Travel Guide

St. Joseph Island is located right at the heart of the Great Lakes.

The Canada-USA border bends tightly around the Island, which sits in the St. Mary's River, the channel between Lakes Huron and Superior.

If you plan on flying to Hilton Beach, the nearest airport is in Sault Ste. Marie, 45 minutes away. Its airport code is YAM.

Car rentals are available in Sault Ste. Marie: Enterprise Rent-A-Car (1-800-736-8222), Budget Car Rentals (705 942-1144), or National Tilden (705 949-5121).

From Sault Ste. Marie, follow Highway 17 east about 45 minutes until you reach the turn-off to Highway 548 and St. Joseph Island. Follow the Highway a few minutes, over the toll-free bridge and up to the first intersection, which is known as Kent's Korner. Make a left turn and follow the highway 10 minutes to Hilton Beach.

Maps and Directions

Maps and directions are available from several mapping sites:
- Mapquest
- Yahoo! Maps
- Google Maps

Driving Times to St. Joseph Island

Sault Ste. Marie, ON -- 45 minutes
Sudbury, ON -- 3 hours
Thunder Bay, ON -- 9 hours
Toronto, ON -- 8 hours
Ottawa, ON -- 8 hours
Green Bay, WI -- 7 hours
Chicago, IL -- 10 hours
Detroit, MI -- 7 hours
Mackinac City / St. Ignace, MI -- 2 hours
Buffalo, NY -- 10 hours

Traveling to Hilton Beach from Abroad

Who may visit? Why anyone of course. Citizens and legal residents of the United States do not need passports or visas to enter Canada as visitors. But it's a good idea to carry some identification, such as birth, baptismal, voter's or naturalization certificates, which shows your citizenship just in case you are asked for it when leaving or re-entering the U.S..

Visitors who enter Canada from a country other than the U.S. require valid passport and in some instances a visitor's visa. Canadian Immigration offices, embassies, and consulates issue visas.

Vehicles and Insurance

The entry of vehicles and trailers into Canada for touring purposes is usually a quick routine matter. Any necessary permits are issued at the port of entry. If you've rented a vehicle or trailer, make sure you bring along a copy of the rental contract that stipulates you have permission to use it in Canada. Police radar detectors, legal in many US states, are illegal in Ontario and you are subject to stiff fines should an operating detector be found in your vehicle.

U.S. motorists planning to travel in Canada are advised to obtain a "Canadian Non-Resident Inter-province Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance Card" available only in the U.S.. Contact your local insurance agent.

Can Our Pets Come?

Dogs and cats accompanying their owners from the U.S. must have current (within 36 months) rabies vaccination certificates.

Hospital & Medical Services

Matthews Memorial Hospital is only 10 minutes from Hilton Beach. Wise travelers will check with their medical service plans to ensure they will be covered while in Canada. If you are taking medicine prescribed by your doctor you should bring along a copy of the prescription, in case you need to have it renewed by a physician. For further information and insurance details contact your travel agent or insurance agent.

Financial Services & U.S. Funds

Northern Credit Union is located only 10 minutes from Hilton Beach, in Richards Landing. This full-service institution is the best location for exchanging currency. There is also a government-sanctioned Canada-U.S. currency exchange service at the Ontario Travel Information Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)

For Police services, phone toll-free 1-888-310-1122 or 911 in most areas.

Credit Cards

Visa and MasterCard are accepted by most Hilton Beach businesses. AMEX and Discover are generally not accepted. Interac cards are accepted at most businesses.

What You Can Bring With You

Duty free articles that may be taken into Canada are: wearing apparel and personal effects; sporting goods (up to 200 rounds of ammunition); up to 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, 400 gms. of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of alcohol or wine or 288 imperial ounces of beer or ale (case of 24) per adult; cameras (with a reasonable amount of film); reasonable food supply per person, and a full tank of gasoline. Note: all articles above allowable quantities are subject to import duty.

Firearms

Pistols, fully automatic weapons and firearms less than 26 inches in length are prohibited in Canada. Most sporting rifles and shot guns can be admitted without a permit if the visitor is sixteen or older. A description of all guns and serial numbers must be submitted to Canadian Customs. 200 rounds of ammunition can be admitted duty free. Mace, or pepper spray, is illegal in Canada.

Export Rules

Residents from other countries should ask the appropriate authorities of their country of origin or its nearest consulate for detailed information about duty charged on articles purchased in Canada. Permits are required to export certain products made from endangered plants or animals. Normally, the retailer can advise you about any export restrictions on merchandise in his/her store.

Liquor Outlets and the Law

Liquor, including wine and beer, is available through stores run by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) or in smaller centres, by their authorized representative. Hilton Beach General Store is a licensed LCBO dealer.

Ontario laws prohibit having open bottles of liquor in a location accessible to the driver of a vehicle. Drinking is only allowed in your residence or within a reasonable distance of your residence. A tent, trailer or camper can be considered residences. Drinking and Driving is a very serious crime in Ontario. Drinking on public beaches, in parks, while in transit, etc., is prohibited.

Sales Tax

Canada currently levies a sales tax (GST) on most goods and services purchased. Visitors to Canada get back 7% on every dollar spent while in the country, on accommodation and most goods you take home. There is also an 8% Provincial Sales Tax (PST) levied on most goods and services.

Information for Boaters

Pleasure craft may enter Canada by trailer or under their own power and stay for a period of up to 12 months. The required Entry Permit is obtainable from Customs at port-of-entry. All boats powered by motors 10 HP or over must be licensed and the license number clearly indicated on the bow of the vessel. Boat licenses from outside Ontario are acceptable. If you enter Canada on your boat, you are required by law to contact Canada Customs at 1-888-CANPASS.

Climate

Generally speaking our weather is much like that of the northern United States. June, July and August are our true summer months, with warm days averaging between 21° and 27° Celsius (70° to 80° F) and mild nights.

September and October still have warm days with temperatures often reaching 21° Celsius (70° F), but the nights can leave a light covering of frost. Cooler fall weather is offset by the incomparable beauty of the Northern Ontario fall colours painted by the changing leaves. Prime colour times are late September to mid-October.

Winter in Hilton Beach varies from one year to another. In recent years, we have seen no more than a foot and a half of snow, which is usually on the ground from late December through early April. The winter months provide Hilton Beach residents and visitors with some of the world's best snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing.