Niagara Falls - Canada

[Big Rig]

Planning a 4 day trip in July.  Will be heading up there from Pa Grand Caynons....

I am interested in the  best place to cross  into Canada. I know I do not want to cross oveer from Niagara NY unless I truly have to.   Should I expect any hassles crossing on a bike?  Should have a bout 10 riders. In the group.

Alao bike friendly hotels on the canadian side....

thanks for the positive feedback in advance....

3 hours into a blizzard here in Southern Jersey.

[hubcapsc]

Carolyn's mother likes to cross over at Buffalo...

-Mike

[Hook#3287]

Don't forget your passports,

[gordonv]

and no firearms or weapons. Leave them on the south side of the border before you cross. 

[ptgb]

We frequently have crossed out of Buffalo over the last 10 years (at least twice a year). We usually go in via the Peace Bridge, but you have to watch what time of day you cross. I would suggest you try to cross before 3pm or after 8pm any weekday. Between 3-8 it can get really backed up. There are like twenty lanes.

To come back in we usually do the Rainbow Bridge. That one as well, needs to be crossed either early or late.

We have never had a huge problem with entering or exiting either country. 99% of the border folks are very nice and they are usually nice to motorcyclists (read, not bikers). I only had an issue one time, got a French-Canadian with more of a French attitude than Canadian attitude.

As far as hotels, if you are going with 10 people, make reservations, as that is the busy time of year. There are tons of "mom & pop" motels there, the further you stay from the Falls and Clifton Hill the less expensive they will be. I have also found that with the littler motels, most are very clean and friendly. If we pull in to one in the evening, it doesn't hurt to make them an offer, if they have rooms available. I have found that they will give you a room for 25% off or more, just make them an offer.

[IamGCW]

If you have had a DUI you will not get across.  There is a waiver process that is costly and takes time (reported to us from a random rider in the Yukon).

Gil

[big d]

Any of the bridges are about the same. Depends on the day and time you cross. As far as hotels, can't help ya there as we live about an hour from the falls so we go home. As far as motorcycles, no problem. The wife and I do it on a regular basis.

[CajunRider]

You don't really NEED to cross, but the Canadian side has a much better view. 

Bring a passport. 

It's not really a hassle crossing to/from Canada if your record is clean (not sure about the DUI thing mentioned earlier). 

Biggest issue is time... try to figure out times when the lines are short and plan accordingly. 

When I went, I walked across the bridge.  Long line of cars, but only 4 or 5 people in the "walking" section.  Saved us a LOT of time, plus you get some pretty good views of the falls on the bridge. 

[Black Pearl's Captain]

I crossed over north of the falls on I-90 last summer on Sunday 8-2 at 7:00 pm and had a 5 minute wait. It would have been 3 minutes if I would kept right at the terminal "fan". 15 seconds at the window.

I thought I would have been asked to visit the office since at Maine to New Brunswick I was "randomly selected for a in office interview". The interview asked If I was licensed to carry a gun in the USA and I answered truthfully yes. I figured the alarms would fire off each time I crossed after that but the next 2 crossings were quicker than any before.

[Alpha Dog]

I remember the good old days of crossing into Canada.  My time was 78 and 79 then again in 81 and 82.
International bridge into Canada at South Detroit ( yes just like Journey said there is a south Detroit although you will never find anyone from there ).   I would pull up to the Canadian inspectors with my 81 Bonneville loaded down with friends from upstate, Michigan looking for a good time.   First words from the inspectors were what is your reason to cross.  I would tell them to go to your strip clubs ( Windsor strip clubs were top class back then, far better than Detroit , have no idea about today).  I always new the next question.  Sir open your trunk.  I would open the glove box and hit the trunk button. They  would get to view a huge trunk that was spotless.  Next words would be have a nice time sir.  All this time I would have two joints, one tucked behind each ear as my curly hair went to the bottom of my ears, in safe keeping.  Total time spent, maybe a minute and a half.

As Archie and Edith Bunker would say, those were the days.
Chuck

[Jess from VA]

I have a vague recollection of attending those Windsor strip clubs back in those days. 

I was always in the back seat, being taken there against my will.