Traveling to Canada for the 1st time

[imported_Rachel]

Driving from Milwaukee, WI to the Elkhorn Resort in Onanole, Manitoba. Wondering if there are any hoops to jump through when crossing the border? And any "must sees" that are along the way.
Thanks!!

[AZBuck]

Welcome back aboard the RoadTrip America forum.

The first of your questions is relatively easy to answer and is the subject of a recent thread. For some details, you can pick it up at this post, but be sure to read several posts thereafter. The short answer is that if you have a passport, bring it. If not, bring your driver's license AND your actual birth certificate (or a certified copy). You will need to prove both that you are a US citizen and that you are who you say you are. Starting in a year or so, you will need a passport to cross the border, no exceptions. So if you have time before your trip, I'd recommend that you get one. They are now good for 10 years if issued to an adult, and so are worth getting - they make the border crossing immensely easier.

As for 'must sees' along the way, those would depend on what you consider worthwhile, but given the type of resort you're headed for, I'd think you might want to check out the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore or the headwaters of the Mississippi, but both of these are a little off the direct route.

AZBuck

[Midwest Michael]

If you've got a little time, another option that I would recommend is to drive around Lake of the Woods. You can take US-53 North from Eau Claire, through Duluth to the Canadian Border at International Falls. Then take Canadian highways along the east and north side of Lake of the Woods. It really is some beautiful country.

US-53 is 4 lanes most of the way, but the trip will still add some time when compared to the more direct I-94 to I-29 route, but it is a lot more scenic in my opinion.

[imported_Rachel]

Thanks for the tip. Also, I was wondering if it's going to be a problem to bring food across the border? Not a lot, just some meat and snacks. A cooler full at most.
Thanks again!!!

[Midwest Michael]

I've never had a problem with anything in my cooler when crossing the border. On a technical level, I don't think they like you taking fruits and veggies, but its one of those things where its fairly unlikely that they would say anything, and even if they did, taking your food away would be about the worst thing that would happen.

In a nutshell, I wouldn't take a weeks worth of food across, but a small amount shouldn't be any problem at all.