There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding entering Canada or crossing the border into Canada so here it's what I know: You can no longer cross the Canada-U.S. border using only a driver's licence. You will also need to present either a U.S. Passport, NEXUS Card, FAST card or U.S. Passport Card. As a US citizen, you are not required a passport to enter Canada but will need a birth certificate and a photo ID. Hope that clears things
It depends on your age, too. Children too young for a state issued ID can still use their birth certificate. If you're over 16, I think, you need to have proper I.D. You can get a passport or passport card (good for US, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean) at the post office. It's not that hard to get those. But it does take some time and some money. If you live in a border state, like Washington, Michigan, or Maine, you can get an enhanced driver's license that proves you're a U.S. citizen.
Yep, you need to carry two forms of identification: proof of citizenship and proof of identity. By the way, US driver's licenses are valid in Canada so no need to get an International Driving Permit.
Entering canada is not so much a headache..it's getting back to the US that it's a nightmare. Dont make the mistake of not carrying a passport. Enhanced driver's license wont cut it with the border control thugs.
I recently drove through Canada from Washington to Alaska with firearms. I had my passport, along with a firearms declaration form and they didn't even search my vehicle. Coming out of Canada into Alaska was even quicker. I was expecting to be at the borders for at least an hour over the firearms, but they were quite quick and very nice. I'm sure that's not always the case.