On Lake Superior in Northwestern Ontario, Thunder Bay is a gateway to all sorts of outdoor adventures — including hiking, rock climbing, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding — particularly in the provincial parks surrounding the city. Sleeping Giant Provincial Park is a highlight for hikers, overlooking Lake Superior an hour to the east. For wilderness canoe touring, you can travel west to remote Quetico Provincial Park.

While Thunder Bay itself has an industrial feel from its shipping, forestry, and paper industries, there are interesting cultural attractions and a growing restaurant scene here. Walk along the scenic waterfront in Marina Park, book a sailing excursion on the lake, or travel back to the 19th-century fur trade era at Fort William Historical Park, a living history museum. Thunder Bay has a strong Nordic heritage, so stop for pancakes at a traditional Finnish restaurant, or relax in a sauna. From Thunder Bay, road trippers can circle Lake Superior on both the Canadian and US sides of the lake, or explore the parks, beaches, and small towns along the Canadian shore.

The best seasons to stay in a Thunder Bay cottage rental are the summer and fall, particularly from July through early October. Comfortable for hiking, cycling, sailing, and paddling, the weather is warm in summer and crisp in the autumn, when the foliage is especially beautiful. From November through March, the winters are freezing and snowy, good for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice climbing, or having a drink inside by the fireplace. Beware of the black flies and mosquitoes that can plague visitors in spring and early summer. If you’re heading outdoors, especially in May and June, make sure you have good bug repellent and protective clothing.

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

On a peninsula jutting into Lake Superior, about an hour by car from downtown Thunder Bay, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park has more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) of hiking trails. There are short strolls, a cliff top lookout, and an all-day hike to the “Top of the Giant,” the massive rock formation that gives the park its name. From the Thunder Bay waterfront, you can see the Giant in the distance, which provides an idea of its immense size.

Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park

An hour’s drive east of Thunder Bay, detour to Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park, where steep cliffs line a dramatic natural gorge. It’s a short hike to several overlooks above the canyon that offer perfect photo opps.

Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park

Ontario’s second-highest waterfall — after Niagara Falls — makes a striking sight, which you can view from both sides of the Kaministiquia River in Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. The park has several hiking trails near the falls and along the river, too. Kakabeka Falls are a 30-minute drive west of downtown Thunder Bay.