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Destination:

SAULT SAINTE MARIE
​(USA)

Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan Cruises

There is plenty to do in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan whether you are arriving by ship on a Great Lake Cruise or driving in by car “The Soo” historic downtown is where the action is.  Home of the Soo Locks, visitors from around the world come to see the shipping traffic pass through the locks. You can take a boat tour for a personal close-up look of this amazing engineering wonder, or walk aboard a retired Great Lakes freighter or visit the SS. Valley Camp.  Experience the natural charms of the Tahquamenon Falls State Park and the forests of the Upper Peninsula.  Michigan's oldest city has many Sault Historic Sites for you to visit including a panoramic view from the Tower of History.
Sault Sainte Marie (Michigan) is a Port of Call for the following Great Lakes Cruises:

Victory Cruise Lines
  • Lakeside Treasures - 16/Day             
  • Grand Discovery - 13/Day       
  • Splendor of the Great Lakes - 11/Day    
Ponant Explorer Cruises 
  • Great Lakes of North America - 8/Day


Things to do in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan

SOO LOCKS
This man-made marvel was built in 1855 and connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron.  Being the busiest lock system in the world, between seven and ten thousand ships pass through the Soo Locks during the shipping season each year. Being too large to travel through the Welland Canal that bypasses Niagara Falls, larger domestic carriers (called lakers) need to travel through the Soo Locks.  Large ships that pass through the locks are approximately 1,000 feet long by 105 feet wide. The largest ship to pass through the Soo Locks is larger than three football fields in length.  The Paul R. Tregurtha measures 1,013 feet and 6 inches.  Smaller foreign ships (termed salties) can exit the Great Lakes by way of the St. Lawrence River and Atlantic Ocean.

SOO LOCKS BOAT TOURS
Take a two-hour narrated harbor tour and “lock through” the great American and Canadian Locks. Crusie the waters alongside large freighters and enjoy a unique view of the International Bridge, Cloverland Hydroelectric Plant, and many other  waterfront attractions in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Ontario.  Soo Locks Boat Tours has five tour vessels the lower enclosed decks are climate-controlled with covered open-air upper decks. Each boat is also equip with restrooms and a snack bar for passenger comfort and convenience.   
For more information click here
: Soo Locks Boat Tours
​
BIRD'S EYE OUTFITTERS
Bird's Eye Outfitters is a unique retail experience specializing in high quality outdoor gear for water sports, backpacking, skiing, hiking and cycling. Customer service centric they also focus on outdoor recreational tours in the Eastern Upper Peninsula such as kayaking, hiking and paddle boarding.
  Relax a sip a cup of Joe at their cozy coffee shop and lounge also onsite for your enjoyment.  For more information click here: Bird's Eye Outfitters

TOWER OF HISTORY
Built in 1968 by the Catholic Church as the Shrine of the Missionaries, the Tower of History remains true to its original mission and includes local and Native American history. Towering at 210 feet above Sault Ste. Marie and the Soo Locks, an express elevator will take you to an observation deck where you will experience a spectacular 360 degree view of the St. Mary River to the Canadian wilderness. The Lower Level features video presentation along with museum exhibits.

Address: 326 E. Portage Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

THE GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK MUSEUM
A visit to this National Historic Site encompasses a tour through maritime history; focusing on area shipwrecks, the U.S. Lighthouse Service, the U.S. Life-Saving Service and the Whitefish Point U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Station.
For more information click here: The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum 


VCL - Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Ermatinger Old Stone House, Clergue Blockhouse, Valley Camp Ship Museum, River of History Museum, Das Gift Haus, Historic Water St. Homes, The Soo Locks, Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church. ​

Get to know Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan

  • Since the locks are part of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, ships from around the world travel through this port that connects Duluth and Minnesota to the Atlantic.
  • It takes about 9 hours for a freighter to pass through the St. Mary's River system, between Lake Superior and Lake Huron
  • Each year the Soo Locks experiences about 7,000 passages.
  • 100% of iron ore passes through the Soo locks yearly.  This breaks down to about 85 tons of cargo each year, valued at $ 500.5 billion dollars yearly.
  • Today there is no charge to travel through the locks. However,  between 1855 to 1881 there use to be a toll of 3-4 cents per ton
  • Open 24 hours a day, the crew works a 42 week long navigation season to complete these lokages.
  • The locks are powered by gravity when water moves through the lock chambers with the opening and closing of its values and requires 22 million gallons of water for each boat to pass through.
  • Personal watercraft (with engines) are only permitted through the locks with pre approval from the lockmaster​.
  • The first vessels on the great lakes were 40-foot long canoes.

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  • Cruise the Great Lakes
    • Lake Superior Cruises
    • Lake Michigan Cruises
    • Lake Huron Cruises
    • Lake Erie Cruises
    • Lake Ontario Cruises
    • St. Lawrence Seaway Cruises
    • Great Lakes Attractions
  • Great Lakes Cruise Lines
    • Victory Cruise Lines
    • Pearl Seas Cruises
    • Viking Expedition Cruises
    • Windstar Cruises
    • Ponant Explorer Cruises
    • Hapag Lloyd Cruises
    • Blount Small Ship Adventures
  • Cruise Itineraries
    • Canada/St. Lawrence Cruise Itineraries >
      • Victory 11 Day - Canadian Crown Jewels
      • Victory 13 Day - Canada's Southern Coast Itinerary
      • Pearl Seas 16 Day - Canadian Maritime & St Lawrence Seaway
      • Pearl Seas 11 Day - Canada & New England Fall Foliage
      • Viking 13 Day - Canadian Discovery Cruise (2022)
    • Great Lakes Cruise Itineraries >
      • Victory 16 Day - Great Lakes Lakeside Treasures
      • Blount 16 Day - Great American Waterways
      • Blount 14 Day - Locks, Legends & Canals
      • Victory 13 Day - Great Lakes Grand Discovery
      • Pearl Seas 12 Day - Great Lakes & Georgian Bay
      • Victory 11 Day - Splendor of the Great Lakes
      • Ponant 11 Day - Discover the St. Lawrence River Cruise
      • Victory 9 Day - Great Lakes Masterpiece
      • Pearl Seas 8 Day - Great Lakes Cruise
      • Ponant 8 Day - Great Lakes of North America
      • Viking 8 Day - Niagara & the Great Lakes Cruise (2022)
      • Viking 8 Day - Undiscovered Great Lakes Cruise (2022)
      • Viking 8 Day - Great Lakes Explorer Cruise (2022)
  • Destinations
    • Illinois Cruises >
      • Chicago IL Cruises
    • Maine Cruises >
      • Bar Harbor Maine Cruises
      • Portland ME Cruises
    • Maritime Provinces Canada Cruises >
      • Charlottetown PEI CN Cruises
      • Halifax Nova Scotia CN Cruises
    • Massachusetts Cruises >
      • Boston Mass Cruises
    • Michigan Cruises >
      • Detroit MI Cruises
      • Holland MI Cruises
      • Houghton MI Cruises
      • Mackinac Island MI Cruises
      • Marquette MI Cruises
      • Muskegon MI Cruises
      • Sault Sainte Marie MI Cruises
    • Minnesota Cruises >
      • Duluth MN Cruises
    • New York Cruises >
      • Alexandria Bay NY Cruises
      • Amsterdam NY Cruises
      • Buffalo NY Cruises
      • Clayton NY Cruises
      • Kingston NY Cruises
      • Niagara Falls NY Cruises
      • Oswego NY Cruises
      • Sylvan Beach NY Cruises
    • Ohio Cruises >
      • Cleveland OH Cruises
    • Ontario Cruises >
      • Little Current ON Cruises
      • Midland, ON Cruises
      • Niagara Falls ON Cruises
      • Niagara on the Lake ON Cruises
      • Parry Sound ON Cruises
      • Sault Sainte Marie ON Cruises
      • Thunder Bay ON Cruises
      • Toronto ON Cruises
    • Quebec Cruises >
      • Gaspé QC Cruises
      • Montreal QC Cruises
      • Quebec City QC Cruises
      • Tadoussac, Quebec
    • Thousand Island Cruises
    • Wisconsin Cruises >
      • Apostle Islands WI Cruises
      • Green Bay WI Cruises
      • Milwaukee WI Cruises
      • Sturgeon Bay WI Cruises
    • Great Lakes Highlights >
      • Great Lakes Lighthouses
      • Great Lakes Locks and Canals
      • Majestic Skylines
      • Natural Wonders
      • Native American Cultures of the Great Lakes Region
      • Great Lakes Literary History
      • Great Lakes Sporting Arms
      • Great Lakes Cruising Coalition
  • Request a Quote
  • Contact
  • Great Lakes Expert Advice
  • Great Lakes Cruise News