Exploring
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

 

Sault Ste. Marie, the oldest city in Michigan and the third oldest city in the United States, is located on the shores of the St Mary's River connecting Lake Superior and Lake Huron and is only 52 miles north of the Mackinac Bridge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Visit the Soo Locks and watch ships from all over the world as they pass through the locks, enjoy sightseeing, fine dining, unique shops, historical attractions, casinos, and outdoor recreation.

LODGING: MOTELS AND HOTELS

Laker Inn, 1712 Ashmun Street, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49738. Phone: 906-635-9204 or toll free 888-907-9077. Motel has 12 ground floor rooms with queen-sized or double beds. Rooms have cable TV with 62 channels, air conditioning, refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee makers. Tub/shower combination. Large parking area for trailers. Only 6 blocks from LSSU. Close to the Soo Locks, Museums, and the Boat Tour. Near the Kewadin Casino with shuttle service available. Easy access to snowmobile trails. Pets welcome.

BUSINESSES:
The Markell Company: Roofing: Commercial & Residential; Custom Sheet Metal Fabrication; Commercial Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning; Commercial Kitchen Hoods; Dust and Fume Exhaust Systems; and Brick Restoration & Waterproofing for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin at The Markell Company, 1227 S. Milwaukee Avenue, Iron Mountain, MI. Phone (906) 774-0240 or Toll Free: 1-888-799-0240.

SERVICES:
Lake Superior State University, 621 W. Easterday Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783. Phone: 906-635-2110

War Memorial Hospital, 500 Osborn Blvd. Sault. Ste. Marie, MI 49783. Phone: 906-635-4460. 24 hour emergency service.

ATTRACTIONS AND RECREATION:

SOO LOCKS: Watch the mighty "Lakers" and "Salties" as they pass through the busiest locks in the world There is an upper viewing area so you are able to look down on the vessels as they lock through or stand almost close enough to touch them. Stop at the Visitor Center in Locks Park for the schedule of arrivals, information on the ships as they arrive, a video presentation, a model of how the locks work, historical information, and other exhibits and artifacts. The locks are open from mid-March through mid-January. The east side of the park has a lighted fountain, a nice spot to sit and relax and watch all the ships.
 
The SOO LOCKS TOUR TRAIN is located across the street from the Soo Locks and offers a great way to see the sights and learn some history of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

Across the street from Locks Park you will find historic buildings, restaurants, fudge shops, hand dipped ice cream cones, and a variety of unique shops with unusual nautical gifts.

The VALLEY CAMP MARITIME MUSEUM, a 1917 ore freighter that once traveled the great lakes, is just a few blocks east of the Locks. Explore from the pilot house to the engine room and see many artifacts of maritime history including mementos of the famed Edmund Fitzgerald wreck. Stop by the bookstore by the Valley Camp for a wide selection of nautical books and gifts.
 
The SOO LOCKS BOAT TOUR takes you on a narrated trip through the locks where you are lifted 21' to the level of Lake Superior. They also offer sunset, lighthouse, and dinner cruises.

Make the Soo your home base while you enjoy the interesting things the area has to offer. Visit historic buildings, museums, the Alberta House Arts Center one block south of the Locks, or try your luck at the Kewadin casino. Fishing is great in the St. Mary's River and golfers will enjoy the area golf courses.

Enjoy a day trip over the International Bridge to Canada for a drive along the lakeshore, or take one of the wilderness one-day train tours to Agawa Canyon. Another interesting day trip is a drive to the Point Iroquois Lighthouse, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, the Whitefish Point Light Station, and beautiful Tahquamenon Falls near Paradise Michigan. You might also enjoy tthe Toonerville Trolley and Riverboat Trip to Tahquamenon Falls that leaves from Soo Junction, west of Sault Ste. Marie on Highway M-28.

WINTER:
Sault Ste. Marie has lots of snow and snowmobilers have access to over 1.600 miles of groomed trails. The new tunnel under I-75 gives easy access to trails leading west that connect with the trail system that covers the entire Upper Peninsula. Snowmobile rentals in town.

Cross-country skiers will enjoy the Algonquin Pathway with over 9 miles of groomed trails and a lighted segment for night skiing. The Minneapolis Woods Outdoor Winter Recreation Facility offers snowboarding, tubing, and skiing. Rope tow and heated chalet.

Soo Locks Information
How the Locks Work
Lodging and other Businesses in the Eastern Upper Peninsula

 

Upper Peninsula Towns and Cities

Upper Peninsula Traveler Home page

 

 

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