9 things to do in Sudbury

Whether it’s your final destination or you’re merely passing through on your way to another city in northern Ontario, there are so many things to do in Sudbury that you’ll want to stay at least two nights — preferably three so you’re not in a hurry. It had been 39 years since I’d been to Sudbury, and the only core memories remaining of that visit were Science North and the Big Nickel, so I’m excited to tell you that (a) they’re both still there; (b) there’s even more to do in this once-upon-a-time mining town — that’s now a full-fledged city with a university, medical and architecture schools, two colleges, a teaching hospital and Canada’s federal taxation centre — than you might think; and (c) there’s more to the place than just Sudbury proper, so you need to get out into Greater Sudbury, too.

The biggest city in northern Ontario and the hard rock mining capital of the world, Sudbury is as bilingual as any city I’ve been to in Quebec and home to Earth’s third-largest crater. We jam-packed four fun-filled summer days and mapped it all out for you so you can plan your days based on proximity and convenience — just the way I like to travel with my own family.

Here’s what else you’ll find below:

• The Sudbury hotel (with pool!) we recommend
• All of the Sudbury restaurants we loved
• Attractions in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
• And a short word about the weather in Sudbury, Ontario

The top 9 things to do in Sudbury

With only four days on our side, we didn’t make it to all of the attractions or restaurants on our wish list, and the weather prevented us from enjoying more of Sudbury’s beautiful parks and lakes. Since there are so many things to do in Sudbury, we’ll need another visit to feel like we’ve hit all of the highlights. For now, rest assured that everything listed here will keep you on-the-move for days on end:

1. Stay in an awesome hotel — with a pool.

We called the Homewood Suites by Hilton Sudbury our home-away-from-home and it didn’t disappoint. I was pleasantly surprised to find our room equipped with a kitchenette featuring a full-sized fridge, and the pillows were very good and rated well on my very unofficial Pillow Snob Scale. The bathroom has lots of granite counter space so you and your family will have enough space for all your toiletries and makeup.

I was originally a bit worried about the hotel’s location, but it’s only a 10-minute drive to Science North or 13 minutes to get downtown. You need a vehicle in Sudbury, so it’s not like you’d be parking your car and hopping on transit anyway. In the end, we were delighted to be just outside of the core with free parking and a nice, big suite for sprawling. Plus, Homewood Suites has a pool! It’s not especially big, but the water’s warm. In fact, the environment itself feels downright tropical, so you’ll be glad to take a dip. Just remember to bring towels from your room along with you.

2. Slip and slide on Ramsey Lake.

Splash N Go Adventure Parks might just be our teen’s favourite new activity. It’s a blast! The only downside is that you need to pre-select your date and time and there are no refunds, so you’ll want to carefully track the weather. Until 2001, Ramsey Lake (where the park is set up) was a Guinness Book of World Records holder; it was the world’s biggest lake located entirely in a single city. News flash — it’s still super big. And deep. (And, FYI, Sudbury still holds that record thanks to Lake Wanapitei.) But it’s, like, really deep; just a few metres from shore, there’s an 80-foot drop that reaches depths of 130 feet by the time you swim out to the attraction. That’s just one reason every guest at Splash N Go must wear a life jacket.

But don’t worry, it won’t hinder your fun — though it may make it a little more challenging to hoist yourself out of the water when you inevitably fall off one of the water features or slide down into the lake. Speaking of water features, there are too many to mention here but just know that Miss Q tried every single one and couldn’t choose a favourite. She made me promise that we will try the park’s other location in the GTA later this summer. Of all the things to do in Sudbury for families, she’d tell you this needs to be at the very top of your list.

Pro tips: consider wetsuits for guests who don’t do well in colder water. Your time slot is 1.5 hours and you will spend a good chunk of it in Ramsey Lake, which is deep and in northern Ontario so it might be cooler than the lakes you’re used to. Miss Q wore a shorty wetsuit and was very thankful that I remembered to pack it. Additionally, if you own trampoline socks — or plan to buy them at Urban Air, featured below —  bring them with you to Splash N Go; they sell them onsite to help give you more grip on the water features. We didn’t have ours with us nor did we want to buy another set, and we were fine without them but I can see why they would have been useful.

3. Get some air.

We were thankful a rainy day sent us to Urban Air Trampoline & Adventure Park, where we spent three hours jumping, climbing, flying through the air, battling on the Battle Beam and bouncing over moving obstacles. If you already have trampoline socks at home, BRING THEM! They are required — no exceptions — but any brand will do.

The cool thing about Urban Air that sets it apart from other trampoline parks is that you don’t buy your time there, you buy your experience package. There’s only a time limit on your play is if the entire park is at capacity and there’s a lineup outside (apparently this only ever happens during March Break); otherwise, you can stay as long as you want and play in any area over and over — including the ropes course, climbing walls and Sky Rider (and so much more). For $25.99 per child (6+) and a bargain $10 parent pass, the “Ultimate Attractions” pass is outstanding value.

The highlight for me was Sky Rider, pictured above. Even though it’s a short ride, it was actually pretty exhilarating. Miss Q did it twice because the line took about 20 minutes but by the time she came off the second time, there was no line at all. Since there’s no time limit, if you find lines at any area of the park, just try another space and come back later.

4. Visit the Big Nickel — but go deeper.

Anyone can see the Big Nickel up close for free. And, yes, you have to. It’s a rule when you’re making your list of things to do in Sudbury because it’s synonymous with the city itself. It’s a 13,000-kilo icon and should not be missed. Take some selfies, learn more about how it was made using the plaques on the nearby railing and drive away if that’s what works best for your budget and timetable. But if you can spare at least two or three hours, go inside and experience all that Dynamic Earth has to offer.

The underground mine tour was my favourite part of Dynamic Earth, but Miss Q’s favourite was the area that’s sort of a waiting room for those on the tour, the MacLeod Rock Gallery — she especially loved the virtual sandbox. The tour is about an hour-and-a-half and you need to book your time slot ahead of time, so be sure to give yourself a good 45 to 60 minutes to explore indoors before the tour — not to mention the outdoor science park and Lapidary Lab, neither of which we had time for during our morning visit, sadly.

A hard hat is provided (and required) before descending seven storeys underground where you’ll literally walk through the same tunnels and spaces as Sudbury’s original miners. I found it endlessly fascinating and there were kids and adults of all ages on our tour — from toddlers to great-grandparents. While I don’t think your toddlers will be remotely interested in the tour, there’s plenty for them to do elsewhere at Dynamic Earth.

Of note, I wish I had known to buy a postcard at the gift shop first to mail in the underground postbox. It’s the world’s deepest postbox and it really is operational.

5. Spend the day at Science North.

Technically, you can combine Dynamic Earth and Science North since they’re just 10 minutes from each other, but don’t try to do them both in one day. We broke them up and I’m so glad we did because we spent an entire day at Science North alone. If you’re planning to do both, carve out a minimum of 1.5 days — or, better still, two full days — and get the Dynamic Duo combo ticket. It includes admission to Dynamic Earth and Science North, access to any special exhibitions, the underground tour at Dynamic Earth, a documentary of your choice in Science North’s IMAX theatre, plus a Planetarium show. (This is also available as a Family Pass with additional savings.)

The most important things you need to know right off the top are this:

• Look at what’s playing at Science North before you arrive and plan your day around showtimes. Book your Planetarium and IMAX shows while you’re buying your admission tickets; the Planetarium is general admission, but the IMAX shows have specific seating assignments — rows D and E in the middle offer the best views, IMO, but there’s no bad seat. It’s IMAX, after all!
• If there are special demos or activities that require registration, organize this next. For example, the Moonwalk experience on the 4th floor is very popular and you can only get a time slot by going up to the 4th floor in person on the day of your visit. Similarly, if you have your heart set on touching a real heart in the (current at time of writing) Extreme Sports special exhibit, review the times listed in the QR code on the facility map that you can get from the admissions desk
• The onsite food at elements is pretty good and not crazy expensive, and we found the portions quite generous so share first since getting a doggy bag here will be a pain unless you’re leaving directly after eating
• Call me lazy, but if you take the elevator all the way to the top floor, it’s nice and easy to work your way down using the ramp

Whether you’re nature lovers or science geeks, there’s a floor made just for you at Science North. We spent most of our time on the 4th floor because we’re total nerds — and proud of it! Aside from the super-cool VR Moonwalk, we also loved the aircraft simulator, CPR competition, bed of nails and balance-testing machines.

Although small, the F. Jean MacLeod Butterfly Gallery on the 2nd floor is a delight. If you’ve never been to a butterfly conservatory before, you’re in for a treat! Follow the colourful path to the (extremely humid) space to walk among these beauties.

We also did the “live” Planetarium show that was included with our general admission ticket, which was interactive and great edu-tainment, as well as the 3-D IMAX film about blue whales. It was mindblowingly beautiful and if you’re a fan of National Geographic-style nature shows, do yourself a favour and add this on to your ticket.

6. Find out why A.Y. Jackson was inspired by Onaping Falls.

Let’s get this bit of housekeeping out of the way: there’s no such thing as Onaping Falls. Even if that’s what the locals call it. Even if you can find it on Google Maps. What you’ll be ogling, just like the Group of Seven painter did, is in fact High Falls, which is situated on the Onaping River. You should probably also know that it’s pronounced “AWN-a-ping” — not “Oh-NA-ping” as I first thought.

But regardless of what it’s called or how it’s pronounced, please please please visit. Sure, it’s about 30 to 40 minutes away from Sudbury’s core, but it’s soooo worth the drive. If you plan to head down the trail, wear good runners with excellent grip or hiking boots and bring a fully charged smartphone and some water and sunscreen. You can get a gorgeous view just steps from the parking lot where there’s a wooden lookout structure, but for a closer look, you’ll need to follow the marked trail down a VERY rocky incline. It’s not mobility-friendly in the least and don’t expect to hike it if you’ve got a baby in a carrier — it’s just not that kind of trail. Younger kids with proper footwear and an adventurous spirit will be fine if you just take your time. My shoddy ankles weebled and wobbled but I didn’t fall down!

From the water’s edge, you can continue on the trail to the bridge that sits above the top of the waterfall, but it’s another 30 minutes or so on foot — and then you still need to come back to your vehicle, so plan accordingly and let someone know where you are just in case. There’s a great story behind Jackson’s painting, which you might want to read once you descend the first part of the trail that leads to the little bay full of foamy water at the tail end of the waterfall. Even better, pack a picnic lunch and blanket in a couple of backpacks and unfurl it on some of the flatter rocks beside the riverbed.

7. See the Western Hemisphere’s tallest chimney.

You’ll probably see the Inco Superstack long before you get to the official viewpoint. At 1,250 feet tall, it’s hard to miss. The Superstack sits on top of the world’s largest nickel-smelting operation in the world and is not only the tallest chimney in Canada and the Western Hemisphere, but also the world’s second-tallest freestanding chimney after one in Kazakhstan. You can learn more about the Superstack here.

8. Explore downtown Sudbury and go mural-hunting.

While some downtown cores are the heart and soul of a city, that’s not the case in Sudbury. It has some nice shops, a few good restaurants and amazing street art, but it’s not where I’d want to stay hotel-wise nor does it seem to have enough to keep you going back day after day. In fact, we earmarked an entire afternoon to check out downtown Sudbury and felt we’d exhausted the best of it within a couple of hours.

Worth checking out:

• Studio 35 Fashions — this was my personal favourite, with gorgeous linen clothes and summer-weight merino and brands like Rails, Mara Gibbucci and Allison Wonderland
• Huckleberries Chocolatiers — chocolate-dipped everything and lovely little truffles and individual chocolates
• Tea & Bloom — sit for tea and dessert or pop in to buy any of its 70+ different varieties of premium loose leaf tea (I bought Amaretto Cherry Ceylon black tea)
• Reg Wilkinson’s — the kind of shop for guys like Big B who have discerning taste and like higher-end clothing, though the shop does also have a small selection of women’s brands in the back, too
• The Candy Store — one of the best vintage candy stores we’ve ever been to!
• Monique Legault Studio — artist Monique Legault is a painter, illustrator, print-maker, large-scale muralist and more and all of her beautiful wares are on display in her lovely little shop

You don’t need the UpHere Festival app to look for murals downtown, because it’s impossible not to spot them in every direction as you make your way around downtown Sudbury, but if murals are your jam, it’ll help you construct a self-guided tour and provide an interactive map.

9. Eat, drink and be merry.

Enjoy any of these delicious Sudbury restaurants, cafés and snackeries, which are all plotted on the map above and listed here alphabetically — not in any order of preference…

Anna-Laura Pâtisserie et Petit Café

website | 125 Loach’s Rd. (Sudbury, Ontario)

Tucked into the back of BENi restaurant, featured next, this adorable café and bakery should be its own destination. The specialty coffees are excellent and the baked goods were WOW-worthy. We loved the huge, homemade chocolate chip cookies and lemon meringue doughnuts with the most velvety and perfectly lemony centre ever.

BENi

website | 125 Loach’s Rd. (Sudbury, Ontario)

You can sit and order your breakfast from the extensive BENi menu but order your artisan coffee or tea from Anna-Laura’s in the back, featured above. Portions are enormous here, so come hungry or share. The pork belly Benny (er, BENi?) was very good and they kindly let me swap out the English muffin so I could try the locally handmade sourdough bread, which didn’t disappoint.

I discovered BENi thanks to this Eat Local Ontario Sudbury restaurant guide; check it out!

Café Oui

website | 3536 Errington Ave. (Chelmsford, Ontario)

We had delicious iced coffees and strawberry-flavoured lemonade from a Cafe Oui food truck after I first saw it in passing while we were in Chelmsford for the A.Y. Jackson Lookout. I’m a sucker for good signage and I immediately recognized the food truck. Miss Q also tried a pizza sandwich and, although it hit the spot, she maintains that pizza should not be a sandwich.

Cora

website | 470 Barry Downe Rd. (Greater Sudbury, Ontario)

I don’t normally frequent or feature chain restaurants when travelling, but a holiday Monday in Sudbury meant widespread restaurant closures and Cora was the only place I could find that was open. The menu is always big here and it was nice to see some new items since the last time I went — probably in Quebec five or six years ago. But the best part? THEY HAVE ROBOTS! Yep, just like the sushi robots we experienced in Halifax when we were travelling to Nova Scotia, your meal will arrive by robot. And that’s just good fun for all ages.

Deluxe Hamburgers

website | 1737 Regent St. (Greater Sudbury, Ontario)

You might hear locals say that “Sudbury is a one-arch town,” and that’s because Deluxe Hamburgers, a local fast food joint, has a single arch and has survived despite being located across from McDonalds for 50 years. We were shocked how much food came with a combo and thought both the cheeseburger and chicken fingers were delish, and the onion rings were amazing! Our meal was the same price had we gone to McDonald’s but the value was definitely better.

DiGusto Pizza & Pasta

website | 1620 Regent St. (Greater Sudbury, Ontario)

Miss Q is our resident pizza and pasta aficianado, so you won’t be shocked to see two Italian restaurants on our list. In her expert opinion, the pizza at DiGusto was better than Respect is Burning (but I think that has more to do with DiGusto having a margherita pizza option than anything else, because the spaghetti Bolognese here was among the tastiest I’ve had). This place has a mouthwatering tiramisu, so save room for dessert!

Flurple’s

website | 593 Kathleen St. (Greater Sudbury, Ontario)

Walk-up ice cream? Yes, please! But keep in mind it doesn’t open until 3 p.m., so time your lunch across the road at Tucos Taco Lounge accordingly. I loved the interesting flavour combo in my soft-serve twist cone: vanilla and espresso. YUM!

Gloria’s Restaurant

website | 469 Bouchard St. (Sudbury, Ontario)

If you’re in the mood for a greasy spoon-style diner, Gloria’s is the place to be. The breakfast poutine is massive and isn’t made with cheese curds (which is a prerequisite for me) but, boy, was it nice. Expect any dish here served with home fries to be piled HIGH with them; Gloria isn’t portion-shy.

M.I.C. Canadian Eatery

website | 200 Falconbridge Rd. (Greater Sudbury, Ontario)

Collectively, this was our favourite Sudbury restaurant. The service was awesome, the vibe was energetic and the food was OMG-good. The fall-off-the-bone ribs were better than most of the ribs I’ve had at any Ribfest — and you know how good those are. And the value here is hard to beat with a $36 plate of food big enough to feed two adults. All the thumbs up!

Papaya Pops

website | 9 Main St. E. (Chelmsford, Ontario)

By far our fave snack in all of Greater Sudbury, Papaya Pops is a mother-daughter flavour powerhouse! These artisanal ice pop sensations are made of fresh ingredients, locally sourced whenever possible. If you’re heading out to the A.Y. Jackson Lookout, this is on the way there or back to Sudbury proper, so pop in for sure.

Respect is Burning Kitchen & Bar

website | 82 Durham St. (Sudbury, Ontario)

We had a tough time deciding between Respect is Burning and Laughing Buddha on our downtown Sudbury day, so let Miss Q choose. No surprise, really — she went with Italian. I liked the pizza here more than DiGusto’s, personally, but you can’t go wrong with either so depending on where you are or need to be during dinner hours, both are great choices. Miss Q would like me to add that you have to order the meatball appetizer.

Salute Coffee Company

website | 2 locations (see map)

Since I’m a decaf drinker now, I’m so glad there was a Salute location a minute from our hotel in Sudbury because I could stop and get an excellent coffee before heading to breakfast where most places’ decaf is nothing to write home about. The decaf mocha here is the perfect blend of not-too-sweet coffee and chocolate, plus they have a dedicated KETO drink menu if you need one. I only wish we had something this good in my little home town.

Tucos Taco Lounge

website | 582 Kathleen St. (Greater Sudbury, Ontario)

Don’t tell your family this is a vegan restaurant; they’ll never guess. And if they’re anything like my family, they won’t willingly eat anything vegan. So just hush now. Adults will swoon over the spicy margarita, and it’s hard to pick favourites here among everything we tried, including freshly made chips and salsa, black bean-based tacos and meaty jackfruit tacos. There are no reservations here unless you’re a group of 10 or more, and it’s a popular spot, so come off-peak or expect to wait for a table.

Finally, a quick but important note about the weather in Sudbury, Ontario: be prepared. If you’re coming from southern Ontario, expect the air and lake water it to be cooler. I had the forethought to bring Miss Q’s wetsuit for our time in Ramsey Lake because the girl has so little fat on her bones and gets cold easily, but I didn’t bring mine because I thought, “Nah, it’s July — the water will be fine.” But it was definitely colder than I expected! So was the air at just 12 degrees Celsius. The day before was warmer but poured rain for most of the day. Two days later, it was sunny and 27C with high humidity. Ontarians in general know that weather is unpredictable, but for everyone else, keep in mind that northern Ontario summer temps can be lower than you’re used to.

 

DISCLAIMER: Discover Sudbury compensated me for this post about things to do in Sudbury, but I built the itinerary with your family and mine at heart and all recommendations and opinions are my own.