The Ultimate Getaway Guide to the Gateway of the North
The Best Things to Do in North Bay, Ontario:
Our Summer Road Trip to North Bay
Some road trips start with a big plan; ours started with a carousel. While most people map out their summer getaways around beaches or festivals, we’ve always had a soft spot for vintage carousels — the kind that still carry a bit of history and charm. So when we learned that North Bay, Ontario, had a classic waterfront carousel, it immediately jumped onto our “we should go there someday” list.
The problem with “someday” is that it never schedules itself. North Bay is a four-hour drive from home, so the trip kept getting bumped for something closer or more convenient. This year, we finally decided to stop putting it off. If a carousel was enough to get us in the car, we figured we might as well see what else North Bay and nearby Callander had to offer.
What we found was a destination that surprised us in all the right ways. Beyond the carousel, North Bay offers easy lakefront views, accessible trails, local food spots, and attractions that make a weekend feel full without being overwhelming. Callander adds its own small-town character and scenic corners worth exploring.
Road Trip To North Bay
If you’re considering a road trip to Northern Ontario — or you just need a simple excuse to explore somewhere new — this guide highlights the best things to do in North Bay, Callander, and the surrounding areas, based on our road trip itinerary. The carousel may have been the reason we finally made the trip, but everything else made it worth staying.
Gateway to the North
We kicked things off at Lee Park, one of those easy North Bay stops that gives you a quick feel for the area before you dive into the rest of the trip. The Gateway Arch is the first thing to catch your eye — a simple yet unmistakable landmark that tells you you’ve officially arrived in North Bay, Ontario. A few steps away, the CF-100 “Canuck” fighter jet sits proudly on display, the kind of Cold War relic that always makes us stop for a closer look. It’s a straightforward, interesting first stop that sets the tone for exploring the North Bay area.
Lake Nipissing Waterfront – A Simple, Scenic Walk Along the Goulet Golden Mile
One of the best ways to ease into the North Bay area is to walk along the Lake Nipissing shoreline, especially the stretch known as the Goulet Golden Mile. It’s an easy, accessible waterfront path that offers wide-open lake views, steady breezes, and plenty of space to slow your pace after the drive. As you follow the walkway, you get a real sense of why locals love this part of Northern Ontario — the mix of open water, green space, and a relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to keep going “just a little farther.” Whether you’re here for a morning stroll, an afternoon wander, or to catch the light shifting over Lake Nipissing, it’s a simple highlight that sets the tone for exploring North Bay.
A lot of what you’ll want to see when you visit North Bay is centred around the waterfront, so it didn’t take long for us to realize this is where most visitors naturally end up. Many of the area’s best attractions, viewpoints, and walking paths are right along Lake Nipissing, which makes the shoreline an easy starting point for exploring North Bay, Ontario.
Goulet Golden Mile is a perfect spot for a Road Trip Picnic
Take a Swim at Shabogesic Beach or Golden Mile Beach
If you’re spending time in the North Bay area, plan for a swim along the Lake Nipissing shoreline. Shabogesic Beach is an easy choice — wide, clean, and great for cooling off after exploring the waterfront. Golden Mile Beach is another solid option just down the road, with calm, shallow water that makes it perfect for a relaxed dip. Both beaches offer that classic Northern Ontario mix of open lake views and a laidback atmosphere, and they fit naturally into any North Bay itinerary when you want a simple, refreshing break.
Chief Commanda II – A Scenic Dinner Cruise on Lake Nipissing
If you want a relaxing way to take in the North Bay area, the Chief Commanda II dinner cruise is an easy recommendation. We boarded for an evening sail on Lake Nipissing, and it became one of the highlights of our trip. The cruise offers steady views of the North Bay shoreline, the surrounding islands, and the city from the water — all while you enjoy a simple, well-paced dinner. It’s a great way to unwind after a day of exploring and a memorable way to see Lake Nipissing from a different perspective. This is a must-do activity when you take a Road Trip to North Bay.
North Bay Museum – A Great Way to Understand the City
If you want a better sense of North Bay beyond the waterfront views, the North Bay Museum is an easy and worthwhile stop to add to your itinerary. Housed in the historic C.P. Rail station, the museum offers a straightforward look at how North Bay, Ontario, grew from a railway town into the Northern Ontario community it is today. The exhibits are compact but well done, covering everything from local industries to everyday life, and they give you just enough context to appreciate the places you’ll explore afterwards. It’s the kind of stop that doesn’t take long, but adds real value to your visit — especially if you like understanding the story behind the destination you’re travelling through.
Dionne Quints House Museum – A Unique Piece of Northern Ontario History
If your road trip to North Bay itinerary aligns with the schedule, the Dionne Quints House Museum is definitely worth adding to your plans. The original home of the Dionne Quintuplets sits just outside North Bay in Callander, Ontario, and offers a rare look into one of the most talked-about chapters in Canadian history. The catch is the limited hours — it’s only open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — and our visit didn’t fall on those days, so we unfortunately missed it this time. If the timing works for you, it’s a meaningful stop that adds real depth to any North Bay or Callander trip. If you’re looking for more Dionne Quintuplet history, the Callander Bay Heritage Museum & Alex Dufresne Gallery in downtown Callander is a great alternative, with exhibits that help fill in the story even if you can’t tour the original house.
King Kone & King Putt Mini Golf – A Fun Stop in North Bay
If you’re looking to add something lighthearted to your North Bay road trip itinerary, swing by King Kone and King Putt Mini Golf on Lakeshore Drive. King Putt is a classic outdoor miniputt course — colourful obstacles, quirky décor, and just enough challenge to keep things interesting without taking itself too seriously. It’s the kind of place where you can easily lose track of time, especially if you get competitive. And since King Kone is right next door, you can reward (or console) yourself afterwards with a soft-serve cone or a sundae. It’s a simple, fun stop that fits perfectly into a relaxed day exploring the North Bay area.
Heritage Railway & Carousel Company
The Best Things to do in North Bay, and the main reason we came for a road trip.
The Heritage Railway & Carousel was the whole reason we planned this North Bay trip, so we made a point of visiting the waterfront every day to see if the carousels were running. North Bay was in the middle of an oppressively hot stretch during our visit. Because volunteers operate the carousels, they remained closed most of the week for safety.
Thankfully, on our last full day in North Bay, the heat finally broke, and the volunteers opened both carousels — and we didn’t waste a second. We rode them over and over, taking in every detail of the handcrafted animals and the nostalgic charm that makes this attraction such a standout on the Lake Nipissing waterfront. Tickets are inexpensive, the atmosphere is fun and welcoming, and you can feel the community pride throughout the experience. If you’re building a North Bay itinerary, this is one stop you absolutely shouldn’t miss — especially if you love classic carousels as much as we do.
Sunset Park – The Best Spot for Lake Nipissing Sunsets
If you’re looking for the perfect place to end a day in the North Bay area, make your way to Sunset Park. This lakeside viewpoint lives up to its name, offering some of the most reliable, wide-open sunset views over Lake Nipissing. We added it to our itinerary on a whim, and it quickly became one of our favourite stops — the kind of spot where locals pull up with lawn chairs, and visitors linger long after they planned to leave. The shoreline here gives you an unobstructed view of the sky as it shifts through every shade of gold and orange, and it’s an easy, low-effort way to wrap up a day of exploring North Bay, Ontario. If you want a simple but memorable moment on your trip, this is the place to catch it.
Duchesnay Falls Trails – A Must-See North Bay Hike
Hiking wasn’t even on our radar when we arrived in North Bay — the city was in the grip of an oppressive heatwave, and the idea of tackling any trail felt unrealistic. But on our last full day, the temperature finally broke, and we decided to make a run for one of the area’s most iconic outdoor spots: the Duchesnay Falls Trails.
Located just west of North Bay, these trails lead you through a shaded forest to a series of powerful, cascading waterfalls that are even more impressive in person. The route isn’t difficult, but it offers enough rocky sections and elevation changes to feel like a proper Northern Ontario adventure. With the cooler air, the sound of rushing water, and the chance to explore one of the region’s most photographed natural attractions, this became one of the highlights of our North Bay itinerary — and a stop I’d absolutely recommend if the weather cooperates during your visit.
Exploring Callander, Ontario
Just a few minutes south of North Bay, the small lakeside town of Callander is an easy and worthwhile addition to any Northern Ontario itinerary, offering quiet waterfront views, local history, and a slower pace that balances out a busy day of exploring.
Small Beach – A Quiet Lake Nipissing Stop
Callander’s small public beach on Main Street is a simple but charming spot to unwind, with calm Lake Nipissing views, a sandy shoreline, and a relaxed, small-town feel that makes it perfect for a quick break or a peaceful moment by the water.
Callander Bay Heritage Museum & Alex Dufresne Gallery
Understanding the Legacy of the Dionne Quintuplets
The Callander Bay Heritage Museum is one of the most compelling historic attractions in the North Bay–Callander area, especially for those interested in the story of the Dionne Quintuplets — a chapter of Canadian history that began right here in Callander, Ontario. Housed in the former home and medical practice of Dr Allan Dafoe, the physician who cared for the quintuplets in their early years, the museum offers an in-depth look at how the world’s first surviving set of quintuplets became an international sensation in the 1930s.
The exhibits walk you through their early life, the intense media attention, and the complicated legacy that shaped both the family and the community. Beyond the Dionne story, the museum also highlights broader local history and features rotating art exhibitions in the Alex Dufresne Gallery, giving visitors a well-rounded sense of Callander’s cultural identity. It’s an informative, thoughtfully curated stop that adds meaningful context to any North Bay or Callander itinerary — and a must-visit for anyone wanting to understand the region’s most famous historical connection.
Memory Tree Park – A Peaceful Lakeside Pause
Memory Tree Park is a quiet, reflective green space overlooking Callander Bay. It has shaded paths, lakeside benches, and memorial plantings that create a calm spot to pause and take in the beauty of Lake Nipissing. Lighthouse lovers will enjoy staring out over the water at the Farquhar Lighthouse Island.
Staying in Callander – The Terrace Suites
Our Lakefront Retreat
For our visit to the North Bay area, we based ourselves in Callander, Ontario, at The Terrace Suites inn on the Bay. It ended up being exactly the kind of place you hope to find on a Northern Ontario getaway. The property sits on a quiet rise overlooking Lake Nipissing. This offers wide, uninterrupted lake views that instantly slow you down. Our suite was spacious, cozy, and wonderfully quiet. The kind of spot where you can open the curtains in the morning and feel like the lake is right at your doorstep. It offered the perfect balance: close enough to North Bay’s attractions, restaurants, and waterfront, yet tucked away in Callander’s calmer, more relaxed setting. If you’re planning a North Bay itinerary and want a comfortable home base with exceptional views and a peaceful atmosphere, The Terrace Suites is an easy recommendation.
Corbeil, Ontario – Continuing the Dionne Quintuplets Journey
Corbeil sits between North Bay and Callander and makes an important stop for Dionne Quintuplets history. Sacred Heart Cemetery is located in this quiet rural area and holds several Dionne family graves. The site includes the parents and siblings of the quintuplets. It feels a bit out of the way, almost like you’ve turned onto private property. That sense of seclusion adds emotional weight to the visit. We continued our Dionne Quintuplets tour here and walked the peaceful grounds. It offered a quiet moment to reflect on how this family shaped the North Bay region. It’s a short stop, but it feels meaningful for anyone exploring Dionne’s history in Northern Ontario.
A road trip to North Bay blends small‑town charm with big Northern Ontario scenery. It offers outdoor adventure, local history, and easy lakeside relaxation. Every stop adds something memorable, from waterfront carousels to the trails at Duchesnay Falls. You can chase Lake Nipissing sunsets, explore historic Callander, or follow the Dionne Quintuplets’ story through the North Bay area. If you want a welcoming, scenic Northern Ontario getaway, the North Bay region is well worth a visit.
