Points of Interest, Buffalo, NY to Montana, northern route

If going to the Soo, Michigan, watch the ships through the locks and schedule a meal at Antlers. Very unique. Locals will know where it is.

bush plane museum

I enjoyed the old aircraft and engine display.
Are you using the trans canada (hwy 17) ? If so leave a lot of time for stopping ,by far the most spectacular meeting of land and water this side of US 1 in California.

If you are going to cross back into the states at Saulte Sainte Marie, Then you have to stop and watch ships go through. Only recently did I get to watch a ship. It used to be that I got to watch the lock. There is a peanut gallery there and if you go to Marine Traffic and point it at the Soo, you can see who is coming and try to guess when. In the lock visitor center, they will have a good idea.
The Valley Camp is a good stop, the River of History Museum is closed on Sunday. If you get to the corner of Water and Johnston, walk west and read the markers as you go.
If you are going to stop at the Tahquaminan Falls (upper and lower), you should also go to the museum at Whitefish Point. I don't go into the things about the Fitz (still). After Tahquaminan and Munising falls Watch as you run along the Superior shore on Rt 28 for a place called Lakenenland. It is free sculpture park set put by a crazed sculptor and a fun stop. If you have a big coach, you may have to walk the road. Just west of Marquette is the Michigan Iron Museum. Find the signs on Rt 41, don't believe the street address.
A drive up on to the Keweenaw Peninsula is a good day. Don't miss the snow gauge pole near Calumet. Great scenery.
From there to Superior (WI) There isn't much except scenery. (That is pretty much the story of that area of the world.) When you get to Superior, look up the Meteor on Baker's Island. It is the last Whaleback ship. It may not be open if you are late in the year.
The aquarium in Duluth was really good but, our timing was wrong for many of the others.
I haven't much farther west at that latitude, so I can't help much past there.

Matt

Havre Montana underground city.

In Sault ste Marie, stop by the Museum Ship Valley Camp. It's a converted ore carrier into Museum. It's got a lot of interesting things to do for kids, but also a lot of history about ore shipping on the lakes. It's also got a good memorial and information on the Edmund Fitzgerald. www.saulthistoricsites.com/ gives good information about the area also.

While you are in Duluth stop by the ore mines up in the Hibbing area (a good day drive). It also ties into the ore shipping and how iron ore is mined and the taconite pellets are made. You can go out and see the Hull–Rust–Mahoning operation and see the mining and pit area. Nice little park on the north side of Hibbing (it's actually part of the original town).

Hi from a fellow WNYer. We have made the trip across US 2 from Glacier to Minneapolis. If you like trains, you'll see lots of them going across the massive wheat fields of eastern Montana. US 2 is a very desolate road from the standpoint of towns and traffic, but it is a great slice of the American plains.

The Mall of America is also interesting in the Twin Cities. It is huge.

Enjoy your trip and safe travels to you.

Ed

In Montana don't miss Glacier National Park. We just came across Route 2 last week and there is construction going on especially in North Dakota due to the oil fields. We found it very interesting in the Minot and Williston and south area all the drilling that is going on and all the construction of roads going back through the farmlands, the RV camps set up all over and all the hustle and bustle. Sounds like this is something you would find interesting. I know we did. It is really hard to describe. We also took Route 2 last spring and took a short detour off of Route 2 and stayed at Teddy Roosevelt National Park. With the Senior Pass I think we paid $5/night.

You might be interested in the Agawa Canyon Train tour. It was over 30 years ago that I rode this train and reservations were recommended at that time. Sorry I do not know how to make a clicky -- http://www.agawacanyontourtrain.com/content/tours/canyontour/index.html

Nice Railroad Museum in Duluth as well as 2 different Train Rides.

http://www.lsrm.org/Home/index.html
http://www.lsmrr.org/

Giant Ore docks in Duluth. Iron Ore Mines in the area.

Headwaters of the Mississippi River is in Lake Itasca MN.

Hope this helps.

Terry

CloudDriver wrote:
Only input I can offer for that route is that we really enjoyed watching the big ore ships going through the locks at Sault St Marie.

Yes, thanks for that reminder. Scary bridge there! But you are right about the interesting ship passages!

We are low on fuel by that crossing and duck back into the States for cheaper diesel, then back into Canada.