I call my bank and order them ahead of tine,, 24 to 48 hours. Depends on the bank,, i hear the currency exchange places will also order low notes for you
I've never seen the point of a Canadian converting Can$ to US$ to tip a Mexican whose Walmart prefers pesos and doesn't give change for US$. Doesn't matter what denomination of Pesos you have. You can just go to the front desk and ask them to make change for whatever you have. We generally tip 20 pesos a shot, more for meals. Like Donald said, it's $1.66. It's not big money. It doesn't hurt to say thanks here and there for $1.66. Don't try to spend $Can. Nobody wants it. and even tho Can$ is at par with $US, nobody down there thinks so and you'll be offered an exchange rate that's about 30% wrong.
We always exchange our currency at the airport before departing, this way we don't forget it at home with all the furry of packing everything. We find the airport gives you a better exchange than our bank also, not much but every dollar counts
One branch of my bank always stocks 20 and 50 peso notes, no problem. I found last time I got the same exchange rate at the bank and the currency exchange place at the mall. But we found our friend got a way better exchange rate at the ATM down there. Not sure what she paid in withdrawal fees though.
If you live close to the border, see if there is a place in a border town where you can have packages shipped. We live near NY state and we actually have a Post Office box in the nearest NY town for that reason. If you live near the border, just let your bank know ahead that you want US ones and they will save them for you. At least mine did. US currency is used a lot here so they always have some on hand. When we lived up north it was harder and you had to really order your US cash.
In Vancouver, we have a place that exchanges all currencies at a better rate that anywhere else. It's called the Vancouver Bullion and Currency Exchange on Granville at about 10th. Check it out, Vancouverites. Be aware that the lineups are long on Saturdays. Vancouver Bullion & Currency Exchange I always bring a big stack of US $1 bills. I think I will bring pesos this time since they are plasticized, smaller, and preferred by the locals according to the posters above.
yeah I usually just use Califorex to exchange $200 CAD into USD and pesos. Just easier to do it in Canada than to worry about it down there.
Hockey mom shops Wicked Weasel...only about $13 cdn to ship the whole order. As others have said 20 pesos...you can order them at the money exchange in any mall. May take a day or 2. Or just get them at the hotel. Decent exchange usually. Take care fellow Canuck!