Discover Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie combines impressive technology with accessible history. The Soo Locks connect Lake Superior with Lake Huron and allow freighters to travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes. Those looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Sault Ste. Marie can therefore tailor their stay to their own interests, choosing between locks, museums and viewpoints.

Experience the Soo Locks from different perspectives

A good starting point is the Soo Locks Visitor Center, which offers free admission. Here, you can first take your time to understand the subject of locks before viewing the process from another perspective. The observation platform in Soo Locks Park offers a view of the locking process. Particularly impressive is the contrast between the predetermined movement of the locks and the large ships that use this waterway.

On boat tours through the Soo Locks, passengers travel through the locks together with freighters and other watercraft. This offers several ways to experience them: You can observe the process, gain a better understanding of its technical function or travel through the locks yourself during a boat tour. For planning your day, it is advisable to decide on your preferred focus early on, so that there is enough time between the various impressions.

Museum ships and the history of the river

The River of History Museum explores the history of the river and its people from the time of the glaciers to the 20th century. Eleven separate galleries with exhibits provide different ways of accessing this long period. Self-guided tours are accompanied by an audio wand. This allows you to set your own pace during the museum visit and explore individual topics in greater detail.

Another special stop is the museum ship Valley Camp. The ship was built in 1917. Its cargo hold contains more than 100 exhibits. The Valley Camp also includes a deck, a wheelhouse and sleeping quarters that show how the crew lived aboard the freighter. Those travelling with children can discover historical working and living environments here through concrete spaces and objects, rather than learning about history solely through dates.

Panoramic views from the Tower of History

The Tower of History complements the museums with a vertical perspective. It has three observation platforms, and from the upper area the view extends 20 miles. A visit can therefore be combined well with an interest in the landscape and orientation, without the historical topics fading into the background. The Tower of History explores the history of the early missionaries, as well as local history and the history of Native Americans.

This creates a varied picture of Sault Ste. Marie: The Soo Locks represent the connection between the Great Lakes and freighter traffic, the museums preserve the history of the river and its people, and the viewpoints allow visitors to experience the surrounding area from an elevated perspective. Accommodation in Sault Ste. Marie is a suitable base for the itinerary you wish to put together around these interests.

The right accommodation for your itinerary

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, you can therefore take your preferred pace for your stay into account. Would you like to explore individual exhibitions and historical topics in detail, or combine technical impressions with scenic views? Accommodation in Sault Ste. Marie gives you the flexibility to shape your itinerary around these interests.

If you would like to expand your search to other destinations, you can also look at Paradise, Brimley and Dafter.

For the main travel overview: Chippewa County.