Canada's Laidback Community On Lake Superior Has Cozy Stays, Fishing, And Outdoor Fun

Lake Superior is the deepest, largest, and coldest of the Great Lakes, with world-class natural beauty on both the Canadian and American sides of the border. In Ontario, Lake Superior's shoreline stretches for hundreds of miles, from the city of Sault Ste. Marie on the eastern side, all the way to Pigeon River Provincial Park in the northwest, near Minnesota. Tucked along that beautiful shore are breathtaking provincial parks, beaches, and cozy communities like Rossport.

To call Rossport a town might be a stretch. It has a population of roughly 75 residents and is better described as a lakeside village. Once an important commercial fishing hub and stop for steamships, it is now a quiet community on the grandest of the Great Lakes, with the Rossport Archipelago — the largest group of islands on Lake Superior – sitting just offshore. Consisting of just a few roads and surrounded by dense forests, this village takes some effort to reach. The closest major hub is Thunder Bay — a lakeside city known as the "mini Finland of Canada" — approximately two hours west by car. Thunder Bay is home to an international airport, which offers regular flights to and from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport in downtown Toronto.

Rossport is loaded with lakeside tranquility, and visitors have access to cozy bed and breakfasts, cabins, and camping in the summer months. Have your morning coffee on a deck overlooking Lake Superior, spend the day fishing for lake trout or kayaking along the rugged coast, and enjoy quiet stargazing at night. You may even see the Northern Lights dancing in the sky, which are most visible between September and April. 

Rossport is an ideal home base for nature lovers exploring Northern Ontario. It's also a great pit stop for those embarking on the Lake Superior Circle Tour, one of the best Great Lakes road trips. Part of the village's charm is its selection of cozy B&Bs and rustic cabins with lake views. The Willow's Inn B&B offers four rooms in a renovated schoolhouse. Breakfast is served daily, and the inn has a large deck with views of the harbor and islands. The Rossport Inn Cabins are another charming option. The small painted cottages date back to the 1920s, and each one has a private bathroom. Guests have access to a shared outdoor barbecue area and Adirondack chairs overlooking Lake Superior.

For a truly cozy stay, consider the Serendipity Gardens Cafe & Guest House. The guesthouse has four studio rentals with full bathrooms, kitchenettes, and breakfast included. The on-site cafe is also the only full-service restaurant in town. It's a quaint spot that serves locally caught lake trout, with colorful tables on a patio surrounded by gardens. In the summer, you might catch the Big Lake BBQ food stand serving up fish tacos and sausages on Church Street or at the Rossport Marina.

Basking in nature is an important part of visiting Northern Ontario, and Rossport is surrounded by it. Rossport Park is a simple but scenic area off of Main Street overlooking Lake Superior, and the Rossport Coastal Trail is a local hiking route that extends for just under a mile along the shore. Those looking to pitch a tent can head to Rossport Campground, located in Rainbow Falls Provincial Park about 3.5 miles east of town. From there, it's another short drive to the core area of the park, where you'll find miles of hiking and cycling trails around Whitesand Lake, as well as views of its namesake attraction, Rainbow Falls. Around 80 miles east of Rainbow Falls is Pukaskwa Provincial Park, which has some of the most scenic campgrounds in all of Canada.

During its commercial fishing heyday in the late 19th century, Rossport shipped out hundreds of tons of Lake Superior fish each year. The village also used to play host to a major annual fishing competition called the Rossport Fishing Derby. These days, the waters around Rossport Marina are still swimming with various species of fish. From here, anglers can set out onto the lake and try their luck for lake trout, salmon, northern pike, pickerel, whitefish, perch, and more.

When it comes to exploring the Rossport Archipelago, kayaking is the way to go. For kayaking on the mighty Lake Superior, Such A Nice Day (S.A.N.D.) Adventures Inc. is a highly-rated outdoor company that offers everything related to paddling around Rossport. A two-hour sunset kayak tour around the harbor is a lovely finish to any day, but the company also does multi-day paddling and camping expeditions to remote destinations. "Our group paddled five days on Lake Superior from St. Ignace Island to Rossport," wrote one reviewer on Google. "The guides (Holly and Marybeth) were always helpful and enthusiastic, fostering a team approach to paddling and camping, and providing paddling tips... I thoroughly enjoyed this and plan to repeat with a longer trip."

As a tiny village on Lake Superior's shore, Rossport might be easy to drive past. But its size and surroundings make it a perfect choice for those seeking a quiet getaway with charming accommodations and leisurely days on the water.