This might be Ontario’s best road trip.

There are road trips where the destination is the main event. And then there are road trips where the drive itself becomes the adventure.

The North Shore of Lake Superior is definitely the latter.

Stretching roughly 700 kilometres from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay, Ontario’s Lake Superior coastal route takes you through rugged Canadian Shield landscapes, boreal forests, waterfalls, sandy beaches, small northern communities and some of the most spectacular scenery in the province.

We recently travelled through Northern Ontario on our way from North Bay to Thunder Bay, and once we reached Lake Superior, it became clear that this wasn’t a stretch of highway we wanted to simply drive through.

There were too many reasons to stop.

So if you’re planning your own North Shore Lake Superior road trip, here’s why you should give yourself plenty of time.

🎥 WATCH THE ROAD TRIP

We recently drove from North Bay to Thunder Bay, taking in the North Shore of Lake Superior along the way. Come along for the ride as we explore the scenery, stops and adventures that made us wonder if this might actually be Ontario’s best road trip.

North Shore Lake Superior Road Trip at a Glance

Start: Sault Ste. Marie
End: Thunder Bay
Distance: Approximately 700 km
Main highway: Trans-Canada Highway / Highway 17
Recommended time: At least 3–4 days, although a week or more lets you explore at a much slower pace

Technically, you can drive between Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay in about eight hours, but why would you do that? Please don’t. The entire point of this road trip is what you’ll find between those two cities.

1. Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie is the natural starting point for a North Shore Lake Superior road trip. For us, however, we skipped this city because we were actually coming from North Bay and needed a shorter drive the first day, as driving with two 3-year-olds can be challenging at times.

Located where Lake Superior meets Lake Huron, the city is a great place to stock up, explore the waterfront and settle into the northern Ontario pace before heading west. If you’re here in the fall, you’ll definitely want to try to book a trip on the Agawa Canyon Train.

Alternative Stay: Birchland Cottages near Iron Bridge

As mentioned above, we were driving from North Bay, and since we love small lakes, someone had told us about the lovely Birchland Cottages, which are nestled on the shores of Clear Lake. This was the highlight of our trip. Each cottage is right on the lake, offering a private dock, fire pits, and more. The lake is small and calm, making it perfect for swimming, canoeing, or any other water activity. Highly recommended!

2. Batchawana Bay and Pancake Bay Provincial Park

Not long after leaving Sault Ste. Marie, the landscape starts to change. The highway hugs the shoreline, forests become more prominent, and Lake Superior begins appearing between the trees.

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, and along this stretch it often feels less like a lake and more like an inland ocean.

Two places you’ll want to consider spending some time at are Batchawana Bay Provincial Park and/or Pancake Bay Provincial Park. Both are stunning.

We decided to stop at Pancake Bay, which got its name due to the fur traders literally stopping here and eating pancakes. Today, it’s an award-winning beach with nearly 3km of white sand. It’s truly stunning, and the perfect place to go for a beach walk, swim, or a picnic. They also offer kayak and paddle-board rentals.

Both sites also offer camping if that’s something you’re interested in.

PRO TIP: Don’t miss a stop at Voyageur’s Lodge & Cookhouse for their unbelievable and world-famous apple fritters.

3. Lake Superior Provincial Park

If there’s one place where you should slow down, it’s here.

Lake Superior Provincial Park protects a huge stretch of rugged coastline, forests, lakes and hiking trails between Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa. This is where the road trip really starts feeling wild.

There are beaches, waterfalls, lookouts and trails, and you could easily spend several days exploring the park rather than simply passing through.

One of the most spectacular spots is Old Woman Bay, where the highway gives way to a huge view of Lake Superior backed by dramatic cliffs. Due to the nature of our trip, we didn’t have much time to spend here (as we had spent most of the day at Pancake Bay and needed to move on), but for those into outdoor adventure, this is the spot. It’s also home to the incredible Lake Superior Visitor Centre, which has interactive exhibits and excellent washroom facilities.

Where to stay: After here, the next best place to find accommodation is Wawa, which is home to the famous Goose roadside attraction. Another popular place to visit in the area is Magpie High Falls, which has viewing platforms, a picnic area and washrooms.

4. Winnie the Pooh Monument

For those travelling with kids, or just want to be a kid again for a moment, you’ll want to stop in White River to see the Winnie the Pooh monument. For those who don’t know, Winnie is based on a real bear that was brought to White River from Winnipeg, the city that gave the bear its name. From here, it was bought by a soldier and ended up becoming a mascot of his military unit. Long story short, it did go overseas with the troops, but ended up in a zoo in England, which is where it met Christopher Robin and became a story that would entertain generations of children.

5. Pukaskwa National Park

Pukaskwa National Park is one of the wildest and most spectacular stops along Lake Superior’s North Shore. Located near Marathon, the park is home to rugged granite cliffs, boreal forest, sandy beaches and sweeping views of Lake Superior. Visitors can explore shorter trails around Hattie Cove, including the Southern Headland Trail and Manito Miikana (Spirit Trail), relax at Horseshoe Bay, paddle the sheltered waters of Hattie Cove, or learn more about Anishinaabe culture along the Bimose Kinoomagewnan trail.

For a bigger adventure, Pukaskwa offers backcountry camping and some of the most challenging wilderness experiences in Ontario. The 18-kilometre return hike to the White River Suspension Bridge makes for a memorable full-day excursion, while experienced hikers and paddlers can tackle the 60-kilometre Coastal Hiking Trail or 135-kilometre Coastal Paddling Route. Whether you have a few hours or several days, Pukaskwa is a place where you can really experience the untamed side of Lake Superior.

6. Marathon and the North Shore Communities

One of the great things about this road trip is that the landscape isn’t the only attraction. Small communities like Marathon, Terrace Bay, Schreiber and Nipigon break up the wilderness and give you places to eat, refuel and learn more about life in Northern Ontario. They’re also reminders that this isn’t just a scenic route for tourists. People live, work and build communities here alongside one of the world’s largest freshwater lakes.

Take your time, stop for local food and don’t be afraid to pull off the highway when something catches your eye.

Where to stay: While many go to Terrace Bay, which we feature next, we decided to stay just before the town at Jackfish Lake Cottages. The owner here is lovely, and it’s close to everything.

7. Terrace Bay & Aguasabon Falls

Terrace Bay is another popular stop and one of the last main stops before reaching Thunder Bay. You’ll want to climb the lighthouse to admire the views, spend some time at the beautiful Terrace Bay Beach, and take the very short drive out to Aguasabon Falls. The waterfall drops dramatically through a gorge carved into the Canadian Shield, and it’s an easy addition to a road-trip itinerary. It’s exactly the sort of stop that makes this drive so enjoyable.

You don’t necessarily need to dedicate half a day to every attraction. Sometimes a short walk, a viewpoint and a few minutes beside a waterfall are enough to turn an ordinary driving day into part of the adventure.

If you’re looking for a meal, and especially breakfast since that’s what we enjoyed, we highly recommend Drifters Restaurant.

8. Neys Provincial Park

Located roughly halfway between Thunder Bay and Marathon, Neys Provincial Park is one of the North Shore’s best places to slow down and enjoy Lake Superior. The park is known for its long sandy beach backed by forest, with spectacular views across the lake to Pic Island. The shoreline is particularly beautiful at sunset, and the cold, clear waters of Lake Superior make the beach a popular summer stop.

But Neys is more than just a pretty beach. The park has a fascinating history as the site of Neys Camp 100, a Second World War prisoner-of-war camp that held German military prisoners between 1941 and 1946. Visitors can learn about the camp’s history along the Prisoner of War Camp Trail, while several other trails explore the surrounding boreal forest and rocky shoreline. There’s also a connection to Canada’s famous Group of Seven, with the landscape around Neys inspiring artists who came to capture the rugged beauty of Lake Superior.

For a road trip, Neys makes an easy and worthwhile stop. You could spend a couple of hours walking the trails and checking out the beach, or stay overnight at the campground and give yourself more time to enjoy the shoreline. It’s one of those places where the scenery alone is worth pulling over for, but the history gives you another reason to stay.

9. Nipigon, Amethyst Mining, and Canada’s Longest Suspension Bridge

As you approach the western end of the North Shore, the landscape changes again. In our opinion, this is the most scenic part of the drive, which says a lot.

During your final run before reaching Thunder Bay, there are still a lot of things to do and see. Some stops include Nipigon and its beautiful viewing platform, and Sleeping Giant Provincial Park and one of the most famous hikes in the province. However, for Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, you’re better off spending more time or basing yourself out of Thunder Bay.

If you’re looking for simple things to do during the North Shore Lake Superior road trip, the two top stops we’d make are Amethyst Mine Panorama to find your own beautiful purple amethyst and Eagle Canyon Adventures to walk across Canada’s longest suspension bridge. The bridge takes an hour or so, and the mining tour can also be done in an hour.

This is also where the road trip starts transitioning from remote wilderness toward Thunder Bay.

10. Thunder Bay

Last but not least is the city of Thunder Bay.

But don’t think of Thunder Bay as simply the end of the road.

It’s a destination worth spending several days exploring, with Lake Superior, Kakabeka Falls, Mount McKay, the Terry Fox Monument, Fort William Historical Park, great restaurants and plenty of outdoor adventures nearby. In fact, there are so many things to do in Thunder Bay that we wrote an entire article just about the city. We even made a YouTube video about the experience.

How Long Do You Need?

This is where I think a lot of people get the North Shore Lake Superior road trip wrong.

You can drive it in a day. You shouldn’t.

The direct journey is roughly 700 kilometres and can technically be completed in about eight hours, but that leaves almost no time for the waterfalls, beaches, hiking trails, viewpoints and communities along the way. I’d recommend at least 3–4 days for a taste of the route.

If you really want to explore Lake Superior Provincial Park, Pukaskwa, the smaller communities and the hiking trails, give yourself 5–7 days or more.

The more time you have, the better.

So, Is This Ontario’s Best Road Trip?

We haven’t driven every road in Ontario, so we’re not exactly going to pretend we have an official ranking. But after travelling along the North Shore of Lake Superior, we can see why this route has such a reputation.

It’s rugged. It’s beautiful. It’s remote.

And just when you think you’ve seen the best view of the trip, the highway bends around another corner, and Lake Superior appears again.

So take your time, pull over often, and enjoy this beautiful slice of Canada and the Canadian Shield.