I was thinking some of the same questions...
My Credit Union does not deal with any foreign exchange issues at all, so I visited one of the local banks. I found that TD Bank has the best capabilities. For a basic checking account with a $100 balance I can buy/sell Canadian currency with no exchange fees. They also provide a VISA/Debit card that is good not only in the US but also in many ATM's in Canada. In addition, there are no fees or exchange fees while doing this since TD US is part of TD Canada. It apparently is treated as one big system. The helpful bank person even told me that if I close the account within 30 days there won't even be an account maintenance fee of $5.99.
I think I'm going to open the account, throw some travel money in there, get some Canadian Cash, travel and not worry as much as I was.
