maritime center at vantage point

The ’56 Guys’ met in Port Huron to celebrate Gene’s Birthday & we visited the Vantage Point Maritime Center located at the juncture of the St. Clair River & the Black River. Vantage Point is positioned for maximum visibility of river activity, from summer both sail & hi-octane racing to the daily passing of the lakes freighters and “salties”, ocean going ships from around the world. Numerous “tables for six” line the entire front window line providing a beautiful view of the entire waterscape & distant Canadian shore. A lunch bar sells everything from light breakfast fare to hot luncheon sandwiches. A live closed circuit video hookup shows you what’s happening underwater ~ fish wise. An excellent collection of interesting & historic items retrieved by divers from the river bottom is sure to cause the question “What is that?” Knowledgeable volunteers answer questions, announce each passing ship & describe its specifications. A live video map display gives viewers the current position & expected arrival of a ship’s passing Vantage Point to help you plan your daily activity. Overall, Vantage Point is a blessing to any person no matter what age, who wonder's why do those big hunks of steel float? When in Port Huron, make a point of visiting if only for a few minutes to appreciate the “boatnerd” value of Vantage Point to everyone.

good variety of sandwiches, drinks, friendly staff.....phenomenal view....best ever view. Did I mention the view? Awe inspiring, love the live webcam

It's Free. No charge to sit on the banks of the beautiful, busy St. Clair River.Clean, Open areas to keep you from the weather and still give you a great view. Met "Freighter Frank" on my first visit, what a wealth of Great Lakes shipping information. By far the best place for watching and learning about the "Boats" of the lakes. I give very few excellent ratings, but this is one.

Heard about this place from a local person. It doesn't look like much from the outside but it is quite nice inside. It has a nice view of the river and an announcer comes over the loudspeaker when a ship passes by and gives you some info and history on the vessel. Very quiet and relaxing and also serves as a small marine museum. There is a small snack bar and clean washrooms.Plus they have seating inside and outside which is nice in the event of inclement weather.Admission and parking are free.

It was a great place to sit and watch the boats/freighters pass on the St. Clair River. There is indoor and outdoor seating with a great views. There is also a restaurant (deli) that you can order food from. If a ship is about to pass, an announcer comes on the overhead speaker providing details of the ship (origin, where it is heading, history of the ship, etc.) It was a nice visit.

Love sitting at the Maritime Center watching the water ways. The inside building has a cafe that you can buy drinks and small food items. The stroll along the walk way is gorgeous and if you love boats/freighters its one of two best places to view them. They have a hotdog stand out side with the best french fries ever! and home made icecream stand. Also, Vindamondos Wine shop is here and you can ride the Huron Lady down under the Blue Water Bridge, over to Canada's side and back for under $20. Love living in the Blue!

Many times I've wanted to thank Mr Acheson and the foundation for this wonderful site. Now with the river walk installation it is wonderful....I haven't been inside in over a year.

RIght on the river, had food service, bathrooms and vendors outside. Fun, fun, you can watch from inside or outside. Clean and lots of seating. Casual atmosphere, can bring your computer. They announce the freighters as they come down the river. You also get a clear view of Canada. There is no grass, trees or anything like that.

This is a great spot to check out the river, watch the ships pass, and grab a coffee. It is comfortable and convenient, and has a vantage point for watching boats leave the marina as well as passing lakers.Even better is to use this as either a jumping off point, or the finishing spot, for a walk along the river - the new river walk is an outstanding feature, and as an out-of-town guest I really enjoyed it!On Saturdays the farmer's market is a lot of fun to wander, with all kinds of offerings to check out (from food to flowers to displays of history).

We have been going to Vantage Point for Sunday drives for several years and now we have been sharing this with family and friends. The like it and now bring there family. Thiz is a great place let your worries drift away. ALL YEAR.

Great spot to while away the time. Ships pass by while you surf the web on free wifi or read. A small coffee/pastry shop is handy and they often have acoustic artists there and things for kids to do. Staff update visitors on wen ships are expected to pass regularly.

This is a casual place to get a really up close view of the ships passing by Port Huron. They have an announcer who gives information about the ships such as the name,cargo, destinations which really adds to the view. There is coffee and other beverages available as well as sandwiches. There is internet. A great place to sit and enjoy for several hours.The Farmers Market is there on the weekend.

This is a nice spot to watch ships go by in the upper St Clair River. The ship traffic ebbs and flows. You can check ship passages on line to ensure you stop in when there are plenty to see. A narrative by a volunteer as each ship passes is provided and typically informative. There is a limited "cafeteria style" menu available. I like to get a bowl of chili and a coffee to sip while watching the river. We stopped in 3 days ago and saw three ships in an hour go by. Our out of state friend though it was pretty neat. There are some nice displays in the center as well.In the summer there is an ice cream stand with all the offerings as well as a fry truck. Outdoor seating is nice and it's right where the Black River enters the St Clair River so there is typically a lot going on. The farmer's market is nice, we have only attended on Saturdays but the selection of local produce is good. I was able to procure a gallon of locally produced real maple syrup that is really nice. If you are in the Port Huron area it is worth the stop at Vantage Point. If nothing else a stop for a hand dipped ice cream and a bit of fresh air. It is nice that the effort to establish and maintain Vantage Point has been made. The Port Huron waterfront is much better for it.

Pleasant meeting place, acceptable (cafeteria style) food, great view of the river and the ship traffic with explanation.

There are a lot of look out points around Port Huron. This was has some things to do inside and it's free but it's no big omission if you miss it.