Any one ever gone to the USA for Black Friday?

[alohamom]

For quite a few years now I have been wanting to go to the USA for Black Friday.

My cousins went 3 years ago and ended up buying waaaay more than they had planned. All great prices but tons of stuff they didnt actually need or was on their lists.

My Aunt went last year as she happened to be down in Alabama anyway on vacation and she had a blast. She had lost some weight and needed news clothes so she was able to update her wardrobe at a decent price as well as get some gifts here and there.

I am thinking about taking a day trip over to Buffalo on the Thursday. There are a few things in the "leaked" BF ads that are of interest to me and I kind of want to just experience it once. I have the time and a little bit of extra $$$ this year to do it so I think the only thing that might stop me is if the weather is bad. The exchange rate is also in the back of mind too.

My only concern is missing out on any online travel deals but they tend to be on the actual Friday. I have gotten some killer deals over the past few years on hotels and airfare.

-Has any one here gone over to the USA just for Black Friday?
-What was your experience like?
-Did you have a game plan?
-Was it worth it?

What I dont want to do is end up buying a bunch of stuff I have no need for (this is probably what will happen tho LOL)

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Well, last time I went the dollar was waaayyy better. But the crowds were insane and crazy LOL

Personally, I wouldn't bother now, especially since we pretty much have access to all the same stores. I will say that jackets, shoes, sneakers, sports gear can all be really cheap compared to Canada, even with the exchange.

And make sure your budget doesn't get gobbled up in hotels/motels!

 

[alohamom]

And make sure your budget doesn't get gobbled up in hotels/motels!

This is true, I really was not planning on staying overnight but I might.

One time a few years ago my bff organized a trip for about 6 people and they all crammed into a room so it worked out to about 20/person with gas! She asked me to go then but I could not fit it into my schedule

 

[FigmentSpark]

You know when you travel to the U.S. and you see these malls with HUGE parking lots that are maybe half filled on a busy day? They built those HUGE lots for Black Friday. If you go, go very early or you might not find parking.

 

[AdamsMum]

By mistake once, booked a bus trip to NYC with my mom who was in her 70s at the time. I didn't realize until after it was booked that we would be there on Black Friday. It was madness. Macy's looked like a bomb had gone off. You couldn't move on the sidewalks of NYC. And there was a crash on the road to Peace Bridge on Sunday night when we were returning, we were rerouted to Rainbow and waited 5 hours in line with other tour buses to get across. We still enjoyed it because the trip included two sightseeing tours and a dinner cruise, but wow, I've never seen so many people. Mind you I've never been to Disney on Christmas. Sorry, this isn't very helpful to you, but your post just brought back this memory. Enjoy your trip, I hope you find some bargains.

 

[ottawamom]

These days I find the stores here in Canada have some pretty amazing deals on Black Friday. Unless you're going across the border for stores we don't have here I wouldn't bother. By the time you factor in gas/hotel/food and exchange you're probably not ahead much. Now if you're going across for a get-away and it just happens to be that weekend then that changes things. Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse could be calling my name.

 

[deedubb]

After seeing the mayhem they call Black Friday (on Youtube videos), you couldn't pay me enough to go shopping there that day. Add in the fact that our dollar is in the dumper and every Canadian retailer has jumped on the Black Friday bandwagon, I would just stay in Canada and shop.

 

[starvenger]

One time my wife (at the time just my gf) and I were in Vancouver (mid-00s), and we went to visit Seattle on Black Friday. It was actually a good time to explore the city since people were either shopping or had turkey hangovers. Bustling, but not crazy busy.

Anyway, we did stop at the outlet mall on the way back and some of the stores looked like a tornado came through them. Still, some decent deals to be found at that time.

But after seeing the aftermath of Black Friday, I’m likely to just avoid and wait for the “cyber” follow ups - or just wait until Boxing Day.

 

[Micharlotte]

On top of exchange expect to pay duty unless you have plans to stay for 48 hours. They tend to pull everyone over on Black Friday. We got pulled over once because we had gone over our limit by about $100 after being there for the 48 hours. I went every year before the dollar ranked and retailers here realized they could make way more doing sales before Christmas.

 

[alohamom]

Thanks for all the input everyone.

If I do it, it will impulsively and just to experience it.

@ottawamom Dinosaur BBQ is on my list of restaurants that I want to get to in the US and there is one in Buffalo. Thanks for the reminder!

I was kind of thinking of going on the Thursday(actual holiday) but I am now seeing more and more retailers CLOSE that day or dont open until late in the day. Target opens at 5 and Kohls just a little earlier. I was hoping to shop that day and not really be there for the Friday so I can do online shopping at home.

hmmmm-just going to think it through and make my mind up closer to the day. Thank you all for your input, it totally helps!

 

[dancin Disney style]

I went once and will never do it again. If you want any of the big promo items you need to be in line at the stores probably by 3am. People literally line up all night and it can get nasty. Places like Kohls or Target will be wall to wall people....no joke, think shoulder to shoulder crowd inside the store. The cash lines can be over an hour wait.

 

[StarSeven7]

I live in Ontario now but I'm from Michigan and I go back home every year for American Thanksgiving and shop with my mom and sisters for Black Friday. We've been doing it for probably 20 years now! (Yikes, I feel old! Hahaha!) It's definitely busy and you will wait in long lines to check out, but it's really not as crazy and chaotic as people make it out to be. Everything's pretty organized and we have a ton of fun doing it. We will often take turns waiting in line while some of us continue shopping. I would check out all the ads before hand and make sure there are things that you definitely want. Kohl's usually has some really good deals but most of them you can get online if you want to avoid actually going to the store. If you go, pack your patience and you will have fun!

 

[pigletto]

We live pretty close to the border and can get to PA easily where there is no tax on clothing . We’ve booked a hotel in Erie for Friday night and Saturday night . I used points I had left over from traveling this summer so hotel didn’t cost me anything.
We are going to shop Black Friday here in Canada and get the things we want here. Then we will shop in Erie on Saturday and Grove City outlets on Sunday. I’ve watched prices and made lists so I know what I’m willing to spend on the things I’m looking for. I’ll avoid any craziness by shopping here on Friday, and still be able to take advantage of the weekend sales in the States.
I feel like everyone I know around here goes over. A good friend went last year to Kohl's and the Walden Galleria . She and her friend took turns in the line while the other one shopped and they both said they didn’t encounter any craziness. YMMV.

 

[Sue M]

We live in Vancouver. I’ve done it a few times with a girlfriend. We’d go to the Premium Outlets and a mall in that area. Stay overnight. Then next day head to Seattle and stay overnight. We found some good deals, and split the cost of hotel. I think you get a higher amount you can bring back on 48 hrs.

In a couple of weeks I’m flying into LA on Black Friday to go to DL. Maybe DTD will have some good sales!

 

[BLAZEY]

Nope, but I live on a island so any savings to be had would be eaten up by ferry cost just getting off the island. I might if I was already in the US at the time, but I wouldn't make a special trip just for that purpose.

 

[LSmith]

It's not worth it with the dollar now.

 

[KCMA]

I have been a few times and with many Canadian stores offering Black Friday deals I don’t go there specifically for Black Friday anymore...but we do go 4/5 times a year to Watertown Ny for some shopping and they have hotels with Canadian money at par.. the money exchange isn’t great. I do find it still worth it.. you just have to be more selective in what you buy.. worse case I can get some cheap beer.. cheap gas.. Dunkin Donuts and eat at a few different restaurants we don’t have here

 

[gypsy_at_heart]

I’ve went many times as I’m not that far from the border, but honestly... it’s hardly ever worth it. Lots of gas, too many people, LOTS of shoving and pushing and grumpy people. I’ve bought stuff, but I feel I’ve got better deals online from home.