Entry and the border
Do I need a passport to go to Canada?
To fly, you need a US passport book, or a NEXUS card. By car, on foot or by boat, a passport book, passport card, enhanced driver's license or NEXUS card works for every adult. Kids under 16 crossing by land or sea can use an original or certified copy of their birth certificate. See Entering Canada.
Do Americans need a visa or an eTA?
No. US citizens need neither a visa nor an eTA, and the border officer will usually admit you for up to six months. Green-card holders don't need an eTA either, but should bring both their passport and green card when flying. ArriveCAN is now optional; you can use it to file an Advance CBSA Declaration up to 72 hours before landing. See Entering Canada.
Can I get into Canada with a DUI?
Maybe not. Impaired driving is a serious criminal offense in Canada, and a US DUI can get you refused at the border, even if it is old or minor by US standards. A single DUI committed before December 18, 2018 may count as automatically rehabilitated after enough time; otherwise you may need to apply for rehabilitation, which costs C$246.25 or C$1,231 (about $176 or $880). Sort this out well before the trip on the Entering Canada page.
What do I need to bring kids across the border?
By air every child needs a US passport book; by land or sea, kids under 16 can use a birth certificate. If a child is traveling with only one parent, grandparents, friends or a group, Canada strongly recommends a consent letter signed by each parent who isn't on the trip, ideally notarized. Canada publishes a free fillable form; see Entering Canada.
Can I bring cannabis, CBD or a gun?
Cannabis in any form, including CBD, is illegal to carry across the border in either direction, even though it's legal in Canada and in many US states. Every firearm must be declared, and visitors file a non-resident firearm declaration that costs C$25 (about $18) and is valid for 60 days. Prohibited firearms, including many semi-automatic models banned since 2020, can't be brought in at all, and pepper spray is a prohibited weapon in Canada. See Entering Canada.
How long are the waits at land crossings?
Most inspections take one to three minutes; the wait in line is what varies. Check the live wait times on the CBSA site heading north and the CBP site heading home, and consider a less busy crossing nearby. The new Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor opened in July 2026, with a car toll of C$8 or US$5.75. See Crossing the border.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes. Dogs and cats three months and older need a valid rabies vaccination certificate from your vet. The catch is the trip home: a dog entering the US must be at least six months old, have a microchip and have a receipt from the free CDC Dog Import Form. See Traveling with pets.
What can I bring back to the US duty-free?
After 48 hours or more in Canada, each person can bring back $800 in goods duty-free; for shorter trips it's $200. The alcohol allowance is 1 liter per adult 21 or older, or 150 ml on trips under 48 hours. Never bring back cannabis, Cuban cigars or Kinder Surprise eggs. See Shopping and US customs.
Money and phones
Can I pay in US dollars?
Only in Niagara Falls, border towns, duty-free shops and some resort areas, and always at a worse rate than your card gives you, with change in Canadian dollars. Most other businesses won't take US cash, and you'll barely need cash anyway: Visa and Mastercard work almost everywhere, tap-to-pay is normal, and there are no pennies. When a terminal offers to charge you in US dollars, choose Canadian dollars instead. See Money.
Why is the bill higher than the price on the menu?
Canadian prices are almost always shown before sales tax, which is added at the register. Depending on the province, it runs from 5% in Alberta to 15% in most of Atlantic Canada. Most visitors can't get that tax refunded; the general visitor refund ended in 2007. See Money.
How much should I tip?
Much as at home: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill at sit-down restaurants, and C$1–2 a drink at a bar. Canadians traditionally tip on the pre-tax amount, while many card terminals calculate their suggested percentages on the after-tax total, so press "custom" if you prefer. See Money and Etiquette.
How much does a trip to Canada cost per day?
For two people sharing a room in a big city or busy national park in summer, figure about C$140–200 (about $100–145) per person per day on a budget, C$300–450 (about $215–320) mid-range, and C$650–1,000+ (about $465–715+) for comfort. A rental car plus gas and parking adds easily C$100–150 a day in peak summer. See Money and the budget tool.
Will my phone work in Canada?
Most AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile unlimited plans include Canada at no extra cost, but watch for daily or monthly high-speed data caps. If your plan doesn't include Canada, a Canadian prepaid plan costs about C$25–35 (about $18–25) a month for 5–50 GB. Plugs are the same Type A and B, 120 V and 60 Hz as at home, so you need no adapter. Expect long stretches with no signal on mountain, northern and rural highways. See Staying connected.
Getting around
Can I drive in Canada with my US license and insurance?
Yes. A US license is valid for visits, for up to 3 months in Ontario and 6 months in BC and Quebec. Most US auto policies extend to Canada; carry proof and ask your insurer for the Canadian non-resident insurance card. Signs are metric, with a usual freeway limit of 100 km/h (62 mph), and gas is sold by the liter: about C$1.86 a liter nationally in mid-October 2026 (about $5 a US gallon). See Driving in Canada.
Can I take a rental car across the border?
Usually, with most major US rental companies, but policies vary by company, location and vehicle class. Confirm in writing that your pickup location allows Canada travel, and ask for the Canadian non-resident insurance card. One-way rentals across the border usually carry a large drop fee. See Crossing the border.
Do I need winter tires?
In some places, yes. Quebec requires them from December 1 to March 15 on Quebec-registered cars, which includes rentals, and signed BC highways require them from October 1 to March 31, some until April 30. Right turns on red are allowed after a full stop except anywhere on the island of Montreal. See Driving in Canada.
Can I get around without a car?
In the big cities, yes, and between them in the east. VIA Rail's Quebec City–Windsor corridor is the best train route, with Toronto to Montreal taking about five hours. Elsewhere, Canada has had no national bus network since Greyhound Canada quit in 2021, and a car is often the only sensible choice. See Getting around.
Do I go through US customs before my flight home?
At nine Canadian airports, yes: Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto Pearson, Vancouver, Victoria and Winnipeg have US preclearance, so you land in the US as a domestic passenger. Leave extra time for it. TSA PreCheck doesn't apply at Canadian airport security. See Flights.
Do I need to speak French in Quebec?
No, but learn one word: say Bonjour every time you walk into a shop or restaurant, then switch to English if you need to. English is easy in downtown Montreal, Mont-Tremblant and the hotels and sights of Old Quebec; it gets thin in rural Quebec, such as the Gaspé and Saguenay. See French for travelers.
Safety and health
Is Canada safe?
Yes. The US State Department rates Canada at Level 1, "Exercise normal precautions," its lowest level, in an advisory reissued June 5, 2026. The most common crimes are thefts from parked cars, car theft and pickpocketing; the bigger risks are outdoors: cold, moose and deer on roads, bears, cold water and no cell signal. See Safety.
Will my health insurance cover me in Canada?
Canada's provincial health plans do not cover US visitors, so you pay non-resident rates: an ER visit runs about C$800–1,400 (about $560–990) in hospital fees alone at 2026 rates, plus doctor fees. Original Medicare generally does not cover you in Canada. Check your US plan, and buy travel medical insurance if it falls short. See Health.
What's the drinking age, and is cannabis legal?
The drinking age is 18 in Quebec, Alberta and Manitoba and 19 everywhere else. Cannabis is legal at 19 in most provinces, 18 in Alberta and 21 in Quebec, but you can't take it across the border either way. Canada's driving limit is 0.08%, a criminal matter, with roadside penalties from 0.05% in most provinces. See Drinks.
What about bears and other wildlife?
Keep 100 m (330 ft) from bears and wolves and 30 m (100 ft) from elk and moose. In bear country, hike in groups and carry bear spray, which you cannot take on a plane. On rural roads, moose and deer are the bigger danger, especially at dusk. See Safety and Outdoors.
Where to go
Where should I go on my first trip?
Pick one region, or two that connect easily, rather than trying to cover the country; Canada is slightly bigger than the US. Montreal and Quebec City, Toronto with Niagara Falls, Vancouver with Whistler or Victoria, and Banff and Lake Louise are all classic first trips. Give Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver 3–4 days, and Banff and Lake Louise 4–5. See Planning your trip and Regions.
Does my America the Beautiful pass work in Canada's national parks?
No. Canada has its own Parks Canada Discovery Pass, which costs C$83.50 (about $60) per adult or C$167.50 (about $120) per family or group for a year. A day pass at Banff and the other Rockies parks is C$12.25 (about $9) per adult, and everyone 17 and under gets in free. Note that private cars can't drive to Moraine Lake; you need a shuttle, Roam transit or a licensed tour. See National parks and The Rockies.
Where can I see the northern lights?
Yellowknife (Northwest Territories), Whitehorse (Yukon) and Churchill (Manitoba) are the best bases, from late August to mid-April. Plan at least three nights, four or five to ride out clouds, and expect -40°F (-40°C) nights in Yellowknife and Churchill most winters. Guided viewing in Yellowknife starts at about C$110 (about $79) per person per night. See Northern lights.
Should I see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side?
For the views, yes: from the Canadian side you look straight across the gorge at both the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls. It's about 80 miles (130 km) from Toronto and about 20 miles (32 km) from downtown Buffalo; the Rainbow Bridge car toll is US$6 or C$8.50, charged in one direction only. Plan one full day, two with Niagara-on-the-Lake. See Niagara.
Seasons
When is the best time to visit Canada?
For most first trips, mid-June to the end of September, when everything is open and the mountain lakes have thawed. June and September are the best all-round months, with fewer people than July and August. Book summer Rockies rooms and Parks Canada campsites 6–12 months out; for skiing, the season runs roughly December to early April. See When to go and Winter.
When are the fall colors?
Late September to mid-October in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October, which makes that weekend the busiest of the fall-color season. In the Rockies, the golden larches peak in mid-September. See When to go.
When are wildfire season and bug season?
Wildfire season runs roughly May to September and is worst in July and August, mainly in the West and the Prairies, with smoke and sudden highway closures. Mosquitoes and blackflies peak from late May to July in forest and lake country. September brings far fewer bugs. See When to go and Safety.