I'm looking for recommendations for a day trip to Niagara Falls. As it stands, the trip will be my wife and I, and it is a 3.5 hour drive each way. The kicker is neither of us have a passport or enhanced ID, so would be going into Canada on our birth certificates be worth the effort? Aside from hitting the duty free shop on our way back
Take the Maid of the Mist boat ride over to the falls. I didn't go to Canada. I don't think you can go over to Canada any more without a full passport. The birth certificate thing is over.
That's too bad. The View of the falls is much more impressive on the Canadian side IMO. Maid of the Mist is well worth the trip. Cave of the Winds tour is great too. We will be there in a couple weeks too.
If this helps - this can be found here: http://www.niagarafallslive.com/niagara_falls_travel_tips.htm
U.S. CITIZENS RETURNING TO THE U.S. AFTER VISITING NIAGARA FALLS CANADA ARE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A PASSPORT, PASSPORT CARD OR ENHANCED DRIVERS LICENSE AT THE IMMIGRATION CHECKPOINT. If you are a U.S. citizen living in the U.S. and cross the border to Canada and attempt to re-enter the U.S. you will need one of the above listed forms of identification. Effective June 1st 2009.
I last went when the birth certificate was enough. There's a tour that goes down inside the hill/whatever and you can come out behind the water of the falls, kinda cool. Maid of the Mist also. Also went up space needle-type building for good 360 degree shots above the falls. (It's been since 2004 I think so I'm fuzzy on details.)
If you can do it later in the day, I had fun photographing the falls when it got dark and they projected color lights onto the water.
Need passport of special license. Niagara Falls has turned into a gambling wasteland; hit the falls and then head down the road (river) to Niagara on the Lake. If you like wine, just follow the signs from winery to winery. Great day out. Take one tour if you must. If you see a bus at the winery when you pull in, keep moving.
+1 for Maid of the Mist, you can't go there and not do it.
There is a space needle type building and also a ferris wheel you can get pics from.
Edit: Ferris wheel is on the Canada side, don't remember which side the "space needle" is on. Maid of the Mist boats launch from both sides.
The problem isn't getting into Canada, it's getting back into the U.S.
We went to the falls every year for a long time, but I can't think of a single thing that I would recommend. We always went mid-winter because we could get a 2 day hotel stay with some meals for $120. It was a good mid winter break.
need some barrels?
I dont think the birth cert thing works anymore.
Datsun310Guy wrote: Take the Maid of the Mist boat ride over to the falls.
Take the Maid of the Mist boat ride over the falls...FTMFW.
BTW, the Space Needle thingy is on the Canadian side.
The wife and I went there for a week a few years ago. We went to the Canadian side and the only things we would do again were the maid of the mist and seeing the lights at night. We stayed at a Ramada a few minutes from the falls that I believe was between two crack houses. The falls were awesome but once you've seen them all you have left is a run down miniature Atlantic City.
The next day we drove out to Detroit, though we did drive across Ontario and cross the boarder at Michigan since this was our first bit of international travel. One tip, when re-entering the US when they ask if you have anything to declare "I'm not wearing any underwear" is a bad idea. They will take you inside and check.
Take one of the bus tours. No looking for a parking space.
You MUST ride the Whirlpool Jetboat!! You can pick it up in Lewiston NY.
Edit** Bring a complete change of clothes including shoes.
I have been many times, even got engaged there. (New Years Eve, fireworks over the falls, she said yes) For your first time, just walk around, see the falls, take the tour behind the falls, eat lunch someplace fun, maybe hit the casino. It is worth getting a passport so you can go to Canada, the US side is pretty lame. You can get a passport overnight if you need to, so do it!
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