There is lots to do in Sault Ste. Marie! We have some unique, interesting and exciting attractions in and around Sault Ste. Marie all year long. Sault Ste. Marie area has a great assortment of attractions; hstorical, arts and culture, parks and beaches, sports and recreation, guided tours and more.
Historical Attractions
The downtown core has a number of attractions that you might want to see. The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre is a must see, full of interactive and static displays detailing the history of the bushplane, forest fire fighting, and more. Collocated in the Bushplane Centre is Entomica; here you will see a variety of live exotic insects from around the world.
Across the road from the Bushplane Centre is the Ermatinger Clergue Heritage site or as locals call it “The Old Stone House”. Here you will learn about what it was like living in the Sault when settlers arrived to join the Indigenous people.
Gateway Casino’s is also located in the downtown area for those that want to try their luck. There is also plenty of shopping, restaurants and more throughout the city.
Arts and Culture
Also downtown is the Sault Ste. Marie museum that houses some interesting displays, and travelling attractions. You may also want to visit the Art Gallery of Algoma, located on the waterfront near the public library.
The Sault also has a rich Indigenous History and the local Native Community hosts a number of cultural events such as powwows through the year. During the warmer months you can take a hike across the Canadian Sault Locks onto Whitefish Island, a native reserve and see some static displays representing life in the past. Take a day trip further north towards Wawa and visit the Indian Pictographs on the rugged shoreline of Lake Superior.
Parks and Beaches
East of the downtown core is Bellevue Park, a nice place to take an evening stroll and view a lake freighter. There are also a number of smaller park areas scattered throughout the city. On the northern edge of the city is the Kinsmen Park at Hiawatha Highlands, also a nice place for a visit, walk, or hike.
Parks Canada operates the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site, located near the International Bridge. Now operated solely as a lock for recreational craft, you can walk across the lock gates over to Whitefish Island. Also operated by Parks Canada is the Fort St. Joseph National Historic site, located on the south end of St. Joes Island, about 1 1/4 hrs drive from downtown Sault Ste. Marie – a beautiful drive in the fall when the trees are showing their colours.
For those looking for a nice beach you can visit the Marks Bay Conservation area off airport road, or Pointe Des Chenes, located past the airport. To the north, approximately a 30 minute drive, is a favorite spot for locals on those hot days of summer; Harmony Beach. A bit further north is Batchewana Bay Provincial Park. It is well worth drive to go another 20 minutes further to get to Pancake Bay Provincial Park where you’ll find a 3.2km long beach of fine sand!
Sports and Recreation
There are plenty of sports and recreation facilities in Sault Ste. Marie. Downtown you will find the Sault Memorial Gardens which hosts Sault Greyhound Hockey Games, larger concerts and other events. There are indoor and outdoor public skating rinks, soccer, football and baseball fields in various areas of the city. A large public indoor swimming pool is located in the John Rhodes Centre, within a 10 minute walk of our Trunk Road location.
For the golf enthusiast, there are three golf courses within the city, and a fourth located on the Garden River Reserve 15 minutes to the east. During winter months there are also some privately operated indoor golf facilities in the city.
Guided Tours
During summer tourist season you may want to take a Lock and River tour aboard the “Miss Marie” which departs near the Roberta Bondar Pavilion downtown. Another favourite with tourists is the Agawa Canyon Train Tour which runs during the fall and takes passengers on a day long excursion up to the Agawa Canyon amongst some rugged terrain and beautiful fall colours.
For those more adventurous types, there are a number of local tour guides that can take you out canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and more.