I'm German citizen, planned to visit my gf in US and my ESTA wasn't authorized. I think I did stupid mistake while applying, didn't check properly my answers, contacted ESTA authorities to fix mistake but was told to apply for a visa anyway and not to try to re-apply for ESTA. So I had to cancel my travel plans, because visa takes several weeks for ESTA denied people, so embassy told me. So at that time my gf visited me in Germany as it was easier.
Now I'm in Canada (Montreal) for business and my gf is in New York. I still want to visit her in US and meet her family for 3-5 days. I want to travel by bus.
I know that by law if I cross by land, EU citizen doesn't need ESTA nor visa. That's the rule. But I have ESTA denied in my record if I login, and I don't know if I can still go to US by land? Do they verify your ESTA status at canadian border and is it legal to go to US in my case?