This is pretty much what happens, essentially they let you back in, but it takes a long time - a few hours, enough to make your day suck when you were originally planning to have a fun day of vacation activities. And I got the feeling it took a long time at least in part because they wanted it to take a long time to teach you a lesson.
It is possibly even more annoying if this happens to someone in your party who is not in the same car as you, despite the fact that you told everyone a million times to double-check to make sure passports were in hand before leaving the house, so you get to sit in your own car in the parking lot waiting for hours. I’m just sayin’.
And frankly, if you are just going for the day, I think the American side only is fine – even if all your documentation is in order, depending on traffic volume, it can still take a while to do the border crossing and it can eat up time you would rather be doing something else. I am a stronger advocate for the Canadian side for people who plan to be in the area for a few days.
Just as a point of interest, you can get passports in a very short time, but for processing in under 2 weeks it will require a visit to a Passport Agency office and some extra fees. http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html
Granted I got mine a decade ago, but I did receive it in the morning Fed Ex delivery the very next day.
My coworker got a passport in under 2 weeks from right here in Columbus, OH just a month ago. He had to pay the extra fees and all, but he got it in about 8 business days.
Now, Niagra Falls is pretty cool on the US side, but it’s amazing from the Canadian side. Canada’s got a better view and about a million times more stuff to do while you’re not gawking at the water.
If you like history and water, a short side trip to Lockport, NY would be interesting. It’s actually just a bike ride over and back. You can see/read the history of the Erie Canal and next door neighbor (and unromantically named) New York State Barge Canal.
I’m going to buck the trend and say no, it’s not worthing seeing it. From either side, really. My father summed up Vynce’s feelings by looking at his face and saying, “I can tell what you’re thinking: you dragged us all the way here to see THIS??” and that about covered what I felt about it too. The falls were the least favorite part of that whole vacation. The Ripley’s Museum was cool, Howe’s Caverns were awesome, but the falls were a bunch of water. whatever.
Fair enough, but I was vastly impressed by the falls when I was a kid. I just wanted to make sure the US side wasn’t a big waste, since we spent most of our time on the Canadian side on that trip. I like natural wonders like this, so am unlikely to come away thinking “meh, just a bunch of water”.
On the Canadian side, the river bank goes around in front of the falls so you can stand across from them and get a good look at them. But you can also walk right up to the edge and spit into the river above the falls from Canada.
There’s no place on the American side you can get a good view of the falls except from directly above or directly below (or on the Maid of the Mist).
Ohhhhh - how about a tiny side trip to the US Sub base museum .. the USS Nautilus is bolted to the pier and you can tour her - first US nuke submarine! It is open every day except Tuesdays. And it is just a couple exits earlier off 95 north. There is also a very nice aquarium in Mystic, and a bit of a small touristy shopping area next to the aquarium also.
[and most people just drive over the Brooklyn Bridge rather than stop and look at it…]
The first time we went to Toronto to see the Canadian National Exposition with some Canadian friends I was so pumped, I would get to see Niagara Falls for the first time ever … dry. :eek::dubious::(:smack:
I wouldn’t bother with the Canadian side. It can be very crowded, and it’s a hassle, IMHO.
Go on the Maid of the Mist, check out all the stuff, maybe get liquored up at the Hard Rock Cafe and go to the Albright-Knox museum (a remarkable collection), or check out the abandoned grain elevators south of Buffalo if you and the little woman like urban exploration. The Carousel Museum in Buffalo (Tonawanda, actually – really it’s Buffalo, though) is amazing as well, if you have kids or you like that kind of stuff.
Niagara-On-The-Lake is a very nice place for a picnic, as well as good old Delaware Park in Buffalo proper.
I walked across the Golden Gate Bridge once and now I sort of want to walk on the Brooklyn Bridge. Symmetry, you know.
The sub museum is definitely going on the list. MrWhatsit is a former reactor operator and if there is a sub on display, we’re seeing it. I think he will be very excited about this!
If you want to see a sub on display, you can also go to Buffalo Naval Park. They have the USS Croaker, a WWII submarine, on display along with the USS Little Rock, a cruiser, and the USS The Sullivans, a destroyer.
