontario, so stay a few nights to make it worthwhile.
Nearby and worth the drive
Lake Superior Provincial Parkabout 1 h 30 · Guide ↗
Agawa pictographs, rugged coastline and beaches.
Sault Ste. Marie, Michiganabout 10 min
Watch freighters in the Soo Locks (passport needed).
Ready-made trips with Sault Ste. Marie
3 days · Sault Ste. Marie
Agawa Canyon and Lake Superior
A wilderness train into a canyon, then the wild Superior shore.
5 days · Sault Ste. Marie → Thunder Bay
Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay
A five-day drive up the Canadian north shore, from the Soo through Lake Superior Provincial Park to the Sleeping Giant.
3 days · Sault Ste. Marie → Wawa
Sault Ste. Marie to Wawa
The Lake Superior shore through Lake Superior Provincial Park.
Good to know
- Tourism: saulttourism.com.
- Agawa train: Seasonal; book early for fall colour.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: The Agawa Canyon Tour Train, WabbitWanderer from London, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: The lock at Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Bellevue Park on the St. Marys River, Sault Ste. Marie, Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Old Woman Bay, Lake Superior Provincial Park, AgreeableTigerMoth, CC BY 4.0
Photo: The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Fungus Guy, CC BY-SA 3.0