Things to do in Northern Ontario
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Caribou Restaurant & Wine Bar
Between the confusing haze of wide-set freeways and boxy mega-marts lies one of Thunder Bay’s best dining options. The facade positively reeks of franchise banality; however, the inside is filled with one-of-a-kind touches like white-clothed tables and designer stemware.
reviewed
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Hoito Restaurant
You’ll think you’ve stumbled into a staff cafeteria in Finland – in fact, that’s how the Hoito started, providing affordable meals to Finnish bushworkers. This Thunder Bay institution serves breakfast until 7:30pm, and lunch starts at 10:45am – though you’ll probably just want to eat the notorious flattened pancakes around the clock. Don’t forget to wish the Hoito a happy birthday – the restaurant celebrated 100 years in 2010, though we don’t think it looks a day over 75…
reviewed
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Kakabeka Falls
About 25km west of Thunder Bay, just off Hwy 11-17, is Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. The spectacular 40m waterfall is the source of many local legends. The moody chute is at its best after the thaw in early spring and it gushes year-round after heavy rains.
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Growing Season Juice Collective
Healthy blended juice is the name of the game here, but it also does scrumptious dishes to accompany your smoothie. Wash down your carrot sticks with a shot of organic wheatgrass, which just happens to be grown on-site!
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Moose Cree Outdoor Discoveries & Adventures
Run by the Moose Cree First Nation, this outfit offers customized trips incorporating cultural activities (storytelling and traditional foods, for example), along with canoeing in summer and snowshoeing in winter. The friendly and laid-back staff will ask you two questions when tailoring your adventure: ‘what do you want to experience?’ and ‘what are you not looking for?’ From there, they can organize absolutely anything, just make sure to give them plenty of time. Prices vary greatly depending on whether you’re one person or many, and whether you want a one-day island tour or a weeklong wilderness expedition. These highly recommended trips offer a unique opportunity to e…
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Naturally Superior Adventures
Naturally Superior Adventures is based 8km southwest of Wawa. Its lodge quietly sits along Lake Superior between a craggy expanse of stone and smooth sandy beach. A day on the grounds is itself a memorable experience, as cool mists roll through in the afternoon and the evening sun gently melts into the lake. Naturally Superior guided day trips ($95) depart several times a week, while relaxed weekend kayaking trips ($350) feature an afternoon of instruction, a night at the lodge, and a night of beach camping while paddling on Lake Superior. These trips are suitable for total beginners. Intermediate paddlers can be outfitted with their own kayaks and canoes for $35 to $45 p…
reviewed
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Polar Bear Habitat & Heritage Village
Despite the name of the train (Polar Bear Express), and the giant replica at the info center, there are no wild polar bear roaming around the region, although Nanook became Cochrane’s furriest citizen (let’s hope) when the Polar Bear Habitat & Heritage Village opened its doors in 2004. A loving staff cares for the scruffy beast – the oldest polar bear in captivity – who was brought to the center as a cub after poachers shot his mother. Visitors can interact with Nanook at daily ‘meet the bear’ sessions, or swim with him in a pool divided by a thick sheet of glass (swim session $5). Voyeurs can check out the live ‘Bear Cam’ on the website. An on-site mock colonial village,…
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Dionne Quints Museum
North Bay has never seen the mining-related booms and busts inherent to most towns in northern Ontario. In fact, the area was rather unremarkable until five little girls briefly turned the city into the most visited destination in Ontario after Niagara Falls. These little girls were the Dionne Quints – identical quintuplets. Born during the Great Depression, they were exploited as a tourist attraction by the provincial government. Their fame became so widespread that they even starred in four Hollywood films. Today, the Dionne Quints Museum contains a fascinating collection of artifacts from their early years. (Their later years haven’t been such a happy story – growing u…
reviewed
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Science North
This huge science center is a major regional attraction conspicuously housed in two snowflake-shaped buildings on the edge of Lake Ramsey. After passing through a tunnel dug deep within the 2.5-billion-year-old Canadian Shield, take the elevator to the top and work your way down through the spiral of exciting hands-on activities. Wander through a living butterfly garden, stargaze in the digital planetarium, explore rocks through a microscope, build an empire out of Lego or fly away on a bushplane simulator. The blue-coated staff are exceptionally friendly and can tackle the most obscure questions about the displays. Major exhibits change regularly, as do the films screene…
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Terry Fox Memorial
The Terry Fox Memorial should be your first stop in town - both to visit the valuable information center, and to learn about one of Canada's great heroes. The memorial honors the young Terry Fox, a native of British Columbia, who lost his leg and eventually his life to cancer. Before passing on, he left a powerful legacy by attempting to walk across Canada with an artificial leg to raise money for cancer research.
On April 12, 1980, he started his walk in St John's, Newfoundland. On September 1, he arrived in Thunder Bay after traveling 5373km, but was forced to stop as his illness worsened. Today's memorial is erected close to where Terry ended his great 'Marathon of Hop…
reviewed
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Washow James Bay Wilderness Centre
At the time of research, the Moose Cree were constructing the Washow James Bay Wilderness Centre. The goal of the center, 70km east of Moosonee, is to re-create several villages, each at different points in history. One camp has bark-construction dwellings typical of the precontact era, and another will feature contact-era canvas tepees. Guests travel between the main base and the villages by canoe, and activities in the area might include demonstrations of trapping and fishing. Practical details and prices had not been established at the time of research, so check the website for the latest information.
reviewed
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Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
A visit to the Soo’s most dynamic museum is an excellent way to learn about the idiosyncrasies of northern Ontario culture. A 20-minute film explains the importance of bushplanes in the region, as several remote communities are not accessible by road. The jiving soundtrack captures the sense of adventure associated with this oft-used form of transportation. Stroll amongst retired bushplanes to get a sense of how tiny these flyers really are. A flight simulator takes passengers on a spirited ride along sapphire lakes and towering pines (you might even get a little wet!).
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Fort William Historical Park
French voyageurs, Scottish gentlemen and Ojibwe scuttle about while re-enacting life in the early 1800s at this historical park. From 1803 to 1821, Fort William was the headquarters of the North West Company. Eventually the business was absorbed by the Hudson Bay Company and the region’s importance as a trading center declined. Today, the large heritage center offers 42 historic buildings stuffed with entertaining and antiquated props like muskets, pelts and birch-bark canoes.
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Sault Ste Marie Museum
Constructed in the old post office, this three-story museum details the town’s history through several perspectives. The Skylight Gallery is a must-see for industrial history buffs; an interactive timeline from prehistory to the 1960s incorporates the local historical society’s unique collection of preserved fossils and relics. Beyond the exhibits, the structure is itself an important historical tribute to the early 1900s, when little Sault Ste Marie emerged from obscurity.
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Cree Cultural Interpretive Centre
Located in Moose Factory, this centre features indoor and outdoor exhibits of artifacts, including bone tools, traditional toys, reusable diapers and dwellings from the precontact era. You’ll learn about pashtamowin, or ‘what goes around, comes around’ – the Cree’s version of karma, if you will. It is best to explore the center with the aid of a guide, as they can relay fascinating details and personal anecdotes about the interesting displays.
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Lock Tours Canada
Traverse the last leg of the St Lawrence Seaway system with Lock Tours Canada . This scenic and informative cruise offers a unique perspective on one of the most heavily trafficked canal systems in the world. Tours depart from behind the Roberta Bondar Pavilion off Foster Dr. There are several trips daily from June to August, and fewer in spring and fall. The two-hour tours pass through both the Canadian and American locks.
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Fort William First Nation
Mt Mackay rises 350m over Thunder Bay, offering sweeping views of the region’s patchwork of rugged pines and swollen rock formations. The lookout is part of the Fort William First Nation, and reveals its most majestic moments in the evening when the valley is but a sea of blinking lights. A walking trail leads from the viewing area to the top of the mountain. Watch your step while climbing – the shale rock can cause tumbles.
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Moose Factory Centennial Museum
The Moose Factory Centennial Museum displays maps, furs and the Hudson’s Bay Staff House, which dates from the early 1700s. Moosehide altar cloths and Cree prayer books are a feature of St Thomas’ Anglican Church, built in 1860. The church is commonly known as the ‘floating church,’ because during a particularly harsh storm the wind lifted the structure up into the air and threw it down the street.
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Caribou Expeditions
Caribou Expeditions is based about 34km north of Sault Ste Marie on the quiet waters of Goulais (goo-lee) Bay. Join the team of experienced nature-lovers on a variety of kayaking expeditions – from one day to one week – along the northern crest of Lake Superior. Canoe and kayak rentals are also on offer; there’s even a whale-watching sea-kayak tour down the St Lawrence River in Québec.
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Respect is Burning
This self-proclaimed ‘supperclub’ is reason enough to visit Sudbury. Rustic Tuscan cuisine is the local specialty, and the chefs aren’t shy about mixing in some experimental ingredients. Dish recommendations are virtually impossible as the ever-shifting menu promises bursting flavors with every bite. Weekend evenings are a must – delectable sample platters are on offer with late-night drinks.
reviewed
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LopLops
This inviting venue is coated in earthy tones, with the occasional splash of a neon polka dot. Grab a glass of imported wine from the glittering steel bar and enjoy an evening amid strumming guitars while eavesdropping on the restless murmurs of tortured artists. Unleash your inner diva at one of the many open mic nights or catch the latest folk and jazz music from local and visiting artists.
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Tim Hortons
Before you send us hate mail for guiding you to Timmy’s, know this: Tim Horton was born in Cochrane and this link of his famous donut chain (started by his wife in his memory) is the busiest branch in the entire country. Truckers line up in droves at all times of the day (it’s open 24 hours) to snag some sugary goodness from the remarkably efficient cashiers.
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Copper Cliff Museum
The Copper Cliff Museum occupies a pioneer log cabin roughly 6km west of the city center. It’s filled with relics from the bygone era when settlers first entered the region to survey the land. Note the odd juxtaposition of quaint pioneer life and grumbling industry as you stare at the nearby smoke-spewing shaft affectionately known as the ‘Superstack.’
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Panna Bar & Grill
This sleek venue puts a refreshing spin on traditional Mediterranean fare, with fusion favorites like the signature tasting platter consisting of calamari, garlic shrimp and veggie tempura. The modern menu is echoed in the smooth, minimalist decor as though Panna were plucked from a trendy urban center and plopped down amongst homely neighbors.
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Muio’s
Like a shrine to the era of roller discos and drive-in movie theaters, Muio’s seems to bask in its own anachronistic glory despite a recent renovation. Even the waitresses don almond uniforms and smack their gum when dropping off your homespun cookin’. The club sandwich with gravy-drenched fries is the local fave.
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