Canada, Eh?

[RADHiker]

The customs agents are much chattier when sending you home....imagine that, eh?

[Another Kevin]

Thanks and keep em coming- especially any Niagara Tips- or if it's even worth it? Sounds like I might be driving into Gatlinburg Eh?.

The Canadian side has all the best views of the Falls. From the American side you're above them, from the Canadian you're across the river looking at them. It's also crowded with tourists. If you feel the need to stretch your legs, try walking down to the Whirlpool. It's just a couple of miles, but it's a nice peaceful interlude. Trail map is online. Look for the faces that the First Peoples carved in the rock to mark the boundaries of their nations. And the Silurian fossils - some of the limestone there is loaded with them. You can even spot them in the building stone at Table Rock.

[bigcranky]

No one showed up when I relieved myself on Canada on the LT either for that matter.

Figured I wasn't the only one who did this... What can I say, I was excited.

Went to Quebec City on a vacation up north a few years ago with our daughter. Straight up through NY then to QC then across to Maine. My Yukon was crammed with camping gear and other travel stuff. I honestly didn't have trouble at either border crossing - both sides were friendly and professional. I was more worried about coming back into the USA at a rural crossing in Maine.

Quebec City during their summer music festival was terrific. Good food, good beer, very European atmosphere, though the crowds got a little large in some places.

[Northern Lights]

Yes, for God's sake don't joke with Canadians, we have absolutely no sense of humour and we absolutely never ever say eh, at least that is what we tell ourselves and anyone else who never hears us talk. I know this to be fact, because I hiked with someone from Indianapolis and he at one point said, you sure like to say eh. And after arguing with him that I NEVER said eh, he said ok, I'll say it every time you say it. I'm Canadian and I say eh.

On a final note, please keep your pee in your own country :P

[hikeandbike5]

fill your tank up at the last gas station before you cross the border.
gas is very very expensive in canada. along with everything else.

[Another Kevin]

Yes, for God's sake don't joke with Canadians, we have absolutely no sense of humour....

I think the point was that you should never, ever, joke with Customs or Immigration agents. Canadian or otherwise.

[Connie]

Northern Lights, The Canadians, I know, at our Glacier-Waterton International Ham Fest (amateur radio) will joke around: we only see a 'subtle and silly' sense of hunor.

Anything whatsoever right out there, like, How about next year you bring Canadian bacon and we will bring Virginia ham and we will have "hams across the border" and they will look at you either like they don't "get" it, or, you are an idiot and "we" are too polite to say so; that is my experience.

I have heard no one, in Alberta, say "eh".

[Odd Man Out]

We too have run into the question about children trafficking/abduction so be sure to have all your papers in order.

Another good place to get out and stretch your legs is the Royal Botanic Gardens in Hamilton, just off 403 after you cross Hamiton Harbor on the way to NF.

Don't pick on the Canadians. You should never joke with ANY border crossing official, duh.

Here's another natural oddity about that area. A forestry professor at a University in Canada had a student study the small trees that cling to the side of the Niagara Escarpment cliff that runs through downtown Hamilton and past the Royal Gardens. Despite the fact the trees were only a couple of feet tall, they turned out to be 400 years old. They were surprised to find a previously unknown, intact old growth forest ecosystem right in the middle of the most densely populated part of the country.

[Coffee]

The weirdest interaction I had with a customs official was upon returning to the US from Amsterdam where I had picked up some tulip bulbs which were approved for entry into the US. After being diverted to the agricultural inspection lane, I had a casual conversation with the ag inspector on the best varieties of tulips and the right time to plant in our climate.

My entry into Canada was for business. I was selling software at the time. The customs guy thought that I literally had CDs in my bags and that I was evading tax when the type of software I was selling was for an enterprise installation and not physically delivered at all, with import duties handled by the home office. My colleague was laughing his ass off as I was searched and interrogated. He just said he was in Canada for "meetings" which was accurate.

[Northern Lights]

Northern Lights, The Canadians, I know, at our Glacier-Waterton International Ham Fest (amateur radio) will joke around: we only see a 'subtle and silly' sense of hunor.

Anything whatsoever right out there, like, How about next year you bring Canadian bacon and we will bring Virginia ham and we will have "hams across the border" and they will look at you either like they don't "get" it, or, you are an idiot and "we" are too polite to say so; that is my experience.

I have heard no one, in Alberta, say "eh".

Connie, it was meant to be funny, to kind of show Canadians do have a sense of humour. I have never crossed at that spot but have crossed a little further down, both the US and CAD officers were fine. No you wouldn't want to joke around about criminal activity whatever crossing you are at. I find if you are just honest about what you are doing you will be fine. I pulled up to the CAD border once with 12 bottles of raspberry wine from a winery in ND, rolled down my window and said I have 12 bottles of wine, all he said was have a good weekend. Like anything else be respectful and you will be fine.

To the original poster, the falls are magnificent. The town itself reminds me of Gatlinburg.

[rafe]

I've heard Gatlinburg referred to as the Niagara Falls of the South. From my experience with both, I'd say that's fairly apropos.

[Bronk]

I grew up close to the border and used to travel to the falls every summer. Our schools went on field trips to the falls and to Toronto. I bet they can't do that anymore. You just drove across and nobody even asked you for ID. Needing a passport to cross is just asinine. The last time I went back home to visit we went to the US side of the falls.

[rickb]

My understanding is that Canadian custom's agents have good access to the criminal records of US Citizens, and that they have turned people away at the border with old DUI convictions and non-criminal alcohol related violations, as well as possession convictions and non-criminal possession violations.

[Connie]

I have heard that, although England will accept "completed" and I have heard Canada never separated from England. But I don't know that.

I live near the US-Canada border. They have turned back people for smoking pot in their college days, now in their 60's. When I was in college, we did not have or use drugs. I think if we did have or use drugs, they would have dismantled the vehicle. We heard about that happening.

When I was in college, nevertheless, the border officials asked: How long will you be in Canada? We answered: Up for the day.

The response? "Enjoy your stay in Canada".

I miss that!


I am completely unwilling to get a passport, at considerable expense, to do cross-border shopping.

[rafe]

I am completely unwilling to get a passport, at considerable expense, to do cross-border shopping.

There are other good reasons to have a passport.

[sfdoc]

Several years ago, I went to Niagara Falls. I asked if I could go to tan Canadian side w/o a passport but w/ a retiree Military ID card. I was politely but firmly told NO. When I was a little kid, about 7, my Grandfather and I crossed over in the 1000 Island area w/o passports, no problem. Thank you 9/11.

[rickb]

I have heard that, although England will accept "completed" and I have heard Canada never separated from England. But I don't know that.

I live near the US-Canada border. They have turned back people for smoking pot in their college days, now in their 60's. When I was in college, we did not have or use drugs. I think if we did have or use drugs, they would have dismantled the vehicle. We heard about that happening.

When I was in college, nevertheless, the border officials asked: How long will you be in Canada? We answered: Up for the day.

The response? "Enjoy your stay in Canada".

I miss that!


I am completely unwilling to get a passport, at considerable expense, to do cross-border shopping.

You could get a passport card at about 1/2 the cost.

Times change. We had a family of Mexican Nationals visiting when I was still living in Rochester years ago. When we crossed over to the Canadian side by car, the Canadians directed us to the custom's office area. When one member of the family informed us right before we got out that they didn't have a visa, my Dad's solution was simple-- he told her to stay in the backseat while the rest of us when inside for processing. Problem solved. I don't think that would be a good approach today.

[bamboo bob]

As a single parent I took my two kids to Canada from Boston in 1980's. They only asked if they were my kids. And waved me through. On the way home waved me through. No passports nothing. Niagara Falls. ln the 90's some friends from Buffalo went over the Peace bridge for lunch. One of them was Korean and didn't have his passport. He was detained in Canada for about a month. All pre 9/11.

[Mags]

How Canada rec'd its name.

The two mighty French fur trappers, Jacque and Henri, were at a high point somewhere in the Canadian Rockies.

They looked over this vast land of high mountains, thick forest, large rivers and bountiful wildlife and thought it needed a name.

Henri says, "Jacque, I have in my sachet some random tiles with letters on them. You pull out the letters, and that is how we will name this beautiful land".

Jacque agrees. He starts pulling out the letters.

He holds them up one by one and says it out loud while overlooking the vast valley:
"C" 'eh?
"N" 'eh?
"D" 'eh?

And that is how Canada received its name.

[Just Bill]

If this happens-
We will be doing an overnight drive to keep the kiddies happy- so Chicago to Niagara will be all at night- but OMO's route looks to be the better one. We'll also only be there a few hours, so Kevin's suggestion of a little park in the madness to take a short stroll will likely be best. This is more of a bonus stop along the way. Thanks for all the suggestions; I'll avoid smuggling my own children (unless they are paying that much for them )
I'll hide the PCP in the diaper bag- great tip!

Northern Lights- Seems some of these pushy humorless Americans could learn a few things from a Canadian Eh? Get a few beers, eh- probably a hockey game we can catch eh?

At least we can all agree- nobody likes them filthy frenchers- but they aren't really Canooks.

Oops almost forgot- emoticons will make it all clear.