Ultimate Visitors Guide To Thunder Bay, Ontario
We Aim To Create Quality Travel Guides Based On Our Own Lived Experiences. We Have Been Blessed To Call Northwestern Ontario Home For Over 20 Years. Read On For Our Advice!
Sleeping Giant From Thunder Bay Marina
Table Of Contents
- Where Is Thunder Bay, Ontario?
- Why Should I Visit Thunder Bay?
- Getting To Thunder Bay
- Is Thunder Bay Safe For Female And Solo Travellers?
- Annual Schedule Of Events/Festivals
- Best Things To Do In Thunder Bay
- Support Local Thunder Bay
- Best Restaurants In Thunder Bay
- Nightlife/Bar Guide To Thunder Bay
- Best Thunder Bay Cafes/Coffee Shops
- Other Thunder Bay Travel Tips & Interesting Facts
Where Is Thunder Bay?
Location: Thunder Bay is located in Northwestern Ontario, Canada.
Thunder Bay is located on the West end of Lake Superior along the marine transportation route which allows boats to travel from the Atlantic Ocean, up the Saint Lawrence River, and through the Great Lakes. The city of Thunder Bay is located along the Trans Canada Hwy 11–17 with long distances between nearby major cities. Winnipeg is located 700km west of Thunder Bay, with the summer tourism hotspot of Kenora along the way at 500km. Sault Ste Marie is located at the East end of Lake Superior, 700km to the East of Thunder Bay.
Geographical Location: Located at the northwest end of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay sits at a crossroads between the Great Lakes, the Boreal Forest, and Western Canada. The Sleeping Giant Peninsula creates a natural bay where ships from around the world can arrive at the port of Thunder Bay.
What Is Nearby? 30km to the West is Kakabeka Falls, a beautiful natural wonder where Dog Lake flows towards Lake Superior through the Kaministiquia River. 100km to the east, the Lake Nipigon watershed empties into Lake Superior through several popular fishing rivers like the Nipigon, Black Sturgeon, and Wolf River. 100km to the South-West the Pigeon River system connects Lake Superior to Quetico, Rainy River, and Lake of the Woods through a system of portages. 300km to the North, Armstrong provides float plane access to the untouched boreal forest in Wabakimi Provincial Park and serves as the closest stop on the cross-Canada railway passenger railway.
Why Should I Visit Thunder Bay, Ontario?
- Nature & Land-Based Tourism: Thunder Bay is an excellent location for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure tourism. You can easily plan, or hire a local guide, for fishing, hunting, hiking, sailing, foraging, rock climbing, water sports, etc.
- Indigenous Tourism: Celebrate the resilience of Anishinaabe culture, and ancient teachings that Indigenous peoples have preserved and shared for millennia. Begin your journey of Two-Eyed Seeing, a concept that Mi’kmaq elder Albert Marshall describes as “learning to see the world from one eye with the strength of Indigenous knowledge, and from the other with settler knowledge”.
- Support Local: Thunder Bay is connected to international supply chains through rail and marine trade, however, a thriving Buy Local culture has been rapidly expanding since the early 2000s. You could plan an entire vacation to Thunder Bay with almost everything locally sourced or run. Read on for dozens of local recommendations for food, restaurants, activities, arts, etc.
- Food & Restaurants: Thunder Bay has a very strong selection of amazing, locally-owned restaurants and bars. As world travellers and foodies at heart, we truly believe Thunder Bay has elite culinary options that can satisfy anyone’s appetite.
- Entertainment & Events: Thunder Bay hosts dozens of yearly events from music to food and culture. Read on for ideas and a schedule of annual events.
Getting To Thunder Bay
Flying: Thunder Bay International Airport (YQT) is how many visitors choose to arrive in the city. When flying to Thunder Bay in 2023, you have four airline options: 1) Westjet through Winnipeg 2) Air Canada through Toronto or Winnipeg 3) Porter through Toronto or Ottawa 4) Flair through Toronto
Driving: Thunder Bay is 500+ km from neighbouring large cities. Driving West you will get to Kenora in 500km or Winnipeg in 700km. Driving East you will get to Sault Ste Marie in 800km or Toronto in 1400km. Driving South into the US state of Minnesota you will find Duluth in 300km or the Twin Cities in 600km.
Port of Thunder Bay: Recently around a dozen cruise ships have been coming into Thunder Bay every spring/summer and docking in the Port of Thunder Bay for single or multi-night stops. Cruise ship visitors are helping to fuel the growth of a strong culinary and local business scene in the Waterfront district of Thunder Bay.
*Rental Cars: If you are planning to explore Thunder Bay, a rental car will save you time and money! RentalCars.com is the best place to compare rental rates from all the major companies. Use this affiliate link to help grow Bordersology at no cost to you!
Taxis in the city are expensive and unreliable. Uber does not operate in the city but there is a locally owned app called U-Ride that works just like Uber.
For the rest of the list and map of Thunder Bay visit Bordersology.com or visit the direct link to this blog below!