by  Danielle Devota

After hearing about the new Soo Locks construction project happening in Sault Ste. Marie, I figured a trek north to see the locks was in order. Let me just tell you, if you haven’t been to Sault Ste. Marie lately, plan a trip. This city is always evolving.

Sault Ste. Marie is a crossroads for many people and industries. It’s on the northern edge of the Upper Peninsula, just across from Canada, and it’s famous for being a bottleneck for ships going between Lake Huron and Lake Superior. While the Soo Locks are a famous feat of innovation that attracts plenty of visitors, Sault Ste. Marie promised a wide variety of activities for me to check out. Some of the other recommended highlights were to take in views from the 25-story observation deck at the Tower of History; paddle along the St. Marys River and explore Voyageur Island Park; and see aquariums, lifeboats from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, and other Great Lakes exhibits at the Museum Ship Valley Camp. The new construction on the locks is expected to finish within the next decade, but in the meantime, there are a lot of new offerings in Sault Ste. Marie.

On a previous trip, I took a tour of the Locks with the Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours, and it was an excellent introduction to the area. This time around, I decided to try something different and decided it was time to try a kayak tour. I’m a bit of an amateur kayaker, but Bird’s Eye Adventures offers lessons and a gentler guided tour experience on the lower river, so I was in good hands. As we paddled along, I got up close and personal with the famous freighters that travel through the “Linchpin of the Great Lakes.”

After my kayak tour, I was craving a snack and decided to try out Cultured Pop, an artisan flavored popcorn shop that opened in 2017. It offers both a sweet and savory popcorn menu, not to mention a variety of other specialty items such as infused olive oil and vinegar. I had an impossible time choosing only one flavor, but I had overheard the Truffle Parmigiana was top notch. I can confirm: It blew me away!

Munching on my popcorn, I decided to pop into the Yooper Trading Co. and stock up on a few souvenirs to commemorate the trip. There are plenty of cute collectibles, and I ended up taking home Ray Ray’s Yooper Sauce, which can only be bought in store and sells out quickly, as well as a Campfire Hoodie to keep me warm on my next Michigan kayaking trip.

While my day trip was certainly fun, it was definitely a more relaxing pace than my other trips across the stage of Michigan—which is all part of this city’s charm.

“I hope [you] walk away from Sault Ste. Marie feeling like you just came from some place that is unique, friendly, relaxing, and enjoyable,” says Linda Hoath, executive director of the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Relaxing is a very important part of being here. We live a life that is very relaxed. If you need to get away, this is the place to go.”

PHOTO CREDITS: Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau