Advice please on the border crossing and accommodation

My wife and I want to visit the north shore of Lake Erie in early May to go birding. We are coming from Hartford in Connecticut. It has been suggested that the best route is to fly into Detroit cross to Windsor and start from there. Currently flights are into and out of Detroit. The exit is very early so we would want to be in Detroit overnight.

How practical does this sound? I have recently read that this is a busy and slow border crossing. Should/could we fly into Windsor itself and out from there to San Francisco for our flight home to Australia?

Suggestions for basic accommodation in Windsor and Detroit would be most welcome. I think we will have run out of money by then. ;-).

Definitely fly to Detroit. It will be a little cheaper of a flight as Windsor is not a major airport.
The border may not be that bad as it varies but could run up to an hour. Your best bet is to stay in a hotel near Point Pelee , perhaps in Kingsville or Leamington area, or perhaps Pelee Island. You could probably easily find a "B&B that would be more comfortable and less expensive too.

I agree that you should stick with a Detroit flight as the only flights into Windsor are from Toronto.

When you cross, I also recommend taking the tunnel to Windsor and returning via the bridge only because the US-bound traffic on the bridge has a great view of the skyline.

How much time are you planning to spend in Detroit? If you're going to see any of the sights there, you can stay downtown. There's the Marriott, Courtyard and the new Sheraton and MGM Grand Casino. The Art Institute just reopened in November after a complete makeover and the Motown Museum is worthy of a visit.

If you're just stopping on the way to the airport, I'd recommend Dearborn. There are several hotels there in all price categories as well as lots of restaurants and good shopping. You could also visit The Henry Ford, an indoor/outdoor museum complex that has a top-notch transportation collection including all the presidental limousines and several historic buildings that were moved from their original sites.

Wow ...I had a response written and it seems to have vanished........

I'm a birder and have birded Pelee and area many times over the years.

How long do you plan to stay in that area and do you have an particular species / families you are looking for? I presume the Warblers are near the top of your list.

cheers

Jerry

Thanks for all the advice.

Jerry, the Warblers are on the top of the list but it will not be a frantic birding trip. It is the end of a long holiday and we want to spend a bit of time together rather than with friends and family as we will have done in other countries.

Citylights, thanks for the detail.

How does the crossing work if one is using a taxi or public transport? We usually cross borders at airports except in Europe where it happens on the train.

Not sure how cabs cross the border now. It used to be they drove through like any other vehicle and you paid the meter charge, a premium plus the tolls in both directions. Not sure now they do it now since proof of citizenship is required and many cab drivers probably don't carry that regularly.

There is a bus that goes through the tunnel. It leaves from the Windsor bus terminal and stops at various locations around Detroit. Heading to the US, the bus stops at the CPB station in the tunnel plaza and all the passengers disembark for inspection. They come out the other door, reboard and the bus continues its route. However, if one person has a problem, it delays the entire bus. It's been a while since I took the bus into Windsor, but I'm sure the procedure is similar there.

The bus fare is $3.75 each way. Check www.dwtunnel.com for route maps and schedules.

You probably want to rent a car in Detroit. Getting to Lake Erie by taxi would cost an arm and a leg.

Thanks,
I might try the bus and take my chances.