3 Exciting Places To See Massive Ships On Lake Superior

3 exciting places to see massive ships on Lake Superior! Lake Superior has exceptional port cities full of history, good food, unique shopping and museums!

 

 

Reasons To Visit These Cities On Lake Superior

 

 

Picture yourself standing on a walkway, beside a lighthouse, only a few feet away from a 1,000 foot massive ship quietly coming into the harbor. So quiet that you can hear Gulls glide by in a gentle breeze. How can a towering ship so big be so quiet? Now, add shopping and more fun things to do. Would this be a fun and unique experience for you? You can have these experiences and more when you visit these 3 exciting places on Lake Superior.

 

Duluth, Minnesota Is Where To See Many Massive Ships On Lake Superior

 

Although Duluth is a great place to watch the ships come and go, leave plenty of time for shopping too!

 

Get Close To The Massive Ships Here

 

The Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge might be Duluth’s most recognizable landmark. Similarly, Bob Dylan is it’s most recognizable person. But, lives join together and connect at the Canal Park.

 

The Aerial Lift Bridge spans the Duluth ship canal and is fun to watch it raise 135 feet in about one minute. Then, you’ll hear ear piercing locomotive horns blowing as ships enter the canal from either direction. They are so loud you will hear and feel them. After the bridge raises you should hear the customary long long short horn blow. You will then hear the ship return the same sequence back to the bridge operator. This is the captain’s salute and is the most common. It’s even more fun to experience the bridge working at night!

 

At the same time, you are able to stand on the concrete walkway and watch ships pass right beside you at the ship canal. The walkway at the entrance of the ship canal leads from the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center to the lighthouse. This is the best spot to see these massive ships come and go from just a few feet away.

You’ll have fun at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. A charming small tugboat display is just outside the door for you to see and walk around. The visitor center is full of displays, models, memorabilia, information, ship schedules and just about anything you can imagine related to Great Lakes ships. It’s easy to get around the visitor center and its’ handicap accessible.

 

 

Fun Things To Do While Visiting Duluth

 

 

There are plenty of places to stay, shop and eat at the Canal Park. This area is mostly old converted warehouses with a rich history. You will also like how restaurants and shops are within walking distance from your hotel. Easily, you can spend your day exploring attractions in downtown Duluth just by walking.

 

Watch the otters play an the Great lakes Aquarium. The best time to see them active is between 11am to 3pm. Their home is created to match the Eastern shore of Lake Superior in Canada’s Pukaskwa Provincial Park. The Great Lakes Aquarium features habitats found within the Great Lakes Basin and various other freshwater ecosystems throughout the world.

 

Visiting the SS William A Irvin Museum will give you a closer look at shipping on the Great Lakes. It has been fully restored where you’ll also find living quarters and antiques. We found the kitchen and living quarters interesting as we learned how they lived on the ship. They have a chef to prepare two different meals for the officers along with their guests and the second one for the crew. Take our word, the staff on the ships eat very well!

 

Check out their Haunted Ship for the month of October for a scary experience. Not too many people can say they have been to a haunted ship. Along with a scary experience, you can see what the cargo area of the ship looks like as you exit.

 

We’re not big fans of haunted things but we couldn’t pass up a chance to go on a haunted ship.

 

Look into Fitger’s Inn for a unique encounter with Duluth’s profound history. In fact, Fitger’s is on the National register Of Historic Places with a neat past as a brewery, hotel and restaurants.

 

See Massive Ships Go Through The Soo Locks In Sault St. Marie, Michigan

 

Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan is another exciting place to see massive ships on Lake Superior. This city lies on the border between the United States and Canada in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It also shares the same name as the city on the Canadian side.

 

The St Marys River divides the two cities and countries. The ships use the St Marys River river to move in-between the Great Lakes, except for a small section through Sault Ste. Marie. Two canals and four locks on the American side bypass the section of the St Marys River that has rapids and drops twenty one feet.

 

 

Sault Ste. Marie is a great place to visit for plenty of exciting things to do.

 

Fun Things To Do While Visiting Sault Ste. Marie

 

A good place to start is the Soo Locks Visitor Center. They have an observation deck where you can watch the canal and how the locks work as ships come through.

 

One half mile east of the Soo Locks Visitor Center is the Tower Of History. It is 210 feet high with observation decks and a museum.

Cruise along with massive ships on the Soo Locks Boat Tours. They will also teach about each ship you come across.

 

Point Iroquois Lighthouse is another neat historic lighthouse. Here you can climb the 65 foot spiral staircase to the top for ship watching. It’s just over twenty miles driving going west from the Soo Locks Visitor center.

 

After the lighthouse, keep going further to Tahquamenon Falls State Park. The falls look like root beer with their rich brown water and white foam at the bottom. That’s why they have earned the name of root beer falls from the locals.

 

Voyager Island is a unique way to explore the area and see massive ships at the same time. Go east from Sault Ste. Marie to where the St Marys River splits south.

 

You’ll find a seaplane dock at Rotary park. Most importantly, at Voyager Island Park, you can kayak on water trails and hike around the islands. This is a popular destination for paddling on water trails. Would you enjoy watching the massive ships from a fun day on the water trail? You can walk the trails on the islands and watch the ships pass from shore. Also, look for moose tracks while walking the trails.

 

Don’t Miss Two Harbors, Minnesota To Watch Ships On Lake Superior

 

In addition to some really big ore docks, a visit to Two Harbors, Minnesota has a lot to offer for a town with a population of less than 4000 people.

Thirty Five logging camps in the area were the beginning of the town. Consequently, the discovery of iron ore made it grow. The growth from the iron ore industry created a need for bigger docks. Before too long, Two Harbors was setting records for ship loading.

The Lake County Historical Society has 3 sites for you to visit.

 

First, the Lighthouse Museum and Gift Shop. The red brick lighthouse has different restored work areas to see on the way to the top. In fact, the top of the lighthouse has pleasant views and is 78 feet to the water. You can also stay at the Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast with the proceeds helping fund the maintenance and upkeep.

 

Next, the Duluth and Iron Range Depot Museum is full of items of the past from the three main industries that created Two Harbors. These are timber, iron mining and commercial fishing. This historic train station is home to two completely different locomotives. The Mallett 229 is one of the largest locomotives in existence. In comparison, the Three Spot looks like a miniature.

 

Also, did you know 3M got its start in Two Harbors? A butcher shop owner, attorney, doctor and two railroad executives started the company with what they thought was a mineral for sandpaper. The Lake County Historical Society also operates the 3M Birthplace Museum. You will want to look for the Dwan Office Building with the 3M logo.

 

Additionally, Two Harbors gives you another great place to see massive ships on Lake Superior up close.

 

Read Here for a unique event to see living history up close.

 

Final Thoughts

 

We love watching the massive ships on Lake Superior in these cities. In addition to the ships, we always enjoy being outside exploring around these areas. However, don’t skip the neat shops and places to eat. We always look forward to visiting these fun places again and again!

 

Many thanks to our son for sharing some photos!