On the lookout for one of the best issues to do in Sudbury? This Northern Ontario gem is filled with surprises, assume 330 glowing lakes, a large regreening transformation, Canada’s most iconic coin, and world-class science points of interest that children and adults will each love. Whether or not you’re after family-friendly enjoyable, nature escapes, or hands-on experiences you gained’t discover wherever else, Sudbury delivers.
We’ve explored Sudbury in each season, from skating beneath the celebrities at Kivi Park to sending postcards 60 metres underground at Dynamic Earth. Our newest go to shocked us. Sudbury is in the midst of an unimaginable transformation, balancing its mining roots and a rising meals and humanities scene. This information covers every part value doing, seeing, and experiencing in Sudbury in 2025, together with native ideas, the place to remain, what to eat, and the can’t-miss highlights that make this certainly one of Canada’s most underrated locations.
High issues to do in Sudbury embrace:
- Exploring Science North’s 4 flooring of interactive reveals
- Mountain climbing, biking or paddling at Kivi Park and Lake Laurentian
- Visiting the Massive Nickel and going underground at Dynamic Earth
- Chilling at Bell Park on Ramsey Lake (the world’s 2nd largest city-contained lake)
- Taking in Onaping Falls from the A.Y. Jackson Lookout
- Discovering downtown murals, native eating, and family-friendly occasions year-round
Why Go to Sudbury in 2025?
As a result of this former mining city has pulled off one of many best environmental comebacks in Canada, planting over 10 million bushes and reinventing itself as a inexperienced, family-friendly vacation spot stuffed with lakes, science, waterfalls, and murals. And it’s only a four-hour drive from Toronto.
Issues to Do in Sudbury for Out of doors Lovers
Sudbury has pulled off some of the dramatic makeovers in Canadian historical past. As soon as recognized for its blackened rock and moonscape terrain, it’s now a full-blown out of doors paradise, due to over 10 million bushes, 330 lakes, and one of many world’s most profitable regreening tasks. And one of the best half? You don’t must go far to expertise it. Simply minutes from downtown, you’ll discover forest trails, glacier-sculpted lookouts, and sure, bike trails for each degree that remodel to a skating path that lights up at evening.
We spent an extended weekend exploring all of it on foot, on bikes, and with our jaws on the bottom greater than as soon as. Right here’s what you shouldn’t miss.
Kivi Park: Biking, Skating, and a View Well worth the Climb
We began our day at Kivi Park, a 480-acre pure playground in Sudbury’s south finish. This place is a dream for lively vacationers. We rented mountain bikes and hit the paths, which vary from mellow forest paths to quick, flowy single-track loaded with ramps and jumps. If you happen to’re into adrenaline, that is the place Sudbury will get severe.
Don’t miss the climb to the lookout. Belief us, it’s value each pedal stroke. The panoramic view from the highest stretches out over lakes and forest, exhibiting off simply how inexperienced and wild Sudbury has turn into.
In winter, Kivi Park transforms once more, with fats biking, snowshoeing, and certainly one of Ontario’s most scenic skating trails that glows at evening beneath strings of lights. Leases can be found on-site, so you may soar in regardless of the season or ability degree.
Lake Laurentian Conservation Space: From House Science to Beaver Ponds
Later that afternoon, we made our solution to Lake Laurentian Conservation Space, and it ended up being certainly one of our favorite spots within the metropolis. With over 60 kilometers of trails, you may go as huge or small as you need. We caught with three brief hikes, and each delivered severe wow issue.
Our first was the NASA Path, a 15-minute stroll that passes the positioning of a former satellite tv for pc observatory. It’s a quiet path with an enormous presence, a reminder that Sudbury isn’t nearly mining and regrowth. It’s additionally a spot the place science has actually reached for the celebrities.
We continued to the Duck Path and the Beaver Pond Loop, and that is the place Sudbury’s transformation actually hits you. The rocky moonscape we’d seen in previous photographs is gone. As an alternative? Lush forest, wealthy wetlands, and peaceable trails that wind by means of among the most resilient nature we’ve ever walked. It’s onerous to imagine this was as soon as written off as wasteland. As we speak, it’s a world success story in restoration.
Bell Park and Ramsey Lake: Simple Magnificence within the Coronary heart of the Metropolis
Among the finest issues about Sudbury is how shut nature is to on a regular basis life. You don’t have to depart city to search out it. We took a dawn, noon, and sundown stroll alongside the Bell Park Boardwalk, a 2-kilometre path that hugs the shoreline of Ramsey Lake, the second-largest lake on this planet completely inside metropolis limits.
We handed joggers, households, college students, and even a pleasant native who handed us peanuts to feed the squirrels. It was a kind of small moments that stated so much in regards to the metropolis. Sudbury has put its prosperity again into the group, and locations like Bell Park are proof.
That is the place you’ll additionally discover boat launches, picnic areas, a supervised seaside, and a commemorative plaque marking the ten millionth tree planted through the regreening marketing campaign. It’s an attractive spot to calm down after a day of mountain climbing or to kick off a full day of sightseeing.
Onaping Falls: The place Artwork Meets Apollo
Earlier than we left city, we made the scenic 40-minute drive northwest to Onaping Falls. It’s not only a stunning place, it’s some of the fascinating mashups of Canadian artwork historical past and area science we’ve ever come throughout.
The A.Y. Jackson Lookout affords sweeping views of the falls, which plunge 55 metres into the traditional Sudbury Basin, shaped by a meteorite affect 1.85 billion years in the past. Jackson painted this scene in 1953, and once you’re standing on the lookout, it’s simple to see why. You are feeling the identical inventive vitality, uncooked and actual, that the Group of Seven captured on canvas.
However right here’s what blew our minds: This similar geological web site drew the eye of NASA. In 1971, Apollo astronauts got here to Sudbury to check the shattercones and breccia rocks at Onaping Falls. They wished to know what they’d be strolling on up there, and Sudbury was their check web site.
And it labored. When Apollo 16 touched down, astronaut John Younger appeared across the lunar panorama and stated:
“It appears like a Sudbury breccia.”
That’s proper, Sudbury is the one Canadian metropolis ever talked about from the floor of the moon.
Finest Household-Pleasant Points of interest in Sudbury
Sudbury isn’t only for nature lovers; it’s certainly one of Canada’s greatest locations to mix schooling, leisure, and hands-on enjoyable. Town’s two flagship points of interest, Science North and Dynamic Earth, go method past the typical museum. They’re immersive, interactive, and filled with the type of experiences that make each children and adults say “wow.”
We spent a whole day exploring each, and actually, we might’ve stayed longer.
Science North: Interactive Studying on the Canadian Defend
We kicked issues off at Science North, which is about proper on Ramsey Lake and constructed instantly into the traditional rock of the Canadian Defend. Earlier than we even walked in, the placement itself made a press release: this place is grounded in science, actually.
Inside, Science North lives as much as its fame as certainly one of Canada’s high science centres. There are 4 ranges of interactive reveals overlaying every part from area and geology to local weather, animals, and well being innovation. It’s not only for children both. We had been simply as fascinated by the shattercone shows (from Sudbury’s meteorite affect web site) as we had been by the butterfly room, the stay animal reveals, and the area exploration gallery.
One factor we seen instantly is how accessible the ability is, with vast ramps, elevators, and exhibit layouts which are considerate for guests of all ages and talents.
If you happen to’re visiting with household, put together to spend at the least half a day right here, particularly should you catch a movie on the IMAX with Laser Theatre, Northern Ontario’s solely true giant-screen cinema. We advocate pairing your go to with a stroll alongside the Bell Park boardwalk, particularly should you didn’t get to it earlier. Sundown on Ramsey Lake is pure magic.
Dynamic Earth: Go Deep into Mining Historical past
Subsequent up: Dynamic Earth, house of Sudbury’s most iconic attraction, the Massive Nickel. However this isn’t your common picture cease. It’s the gateway to some of the immersive science experiences within the nation.
We grabbed our onerous hats and headed straight underground. That’s proper, you descend seven storeys down into an actual mine tunnel and stroll by means of the historical past of mining in Canada. From the grueling, hand-drilled strategies of the early 1900s to immediately’s state-of-the-art, remote-controlled operations, the tour walks you thru the actual deal.
It’s the type of expertise that provides you an entire new appreciation for Canadian trade and innovation. And the guides? Improbable. They shared tales that made us giggle, replicate, and genuinely respect the powerful, good work that constructed this metropolis.
Outdoors, you’ll discover extra interactive reveals, a mining lab, and certainly one of our favourite picture ops, the 9-metre-tall Massive Nickel, a large reproduction of the 1951 Canadian coin. It’s kitschy in one of the simplest ways, and it proudly reminds you that Sudbury’s mining legacy nonetheless runs deep.
Festivals, Meals, and Sudbury Vibes
Sudbury is aware of how one can throw a celebration, and it is aware of how one can feed you when you’re at it. Whether or not you’re visiting within the warmth of summer time or bundled up in winter, the town’s festivals, patios, and native haunts serve up one thing particular.
Summer season Festivals and Dwell Occasions
We’d love to go to throughout pageant season. There may be the Northern Lights Pageant Boréal, Canada’s longest-running music pageant, which attracts unimaginable expertise from throughout the nation and past. Households, associates, and musicians fill the parks and levels.
One other native favorite is the Up Right here Pageant, which blends music, artwork, and big murals in a method that utterly transforms downtown. You’ll detect daring new road artwork and listen to every part from indie rock to throat singing. It’s fashionable, inclusive, and uniquely Sudburian. We particularly cherished the mural of Alex Trebek. A Sudbury native.
And don’t skip the Indigenous cultural celebrations and pow wows. These are among the most significant and delightful occasions, stuffed with drumming, dancing, and connection to the land. If you happen to get the prospect, go.
The place to Eat, Drink, and Have a good time the North
Sudbury’s meals scene is as down-to-earth and proud as the town itself. You gained’t discover lots of pretension right here, however you will see that significantly good eats, craft cocktails, and among the coolest hidden spots in Northern Ontario. We got here hungry. We left impressed.
We began our mornings at Salute Espresso Roasters and Beni Rise & Shine and Anna Laura Patisserie, the place the espresso is next-level and the vibe is relaxed and welcoming. If you happen to’re a espresso snob (or simply want gasoline for the path), that is your go-to.
For lunch, you may’t miss Deluxe Hamburgers, a real Sudbury establishment. Locals jokingly name this a “one-arch city” as a result of Deluxe has been holding its floor for many years regardless of the Golden Arches opening up proper throughout from it. The hen on a bun and fresh-cut fries are legendary, and it’s simply one of the best deal on the town.
Dinner was an entire journey in itself. One evening, we went full retro at Mr. Prime Rib, a basic steakhouse the place the meat is king and the service is old-school impeccable. It’s the type of place the place your cutlery is polished, your prime rib is ideal, and the horseradish bites again.
One other evening, we stepped into full Canadiana mode at Made In Canada Eatery. It’s quirky, cozy, and completely enjoyable, with partitions lined in photographs of Canadian icons, and a Caesar with Canadian whisky that deserves its personal spot within the Corridor of Fame. If you happen to’re visiting for the primary time, this place units the tone for what Northern hospitality is all about.
On the lookout for wood-fired pizzas or an informal upscale vibe? Ripe Restaurant serves scrumptious, crisp pies straight from the oven, whereas The Daventry Kitchen & Bar affords a stable pub menu with craft beer and comfy vibes. We additionally cherished Gloria’s Restaurant, a Sudbury basic since 1952, and Eddie’s Restaurant, which locals love for its family-style eating room and separate sports activities bar. Bonus trivia: “Shorsey” was filmed right here, sure, that Shorsey.
However the evening doesn’t have to finish with dinner.
After consuming our method by means of Sudbury, we capped issues off at The Evening Owl, a secret speakeasy you completely must expertise. Image this: you head down an alley, discover an old-school payphone, and provides the password. The hostess greets you and leads you thru a hidden door behind a wall of books. Inside, it’s a full-on Twenties-style cocktail lounge, with crimson velvet, jazz vibes, and one of the best Manhattans and Outdated Fashioneds this facet of Toronto. It’s one of many coolest spots on the town, however be sure that to e-book upfront; it’s unique for a cause.
And should you’re up for another spherical? Head to The Laughing Buddha for craft cocktails and globally impressed dishes on one of many metropolis’s greatest patios. Then stroll subsequent door to the Townhouse Tavern, a dive bar with coronary heart the place Stompin’ Tom Connors discovered the inspiration for his well-known anthem, Sudbury Saturday Evening. You possibly can even snap a photograph together with his statue within the park close by.
For our farewell dinner, we had an unimaginable meal at Sapporo Ichibang, the place genuine Japanese and Korean dishes warmed us up from the within out. Every little thing was recent, flavourful, and comforting.
Sudbury might shock you, nevertheless it gained’t depart you hungry or thirsty.
A Enjoyable End at Ezentials Nordic Lounge
After just a few days of mountain climbing, biking, and sightseeing, we wrapped up our Sudbury journey with one thing a little bit extra indulgent, a day on the Nordic Lounge at Ezentials. This indoor wellness spa was pure bliss. Assume cedar sauna, eucalyptus steam room, cold-mist showers, and dimmed lights with chill music within the background.
We grabbed a few robes, sipped a glass of wine within the lounge, and simply let all of it go. We even tried the Starlight Go well withe, the place we skilled vibrational sound remedy in a darkish, star-lit room designed for deep rest. It was like floating by means of area whereas our brains hit the reset button.
Ezentials was the proper solution to unwind earlier than hitting the highway, and a reminder that Sudbury isn’t nearly grit and journey. It’s additionally about understanding when to decelerate and savour the second.
The place to Keep in Sudbury and How A lot It Prices
Among the finest issues about visiting Sudbury? It’s simple on the pockets and large on worth. Whether or not you’re road-tripping by means of Northern Ontario or flying in for an extended weekend, you’ll discover an excellent mixture of accommodations, inexpensive eats, and world-class points of interest, a lot of that are completely free.
The place We Stayed: Hampton Inn By Hilton Comfort with a Northern Vibe
We stayed on the Hampton Inn by Hilton, and it hit all of the marks, breakfast included, a stable health club, a pool to unwind, and an excellent handy location. It’s the type of place the place you see enterprise vacationers, particularly from the mining sector, rubbing shoulders with households and highway trippers. It felt just like the heartbeat of the town handed proper by means of the foyer.
Charges for a keep like ours run round $800 to $1,000 for 4 nights, relying on the season. However with breakfast included (and superb at that), it covers lots of mornings, providing extra flexibility to splurge at dinner.
How A lot Issues Value in Sudbury (with Actual Numbers)
Touring in Northern Ontario doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution. Right here’s what we truly spent:
- Mountain bike leases at Kivi Park: $69 for 2 bikes
- Combo cross for Science North & Dynamic Earth: $47 per individual
- Nordic Lounge expertise at Ezentials: $60 per individual
- Theatre tickets: $39 every for a implausible evening out
And among the greatest issues in Sudbury are utterly free:
- Mountain climbing at Onaping Falls
- Trails at Lake Laurentian Conservation Space
- Bell Park boardwalk and Ramsey Lake views
- Snapping photographs on the Massive Nickel
- Exploring Sudbury’s large out of doors mural scene
In terms of meals, price range about $125 to $150 per day for 2 individuals, overlaying every part from informal lunch stops to good sit-down dinners. Sudbury’s mixture of retro diners, native gems, and upscale surprises made that simple to stretch.
Attending to Sudbury: Highway Journey or Fast Flight
If you happen to’re coming from Southern Ontario, Sudbury is a basic Canadian highway journey vacation spot. The four-hour drive from Toronto offers you a front-row seat because the panorama shifts from farmland to forested protect nation. It’s scenic, it’s simple, and there are nice stops alongside the way in which.
If you happen to’re brief on time, flying is a breeze. Porter Airways and Air Canada each supply direct flights from Toronto to the Larger Sudbury Airport, getting you right here in about an hour. And for these coming from out west, we’ve heard new direct flights from Calgary are making it even simpler to discover the North.
Getting Round Sudbury
When you’re right here, you’re going to desire a automobile. Points of interest like Kivi Park, Onaping Falls, and even the Lake Laurentian trails are unfold throughout the town and its surrounding wilderness. Anticipate to pay round $70 to $90 per day for a compact rental automobile, with bigger SUVs costing a bit extra, however completely value it should you’re hauling out of doors gear or touring as a household.
Plan Your Sudbury Getaway
Look, a trip can simply be a trip, or it may be one thing extra.
Our journey to Larger Sudbury felt necessary. We weren’t simply checking off a listing of points of interest. We had been connecting with part of Northern Ontario that’s actually rebuilding itself from the bottom up. From biking by means of reforested trails at Kivi Park to sending postcards from deep inside a mine at Dynamic Earth, we noticed a metropolis that’s not simply happy with its previous, it’s investing in its future.
Selecting to journey right here appears like an funding in our personal yard.
You’re supporting a family-friendly Ontario metropolis that’s main the way in which in environmental restoration, hands-on schooling, and artistic group constructing. Whether or not you’re right here to discover world-class science at Science North, take within the historical past of the Massive Nickel, or stroll the paths that encompass the 4 flooring of interactive reveals on the metropolis’s high family-friendly points of interest, there’s one thing right here for everybody.
Sudbury is vibrant. It’s stunning. It’s inexpensive. And it’s filled with causes to return again in each season.
You’ll eat effectively. You’ll drink effectively. You’ll paddle, hike, soak, skate, and uncover new sides of Ontario you didn’t count on. And also you’ll depart with a deeper appreciation for the type of magic that occurs when nature, science, and group come collectively.
So whether or not you’re planning your subsequent lengthy weekend, chasing fall colors, or in search of a winter journey with coronary heart, Larger Sudbury must be on the high of your checklist.
FAQ: Planning Your Journey to Sudbury, Ontario
A number of the high issues to do in Larger Sudbury embrace visiting Science North with its 4 flooring of hands-on reveals, touring the underground mine at Dynamic Earth, snapping a photograph on the Massive Nickel, mountain climbing Onaping Falls, and enjoyable at Bell Park on Ramsey Lake. These family-friendly points of interest make Sudbury top-of-the-line locations in Northern Ontario.
Completely. Sudbury is filled with household points of interest, from the immersive experiences at Science North to out of doors adventures at Kivi Park and the Lake Laurentian Conservation Space. Many museums and parks are totally accessible, and children love exploring the underground tunnels at Dynamic Earth and assembly actual animals on the science centre.
A combo cross for Science North and Dynamic Earth is round $47 per individual. It’s an excellent worth contemplating the variety of reveals, stay demonstrations, and the scale of the services, 4 flooring at Science North alone. Reserving the combo ticket upfront helps maximize your go to.
The Massive Nickel is a 9-meter reproduction of a 1951 Canadian coin and certainly one of Canada’s most iconic roadside points of interest. It sits proper outdoors Dynamic Earth and is a must-stop picture alternative when visiting Larger Sudbury.
You possibly can drive from Toronto to Sudbury in about 4 hours, making it a straightforward Northern Ontario highway journey. If you happen to’re brief on time, each Porter Airways and Air Canada supply direct flights from Toronto to Larger Sudbury Airport, taking about an hour.
Sure! Winter in Sudbury affords unimaginable snow-based experiences like illuminated skating trails at Kivi Park, fats biking, and even heated yurt glamping. Plus, many indoor points of interest like Science North and the Nordic Lounge at Ezentials supply cozy methods to unwind.
Sure. Lots of the greatest experiences in Sudbury, Ontario, are utterly free. You possibly can discover the murals downtown, uncover mountain climbing trails at Onaping Falls and the Lake Laurentian Conservation Space, get pleasure from Bell Park’s lakeside boardwalk, and go to the Massive Nickel with out spending a dime.
