Is Sault Ste. Marie Worth Visiting on a Cross-Canada Road Trip?
If you’re driving across Canada through Northern Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie is absolutely worth visiting for more than a quick overnight stop.
The kids and I stopped in Sault Ste. Marie for two nights while driving across the country for the second time, and we found plenty to do to break up those long days in the car. We rode the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, took a boat through the Sault Ste. Marie locks, climbed inside real bushplanes, hiked to a small waterfall and found some great places for the kids to burn off energy.
We stayed at the Sault Ste. Marie KOA Holiday in our campervan, which also made it an easy stop for our cross-Canada road trip.
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So, Is Sault Ste. Marie Worth a Stop?
Yes. If you’re driving across Canada through Northern Ontario, I think Sault Ste. Marie is worth adding at least one full day to your itinerary rather than using it only as a place to sleep.
Sault Ste. Marie, often simply called “the Soo,” is also in a pretty unique location. The city sits along the St. Marys River between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, directly across from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. It’s also where you’ll find the famous Soo Locks, which allow ships to travel between the two Great Lakes despite the difference in water levels.
Give yourself a full day and you can enjoy some of the best things to do in Sault Ste. Marie, like Hiawatha Highlands, Bellevue Park and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. If you want to experience the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, you’ll need to plan an additional day since the train excursion takes almost the entire day.
If we were doing the same cross-Canada road trip again, I would absolutely stop in Sault Ste. Marie. But I’d plan the number of nights around whether or not we wanted to ride the Agawa Canyon train.
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How Long Should You Spend in Sault Ste. Marie?
I’d recommend spending at least two nights in Sault Ste. Marie if you’re driving across Canada. That gives you one full day to explore without adding too much time to an already long road trip.
But if you want to ride the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, I’d plan for at least two full days in the area. The train excursion takes an entire day. We arrived at the station around 7:30 a.m., spent about four hours on the train to Agawa Canyon, had 90 minutes to explore, and then had the long train ride back to Sault Ste. Marie.
Things We Did During Our Stop in Sault Ste. Marie
1. Hiawatha Highlands
Hiawatha Highlands is the perfect city getaway. It’s a beautiful place for year-round outdoor activities.
In the summer, you can hike, bike, and enjoy nature on its many trails. The area is great for winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and fat biking, with over 50 kilometers of groomed trails.
A popular trail is the Crystal Creek Trail, which takes you to Crystal Falls, a lovely waterfall perfect for a peaceful walk. The Hiawatha Highlands is also great for families, with easy trails and equipment rentals, making it a fun spot for anyone who loves the outdoors.
You can walk on one of the many hiking trails or enjoy the kids’ playground or pump track.
We decided to hike down to the small waterfall and dam. It was a short but steep walk to the water. On the way back up, we stopped at the kids’ playground for a little while before heading back to town.
2. Bellevue Park
Next, we headed over to Bellevue Park, one of the best Sault Ste. Marie kids’ activities. You’ll find a few kids’ playgrounds, walking paths, and even a splash pad in this urban park. Your kids will be entertained for hours, I promise!
My boys had so much fun trying all the different modules in the playgrounds, running from one module to the next. We stayed for a good hour or 2.
3. Agawa Canyon Train Tour
On our second day, we were up early for a day-long train ride adventure through the Agawa Canyon. We arrived at the Agawa Canyon train station at 7:30 a.m. to board the train that would bring us through the rugged landscape of the Algoma district and Agawa Canyon Park.
The train ride offered stunning views, and it was a pretty comfortable ride. After 4 hours on the train, we finally arrived at Agawa Canyon Park, where we had 90 minutes to explore. We made sure to spend most of our time admiring the waterfalls. We walked to the Bridal Veil waterfalls as the Black Beaver waterfalls.
Remember to pack some coloring books or games for the kids, which, trust me, are lifesavers!
4. Miss Marie Lock Boat
The Miss Marie Sault Lock Tour Boat offers a unique way to experience the historic Sault Ste. Marie Canal in Ontario. This boat tour takes you through the lock system (similar to what you can see in Ottawa), where you can see how ships are raised and lowered between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
It’s a fun and educational trip for all ages. The tour gives a close-up view of the engineering behind the locks and the surrounding natural beauty. It also provides interesting facts about the canal’s and the region’s history. It’s a must-do activity for anyone visiting Sault Ste. Marie wants to learn more about the area’s waterways and shipping history.
This boat ride was so much fun. We even made it to Michigan, USA. The boys loved watching our boat pass through the locks. It was probably one of the highlights of our visit to Sault Ste. Marie and in Northern Ontario.
Watching the kids being so amazed and intrigued by how the locks operate is a memory I will cherish for a long time.
After the boat tour, we headed to the marina for a casual picnic lunch. I was tempted by a Beaver Tail sweet, but we passed on it.
5. Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Last, we spent our afternoon visiting the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre.
It’s a fantastic museum dedicated to Canada’s aviation and forest fire-fighting history. You can see real bushplanes and learn about their vital role in reaching remote areas of Canada.
The kids will LOVE sitting in a real bush plane!
The museum has hands-on exhibits where you can sit in cockpits, try flight simulators, and learn how water bombers help fight forest fires. A fun, interactive kids’ zone makes it a great family spot.
The museum offers a unique look at Canada’s bush flying history and is a must-see for anyone interested in aviation or the outdoors. It even has a children’s section.
It’s not just for aviation fans; the kids will love the interactive exhibits. Plus, they can even sit in a real bushplane!
But once the kids saw the Entomica Insectarium, located inside the Bushplane Museum, they only had eyes for the reptiles. This insectarium is amazing, but even if it’s small, there is a lot of hands-on. The kids were able to touch a few different insects.
If You Only Have One Day in Sault Ste. Marie
If you only have one full day in Sault Ste. Marie during your cross-Canada road trip, I would skip the Agawa Canyon Tour Train and focus on exploring the city instead. The train is a full-day experience on its own, and you’d miss everything else Sault Ste. Marie has to offer.
Based on what we did, I’d start at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre. It was one of our favourite stops with the boys because there was so much they could actually touch and explore, including sitting inside real bushplanes.
From there, I’d spend some time around the waterfront and take the Sault Ste. Marie lock boat tour. Watching the boat travel through the locks was one of the highlights of our visit, especially for the boys, who were fascinated by how it all worked.
Later in the day, head to Bellevue Park or Hiawatha Highlands to get outside and let the kids run around after all those hours in the car.
I think this would give you a much better feel for Sault Ste. Marie than simply arriving in the evening, sleeping and getting back on the road the next morning.
Where to Stay When Visiting Sault Ste. Marie
There are many different lodging options when visiting Sault Ste. Marie. If you’re looking for a hotel, the Delta Hotels by Marriott Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront or the Holiday Inn Express – Sault Ste. Marie. But when traveling with kids, the The Water Tower Inn is an amazing option. There is an indoor and an outdoor pool that the kids will love.
However, during our visit to Sault Ste. Marie, we were with the campervan and stayed at the Sault Ste. Marie KOA Holiday, which was perfect. They have a nice playground for the kids, an outdoor door and a covered outdoor kitchen (for when it rains).
Where Does Sault Ste. Marie Fit Into a Cross-Canada Road Trip?
Sault Ste. Marie makes a natural stop when driving across Northern Ontario, especially since the distances between cities can be long. Sault Ste-Marie is a good 700 km away from Thunder Bay, the next main city along Lake Superior.
So stopping in the Soo felt like a good transition point before continuing along Lake Superior, where some of the most beautiful, but also longest, driving days of our Northern Ontario road trip were still ahead of us.
FAQ About Stopping in Sault Ste. Marie
Is Sault Ste. Marie worth visiting?
Yes. There’s a good mix of outdoor activities, family attractions and experiences that are unique to the area, including the Sault Ste. Marie locks and the Agawa Canyon Tour Train.
Is Sault Ste. Marie worth an overnight stop?
Yes, but if your road trip itinerary allows it, I’d stay for two nights. With only one night, you’ll likely have time for one or two activities before getting back on the road. Two nights gives you a full day to explore without feeling rushed.
How many days do you need in Sault Ste. Marie?
For most cross-Canada road trips, I think one full day is enough to experience Sault Ste. Marie. If you want to take the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, however, I’d add another day. The train excursion takes almost the entire day, so you won’t have much time left to explore Sault Ste. Marie itself.
What is Sault Ste. Marie known for?
One of the things that makes Sault Ste. Marie interesting is its location between Lake Superior and Lake Huron and its connection to the locks and shipping routes. For visitors, the Agawa Canyon Tour Train is also one of the best-known experiences in the area. We dedicated an entire day of our visit to the train trip before returning to explore more of Sault Ste. Marie.
Is Sault Ste. Marie a good stop with kids?
It was for us. We visited with our two boys and found a good balance between attractions and places where they could simply run around after long hours in the car.
Some of their favourite experiences included climbing inside the planes at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, watching our boat travel through the locks, playing at Bellevue Park and exploring the Entomica Insectarium.
Can you visit Sault Ste. Marie in just a few hours?
Yes. If you’re simply passing through, I’d choose one attraction rather than trying to see everything. The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre or a stop along the waterfront would be easy ways to break up your driving day.
Is the Agawa Canyon Tour Train worth doing on a cross-Canada road trip?
It depends on how much time you have. We enjoyed the experience, but it requires almost an entire day and includes about eight hours on the train.
If your cross-Canada itinerary is already tight, I’d spend your time exploring Sault Ste. Marie instead. If you have an extra day and the train is something you really want to experience, it can be a fun addition to your road trip.
Final Thoughts: Is Sault Ste. Marie Worth a Stop?
Sault Ste. Marie is definitely worth a stop if you’re driving across Canada through Northern Ontario. We originally added it to our itinerary to break up the long drive from Québec to Calgary, but we ended up finding plenty to keep us busy for a few days.
And if the Agawa Canyon Tour Train is on your Canada bucket list, plan an extra day for it. Otherwise, spend your time exploring Sault Ste. Marie itself before getting back on the road toward Lake Superior.
