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Hunts' Guide to Michigan's UPPER PENINSULA

JUST OUT! A new edition of Hunts' Mapguide to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Over 300 entries, all conveniently located on maps and chosen because we think they are the coolest things to do in the U.P. (No ad tie-ins!) Great choices for restaurants, hikes, shops, adventures, museums, boat trips, waterfalls, vistas, road trips, and much more! To learn more click UP MAP GUIDE

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SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN
POINTS
OF INTEREST

Soo Locks Park & Visitor Center. This is the place to get really close-up views of giant freighters, plus see some interesting exhibits ... more

Soo Lock Train Tours. Great intro to Soo. Smart, funny 1-hour narrated tour of historic sites. From International Bridge, look down 135' on all 5 locks. ... more

Soo Locks Boat Tour. This 2-hour excursion provides a dramatic look at the big locks, the quaint Canadian locks, and the Twin Soo's waterfronts. ... more

River of History Museum. Compelling life-size dioramas bring to life scenes from Sault Ste. Marie's long history and prehistory. ... more

Riverfront walk along Water Street and Brady Park. See upbound boats waiting at the locks at beautiful Brady Park, site of the 19th c. fort. See interesting historic monuments from Sault Ste. Marie's aspiring years, including idiosyncratic Chase Osborn, the only U.P. governor. ... more

Bingham Avenue historic buildings. An avenue of grand 19th-century buildings, from a time when locals saw a grander future for the city than actually unfolded ... more

Tower of History. An oustanding geographical of the area from a 21-story tower. ... more

St. Mary's Pro-cathedral. This 1880s cathedral has a wonderful interior, with richly colored stained glass and striking wall accents ... more

Schoolcraft, Johnston and Baraga houses. Three of the earliest and most significant houses in Upper Peninsula history ... more

George Kemp Downtown Marina . A nice picnic area at a beautiful marina ... more

Museum Ship Valley Camp . A 1917 Great Lakes steamship is the vehicle for an interesting maritime museum ... more

St. Mary's River Lighthouse Cruise. A 4-hour journey past landmarks like the lighthouse at the entrance to the St. Marys River ... more

Edison Sault Power Plant & Alford Park. This 1902 quarter-mile-long landmark never attracted the industries it was built to serve, but still generates electricity ... more

Mission Point, Aune Osborn Park & Sugar Island Ferry. It's been called the #1 place anywhere to see Great Lakes freighters in motion ... more

Sugar Island. Once a favorite Chippewa sugaring spot, the island still has many maples and still is a popular stop for migrating birds ... more

New Fort Brady/Lake Superior State University. Begun in 1893 as an Army fort and barracks for 20,000 troops, this overlook now is the site of 3,300-student Lake Superior State University ... more

International Bridge. Connecting the 5,000-mile Trans-Canada Highway with 2,000-mile I-75 to Florida, this 1962 bridge does much more than connect the two Soos ... more

SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN

International Bridge

Before this long, imposing bridge was completed in 1962, it took a ferry to cross the St. Marys River, which meant that residents of the Twin Soo cities on either side of the border could co-mingle during crossings nd got to know one another much better than today. The International Bridge, planned and financed by the governments of Michigan and Ontario, was designed by the firm of David Steinman. He was well known to Michigan transportation planners for his role in not only designing the Mackinac Bridge. It took nearly 25 years to put together financing for the International Bridge, which cost about $20 million to build.

The bridge connects two of the most important highways on the North American continent: the 5,000-mile Trans-Canada Highway and 2,000-mile I-75, which goes all the way to southern Florida. Next to the International Bridge is an unusual jackknife railroad bridge built in 1919 and still in use. It folds up on both sides to allow freighter traffic through. Rail cars most frequently are loaded with logs bound for paper mills.

The International Bridge is nearly three miles long including approaches and two cantilevered trusses over the canals on each side of the river. The bridge is a worthwhile sight in its own right. It offers passengers in motor vehicles and visitors on the Soo Locks Train Tours splendid views west to Lake Superior, down onto the sprawling Algoma Steel plant and fly fishermen on Whitefish Island, and east to the Soo Locks and Sugar Island.

Once a year, on the Saturday before July 4, pedestrians can walk across the bridge as part of the International Bridge Walk celebrating Canadian and American Independence (June 29 and July 4). It starts at Lake Superior State University, north off Easterday on the hill overlooking the bridge, at 10 a.m. There's also a bus over the bridge from points in town and the Lake State campus. Visit www.michigan.gov/mdot/ for more about the International Bridge, including recent news stories.

It almost always takes longer to re-enter the U.S. from Canada over the bridge. Back-ups are usually no longer than 15 minutes. If possible avoid crossing back to the U.S. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Some Canadians cross over to Michigan to buy cheaper milk and gas (which is about $1/gallon less in U.S.).

Terminus of I-75. $1.50/auto, 75¢/bike. Bicycles can cross any time, in a regular traffic lane. No passport needed, but kids will sometimes need to show birth certificates.

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