Thunder Bay, Ontario

A few years ago, when a friend of mine was working in Mexico, she struck up a conversation with a colleague who was from Boston, and the subject of me came up. Upon hearing that I was from Thunder Bay, the man said, "That has got to be the coolest name for a city ever." How right he is! And it's cool in more ways than one!

First, confessions: yes, TBay (as locals call it) can be "cool" in the winter. In February, it's not unusual to find that your breath, funneling up your scarf and condensing, causes frozen eyelashes. (But unsealing them is only another breath or two away!) However, Christmas 2002 was green – so much for the Great White North. And one day in December, a few years ago, the temperature reached 18C (64F). And it's not unusual for summer temperatures to top those in the Caribbean. How cool is that?

TBay, a city of approximately 109,016, was, until 1970, two cities: hilly, northern Port Arthur and flat, southern Fort William (nestled at the base of Mount McKay of the Nor'wester Mountains). Fort William is the older community and was originally based in the fur trade. As a head of the Great Lakes system on Lake Superior (thus the nickname "the Lakehead"), TBay is one of the largest grain-handling ports in the world, so towering elevators – in hues of orange, blue, and gray – dot the water's edge.

Perhaps most spectacular site, across the water from Prince Arthur's Landing Marina and Marina Park, is the Sleeping Giant, a famous rock formation, which protects the harbor from the rough waters of Lake Superior, the world's largest freshwater lake. The rock formation is part of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, which is located 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of the city on Sibley Peninsula. Ojibway legend says that the 11-kilometer-long (7-mile-long) giant was Nanabijou, the Spirit of the Deep Sea Water, who was turned to stone by the Great Spirit after locals revealed the location of a silver mine to white men. (The silver was certainly real: on Sibley, you can visit the remnants of Silver Islet, a town built to house the workers of an off-shore silver mine that, between 1870 and 1884, was the world's richest.) In the winter, the park is the site of the Sibley Ski Tour, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007.

For those who like the outdoors, there is even more. Only 60 kilometers (37 miles) northeast of the city lies Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park. This spectacular gorge is 152 meters (500 feet) deep, and its depth supports the only growth of rare Arctic plants south of the Arctic Circle. And there is Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, 32 kilometers (19 miles) west of TBay. The falls, known as the Niagara of the North, plummet 39 meters (128 feet) over sheer cliffs to the Kaministikwia River (the Kam) below. The falls are also the subject of an Ojibway legend: the heroine Greenmantle saved her people from the Sioux by leading their war party over the falls. The park is also the site of the world's oldest fossils, found in the two-billion-year-old rocks. And the city is only about 160 kilometers (100 miles) east of Quetico Provincial Park, a 475,782-hectare (1,175,705-acre) wilderness park along the Canada-US border, with lakes, waterfalls and endless forest, perfect for camping and canoeing. Or perhaps you'd like to spend the day immersed in gems – the Amethyst Mine Panorama, 56 kilometers (35 miles) east of TBay, is the largest amethyst mine in North America and a place where you can dig for your own.

Skiers take note: Loch Lomond Ski Area is a mere 10 minutes south of the city, offering skiing, snowboarding, and tubing. And Mount Baldy Ski Area, a little further north, offers downhill and cross-country skiing and snowboarding. For more cross-country venues, check out Thunder Bay Nordic Trails.

And golfers won't be left out either! The city operates three municipal golf courses, and there are more than 10 private courses and golfing ranges in and around town.

And you can't mention TBay without mentioning the fun of Fort William Historical Park. The Fort, a few miles down the Kam River from its original location, is the world's largest reconstructed fur-trading post and is brought to life by colorful characters (like the creepy doctor and mean jailer). Off hours, it is a site for banquets and other events.

Got kids? While they'll love the above, for an in-the-city day at the beach or night of camping, take them to Chippewa Park and Wildlife Exhibit or to Trowbridge Falls Campground (beautiful in itself, but also only a short distance from both Boulevard Lake and Centennial Park).

Not really into the outdoors? Fear not. Being in the middle of nowhere in northwestern Ontario – TBay is near the east-west geographical center of Canada – the city is, as a result, a center for smaller outlying communities and it must entertain itself. TBay was one of five cities in 2003 chosen as a Cultural Capital of Canada, a form of Federal recognition for cities dedicated to promoting culture. TBay has Magnus Theatre, northwestern Ontario's only professional theater company. It also has the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, the only fully professional symphony orchestra between Toronto and Winnipeg. And it has the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium, a 1,500-seat performing arts center.

Some odd facts? TBay has the largest population of Finns outside of Finland. It is the hometown of Paul Schaffer from the Late Show with David Letterman. Northwestern Ontario also has its own vocabulary: what is known as a "cottage" in southern Ontario is a "camp" in TBay – even when it has running water, electricity, satellite TV, paved road access, four bedrooms, and three bathrooms. And due to the Finnish connection, many "camps" (and homes) are equipped with saunas – there's nothing like dashing from a sauna into Lake Superior in February to remind you you're alive.

The nearest city of size is Duluth, Minnesota, about three hours and a time zone change south along the gorgeous Lake Superior shore. The closest major Canadian cities of size are Winnipeg, Manitoba (about a nine hour's drive and a time zone change west) and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (about an eight hour's drive east). The usual getaway is Toronto: one hour and 45 minutes by air. It may be remote, but TBay revels in its remoteness.

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