Crossing Border on Canadian Thanksgiving?

[DutchsMommy]

We are flying out of BUF on Monday Oct 11th this year. This is Thanksgiving Day. I am wondering if anyone has experience crossing from Canada to the US on Thanksgiving Day? What about the day before (maybe we go the day before and stay over if the Monday is a border crossing nightmare?). We usually cross at the Peace Bridge - would you recommend this bridge or perhaps another one (if alot of people are crossing to shop on Thanksgiving Day maybe another bridge is less 'shopping centre' focused?). Any info would be appreciated.

 

[dvc deernut]

WE HAVE LIVED HERE ALL OUR LIVES. WE FLY OUT OF BUFFALO NEVER TORONTO. YOU DIDNT MENTION WHAT TIME YOUR FLIGHT WAS. ANYWAYS THE PEACE BRIDGE IS THE BEST WAY TO GO. MOST OF THE SHOPPERS USE THE QUEENSTON LEWISTON BRIDGE. IM ASSUMING YOU CAN TAKE 401. ITS NOT A WORKING DAY. IM ASSUMING YOUR ABOUT JUST LESS THAN 4 HOURS FROM FORT ERIE. THEN 20 MINUTES FROM PEACE BRIDGE TO THE HWY TO AIRPORT. THEN YOU COULD HAVE DELAY AT BORDER EVEN IF NOT BUSY. IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHATS HAPPENING AT BORDER. YOU MAY BE AT BORDER FOR ONLY 5 MIN IT DEPENDS. BECAUSE YOUR COMING FROM LONG WAY OFF I WOULD LEAVE THE DAY BEFORE. IF WE HAVE EARLY FLIGHT WE USUALLY STAY AT ONE OF THE HOTELS NEAR THE AIRPORT, MOST WILL INCLUDE PRICE OF LEAVING YOUR CAR AT THEIR HOTEL AND GIVE YOU SHUTTLE RIDE TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT. AT LEAST THEY DO WHERE WE HAVE STAYED EACH TIME. IF YOU GO THE DAY EARLIER AT LEAST YOU HAVE ALREADY GONE THRU CUSTOMS THE DAY BEFORE, NOW ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CHECK IN AND GO THRU SECURITY WHICH IS USUALLY FAIRLY FAST AT BUFFALO. MOST TIMES WE HAVE ARRIVED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN AN HOUR TO 2 HOURS BEFORE OUR FLIGHT. If YOU PARK YOUR CAR AT AIRPORT ITS 57 DOLLARS A WEEK. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS PLEASE ASK


PS MY DAD TAUGHT SCHOOL IN UXBRIDGE ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO, FOR A YEAR BEFORE COMING TO ST CATHARINES.

 

[DutchsMommy]

Thanks for the feedback. Our flight is not til 4pm so I would rather drive that day if possible and save the cost of the hotel.

Anyone else ever go across (for shopping or anything) on Canadian Thanksgiving who can comment on volume of traffic?

 

[dvc deernut]

Thanks for the feedback. Our flight is not til 4pm so I would rather drive that day if possible and save the cost of the hotel.

Anyone else ever go across (for shopping or anything) on Canadian Thanksgiving who can comment on volume of traffic?[/QUOTE

CAN DRIVE 5 MIN FROM MY HOUSE LOOK UP THE RIVER AND SEE CARS CROSSING THE QUEENSTON LEWISTON BRIDGE AND IF I CAN SEE NOT MUCH MOVEMENT I KNOW ITS BUSY. ITS NOT AS BAD AS IT USED TO BE BUT NOW THAT THE DOLLAR IS EVEN IT WILL GET BUSIER. WE GO OVER EVERYWEEK FOR DIFFERENT GROCERIES, WE USUALLY HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO 200 DOLLARS WORTH BUT NO BOOZE.
LIVING SO CLOSE WE PICK TIMES WHEN WE KNOW ITS NOT BUSY. LIKE THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. MOST TIMES UNLESS ITS PEAK TOURIST SEASON WE TAKE RAINBOW BRIDGE. WE KNOW THE BACKROADS OVER THERE. IF YOUR GOING OVER ANYWAY TO FLY AT 4pm MAKESURE YOU ARE AT AIRPORT AT LEAST HOUR AND HALF AHEAD. IF YOUR EARLY ENOUGH AND YOUR CROSSING PEACE BRIDGE YOU PASS WALDEN GALLERIA BIG MALL AND THERE ARE A FEW BIG BOX STORES THERE AND TOPS GROCERY.
WE LIKE WEGMANS GROCERY STORE. DEPENDING WHEN YOUR FLIGHT IS COMING HOME THATS A BETTER TIME TO SHOP. THATS WHAT WE DO BEFORE WE COME BACK ACROSS. THANKSGIVING WEEKEND IS BUSY BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE NOT FROM THE AEAR ARE CROSSING AND HEADING FOR THE OUTLET MALL. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS , WE ARE BOTH 55 AND HAVE LIVED HERE ALL OUR LIVES.