Sault Ste. Marie
Around Sault Ste. Marie
Photo: Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Ontario · 76k people
Sault Ste. Marie
Locals say Algoma · “The Soo”
Where the big lake meets the true North.
Greyhounds RedLake Superior BlueBoreal Forest Green
Welcome to the Soo, where the river runs deep and the winters are part of the charm. Whether you're here for the hockey, the fishing, or the bush, you'll find a friendly community that knows how to enjoy all four seasons. Grab a coffee, hit the boardwalk, and say hi to your neighbours.
Clubs for Sault Ste. Marie
No clubs for Sault Ste. Marie yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Sault Ste. Marie. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Sault Ste. Marie. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site Operating lock and visitor centre on the St. Marys River.
- Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre Hangars full of bush planes and forest firefighting history.
- Roberta Bondar Park Lakefront park with a boardwalk and pavilion.
- Sault Ste. Marie Museum Housed in a former post office, tells the city's story.
- GFL Memorial Gardens Home of the Greyhounds and concert venue.
- Searchmont Resort Ski and snowboard hill about 30 minutes north.
- Outdoors Ice fishing on the St. Marys River
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing at Hiawatha Highlands
- With kids Visit the Bushplane Heritage Centre
- With kids Walk the boardwalk and watch the ships
- Evenings Greyhounds home games at GFL Memorial Gardens
- Evenings Live music at local pubs
- Locals love ice fishing huts on the river
- Locals love cross-country ski trails
Through the year
- Bon Soo Winter Carnival February Winter festival with ice sculptures, outdoor activities, and a parade.
- Algoma Fall Festival September Arts and culture festival with performances, exhibits, and workshops.
- Rotaryfest July Summer street festival with food vendors, live music, and a parade.
- Soo Ice Fishing Derby January Annual ice fishing competition on the river with prizes.
- Searchmont Ski and Snowboard Festival March Celebrates the ski season with races, live music, and apres-ski.
Cold, snowy winters and pleasant, mild summers. Best time to be out is summer for water activities and fall for colours, but winter offers great skiing and ice fishing. Best: Summer for water activities and fall for colours; winter offers great skiing and ice fishing.
Talk like a local
- “The Soo”
- Short for Sault Ste. Marie.
- “Algoma”
- The broader region around Sault Ste. Marie.
- “The bush”
- The wilderness or forest areas.
- “The locks”
- The Sault Ste. Marie Canal locks.
Getaways
- Sault Ste. Marie, MI Cross the bridge to explore the US Soo and the Soo Locks.
- Elliot Lake Outdoor recreation and a former mining town.
- Petoskey Lake Michigan resort town with shops and beaches.
- Traverse City Cherry capital and wineries.
Local flavour
Teams
- Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL
- Algoma Thunderbirds OUA (U Sports)
- Soo Eagles NOJHL
Also rooting for Detroit Red Wings (NHL), Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
Eat and drink
- Lake Superior whitefish Often fried or smoked, a staple of local menus
- Poutine A Canadian comfort classic, popular across the North
- Butter tarts A classic Ontario sweet treat
Where people go
- Locks and canals The Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site, a vital shipping link.
- Bushplane hangars
- Ice fishing huts Winter scenes on the St. Marys River and surrounding lakes.
- Cross-country ski trails Extensive groomed trails through the boreal forest.
Heritage and traditions
Sault Ste. Marie is proud of its rugged northern spirit, its role as a gateway to Lake Superior, and its tight-knit communities that celebrate both Indigenous heritage and immigrant roots.
This time of year in Sault Ste. Marie
- Fall colours September–October Hiking and leaf-peeping in the Algoma Highlands.
Say it like a local: “Soo” — Shortened name for Sault Ste. Marie.
Festivals
- Italian Heritage Festival July Celebrates the city's Italian community with food, music, and parades.
- Finnish Midsummer June Traditional Juhannus celebrations at the Finnish Labour Temple.
- Soo Jazz Festival August A weekend of jazz performances in the downtown.
Landmarks with a story
- Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site A stone fur-trade house from 1814, one of the oldest buildings in the region.
- Finnish Labour Temple Built in 1910, a National Historic Site and cultural centre for the Finnish community.
- Holy Trinity Anglican Church Historic church with beautiful stained glass windows.
- Sault Ste. Marie Cenotaph War memorial honouring local soldiers.
Food traditions
- Tourtière French-Canadian meat pie, a Christmas tradition.
- Maple syrup season Tapping trees in early spring, a sweet local tradition.
- Italian sausage and peppers A staple at community gatherings, from the Italian immigrant community.
- Whitefish chowder A hearty soup made with local Lake Superior whitefish.
- Bannock Indigenous fried bread, often served at cultural events.
Music and arts
- Folk and rock music A vibrant local scene with venues like the Soo Blaster.
- Indigenous drumming and singing An important part of local cultural events.
- Soo Symphony Orchestra Performs classical and pops concerts.
- Art Gallery of Algoma Showcases Northern Ontario artists.
A little history
- 1783 Fur trading post established by the British
- 1895 Sault Ste. Marie Canal opens with the first lock
- 1902 Algoma Steel founded
- 1962 International Bridge to the US opens
Rivalries
- Greyhounds vs. Sudbury Wolves Intense OHL hockey rivalry.
- Soo (ON) vs. Soo (MI) Friendly cross-border town rivalry.
- Algoma Thunderbirds vs. Lakehead Thunderwolves University sports rivalry.
- Game day Greyhounds hockey games
- Game day Curling bonspiels
- Outdoors Salmon fishing on the St. Marys River
- Outdoors Camping at Lake Superior Provincial Park
- With kids Explore the Ermatinger-Clergue House
- With kids Watch the ships at the canal
People in Sault Ste. Marie speak with a Northern Ontario accent, often ending sentences with 'eh'. They say 'Soo' for the city, and use Canadian terms like 'toque' for a winter hat. French and Finnish words occasionally pop up in local speech.
Only here
- The Soo is the only place where you can watch ships transit a historic lock from a park.
- The Agawa Canyon Tour Train is a unique rail excursion.
- The city is nicknamed 'The Soo' – no other Sault Ste. Marie uses that.
- The Esposito brothers learned to play hockey here.
New here? A few tips
- Pronounce 'Sault' as 'Soo' – locals will know you're from away if you say 'Salt'.
- Prepare for long, cold winters; invest in a good parka and toque.
- Try the local whitefish – it's a staple.
- Take a walk along the boardwalk to see the ships and the canal.
- Learn about the city's Indigenous and immigrant history at the local museums.
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Nearby
Every areaSault Ste. MarieMichiganWhere the big lake meets the locks.Tip of the MittMichiganWhere the lakes meet the pinesAlgomaOntarioWhere the Shield meets the Lake.Elliot LakeOntarioLocal rooms for Elliot Lake.PetoskeyMichiganWhere the Great Lakes meet the pines.Eastern U.P.MichiganWhere the forests meet the Great Lakes.AlpenaMichiganGreat Lakes charm on the Sunrise Side.Traverse CityMichiganWhere the cherries meet the lake
Sault Ste. Marie. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.