Thunder Bay

For sheer beauty, Thunder Bay is hard to beat. At the top of the Great Lakes, on Lake Superior, the city has the Nor’Wester Mountains as a backdrop while a string of islands on its doorstep entice kayakers, sailors and hikers. The Sleeping Giant, a massive series of mesas at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula, guards Thunder Bay’s harbor, and with more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) of hiking trails, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park offers a world of peace and solitude. Thunder Bay was a natural meeting place long before Europeans arrived, but the building of Fort William in 1803 created a lively community of Scottish traders, French voyageurs and ...

For sheer beauty, Thunder Bay is hard to beat. At the top of the Great Lakes, on Lake Superior, the city has the Nor’Wester Mountains as a backdrop while a string of islands on its doorstep entice kayakers, sailors and hikers. The Sleeping Giant, a massive series of mesas at the tip of the Sibley Peninsula, guards Thunder Bay’s harbor, and with more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) of hiking trails, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park offers a world of peace and solitude. Thunder Bay was a natural meeting place long before Europeans arrived, but the building of Fort William in 1803 created a lively community of Scottish traders, French voyageurs and Native trappers that is wonderfully recreated at Fort William Historical Park. Later, mining and the growing importance of the city’s port attracted immigrants from around the globe – still reflected in the city’s ethnic diversity, headed by Finns and Italians. Many artists live here, ensuring a vibrant cultural scene, and the unspoiled wilderness provides countless opportunities for outdoor adventuring.

About the Expert

Joanna Ebbutt is the author or editor of three Insight Guides to Toronto and Canada, and coauthor of Off the Beaten Track: Western Canada. She has been writing about travel for three decades, including chasing the aurora borealis in Northern Ontario.