"Canadians Reevaluating U.S. Travel Amid Political Tensions"

On the first Sunday morning of Ontario's March Break, travellers experienced an unusual ease crossing into the United States from Canada. Typically, during peak travel weeks, border crossings into the U.S. can be mired in hour-long waits, particularly at popular entry points like the bridge to Buffalo, New York. Yet, on this particular day, crossing the border posed virtually no delay, taking merely five minutes.

This uncommon occurrence hinted at fewer Canadians embarking on their typical March Break trips South. While a U.S. border guard indicated that plenty of Canadian cars were passing through, official Statistics Canada figures highlight a clear decline in automobile trips into the U.S., with a significant 23-percent decrease in February return trips compared to the same month the previous year.

Travelling the length of New York State and on through Pennsylvania and West Virginia, observing license plates provided a rough gauge of travellers. Canadian cars proved noticeably sparse along the interstate, and at rest stop areas, American license plates greatly outnumbered Canadian ones throughout the entire drive to West Virginia.

Still, some travelling Canadians indicated confidence, undeterred by political debates or tension with the United States. Dennis Galley, from Drayton, Ontario, travelling with his 10-year-old daughter Charlotte, epitomized this viewpoint. Their trip to watch a rocket launch in Cape Canaveral, followed by a visit to Tampa Bay, had long been in their plans and they expressed excitement rather than concern. Although aware of conversations around potentially boycotting U.S. travel, Galley mentioned he was always inclined to support Canadian businesses while noting that his own parents were more strictly pro-Canada in their purchasing and travel preferences.

Continuing southward, seasonal changes and southern charm became increasingly noticeable. Fields grew greener, jackets came off, and local dialects shifted noticeably. A late-night stop at a hotel in Wytheville, Virginia revealed normal patterns—hotel staff continued to welcome Canadians and openly asked for Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) memberships, implying steady Canadian patronage despite the broader statistical decline.

The trip, designed to reexamine whether Canadians continue their annual trek toward warmer climates amid political tensions, now heads to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a traditional Canadian winter escape destination.