taking a bus shopping trip to the usa

Oh, how I love to travel. And shop. Put the two together and you have one seriously unforgettable getaway. Which is precisely why the bus trip my mom and I took to the USA (specifically Erie, Pennsylvania) was so memorable. It all started very early on a Friday morning. We were up and waiting for the tour bus before 6:30 am had rolled around. We joined a large group of shoppers and drove for a couple of hours before stopping at the Canadian Duty Free. Then it was time to head over the border (where we were stopped for Remembrance Day as it was close to 11. We actually saw all of the border workers come together to stand in silence. Pretty amazing that even the border shuts down out of respect). From there? It was lots of driving, going over instructions, and planning out our day.

The first shopping stop was at Millcreek Mall. We were given a few hours to get our shop on before dropping our luggage off at the hotel and coming back for round two. It was a fun first day though there were certainly some high and low points. The good? Five Below (what an amazing store), Fuddruckers burgers (it was so good it was seriously mind blowing) and spending time with my mom (I love being around her). The not so good? Ulta (no Kardashian makeup....heart broken). By the time we got back to the hotel it was 9pm. We barely had time to watch a show and plan out the next day before we went to bed.

The second day was spent at the Gove City Outlet. Oh my! What a day that was. There were so many stores it was totally overwhelming. We found awesome things we would never be able to find in Canada (like the brand new Paris Hilton perfume) and Christmas gifts for a great price. My mom was even able to pick up some Michael Kors purses for incredible prices. It was a jam packed day full of shopping, shopping, and more shopping. After we all loaded back onto the bus we stopped at Cracker Barrel to eat dinner. I had never been there before so it was a really cool experience. The food was tasty and the gift shop was incredible. I wound up buying the Reba McEntire holiday CD that was exclusive to the restaurant. Neat!

The day didn't end there. Oh no...it was off to do even more shopping. We were dropped off in a plaza that had a few different stores but my mom and I were after Kohls. Why? Lauren Conrad. I absolutely love her and have since Laguna Beach. So I was eager to get my hands on something from her clothing line. I have seen pictures online for years and years but was never able to buy them myself. Everything was so beautiful and it was a super exciting experience. (Even if people thought I was crazy for taking pictures of the Lauren section.) I wound up buying a sweater and a couple of gorgeous accessories. Then we went back to the hotel to rest up for the next day of shopping.

It was another very full day. We were downstairs at 6:45 am to put our luggage on the bus, grab breakfast, and get going. The first stop was Wal-Mart (which had some seriously amazing Christmas stuff) and then Target (which is basically my favourite place ever). Then we drove back to the border, went through customs, and headed back into Canada. It was a long drive back but we stopped briefly to stretch our legs and grab food. Eventually, we were back at our original drop off point with very heavy suitcases and very empty wallets.

Honestly, it was a really wonderful weekend getaway. My mom and I had a blast shopping, talking, and being together. It was definitely something I needed...even if my bank account doesn't agree! These are some of the things that came home with me (minus gifts for my loved ones). There were ugly Christmas sweaters, movies, t-shirts, CDs, perfumes, holiday items, and well, a lot more. Take a look.

There is no doubt about it. This was by far my most memorable shopping trip. I had never taken a bus trip like this so it was definitely an interesting experience. The best part? Doing something totally out of the ordinary with my mom. I know she had a good time as well so that makes it even better.

Have you done any shopping lately?

xo Shannon