On the lookout for the most effective issues to do in Sudbury? This Northern Ontario gem is full of surprises, assume 330 glowing lakes, an enormous 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 below the celebrities at Kivi Park to sending postcards 60 metres underground at Dynamic Earth. Our newest go to shocked us. Sudbury is in the course of an unbelievable transformation, balancing its mining roots and a rising meals and humanities scene. This information covers all the things 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 one in every of Canada’s most underrated locations.
High issues to do in Sudbury embrace:
Exploring Science North’s 4 flooring of interactive displays
Mountaineering, biking or paddling at Kivi Park and Lake Laurentian
Visiting the Large 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 biggest environmental comebacks in Canada, planting over 10 million timber and reinventing itself as a inexperienced, family-friendly vacation spot crammed with lakes, science, waterfalls, and murals. And it’s only a four-hour drive from Toronto.
Issues to Do in Sudbury for Outside Lovers
Sudbury has pulled off probably the most dramatic makeovers in Canadian historical past. As soon as identified for its blackened rock and moonscape terrain, it’s now a full-blown outside paradise, because of over 10 million timber, 330 lakes, and one of many world’s most profitable regreening initiatives. And the most effective 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 night time.
We spent a protracted 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 energetic 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. In case you’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 change into.
In winter, Kivi Park transforms once more, with fats biking, snowshoeing, and one in every of Ontario’s most scenic skating trails that glows at night time below strings of lights. Leases can be found on-site, so you possibly can bounce in irrespective of the season or ability degree.
Lake Laurentian Conservation Space: From Area Science to Beaver Ponds
Later that afternoon, we made our strategy to Lake Laurentian Conservation Space, and it ended up being one in every of our favorite spots within the metropolis. With over 60 kilometers of trails, you possibly can go as large or small as you need. We caught with three quick hikes, and each delivered severe wow issue.
Our first was the NASA Path, a 15-minute stroll that passes the location 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 outdated pictures is gone. As a replacement? Lush forest, wealthy wetlands, and peaceable trails that wind by means of among the most resilient nature we’ve ever walked. It’s laborious to imagine this was as soon as written off as wasteland. Right this moment, 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 go away 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 the earth totally 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 type of small moments that stated quite a bit concerning 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 seashore, and a commemorative plaque marking the ten millionth tree planted through the regreening marketing campaign. It’s a lovely spot to calm down after a day of 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 lovely place, it’s probably the most fascinating mashups of Canadian artwork historical past and area science we’ve ever come throughout.
The A.Y. Jackson Lookout provides sweeping views of the falls, which plunge 55 metres into the traditional Sudbury Basin, fashioned by a meteorite impression 1.85 billion years in the past. Jackson painted this scene in 1953, and once you’re standing on the lookout, it’s straightforward to see why. You’re feeling the identical creative power, uncooked and actual, that the Group of Seven captured on canvas.
However right here’s what blew our minds: This similar geological website drew the eye of NASA. In 1971, Apollo astronauts got here to Sudbury to check the shattercones and breccia rocks at Onaping Falls. They needed to grasp what they’d be strolling on up there, and Sudbury was their check website.
And it labored. When Apollo 16 touched down, astronaut John Younger regarded across the lunar panorama and stated:
“It seems like a Sudbury breccia.”
That’s proper, Sudbury is the one Canadian metropolis ever talked about from the floor of the moon.
Greatest Household-Pleasant Points of interest in Sudbury
Sudbury isn’t only for nature lovers; it’s one in every of Canada’s finest locations to mix schooling, leisure, and hands-on enjoyable. Town’s two flagship points of interest, Science North and Dynamic Earth, go means past the common museum. They’re immersive, interactive, and full of the form of experiences that make each youngsters and adults say “wow.”
We spent a complete day exploring each, and truthfully, we may’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 situation itself made a press release: this place is grounded in science, actually.
Inside, Science North lives as much as its popularity as one in every of Canada’s high science centres. There are 4 ranges of interactive displays protecting all the things from area and geology to local weather, animals, and well being innovation. It’s not only for youngsters both. We had been simply as fascinated by the shattercone shows (from Sudbury’s meteorite impression website) as we had been by the butterfly room, the reside animal displays, and the area exploration gallery.
One factor we observed straight away is how accessible the power is, with extensive ramps, elevators, and exhibit layouts which might be considerate for guests of all ages and skills.
In case you’re visiting with household, put together to spend a minimum of half a day right here, particularly in case you catch a movie on the IMAX with Laser Theatre, Northern Ontario’s solely true giant-screen cinema. We suggest pairing your go to with a stroll alongside the Bell Park boardwalk, particularly in case 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, dwelling of Sudbury’s most iconic attraction, the Large Nickel. However this isn’t your common photograph cease. It’s the gateway to probably the most immersive science experiences within the nation.
We grabbed our laborious 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 at this time’s state-of-the-art, remote-controlled operations, the tour walks you thru the true deal.
It’s the form of expertise that offers you an entire new appreciation for Canadian business and innovation. And the guides? Incredible. They shared tales that made us snicker, mirror, and genuinely respect the powerful, sensible work that constructed this metropolis.
Outdoors, you’ll discover extra interactive displays, a mining lab, and one in every of our favourite photograph ops, the 9-metre-tall Large Nickel, an enormous 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 easy methods to throw a celebration, and it is aware of easy methods to feed you when you’re at it. Whether or not you’re visiting within the warmth of summer season or bundled up in winter, the town’s festivals, patios, and native haunts serve up one thing particular.
Summer time Festivals and Stay Occasions
We might love to go to throughout pageant season. There’s the Northern Lights Competition Boréal, Canada’s longest-running music pageant, which attracts unbelievable expertise from throughout the nation and past. Households, buddies, and musicians fill the parks and levels.
One other native favorite is the Up Right here Competition, which blends music, artwork, and big murals in a means that utterly transforms downtown. You’ll discover daring new road artwork and listen to all the things from indie rock to throat singing. It’s trendy, inclusive, and uniquely Sudburian. We particularly liked 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, crammed with drumming, dancing, and connection to the land. In case you get the prospect, go.
The place to Eat, Drink, and Rejoice the North
Sudbury’s meals scene is as down-to-earth and proud as the town itself. You gained’t discover numerous pretension right here, however you can see 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. In case you’re a espresso snob (or simply want gasoline for the path), that is your go-to.
For lunch, you possibly can’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 rooster on a bun and fresh-cut fries are legendary, and it’s simply the most effective deal on the town.
Dinner was an entire journey in itself. One night time, 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 form of place the place your cutlery is polished, your prime rib is ideal, and the horseradish bites again.
One other night time, we stepped into full Canadiana mode at Made In Canada Eatery. It’s quirky, cozy, and completely enjoyable, with partitions coated in pictures of Canadian icons, and a Caesar with Canadian whisky that deserves its personal spot within the Corridor of Fame. In case you’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 off-the-cuff upscale vibe? Ripe Restaurant serves scrumptious, crisp pies straight from the oven, whereas The Daventry Kitchen & Bar provides a stable pub menu with craft beer and comfy vibes. We additionally liked 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 night time doesn’t have to finish with dinner.
After consuming our means 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 Nineteen Twenties-style cocktail lounge, with crimson velvet, jazz vibes, and the most effective Manhattans and Outdated Fashioneds this facet of Toronto. It’s one of many coolest spots on the town, however be certain to e-book upfront; it’s unique for a cause.
And in case you’re up for another spherical? Head to The Laughing Buddha for craft cocktails and globally impressed dishes on one of many metropolis’s finest 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 unbelievable meal at Sapporo Ichibang, the place genuine Japanese and Korean dishes warmed us up from the within out. The whole lot was contemporary, flavourful, and comforting.
Sudbury could shock you, nevertheless it gained’t depart you hungry or thirsty.
A Enjoyable End at Ezentials Nordic Lounge
After a couple of days of 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 Suite, 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 right strategy to unwind earlier than hitting the street, and a reminder that Sudbury isn’t nearly grit and journey. It’s additionally about figuring out 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 straightforward on the pockets and massive on worth. Whether or not you’re road-tripping by means of Northern Ontario or flying in for a protracted weekend, you’ll discover an excellent mixture of motels, reasonably priced eats, and world-class points of interest, lots 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 fitness center, a pool to unwind, and a brilliant handy location. It’s the form of place the place you see enterprise vacationers, particularly from the mining sector, rubbing shoulders with households and street 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 numerous mornings, providing extra flexibility to splurge at dinner.
How A lot Issues Price in Sudbury (with Actual Numbers)
Touring in Northern Ontario doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution. Right here’s what we really spent:
Mountain bike leases at Kivi Park: $69 for 2 bikes
Combo go for Science North & Dynamic Earth: $47 per particular person
Nordic Lounge expertise at Ezentials: $60 per particular person
Theatre tickets: $39 every for a unbelievable night time out
And among the finest issues in Sudbury are utterly free:
Mountaineering at Onaping Falls
Trails at Lake Laurentian Conservation Space
Bell Park boardwalk and Ramsey Lake views
Snapping pictures on the Large Nickel
Exploring Sudbury’s huge outside mural scene
In the case of meals, finances about $125 to $150 per day for 2 folks, protecting all the things from informal lunch stops to good sit-down dinners. Sudbury’s mixture of retro diners, native gems, and upscale surprises made that straightforward to stretch.
Attending to Sudbury: Highway Journey or Fast Flight
In case you’re coming from Southern Ontario, Sudbury is a basic Canadian street 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 straightforward, and there are nice stops alongside the best way.
In case you’re quick 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 in case you’re hauling outside 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 an inventory 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 best way in environmental restoration, hands-on schooling, and inventive group constructing. Whether or not you’re right here to discover world-class science at Science North, take within the historical past of the Large Nickel, or stroll the paths that encompass the 4 flooring of interactive displays 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 reasonably priced. And it’s full of causes to come back again in each season.
You’ll eat nicely. You’ll drink nicely. You’ll paddle, hike, soak, skate, and uncover new sides of Ontario you didn’t anticipate. And also you’ll depart with a deeper appreciation for the form 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 searching for a winter journey with coronary heart, Larger Sudbury ought to be on the high of your listing.
FAQ: Planning Your Journey to Sudbury, Ontario
What are the highest points of interest in Larger Sudbury?
Among the high issues to do in Larger Sudbury embrace visiting Science North with its 4 flooring of hands-on displays, touring the underground mine at Dynamic Earth, snapping a photograph on the Large Nickel, climbing Onaping Falls, and stress-free at Bell Park on Ramsey Lake. These family-friendly points of interest make Sudbury probably the greatest locations in Northern Ontario.
Is Sudbury vacation spot for households?
Completely. Sudbury is full of household points of interest, from the immersive experiences at Science North to outside adventures at Kivi Park and the Lake Laurentian Conservation Space. Many museums and parks are absolutely accessible, and children love exploring the underground tunnels at Dynamic Earth and assembly actual animals on the science centre.
How a lot does it price to go to Science North and Dynamic Earth?
A combo go for Science North and Dynamic Earth is round $47 per particular person. It’s an excellent worth contemplating the variety of displays, reside demonstrations, and the dimensions of the amenities, 4 flooring at Science North alone. Reserving the combo ticket upfront helps maximize your go to.
What’s the Large Nickel in Sudbury?
The Large Nickel is a 9-meter reproduction of a 1951 Canadian coin and one in every of Canada’s most iconic roadside points of interest. It sits proper exterior Dynamic Earth and is a must-stop photograph alternative when visiting Larger Sudbury.
How do I get to Sudbury from Toronto?
You possibly can drive from Toronto to Sudbury in about 4 hours, making it a straightforward Northern Ontario street journey. In case you’re quick on time, each Porter Airways and Air Canada supply direct flights from Toronto to Larger Sudbury Airport, taking about an hour.
Is Sudbury value visiting in winter?
Sure! Winter in Sudbury provides unbelievable 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.
Are there free issues to do in Sudbury?
Sure. Lots of the finest experiences in Sudbury, Ontario, are utterly free. You possibly can discover the murals downtown, uncover climbing trails at Onaping Falls and the Lake Laurentian Conservation Space, get pleasure from Bell Park’s lakeside boardwalk, and go to the Large Nickel with out spending a dime.
