has anyone here driven to/from Soo or Thunder Bay

[Nd4SpdSe]

August.. would you recommend making reservations for the ferry?

I would... I have heard of people not being able to make it across.

When I went. It was a LAST MINUTE decision. I was in Sudbury, checked out of the hotel, got the idea to take the ferry. When I called, I would have to leave right away and calculated I would of get there with about 30min to spare, but I still got a reservation. Maybe that's just the time of the day/week, but I tend to be able to luck out abd get stuff done last minute. In the end, I got there, and it was late cause it was foggy, so I waited about an hour. The drive on Manitoulin is very nice, but rough. There's even that one-way rotating bridge you have to cross to get there.

[Feds]

I drove from Green Bay, through the UP, down and into Sarnia, and back to Niagara. The UP is very nice: Softwood forest, lakes, cute little towns. Once you get on I75, it's an interstate, and could be any interstate anywhere.

I have also done all of hwy 6 (Tobermory to Port Dover). For the most part, a straight, flat highway. Owen Sound has some nice spots, and Fergus is populated with CNTC-ers. If you do come down that way, try and be in the town of Varney on a Saturday night. They have a 1/3 mile paved oval that features some of the best racing and people watching anywhere in the world.

I have only been as far as Sudbury on the other side. Upon arriving in town, we went to the big nickle. Parked beside the only other car in the parking lot, which had suspiciously steamy windows... Sure enough, as soon as we get out of the car and 5 steps away, other car starts up and speeds out of the parking lot. As I turn around, I see a young lady struggling to get her shirt on with one hand, and her seatbelt on with the other, while her beau frantically clears the windshield with his hand.

[momud]

cool, thanks spider. so, you have driven at least some of this, eh? any points of interest i should look into? i really know nothing about the Superior shore up there. i do know i want to see soo falls.

pezzy, if you could do one, up via the big canoe or via Sudbury "the long way"? any points of interests along the Georgian Bay east shore?

Bruce P and Manitoulin I.: can you guys fill me in on things I should not miss there?
Can you tell me about the parks there? camping? and definitely points of interest?


thanks for all the info. i appreciate it.

[Nd4SpdSe]

Can you tell me about the parks there? camping?

As a family, we did a 2-week trip along Lake Huron once. Did The Pinery, Sauble Falls and Point Farms. Our favorites is The Pinery, lots for kida to do there too. Actually, when I took the Chi-cheemaun last year, I was on my way to meet my parents and cousin and her family there to camp at Port Elgin. Sauble Falls is really nice too, but I wouldn't worry about Point Farms. In between Sauble and The Pinery is Sauble Beach, it's very nice.

[momud]

Can you tell me about the parks there? camping?

As a family, we did a 2-week trip along Lake Huron once. Did The Pinery, Sauble Falls and Point Farms. Our favorites is The Pinery, lots for kida to do there too. Actually, when I took the Chi-cheemaun last year, I was on my way to meet my parents and cousin and her family there to camp at Port Elgin. Sauble Falls is really nice too, but I wouldn't worry about Point Farms. In between Sauble and The Pinery is Sauble Beach, it's very nice.

sweet, that's the kind of goodies i'm looking for. i'll have to look into all those.

some of the things that interest me are: waterfalls, lighthouses, historical stuff (injuns, voyagers, colonial, etc) and other natural wonders; hikes are good as well as kiddie fun info.
i wouldn't mind camping on or near some beaches and remote locations. <- i'll have follow up questions on this later on.

oh, this big nickel, what is it and is it worth the side trip if i'm going via hw6?

[Spider 007]

cool, thanks spider. so, you have driven at least some of this, eh? any points of interest i should look into? i really know nothing about the Superior shore up there. i do know i want to see soo falls.

Sorry dude, I can't really help you with that. I drove through there when I was transferred from Quebec to Edmonton, and I was on a tight schedule so I didn't have time to do any sightseeing at all. I drove the first half of it at night so I can't even comment on the scenery. I can tell you the part from Wawa to Thunder Bay looked quite nice.

And if nothing has changed since I drove it 2 years ago, gas stations are few and far between in that area. So don't pass one thinking the half tank of fuel you have will be enough to get you to the next one...

[momud]

I drove from Green Bay, through the UP, down and into Sarnia, and back to Niagara. The UP is very nice: Softwood forest, lakes, cute little towns. Once you get on I75, it's an interstate, and could be any interstate anywhere.

UP is killer for sure. i've explored it quite a bit. lower P is rather cool too . i've driven along most of MI coasts. if any of you ever go there, let me know if you need some help/ideas. this trip is partially me trying to bag the rest of the Great Lakes Circle Tours although I have never even seen L. Ontario but the others will almost be complete.

cool, thanks spider. so, you have driven at least some of this, eh? any points of interest i should look into? i really know nothing about the Superior shore up there. i do know i want to see soo falls.

Sorry dude, I can't really help you with that. I drove through there when I was transferred from Quebec to Edmonton, and I was on a tight schedule so I didn't have time to do any sightseeing at all. I drove the first half of it at night so I can't even comment on the scenery. I can tell you the part from Wawa to Thunder Bay looked quite nice.

And if nothing has changed since I drove it 2 years ago, gas stations are few and far between in that area. So don't pass one thinking the half tank of fuel you have will be enough to get you to the next one...

my range is 330km so i have to watch it. in remote regions i tend to top off at every gas station i see. lol

TB to Wawa looks superbly empty.

[DiscoPete]

heres my o2

1) one long drive
2) its a great drive, nice roads and great views
3) make sure you have enough music
4) stack up on timmies when you can
5)dont drive more then 10 hours ,
6)fill up


i went with my uncle which had to deliver something to a hospital , ( hes a truck driver ) took us about 18 hours one way and it was a great drive, just not alot of timmies or cities, it would really suck getting into trouble past sudbury

besides that thunder bay reminds me alot of hamilton.

[Zeero]

I've done the drive a few times. Its definitely great.

I recommend strongly visiting Lake Superior Provincial Park on the way up.....for an Ontario park, it is stunning, especially at sunrise and sunset. Rolling foot hills and tall white pines with curving roads, its fantastic.

Hope you're trip goes/went well.