Have you visited Canada ? If so where did you go and what was your experience like ?

Back when living in Vermont, we went to Canada many times. Heck, we even had snow machine trails that took us to Montreal during the winter. Also raced my dirt car at the Autodrome Granby. About the only problem I ever encountered was some folks in Québec would only speak French. (although when it came to changing currency, English suddenly appeared)
Our trips changed for us with the need for a passport as we don't have one nor do we want one.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have replied to this thread. Here are some random facts about my country that folks may find interesting. If you win at a Canadian casino or race track or buy a winning lottery ticket, you will pay NO taxes on your winnings. Each of our currency bills is a different colour. The Trans Canada Highway which runs from our Atlantic coast to the Pacific coast is over 5,000 miles in length. The Trans Canada Trail is a public pathway that allows people to walk, bike, ski, snowmobile, or ride a horse, all the way across Canada. My city Toronto speaks about 140 languages, and fully half of the population was "born someplace else ". Our Parliament in Ottawa has 340 Members of Parliament who represent 340 districts across the country. Amongst those 340 MP's they can speak 61 different languages, besides English or French. Of the 32 Cabinet Ministers in the current Government 21 were born in another country, but are now Canadian citizens. Canada is truly a country of immigrants.

Please continue to contribute to this thread, and ask me questions if you like. JimB.
 
squatting dog said:
Back when living in Vermont, we went to Canada many times. Heck, we even had snow machine trails that took us to Montreal during the winter. Also raced my dirt car at the Autodrome Granby. About the only problem I ever encountered was some folks in Québec would only speak French. (although when it came to changing currency, English suddenly appeared)
Our trips changed for us with the need for a passport as we don't have one nor do we want one.
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President Bush was the one who brought in the need for a passport, to get back in to your country in 2009. It has nothing to do with Canadian regulations at the border. JimB.
 
jimintoronto said:
President Bush was the one who brought in the need for a passport, to get back in to your country in 2009. It has nothing to do with Canadian regulations at the border. JimB.
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I knew this. Sorry for the confusion. I don't blame Canada or Mexico.
The plan, called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), was announced in April 2005. The changes in passport rules were mandated in 2004, when Congress passed a massive piece of legislation called the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. In addition to reforming intelligence agencies, the act was designed to increase border protection and beef up transportation security.
 
squatting dog said:
I knew this. Sorry for the confusion. I don't blame Canada or Mexico.
The plan, called the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), was announced in April 2005. The changes in passport rules were mandated in 2004, when Congress passed a massive piece of legislation called the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act. In addition to reforming intelligence agencies, the act was designed to increase border protection and beef up transportation security.
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At one time in the past, in the 1990's, I was a expedite freight owner operator based out of Toronto. My company specialized in shipments to the US, all 48 lower states. It was normal for me to run from Toronto to distant destinations in the mid west or to California. I dealt with the US customs and immigration officers on a weekly basis and they were mostly OK to do business with. I always carried both my Canadian passport and my Citizenship card with me at all times. I was quizzed a number of times by US border officers about " why do you have 2 identity items " ? My answer was because I can. Having an actual Citizenship card was unusual in their eyes, as Americans don't have such a thing. JimB.
 
Years ago, after I retired, we took a month long driving trip through central/western Canada. We had no set itinerary, and just stopped randomly. When we got to Edmonton, the trip really "peaked". There is a "triangle" from Edmonton to Calgary to Kamloops that has some of the most spectacular scenery in N. America. We spent almost 2 weeks in that area...including a full day at the glacier at the Columbia Ice Field.

That was probably the nicest vacation we ever took.
 
Jules said:
Jim, you were born elsewhere?
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No I was born in Toronto. Any Canadian can apply for and have a Citizenship Card, regardless of where they were born. I use it as proof positive of my citizenship status if asked. I was pointing out that Americans have no such document. JimB.
 
Alligatorob said:
We do have the passport card, maybe that is similar. I have one, but not this one.
View attachment 215273
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That would be a similar form of identification to the Canadian Citizenship Card, or Canadian passport. I seem to remember that only about 30 percent of US citizens have or have had in the past , a passport according to the US State Department website. JimB.
 
I used to watch a truck rescue TV show called Highway Thru Hell set in Hope, BC. It had spectacular scenery and I wish I could see it in person. They made a lot of truck rescues on Coquihalla Pass (pic below).
Coquihalla Pass.jpg
 
Spent several weeks in BC, and enjoyed it very much. Beautiful forests, and Vancouver, and the outlying islands were great. Had considered moving there, but after visiting there, and many places in the US, decided like Dorothy, that there's "no place like home".
 
oldpeculier said:
I have a Enhanced Drivers License. It has a gold star on the top right corner.

Would that allow me to enter Canada?
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A quick search shows that it does. I’d still double check it prior to visiting Canada and for accepted proof returning to the US. They’re ending the Canadian Enhanced Driver’s License.
 
caroln said:
I used to watch a truck rescue TV show called Highway Thru Hell set in Hope, BC. It had spectacular scenery and I wish I could see it in person. They made a lot of truck rescues on Coquihalla Pass (pic below).
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Look for this similar TV documentary about tow truck operators in southern Ontario. It is called Heavy Rescue 401. The 401 highway is the "main street " of Ontario, running 825 kilometers from Windsor Ontario ( across the river from Detroit ) all the way to the Quebec Provincial boundary. The 401 as it goes thru Toronto is 16 lanes wide, 8 east bound and 8 westbound. The busiest highway in North America. here is a link to the program. Heavy Rescue: 401 - Season 6 - IMDb
 
caroln said:
I used to watch a truck rescue TV show called Highway Thru Hell set in Hope, BC. It had spectacular scenery and I wish I could see it in person. They made a lot of truck rescues on Coquihalla Pass (pic below).
View attachment 215275
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That’s the main highway that we have to take to get to visit our families in Vancouver. Last fall large portions were destroyed by an atmospheric river. It now adds at least an hour or two more to the trip. They’ve done temporary repairs and are estimating 2-3 years for full repairs.

I hate that trip in the winter. There are two other longer routes that are just as bad.

These roads are my concern for having electric vehicles. There are a few more charging stations now. Not sure how they would handle a large number of vehicles. Or how they would handle a few hour delay in the middle of winter.
 
I remember going to Canada on several occasions. Once it was 1962 or 1963. We went to New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. There was an eclipse, but we didn't get to see it - it was cloudy. I also remember Magnetic Hill where you parked you car at what seemed like the bottom of a hill, put the car in neutral and it would mysteriously seem to go uphill. I later learned that it was an optical illusion. What I remember of Nova Scotia was the pebble covered beaches. My mom always wanted to see the house that was the inspiration for "Anne of Green Gables" and that was on PEI and the red dirt there.

In the late 1970s, we wanted to go to Montreal and took a train, but we were held up at the border so long, by the time we got there, it was getting dark. All I remember was a hurried taxi ride trough the city to the bus station to get back home since we had made no plans to stay overnight.
 
Alligatorob said:
Been to Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Banff National Park (Drove from Calgary to Edmonton), and a few quick cross border trips from Detroit and Buffalo. I thought it was a great place, liked the exotic feel of Montreal, and Banff was incredible. Always found the Canadians friendly people.

Got a trip planned in July to Vancouver Island, BC. One day I hope to take my travel trailer and drive across your county.
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You will love Vancouver Island it is a great place to visit, and, lucky me I get to live here and enjoy every day.
 

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