Our region is dotted with many small towns and cities. Here's a quick overview of some places you can visit:
Atikokan: Located just north of the famous Quetico Provincial Park, many of you may have visited this sleepy town if you love to paddle. Quetico is a world-class canoe destination and has been for over a century. The area is in Seine River Country and there are many interconnected lakes and some of the best trout lakes in Sunset Country are near Atikokan. More info: Tourism Atikokan
Dryden: This mill town is a major service center for just about everyone in Sunset Country and a great place to stop and visit. Located smack dab in the center of the region, you can get to just about anywhere from Dryden. There are many lodges and resorts located in the area and some nice hotels are in Dryden. Aaron Provincial Park just east of town is a great place to stop More information: Dryden Tourism
Ear Falls: Located on the western shore of famous Lac Seul, Ear Falls proudly calls itself the Bald Eagle Capital with countless sightings of this majestic bird around the community. Lac Seul is a walleye factory for those who love to fish, and there are many resorts around the community. In town, you can stock up on all the needed supplies for your vacation. More info: Town of Ear Falls
Emo: This small town located between Fort Frances and Rainy River is an important service centre for a vigorous agricultural community in the area - one of the few in Sunset Country. Did you know one of the smallest churches in the world - The Norlund Chapel - is located here? The area is also close to some excellent fishing lakes and there are many retailers in town and a hospital. More info: Emo Facebook page
Fort Frances: One of the largest and certainly the oldest community in Sunset Country is Fort Frances, located on the US/Canada border and along the shores of beautiful Rainy Lake. Rainy Lake is known far and wide as one of the continent's premier fisheries for smallmouth bass and there is also excellent pike, walleye and crappie fishing on the lake. There are lots of places to shop and some nice hotels in town. More Info: fishrainylake.ca
Ignace: Located on Highway 17 between Thunder Bay and Dryden, Ignace is still a drivable destination for Manitoba visitors. While it may take you a little longer to get there, the town's location on Agimak Lake makes the drive worthwhile. This lake is great to swim in and the beach in town is really nice. There are many lodges and resorts located on lakes in the vicinity of the town. More info: Visit Ignace
Kenora: The largest community in Ontario's Sunset Country, Kenora is a well-known tourism destination. It is also the first community someone from Manitoba encounters after crossing the border into Ontario. Kenora is a popular vacation destination for the day, weekend or the week. There is certainly a lot to do as there are 5 beaches you can visit in town! More information: Tourism Kenora
Kakabeka Falls: Located about 20 kilometres east of Thunder Bay, Ontario, the highlight of this small community is what many call the "Niagara of the North". Kakabeka Falls are magnificent especially in the spring and after heavy rainfalls. The gorge and falls can be safely viewed from observation decks in the Provincial Park, the entrance to which is located right in town. Campsites are also available and there are several lodges in the area. More Info: Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park
Minaki: Located just 45 minutes north of the City of Kenora, Minaki is situated on the mighty Winnipeg River and is home to a number of drive-in accessible fishing lodges. Minaki was once the location of the famous Minaki Lodge but it burned down over a decade ago. The area is a great place to visit and spend some time outdoors!
Morson: Located on the southern shore of Lake of the Woods, Morson is a true tourism community with dozens of lodges and resorts calling the area home. This part of Lake of the Woods offers spectacular fishing with many islands and tranquil back bays. The muskie fishing is really good on this part of the lake! More info: Morson Tourism Association
Nestor Falls: Tourism is what the small community of Nestor Falls is all about. Now amalgamated with Sioux Narrows, Nestor Falls is the smaller of the two communities but it is well worth a visit. See the water flow from Crooked Pine Lake into Lake of the Woods at the falls and giving the town its name. There are many resorts and lodges on this part of the lake. More information: snnf.ca
Perrault Falls: This sleepy place is definitely potential if you blink you might miss it but Perrault Falls is a place you could definitely fall in love with. Located just south of Ear Falls on Hwy 105, the area has some great lodge destinations offering access to the Perrault Falls Adventure Area and Cedar River watershed. There is spectacular fishing in this part of Sunset Country! More info: Perrault Falls Adventure Area
Pickle Lake: Known as "Ontario's Last Frontier" Pickle Lake is literally at the end of the road. Located at the terminus of Highway 599, it is definitely worth the long trip to Pickle, especially if you love fishing. Incredible Lake St. Joseph and other lakes in the area offer a world-class angling experience, beyond most anything else. More Info: Township of Pickle Lake
Rainy River: This railroad town and service centre for the Lake of the Woods Township is an important border entry point for US visitors into Sunset Country but not this year. You can get to Rainy River from Manitoba by taking the bypass north of Kenora on 17 and then go south on Highway 71 just past Kenora then west on Highway 11. Bucket lister is a trip to the Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre. For more info: Town of Rainy River or Township of Morley
Red Lake: Red Lake Municipality is known as one of the largest gold camps in the world but it is also a big tourism destination. The Municipality is adjacent to many lakes, rivers and streams offering spectacular fishing. There are many remote outpost operators based in the Red Lake area. The Red Lake Heritage Centre is a star attraction in town. More info: Highway 105 Tourism & Marketing Board
Sioux Lookout: Located up Highway 572 just past Dryden is the community of Sioux Lookout on beautiful Pelican Lake. The area is home to the Minnitaki Chain of Lakes and the fishing is off the charts goods. Many area lodges are waiting to serve a Manitoba clientele> Sioux Lookout is a major service centre in Sunset Country and has the largest hospital in the entire region and the busiest airport. More Info: Sioux Lookout Chamber of Commerce
Sioux Narrows: Located on the east side of Lake of the Woods, Sioux Narrows is a popular travel destination for tourists from just about anywhere. Very accessible to people from Manitoba, there are many resorts, lodges and camping choices available in the area. Some of the best gift shops in Sunset Country are in Sioux Narrows. More info: Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls Tourism
Shebandowan/Armstrong: Both these destinations are, technically-speaking, in the Superior Country region of Ontario but we have a few members in these towns. The fishing is excellent and Armstrong is used as a gateway into Wabakimi Provincial Park by paddlers and anglers alike.
Thunder Bay: The one large city in Northwestern Ontario is Thunder Bay and for you folks from Manitoba, the city is well within the permitted travel zone where you don't have to self-isolate when returning to MB. There is a lot to see and do and check out the waterfront development. For more info visit Tourism Thunder Bay.
Vermilion Bay: This quiet town on Highway 17 offers access to the waters of famous Eagle Lake, the Indian Lake Chain and many others. In town, you can find supplies at excellent retail stores and for the kids, stop in at Fort Vermilion. Vermilion Bay is the location where the Red Lake Road begins with access to more great outdoor vacations. Blue Lake Provincial Park is just north of Vermilion Bay and a must-stop is Egli's Sheep Farm in Minnitaki, just east of town.
