15 Best And Fun Things to Do in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
15 Best And Fun Things to Do in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
On Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Sault Ste. Marie is a charming city by a lake with a long history of shipping and a busy harbor. Around Sault Ste. Marie are beautiful natural landscapes that change into spectacular dioramas as the seasons change. There are many things to see and do, including the world-famous Soo Locks, historic lighthouses and cultural sites, the beautiful Tahquamenon Falls, and many fun things to do all year long.
1. Lockside Mini Golf
Lockside Mini Golf is run by a family and is a great place for people of all kinds to have fun outside. This nice 18-hole mini-golf course is on the St. Mary’s River, right on the border between the U.S. and Canada. It has great views of the busy Soo locks in the channel where the freighters pass. The golf course is right next to Karl’s Cuisine, so you can eat a tasty, freshly made meal before or after your game. You can also get wine, craft beer, and hard cider made right there at Karl’s. Anyone of any age can have a party at the mini-golf course, and Karl’s Cuisine can serve the event. Michigan beaches for more ideas
Lockside Mini Golf, 447 West Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, 906 259 7500
2. Tower of History
The 1968-built Tower of History stands 210 feet above the town of Sault Ste. Marie and is a well-known symbol. The tower has great views of the Soo Locks, which is the largest inland shipping channel in the world. Take the express elevator to the viewing deck at the very top of the tower, where you can see views that can’t be beat. You can see for miles and miles on a good day. The tower was made by the Catholic Church to be the Shrine of the Missionaries. It was supposed to be part of a much bigger project that never came together. On the bottom level, there is a museum that tells the story of the early missionaries and the Native American people who lived in the area.
Tower of History, 326 E Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, 906 632 3658
3.Point Iroquois Light
The Point Iroquois Light is an old lighthouse on a hill in Chippewa County. It shows where the St. Marys River and Whitefish Bay meet.
The famous lighthouse and the land it sits on are both in the Hiawatha National Forest. The lighthouse itself is now a marine museum that tells the story of its past.
The lighthouse museum has a collection of historical photos, displays of nautical aids and lighthouse technology, and a furnished apartment that was once home to the lighthouse keeper. It is open to the public during certain times of the year. More sweet vacation spots in Michigan
13042-13260 W Lakeshore Dr, Brimley, MI 49715, Map
4.Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge
The United States and Canada are linked by the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, which goes over the St. Marys River. With its famous bridge, the twin towns of Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan and Ontario can be reached together. It is one of the busiest places for people to cross the border.
Since it opened to traffic two years after it was built in 1960, the bridge is made of steel arch beams and has a suspended deck with double arches on the U.S. side that goes over the four Soo Locks.
934 Bridge Plaza, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 906-635-5255, Map
5.Lake Superior State University
Lake Superior State University is a busy school with a 115-acre campus built on the historic site of Fort Brady. It offers a wide range of college degrees, from engineering to fisheries and wildlife management.
Universities around the world are known for their excellent education and unique customs. For example, the university has a list of words that are not allowed to be used because they are misused or overused.
The Hoholik Victory Bell is rung after home games when the team wins, the Ship’s Horn is blown when goals are scored at home games, and a snowman is set on fire to celebrate the first day of spring.
650 W Easterday Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 906-632-6841, Map
6.Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church
The first Catholic church in Michigan was built in 1854 and is called Holy Name of Mary. It is an old Roman Catholic church that was once a cathedral and the first building in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette. It is also known as St. Mary Protoa Cathedral. The current church was built in 1881 in the Gothic Revival style by Canadian builder Joseph Connolly. It has many beautiful architectural and design features. Faith practices that started with Jesuit missions more than 350 years ago are still used by the parish.
337 Maple St, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 906-632-3381, Map
7.River of History Museum
The River of History Museum teaches about the past of Sault Ste. Marie and the waterways that surround it in Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula. This includes the St. Mary’s River System, which is an important part of the culture. The museum is in downtown Sault Ste. Marie on Ashmun Street. It has 11 rooms with interesting displays that tell the story of the river system from the Ice Age to the present day.
Shows describe life by and on the river, as well as the lives of French fur sellers and Native Americans who lived in the area. There are also many artifacts on show that have to do with the river and its long history. A museum shop sells books, educational gifts, and souvenirs.
531 Ashmun St, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 906-632-1999, Map
8.Saint Mary’s Falls Hydropower Plant
Water from the St. Marys River is used to make electricity at the Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant, which serves the northern Ontario area.
The hydropower plant is one of the oldest hydroelectric stations in the United States. It was built in 1898 and has 74 engines all under one roof.
The plant is built in the Classical Style and is 1,340 feet long, running along the St. Marys River. A Historic Civil Engineering Landmark has been set up for the Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 800-562-4953, Map
9.Soo Theatre Project, Inc.
The Soo Theatre is a neighborhood theater that puts on a wide range of performances, such as off-Broadway shows, theater, opera, and musical and dance recitals. The small theater opened in 1930 and held a wide range of big productions and full orchestral events until 1974, when it was turned into a two-screen movie theater.
The theater closed in 1998 and fell into disrepair. In 2005, the Soo Theatre Project brought it back to its former glory as a place for performing arts. Today, the theater puts on shows made in the area and has classes in acting, dance, art, music, and yoga, among other things.
534 Ashmun St, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 906-632-1930, Map
10.The Palace Mexican Restaurant & Saloon
The Palace Mexican Restaurant & Saloon is a restaurant that has been around for a long time and has beautiful chandeliers and rich decor. For more than 100 years, they have served New American and Mexican food as well as hand-crafted drinks.
The stylish restaurant has been around since 1903 and has fancy furniture, walls covered with hockey souvenirs, and a beautiful mahogany bar that serves a wide range of drinks, including many kinds of margaritas. On seasonal menus, you can find both traditional Mexican dishes made with recipes that have been passed down through generations and standard American dishes like burgers, steaks, and salads. Every day for lunch and dinner, the Palace Saloon is open.
The Palace Mexican Restaurant & Saloon, 200 W Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 906-632-7721
11.Zak’s Kandy Haus
Zak’s Kandy Haus is a small coffee shop that serves sweet and rich treats. The small café on Portage Avenue is a great place to get a sweet treat after watching the ships go through the Soo Locks. They serve Stroh’s (Mooney’s) ice cream, hand-spun milkshakes, sundaes, floats, and waffle cones. There are also 12 kinds of homemade fudge, sugar-free fudge, fish taffy, cashew and peanut brittle, as well as brownies, cookies, and cakes that are just baked.
Zak’s Kandy Haus, 401 W Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783-1839, Phone: 906-635-0350
12.Water Street Historic Block
The Water Street Historic Block in Sault Ste. Marie will take you back in time to see how the early settlers and fur traders who lived where the Great Lakes meet used to live.
There is a lot of original furniture and items in the different houses that show how people lived in the early days. Along with the Kemp Coal Dock Office, which is home to a museum that shows the town’s industrial past, you can also visit two other homes. During the summer, these historic houses are open for tours with knowledgeable guides.
Water Street Historic Block, 415 Water Street, Sault Ste. Marie, Mi 49783, 906 632 3658
13.Soo Brewing Company
Soo Brewing Company tries to make beer that is better than regular beer and that people in Sault Ste. Marie can be proud to serve. In order to do this, they only use the best materials and tried-and-true techniques to make a variety of hand-crafted beers that are innovative, very good, and not too expensive. Everyone who is in Sault Ste. Marie is welcome to visit the brewery. You can listen to music, talk to friends, eat delicious food, and try a freshly made beer. At least six freshly made beers are always on tap, so feel free to stop by and pick out your favorite.
Soo Brewing Company, 100 W. Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, 906 259 5036
14. Soo Locks
A group of water locks called the Soo Locks were built and are run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They let ships move between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. The locks were built in the middle of the 1800s and are often called the “Linchpin of the Great Lakes.” They are a marvel of building that draws thousands of tourists every year.
Every year, more than 7,000 boats, including barges, tugboats, and huge freighters, go through the Soo Locks and raise and lower the 21-foot gap between the two lakes.
In the Soo Locks Park, there is a viewing platform named after General Douglas MacArthur that has great views of ships going through the working locks.
Soo Locks, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Phone: 906-632-3366, Map
15. Museum Ship Valley Camp
The Museum Ship Valley Camp, The SS Valley Camp was a lake freighter that worked on the Great Lakes for almost 50 years. It is now a museum ship. The 550-foot-long ship is permanently docked on historic Water Street. It has more than 100 interesting displays that tell the story of the freighter and Sault Ste. Marie’s maritime past. On guided walks, people can look around the ship, see the crew quarters, which were home to 29 men, and see the interesting displays in the cargo hold. The Valley Camp also has four tanks with different kinds of fish from the Great Lakes area. From mid-May to mid-October, the Museum Ship Valley Camp is open to the public.
326 E Portage Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783, Map