Thunder Bay - A Tourist Gem

Thunder Bay is a unique city. Located within Canada’s most populous province, it’s one of the country’s most isolated cities. An urban oasis amidst a hinterland of rocks, trees and muskeg, Thunder Bay is a long way from anywhere. Winnipeg is a day’s drive to the west while Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa are even further to the east. Small wonder this community is on no one’s top ten tourist destinations list. Nevertheless, this community offers a surprising number of attractions and activities for those willing to spend a little time and do a little exploring as my wife and I discovered during a recent cross-Canada trip.

Around The Top Of Lake Superior

North America is blessed with many scenic drives. Some, such as the Cabot Trail, Oregon Highway 101 or Pacific Coast Highway, run along the sea coast and are famous for their spectacular scenery and dramatic ocean vistas. Less well known but no less scenic is Ontario Highway 17 (TransCanada Highway)which follows the north shore of Lake Superior from Thunder Bay to Sault St Marie. This route shares many of the scenic attributes of more well known drives such as rugged headlands, rocky shorelines, sandy beaches and shimmering waters. In fact, the landscape along the north shore of Lake Superior is so picturesque and compelling, it has inspired countless generations of artists including members of the famed Group of Seven, as my wife and I discovered during a trip across Canada.