Highlights

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Itinerary

Day 1 – Sault Ste. Marie – Evening at Kewadin Casino

Arrive today in Sault Ste. Marie for a three-night stay.

Enjoy an evening at the Kewadin Casino. The Casino offers a one-of-a- kind experience, combining exciting Vegas action with an authentic regional flair, owed to the personality of their community.   Explore over 700 slot machines, video poker, live blackjack tables, poker room, keno booth and so much more.  Dinner is included this evening at the Casino. (B,D)

Day 2 – Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center – Free Time Downtown – Tower of History – Museum Ship Valley Camp – Soo Lock Cruise

This morning, start in nearby Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario at the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center. Step inside the historic hangar of the Ontario Provincial Air Service and enjoy a firsthand adventure with over two dozen restored bushplanes and passenger aircraft. Explore the history of aviation, the importance of the bushplane in Northern Ontario life, and the development of forest fire fighting.

The museum offers more than 62,000 square feet of incredible aviation and forestry exhibits. You can even board, touch and explore many of the aircraft at your own pace. Take a seat in the cockpit and feel what it’s like to pilot these aircraft.

Returning to the US side of Sault Ste. Marie, enjoy some free time for lunch on own and shopping in downtown.  Here you can find everything from home-cooking to Greek and Mexican.  There are lots of options within a three-block walk.  Check out Porterage Avenue where you’ll find gift shops, stores, ice cream parlors and more.

The afternoon features a visit to the Tower of History.  Soaring 210 feet above Sault Ste. Marie and the Soo Locks, the tower has observation platforms for visitors to get spectacular views and photos of the world’s busiest inland shipping channel.  An express elevator whisks you to the top for a panoramic view of up to 1,200 square miles, including the Sault Locks, the St. Mary’s River, and the Canadian wilderness.

Then visit the Museum Ship Valley Camp, an actual Great Lakes freighter, a freighter that served on the Great Lakes for almost 50 years!  The museum offers more than just a tour of her deck. Housed inside her massive cargo holds is a 20,000 square foot museum with over 100 exhibits!

Enjoy Soo Locks Cruise. Get an up close look at the famous Soo Locks, the world’s largest locking system. You will actually ride through the Soo Locks and cruise alongside giant lake and ocean ships. Inside the Soo Locks your boat will ride the water as it is raised 21′ straight up, to the level of Lake Superior. The typical tour route includes an up bound and down bound lockage through both the giant U.S. Locks and historic Canadian Lock. A live narration explains everything you see, including the history and operation of the Locks. Your boat brings you close to all the interesting sights along the shorelines of the twin border cities.

End the day with dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Day 3 – Full-Day Agawa Canyon Tour Train Excursion

All aboard the Agawa Canyon Tour Train for a one-day rail excursion into the heart of the Canadian wilderness. Departing from the train depot in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, this 114-mile excursion truly showcases the rugged beauty that is exclusive to the region. The seemingly unending mixed forests of the Canadian Shield open up as you skirt the shores of northern lakes and rivers, cross towering trestles, and set eyes on the same rugged landscapes and majestic views that inspired the Group of Seven to create some of Canada’s most notable works of art.

As the Agawa train winds its way through this one-of-a-kind terrain, narration provides information on points of interest and on the rich history of the Ojibway, fur traders, explorers and entrepreneurs that opened up this vast wilderness. And to enhance the scenery outside your window, locomotive-mounted cameras provide an engineer’s ‘eye-view’ via flat screen monitors installed throughout the coaches.

Just when you thought you’d experienced it all, the train starts its descent into the canyon at mile 102. As the rail line hugs the top of the canyon wall, you’ll descend 500 feet over the next 10 miles to the floor of the Agawa Canyon. This stunning area was created more than 1.2 billion years ago by faulting and was widened and reshaped by the last ice age that retreated 10,000 years ago.

A stop is made today at Agawa Canyon Park, which is only accessible by rail. There are several trails and a lookout at Agawa Canyon Park. Climb 300 stairs and gravel paths for a panoramic view above the tracks on the Lookout Trail. A Boxed lunch will be included on the train.

Return to your Sault Ste. Marie hotel for the evening. (B, L)

Day 4 – Depart for Home

After breakfast, depart for home. (B)

Tour Map