Trip chapter 16
Winnipeg to Thunder Bay
The second sprint-home day retraced the route into Ontario, with border, Kenora and Ignace stops before another Holiday Inn Express night in Thunder Bay.
The next day we headed back across the border into Ontario, mostly retracing our westbound route. This was the second day of the sprint home, so the stops were practical: stretch, reset, keep moving.
Back into Ontario
We made the obvious first stop at the welcome centre right on the Ontario-Manitoba border. It gave us the ceremonial return-to-Ontario photo and a quick break before the longer northern Ontario stretch.
Kenora again, then Ignace
Kenora was a familiar stop by this point, so we paused again at Husky the Muskie and the waterfront before continuing east.
Husky the Muskie
Kenora's giant fish beside a pleasant waterfront park, reached from parking across the road.
Read our Husky the Muskie notes →Later we stopped in Ignace, a small town with a nice little park around the tourist information centre. It was a good low-effort place to let Tilly walk around before the final stretch to Thunder Bay.
We also stopped for lunch at R&C's chip stand in Ignace. The food was really good. There were signs saying no dogs, but because we were the only ones there, the owner did not mind us staying to eat. Treat that as a one-off kindness rather than a dog-friendly recommendation.
Ignace Tourist Information Centre park
A small park around the tourist information centre that worked as an on-leash highway break.
Read our Ignace park notes →Back to the Thunder Bay Holiday Inn
That night we stayed once again at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thunder Bay. After a long day of familiar roads and repeat stops, a known hotel was exactly what we needed.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Thunder Bay
A familiar, comfortable road-trip hotel where the staff welcomed Tilly with a small practical goody bag.
Read our Holiday Inn Express Thunder Bay notes →