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Dwayne1m
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:05 pm    Post subject: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

I'm thinking of taking my son to Niagara Falls before winter sets in. Neither of us have a passport. Do any of you guys know what can and can't be done without a passport in that area? I know you can't cross the border without one, but can you do things on the river, like Maid of the Mist without a passport? Which side can you walk under the falls? I'm not real anxious to spend $300 for 2 passports if I don't need them.
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

Might want to ask this guy, his reviews of the US side were less than stellar: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=703120
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:36 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

If your son is under 16 I don't think he needs a passport.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

You should get a passport regardless of the trip.
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busdaddy
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 7:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

You might want to check with USBPS, last time I checked Canada doesn't require a passport (confirm that yourself, things change), The US may let you back in with some other form of credible ID. But I agree with Glenn, that's a handy document to have on hand for many things aside from travel.
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 8:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

Get a passport card. It is valid for use to cross the Canada and Mexico borders. It's $30 versus $110 for the passport. You also have to pay your Execution (Acceptance)Fee (to your county or whoever processes it for you) which is about $35 each. You'll have a total of $130 into it for 2 people.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/card.html
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Last edited by notchback on Wed Aug 08, 2018 8:07 pm; edited 1 time in total
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*Darren
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 08, 2018 8:06 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

notchback wrote:
Get a passport card. It is valid for use to cross the Canada and Mexico borders. It's $30 versus $110 for the passport. You also have to pay your local fees (to your county or whoever processes it for you) which is about $35 each. You'll have a total of $130 into it for 2 people.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/card.html


Bingo. Beat me to it. Yup, get a card.
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calvinater
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:16 am    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

In vermont we have what is known as an enhanced drivers liscence suutable for travel to canada and mexico bring your sons birth certificate passports for minors are only good for five years not ten
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ToolBox
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 9:20 am    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

Minors do not need a Passport, a BC is needed and a Notarized letter allowing you to take him out of the country from his mother/father is a good idea. The Passport/enhanced DL/Passport card is for re entering the US.

Both of my kids have had Passports since birth and it makes it much easier visiting/transiting Canada, we live in a border community.

The US side is a dump except for the island State Park.
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Dan Hiebert
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:12 am    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

Not only did I used to live 6 miles from Niagara Falls and visited frequently, I also happen to work for CBP. First I'll confirm that the U.S. did not see the tourist value to Niagara Falls, the Canadian side is much more appealing, still a typical tourist trap, but lots of fun stuff besides the falls. There are amenities to the U.S. side, but not much. The State park is best bet. The better view of the Falls is from the Canadian side. As for traveling to Canada, if you are both US citizens and can prove it, you can travel to and from Canada with little difficulty, CBP is not going to deny a US citizen entry back into the U.S. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, it's just easier and quicker if you have a passport, passport card, or if you're in a State that issues them, an enhanced driver's license, don't need all of them, just one. Otherwise, a driver's license or other government issued ID and birth certificate will expedite matters. A minor (under 16) only needs a birth certificate, if not traveling with parents, a letter from the parents. I would recommend parking on the U.S. side, and if you decide to go to Canada, walk over. Always much less traffic in the pedestrian lanes.
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 12:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

Dan Hiebert wrote:
CBP is not going to deny a US citizen entry back into the U.S.

I can confirm this. Last time I was up, the wife and I forgot passports. The agent asked us a couple of questions like where we worked and whatnot. The agent we had was a retired teacher, so her and my wife started talking about teaching (she's a teacher as well) and then the agent just said, "have a safe trip". I was like, "That's great that you're letting us in, but I have to get back too, because I kind of live here.". She said, "If I let you in, they will let you back".
So, we went and they did.
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Bob Loblaw
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

Unrelated:
The answer to the question of the most exotic place I've ever gotten laid?

Underneath the Rainbow Bridge at Niagara Falls. On the Canadian side.

1984. Good times.

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Dan Hiebert
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 5:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

And the side to walk "under" the falls is the U.S. side, from the State Park on Goat Island. "Cave of the Winds", access by elevator from the visitor center. If memory serves me right, the "old" Maid of the Mist tours were only from the Canadian side, but that company lost the contract. The new one was in the process of building a facility to also launch from the U.S. side, between the Niagara Falls bridge (Rainbow) and the aquarium, it wasn't done when we moved away in early 2015. Should be by now, I'd think.
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Dwayne1m
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 09, 2018 6:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

Thanks for all the info. I'm 56 and I've been out of the country a grand total of 2 times. Once in the Bahamas, and the other was the Falls, but both were about 30 years ago, so spending a big amount on a passport doesn't make much sense to me at this time. I don't see myself going abroad any time soon. My son is 25 and now my daughter(20) might go with too, so the passport fee is increasing. From my time up there 30+ years ago I don't remember much to do on the American side other then the Bridal Falls and the aquarium. I didn't do Maid of the Mist so I don't know which side offers that. I vaguely recall touring the power plant at the base of the falls. I kinda remember going up in the restaurant that goes up in the air and slowly rotates. Maybe that isn't there anymore. That was on the Canadian side.
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crukab
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 1:46 am    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

calvinater wrote:
In vermont we have what is known as an enhanced drivers liscence suutable for travel to canada and mexico bring your sons birth certificate passports for minors are only good for five years not ten


Yep, I've had one for a few years, handy when living near-ish to the Boarder.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 8:36 am    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

See if the Real ID you can get in Penn is good for crossing the border.
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djkeev
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:34 am    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

When you go, make 100% sure it is NOT a Canadian Bank Holiday!!

BTDT....... wall to wall people!

Most anything you want will be on the Canadian side. Americans are almost totally lacking any class up there.

Our last time there, we rented a house about two hours East in New York ON lake Erie, it was relaxing and fun.
We could see the Needle across the Lake in Toronto.
Worst part of the trip was going to the Falls! Rolling Eyes

Honestly, with the way this World is changing, getting a US Passport is a wise investment.

I hear you might need one to buy food soon........

Dave
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:37 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

djkeev wrote:

I hear you might need one to buy food soon........


LOL!
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 3:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

I can remember going to Niagara Falls in the 60’s as a kid, and being completely un-impressed.
The mist really obscures a lot of what you can see, and at night I remember they shine colored lights at it.
My brother gave me a book to read about a Niagara Falls project they were doing to keep the Falls from eroding into a pile of rubble.
That was actually interesting!. You can do plenty of things on the American side, at least you could in the 90’s.
It’s a nice afternoon trip as an adult, but as a 10 year old, it was boring.

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PostPosted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:16 pm    Post subject: Re: Niagara Falls Reply with quote

....slowly I turned
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