Totally Ot - Cross Border Shopping

[LoveDopey]

Does anyone know who operates the cross border shopping bus tours operating out of Edmonton and Calgary? The one I saw on the news goes to Spokane for the weekend. Thanks in advance for your help

 

[endy]

I saw a little ad in yesterday's Calgary Herald for trips to Great Falls. It didn't have a price and I can't remember the company name.

 

[albianne]

I saw the same news article, the bus had "Golden Arrow" written on the back of it, hope this helps. I just came upon your question because I am also headed down to do some cross border shopping and was wondering where to shop in Spokane, I usually just go to Great Falls.

albianne

 

[LoveDopey]

I hate to ask but can I hitch a ride. I have money burning a whole in my pocket plus I probably should think about buying some Christmas presents.

 

[albianne]

Gosh I am so sorry, I just got your message, and we have already been and come back. I forgot to check my email before we headed out but it was a bit of a rush getting out the door as we didn't get organized and decide to go until 6:00 pm on Saturday night.

We actually went to Great Falls instead of Spokane and we left the driveway at 7:12 and we were just pulling into Great Falls at midnight but what a mess, because we had not planned ahead we had no hotel room and believe it or not there were no rooms available anywhere in Great Falls. Every hotel was full of Albertans. We finally pulled into the TownHouse Inn at 12:30 and the clerk took pitty on us and told us that she had 2 rooms that had been reserved with credit cards but they still hadn't shown up and that at 1:00 she would give us one of those rooms. It was all very stressful. The next day the shopping was very busy, like Christmas.

On the way back on Monday we had to leave at 6:00 in the morning because the customs lady told us that the line at customs during peak periods was sometimes a 6 hour wait - can you believe it, luckily we beat the rush but talking to other Canadians in the shops and the malls they were all saying that they had relatives and friends that had waited 4-6 hours to cross which is nuts and takes all the fun out of it, if you know what I mean.

Sorry I wasn't able to help you out, if I decide to go back before Christmas I will pm you,

Albianne

 

[surfer_ed]

Anyone have a hotel reccomendation in Buffalo. Somewhere with a pool but not too much $$$. Thinking about going down boxing day.

 

[LoveDopey]

Albainne, how is shopping in Grand Forks? I was just wondering what department stores they have there. Please tell me they have a TJ Maxx. For that I'll convince my husband we need to go on a road trip.

 

[albianne]

Surfer Ed I can't help you with the hotel in Buffalo but I can suggest a great website where there are many Buffalo cross border shoppers who might know of a hotel, it is www.frugalshopper.ca just ask the question in the discussion forum under the chitchat column.

LoveDopey we went to Great Falls not Grand Forks but I really don't know about the TJ Max, I wonder if you just googled it would they possibly list all their locations. If you do go, I would try and do the drive during the week if possible and avoid the weekends because it can be so busy at the border crossing, also make sure you reserve your room ahead of time, it was almost a disaster for us. When we were faced with the fact that there was no vacancy anywhere it was awful to think that we either had to sleep in the car or turn around and drive the 5 hours home again.

albianne