Categories: Travel

This Ontario town has a famous landmark & it’s the largest of its kind in Canada

Photo via North of Superior Tourism Association

Fall calls for outdoor adventures and all the picture-taking you can squish in. Wawa, Ontario is next on our fall adventures list and it just so happens to be home to one of the most photographed landmarks in North America.

Located just north of Sault Ste. Marie is Wawa, Ontario – a lovely town surrounded by the most scenic natural areas, outdoor experiences, local dining gems, and oddities.

Next Stop: Wawa, Ontario

According to Destination Ontario, the town was first named Michipicoten after the Michipicoten River.

Its history spans back to the “fur trading days, more recently serving as a hub for forestry, mining and boat-building industries.”

But now we know it as the township of Wawa. “In the Ojibway language, the word ‘wawa’ means ‘wild goose’,” shares Destination Ontario.

Which is why this next part will make A LOT of sense.

Fam-goose Landmark

There’s a giant goose statue in the town that is perched on a large rock “welcoming visitors at the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 101.”

According to Northern Ontario Travel, Wawa Goose has welcomed visitors from around the world since 1963.

It’s actually the largest of its kind in Canada, standing at 28 feet tall, 22 feet long, and a wingspan of 20 feet.

Now that’s a big one.

And it just so happens to be one of the most photographed landmarks in North America.

“The first goose was made of plaster and didn’t stand up to the weather,” shares Northern Ontario Travel. “The goose is now made of steel.”

Though this alone may convince you to make the 10-hour trip from Toronto, or 11 from Ottawa, we think the abundance of surrounding waterfalls is a must-see.

Thanks to its proximity to Lake Superior, the Wawa area has a ton of lakes and rivers, including some of the most scenic waterfalls around, according to the town’s site.

Now who’s ready for a fall road trip?

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