Something special is going on in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, that is probably the only one of its kind in the province, if not the whole country. With the St. Marys River and Lake Superior right outside its door, as well as many parks and beaches, it’s a great place for people who love the outdoors. When you add in the easy-to-reach and truly enlightening Indigenous experiences, this is a destination that is perfect for a road trip.

Even though the trip to this city in northern Ontario is quite long, we made sure to show that it can be done in 4 days. We’ve found 11 things to do in Sault Ste. Marie that will make you fall in love with the area as much as we did.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario is a border town on the banks of the St. Mary’s River, right across from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, which is in the United States. In fact, these two cities were the same until a treaty was signed after the War of 1812.

It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, behind Thunder Bay, which is on the northern shore of Lake Superior, and Sudbury, which is the unofficial border between Central Ontario and Northern Ontario.

The French settlers who first lived there called the area “Les Saults de Ste. Marie,” which means “the rapids of St. Marie.” These dangerous rapids led to the building of the Sault Canal and a series of locks that let ships travel safely along the St. Mary’s River from Lake Superior, past Manitoulin Island, and into Georgian Bay and the Collingwood shipping yards.

Whether you’ve been to Sault Ste. Marie before or not, it’s a beautiful city in Northwestern Ontario with a lot to offer. The city of Soo is surrounded by a lot of beautiful nature and is a great place to learn about Indigenous culture.

As it was our first time, we wanted to make a real 4-day plan for people driving from the GTA or anywhere else in southern Ontario. There is a lot of driving, but it’s easier than you might think.

We did this as a long weekend trip, but you could also plan a longer road trip. These are our top picks for the best things to do in and around the city if you want to learn more about the Indigenous spirit, history, and future.

The list is in no particular order, so you can pick and choose what you want to see, do, and eat in Sault Ste. Marie.

Tourism Sault Ste. Marie was where we started because a lot of the information we needed was there.

At the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, you don’t have to like planes to have a great time. Spend an hour or more looking at this classic collection of airplanes that honors the brave pilots and engineers who helped make Ontario’s north accessible.

The exhibits are fun and educational, and let’s be honest: who doesn’t like climbing through old planes to see parts you don’t usually get to see? You can get up close and personal with amazing old planes in ways that are hard to find elsewhere.

You can even try out their virtual flight simulators for bush planes. See if you’re tough enough to land in these crazy conditions. On Pim St. is the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center.

Pow wows are cultural events that are all about celebrating Indigenous culture, bringing the community back together, reviving the spirit, and having a lot of fun.

The best way to go to your first pow wow is on a tour with Thrive Tours that teaches you something. This is a great way for both tourists and people who live in the area, whether they are Indigenous or not, to learn how to pow wow.

When you go to a pow wow, you can do more than just watch. With Thrive Tours, you can be a part of the celebration and learn a lot more about Indigenous culture and history.

During the experience, you can take part in a tradition called “smudging,” honor the sacred fire with a tobacco offering, dance with people from different tribes, eat food made in the area, talk to First Nations people, and celebrate the winners of the competitions.

With the beat of the drum, the reverberation of the song, and the skillful dancing, you can feel the energy.

When you plan your trip to Sault Ste. Marie, you should try to schedule it around a pow wow. They happen between different First Nations several times a year. The one we went to was the Garden River First Nations Pow Wow in August.

If you want to see this amazing Sault Ste. Marie attraction, you should make plans ahead of time. Because the Agawa Canyon tour, which leaves from downtown Sault Ste. Marie, fills up quickly, especially when the fall colors start to show.

The Agawa Canyon train tour starts at 8 a.m. and is said to be one of the most beautiful train rides in Canada. It goes by inland lakes, beautiful waterfalls, and some of the best Ontario nature has to offer.

The Sault Ste. Marie train trip ends with a stop in the canyon, where you can hike up to a breathtaking view that would look great on Instagram.

The sacred Agawa Rock Pictographs in Lake Superior Provincial Park have stood the test of time, freezing and thawing ice, beating sun, and pounding rain. They are a link to the past.

Generations of Ojibwe spiritual leaders came to this rock to write down their dreams, visions, and important events. Canoes, fish, moose, crane, eagle, turtle, horse, bears, caribou, snakes, and other mythical creatures are etched in red.

Mishipeshu, a spined-horned lynx and spirit of the water, is the subject of one of the most famous paintings.

To get to the pictographs, you have to go down a short but steep path through the woods, rocky chasms, and boulders. When you reach Lake Superior, you can see the pictographs.

You’ll use ropes and chains to get to the pictographs while being careful to stay away from the slick, downward-sloping rock. With all the rescue ropes and lifebuoys, it’s clear that this part needs to be taken seriously.

When you walk along the riverside boardwalk in Sault Ste. Marie, it’s hard not to talk fishing with someone. Fishing is almost a religion in Sault Ste. Marie, and St. Mary’s rapids is one of the most popular places to cast a line.

This short section of the St. Mary’s River, which goes from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, has rapids. Anglers come here to catch the annual runs of Steelhead, Atlantic, Chinook, and Pink Salmon, as well as Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, and Whitefish, which are popular all year long.