I decided to take a long weekend and travel up to Michigan to the region of the Upper Peninsula. By the time I had completed my research, I narrowed my list of sights to include Whitefish Point, Pictured Rocks State Park and the Soo Locks.
While working for the cruise lines, I experienced the Panama Canal passageway, so I was very familiar with the locks system and found it to be fascinating. The purpose of a lock is to transport ships, boats and vessels from one level of water to the next by raising and lowering a chamber.
As I parked along the street of Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, the beautiful flowers welcomed me to the Soo Locks complex. I made a stop at the Visitor’s Center to learn more about the history of these Great Lakes locks. There was a great working model of the locks, educational videos and television monitors that provided a real-time view of ships passing through.
There are approximately 11,000 ships that pass through the Soo Locks each year and there is an observation platform to watch the vessels as they transfer 21 feet from one elevation to the next. There are two canals and four locks within the Soo Locks system that cover 1.6 miles between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes, located in both Canada and the United States.
The Soo Locks are under the jurisdiction of the Army Corps of Engineers who maintain the system as well as the buildings within the park. There are future plans to automate the current lock system to bring the plant’s technology “into the 21st century”. There is also a proposal to replace some of the locks with more up to date engineering, similar to the updates that were completed on the Poe Lock to allow larger ships to pass through.
If I have an opportunity to visit again, I would love to plan my trip around the annual Engineer’s Day Open House. It takes place on the last Friday of June and visitors can cross the lock gates for an up close and personal look at the lock system. It is from here that one can enter the Administration Building into the lock area to watch the vessels up close.
I completed my visit to Soo Locks and drove west to check out the long bridge in the distance. It looks very much like the Mackinac Bridge that connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. I learned that it is the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge that connects the United States and Canada and since I did not bring my passport, I will be staying on the US side and making my way towards my next stop.
Have you ever visited an engineering marvel that you found to be interesting? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below! Many thanks for reading about my trip to the Soo Locks in Michigan! Wishing you many Happy Travels!!
What to See and What to Do:
Soo Locks
Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783
Phone: 906 632 3336
- Admission Fee: Sightseeing Lock Tour: $30 for adults, $10 for children ages 5 – 16, $10 and children under5, no charge.
- Hours: The Soo Locks will be open late March to mid-October but check their website for the most up-to-date information. Open daily from 9AM to 10PM. The hours of operation are seasonal so check the website or call before arrival.
- Guided Tours and Informational Booklets: Guided tour of the locks is $30 for adults, $10 for children ages 5 – 16 and there is no charge for children under the age of 5.
- Scenic View: Watching the ships pass through the locks is extraordinary.
- Length of the Tour: 90 minutes (tour) and take an additional hour to watch the ships pass through the locks and explore the interpretive center.
- Tips for Your Visit: Wear comfortable shoes for walking. Metered parking is available near the attraction but just a couple of blocks away there is free parking. You will go through a metal detector so ensure that you do not have any weapons or alcoholic beverages. Bring your passport if you want to cross the bridge into Canada.
Where to Stay:
Quality Inn & Suites
13954 M-28
Newberry, MI 49868
Phone: 906 293 3218
Where to Eat:
Wolf Inn Grill and Spirits
18568 Co. Rd 407
Newberry, MI 49868
Phone: 906 658 3355
I stopped at this nearby restaurant for just a small meal until dinner, so I ordered the appetizer size of nachos. Their servings are huge! I could not eat even half of them, but they were absolutely delicious.
What to Eat:
- The Coney Dog from Detroit, Jackson or Flint.
- Vernor’s Ginger Ale
- Founded in the Upper Peninsula, the pasty is a pastry pocket with fruit filling
- Mackinac Island Fudge
- Apples
- Cherries
- Detroit Style Pizza shaped in a rectangle and baked until the edges are crispy.
- Better Made Chips from Detroit
- Germack Pistachios
- Walleye Fish from the Great Lakes
- Faygo beverages
What to Read:
- Y is for Yooper, by Scott Reddinger
- U.P., by R. A. Reikki
- Mystery on Mackinac Island, by Anna W. Hale
- The Remarkable Tale of Captain Kidd and the Astor Fortune, by Eugene Thor Petersen
- A Transplanted Yooper, by Tina Lonski