After my agent at Fusion Artists (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/fusion-artists-toronto) chastised me for…read morenot telling her I was heading to Thunder Bay for a day, she told me to say hello to the Sleeping Giant for her. I learned that day that she was not only from Thunder Bay, but that there was a giant. And apparently he nods off from time to time. So, I figured, heck, when in Rome... This being Thunder Bay, however, I elected on going to look at a rock that looked like a snoozing Goliath. One of the best vantage points is Marina Park. Right on the shore of Lake Superior, you're able to walk the length of the park right by the water, taking in the boats moored on the pier, or if so inclined, you can use the skateboard park that's available. I didn't. Being on the west side of Lake Superior, you can well imagine that sunrises here would be fantastic. Of course, there's the Sleeping Giant. As soon as I saw it, I knew what she meant. I saw the head, the body, the whole thing that looks like a big guy taking a nap. My buddies that were with me saw nothing but rocks. But that's okay. They suck at Magic Eye as well. And have no imagination.

How many times have I driven by and NOT stopped? Too many, definitely too many!…read more Thankfully, the parents were wanted a restroom stop after exiting Canada and before starting the drive to Betty's. (Our camel bladders would have held out for the next planned stop.) We roamed about while they used the facilities & browsed brochures, only to discover some of what we were missing through all of our travels in the area, going back to 2006! The footpaths are easy to navigate and accessible. There are overlooks that provide great views & photo ops - be sure to check out the falls! It's a short walk - great way to stretch the legs & please the eyes.

We drove up to Grand Portage while camping in northern MN. This is absolutely worth the drive. The…read morevisitor's center was full of Indigenous historical and cultural information including the Anishinaabemowin language. We hiked a bit to the falls and then down by the water (I believe it's Pigeon River) that separates the US and Canada. The views are stunning. Heads up - on your way north, the state park is the last opportunity to turn before the border crossing (and it's on the left).

Staff is very helpful, parking and road on the way really nice pavement, I think every Canadian…read moreshould pay respect at least once remembering his accomplishment and his resilience to help others such a young age

If you're Canadian, you have to go here. There is no passing Go. There is no collecting $200…read more You go here and you see a monument erected in the name of one of Canada's most famous athletes that never got the chance to fulfill his dream of running across the country to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. His name lives on in many forms, be it the annual Terry Fox charity run or the number of buildings and monuments erected in his honour. This is one of the finest ones I've seen. What makes this monument so grand is the placement. It lies mere feet from the point where his journey was cut short, making it one of the most fitting, poignant, and gripping monuments dedicated to Terry Fox. As a Canadian, or a humanitarian for that matter, you cannot help but be moved.

My primary goal for visiting Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada was to check out 130-foot tall "Niagra of…read morethe North"...Kakabeka Falls. Since I had free time afterwards and still searching for more places to discover...Fort William Historical Park looked like a worthwhile place to finish out a fun filled day in Thunder Bay. Fort William Park lies 24 kilometers (15 miles) southeast of Kakabeka Falls. I arrived at 4pm back in early June and thought I could walk the grounds at my own leisure and learn some history about the park. But entering inside the Visitor Center, you actually are required to sign up for a guided tour. That's the only way to see things. Fortunately, I was able to grab the last remaining tour for the day at 4pm. It lasted 1 hour long till 5pm, when Fort William closes. And according to Google, Fort William is open Monday - Friday from 10am - 5pm. They are closed on weekends. It is $15.82 entrance fee - Canadian, or just under $12 US. Coming to Fort William blindly, I knew nothing about what to expect about the visit other than being a park fanatic. Plus, upon entering Canada from the nearby border with Minnesota, the Ontario Welcome Center mentioned this place as being a popular Thunder Bay attraction. In my own words, Fort William Historical Park is the preservation of land that once was the epicenter for 1800's Canadian fur traders. The park recreates early Thunder Bay indigenous peoples' lives. Stories are resurrected detailing how natives used locally sourced materials from the land to prosper. These recounts exhibit human relationships coexisting and thriving among an everchanging landscape of peoples. Now, lol, according to fwhp.ca..."Fort William is an accurate re-creation of the fur trade era inland headquarters of the North West Company. Each summer, French-Canadian voyageurs, Scottish businessmen, Indigenous Peoples, and others from around the world gather at Fort William for the Great Rendezvous to discuss business, share news and renew friendships". Being from the USA, I had no expectations. And even though I was unfamiliar with any Canadian history, I still appreciated the cultures and stories while being transported back in time. Over the 1-hour tour, the guide takes visitors around the working farm, inside cabin buildings and shares details from life back when. The tour ends back at the Visitor Center. There's a small gift shop to purchase souvenirs before leaving. Overall, the experience was an interesting way to catch a glimpse into early Canadian life. I'm glad I made the effort to stop by. Thank you, Fort William, for having me.

It's not the original site so think of this as more of a movie set. We went last week and did not…read moreknow that is "off season" so everything is sort of shut down. The gal who gave us a tour kept asking us what we wanted to see... Uuummm..... we have no idea what to ask to see since we have never been there. They apparently have a Halloween event at nights so there was a bunch of décor and zombies being stored in a number of the buildings so we only went into a couple of buildings. The tour guide, although very nice, did not pace things well at all. We sat in the merchant building for near 40 mins which left no time to see much else. It was like there was no plan for off season tours. I am sure it is great for kids in the summer but this was not worth the $25 we paid.

After checking out of our hotel in Thunder Bay, knowing we were in for a LONG day of driving, we…read morewanted to start off with a leg stretch & falls. This was a relatively close option & was recommended. There is a charge. You choose your duration, with rates based on time: 2hrs, 4hrs, all day We opted for 2hrs at about $6USD, after conversion. There are several paths with boardwalk and viewing platforms. You can view the falls in a matter of minutes, with minimal walking, or put a fair amount steps on the clicker, if you so desire, with the other trails available. If you just want a good view of the falls & some pics, 2hrs is ample time. If you want a better stretch without a full day, 4hrs should do ya. The parking lot is large, plenty of spaces & restrooms The falls are pretty amazing & definitely worth a stop

I'm really surprised Kakabeka Falls only has 2 reviews. It's deserving of some better recognition…read more And...lol, I guess that's why I'm here today, to share in the experience. Alright well, Kakabeka Falls is actually a provincial park located on the outskirts of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. If you're making the 150-mile North Shore Scenic Drive up Minnesota's eastern coast, you'll eventually encounter the border with Canada and if you have a passport, you might as well gain entry and make the 38-mile drive north here. I had a pretty high outlook for Kakabeka Falls, and it didn't 100% fulfill my expectations. During my research, I had read that the 131-foot waterfall is known as the "Niagra of the North". So...I assumed that it'd be similar to Niagara Falls, but...this is just one specific waterfall, (majestic to some degree) that's viewed from a few different observation areas. There's not much to the park other than short hiking trails in nature and a campground. While in comparison, Niagara Falls is one of the great world destinations with an abundance of exploring options. You can use multiple days to admire the magnitude of such an iconic landmark. Although I expected a lot more from Kakabeka Falls, coming to see this with a clear and open mind, overall, I still found it impressive and would recommend it to outdoor and waterfall enthusiasts, lol. There are 3 forms for visiting. You can pay for times... - 2 hour visit - 4 hour visit - All day visit Kakabeka Falls sits right beside the entrance/parking lot so you don't need the entire day to see it. I paid for the 4-hour option which was $8 Canadian or around $6 US. I also purchased a souvenir magnet for $2 as well. There's a boardwalk pathway that navigates around the falls. All you have to do is casually stroll it. It takes 20 - 30 minutes to walk. And just stop at your own accord when you feel like taking a picture. This is the main highlight/feature of the park. For those wanting more hiking/exploring time, here were 3 paths recommended to me by the park ranger... - Mountain Portage Trail - 1.1 km loop - Little Falls Trail - 2.5 km loop - Poplar Point Trail - 3.8 km loop There's also a campground inside the park. They accept travelers with and without reservations. I'd also like to point out the setting. I visited yesterday for the early part of June and the surroundings were perfect. It wasn't hot or humid and simply stopping at different points on the Boardwalk Path to appreciate the sights was worth the small price of admission. Lastly, looking away from the falls was scenic. The river flows down in between a rugged valley gorge and when you're standing high above along the boardwalk path, it makes for special views. Kakabeka Falls can be categorized as an under the radar attraction located just north of the US/Canada border. It's not difficult to access and having time to appreciate a beautiful waterfall backdrop is a winning formula, from my pov.

This is a great national monument that teaches about the history of fur trade and native American…read more(Ojibwe) relation in the area. The visitor center is two stories and according to the rangers there, has the highest rated park film of any in the parks. There's also a fort about a hundred yards outside the visitor center which has events and other info. It's all free to visit.

A charming natural area with a faithful recreation of the early North West Company trading post. We…read moreenjoyed a eyngaging presentation from an enthusiastic guide, in which he demonstrated how the early fur traders made fire. Our kids were enthralled (ok, I was too!).

Beautiful place…read more Tough hike, lots of stairs. But a beautiful hike. The trail was in great shape. Spring must be a raging river.

This moderate hike 2mi RT out and back trail is well maintained and HEAVILY TRAFFICKED. I call it…read moremoderate as there are 176 stairs down heading to the falls & up on return, plus the uncounted step ups along the path. The trail itself is rather easy. Allow 1-1.5hrs for this section. The overlooks are small platforms & hikers politely wait their turn. If you are going to take a lot of pictures, it's courteous to step aside & let others go, then hop back up... as most people only spend a minute or 2 gazing and take a few quick selfies or snapshots. Prior to arrival at the main attraction, there is a staircase to the left that takes you to the lower falls view, with water access. A great place to relax, feel the mist and take some photos. This portion of the trail is dog friendly. If you have a fear of dogs, I would not recommend this section. All dogs were well behaved but many were off-leash, which could be a problem. As 2 miles is fairly short, we continued down the Superior trail, beyond the falls, along the water. It was far less populated, (aside from the mosquito armies once the trail curved away from the water), crossing paths with only 1 other hiker on the way. This area is not mainly at the same level & ramps up in difficulty/overgrowth in some areas.

I try to make the trip from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay each summer. I have been doing this for years,…read moreand every time I visit I am sure to come by eagle canyon to do the suspension bridges. The lady working at the desk is always very friendly. There are flies there so be sure to bring spray.

If you want a short drive and a short walk to get a cool view, and a thrill from high-up, skip this…read moreplace! Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park is really where you should go. This requires a long hike and $$$, then you're only about 100 feet up. The highway sign said 4km (but it was about 8km and some of it gravel). Nobody was in the office when we arrived. Waited around for 5 minutes or so, then wandered around for another 5 minutes (never really saw any canyon, bridge or anything, since it's quite a hike from the parking area to the bridges) I just saw a bunch of empty RV parking spots, then had an horrific encounter with a very rude lady who wanted me to pay $20 for my stroll while I waited for her to get back to the office. They have a (reportedly) 20 minute hike that takes you across two suspension bridges that are strung across a little lake. They want $20 per person for that hike with a million deer flies circling your head...no thanks! Also, the picture they show makes it look like it's really high-up, but I think it's only about 100 feet above the lake surface.

On my way north to the Canadian border, I decided to make a quick return to Grand Portage to relive…read moreHigh Falls of the Pigeon River! Plus, lol, I have a new fascination with TikTok and needed to capture some noteworthy content for my next post, hehehe. Alright, so High Falls is the focal point. It's the main event. From the entrance, it's simply half a mile walk to two observation platforms. The 2nd overlook is better than the first, but still, they both offer fantastic opportunities to appreciate the 120 foot drop, which (I believe) makes High Falls the tallest waterfall in Minnesota! During both occasions I was here (once in early morning and the other in late afternoon) not many tourists were in attendance so it gave me a chance to snap some unforgettable photos without fighting for a prime spot at the viewing points. Also this 2nd time around for mid June, the mosquitoes were in aggressive attack mode. It was a race to the lookouts between myself and the mosquitoes. They were trying to eat me alive and I was destined to get pics and videos in and safely arrive back at my car without feeling significant torture. Not to fret though...if you're pressed for time, the entire visit takes a swift 30 minutes. In the end, the mosquitoes weren't the final memory. For traveling to such a remote part of the upper eastern corner of Minnesota, this High Falls is an absolute gem and deserves to be identified for having one of the best waterfall backdrops in the USA!

We moved to Minnesota nine years ago and I am still surprised how many Minnesotans have never been…read moreto our favorite state park. This was our fourth visit to Grand Portage. The High Falls is an easy hike for an unforgettable view. But on this visit we also included the Middle Falls. If your time is limited then be sure to visit the High Falls, but it you want to make Grand Portage a memorable hiking experience be sure to hike both the High Falls and Middle Falls both on Pigeon River. Middle Falls is a twenty feet high waterfall. We first climbed a steep ridge to a scenic overlook with a wonderful view of Lake Superior. The best part of this long steep hike were the trees- the winding paths through mature aspen, birch and spruce. The trail is very steep in places. You have to climb over 300 feet vertically each way. Beware of loose slippery rocks and tree roots- I slipped on these a few times. This is not a hike for young children, older people or faint of heart or those people in poor health. We measured our hike to be 5.5 miles RT if you include the High Falls. Is it worth it? Most definitely yes. Don't do this and Devils Kettle on the same day unless you are an avid hiker.

Loved this campground. Big and beautiful. There are falls you can swim in and there's a secret pond…read moreto swim In too. Showers are free! Huge sites!