Originally Posted by WHBM
...The most effective route is just to open a foreign currency account at your local bank. Bank accounts do not just have to be in your own national currency (many businesses have a whole range of different foreign currency accounts). Transfer across the funds, which will go at today's rate, and then just collect them when you travel....
Generally speaking, this is a great advise. I have had a $-account at my German Bank, and I have an Euro account at a UK off-shore bank.
When he buys/exchanges $ to Euros he has to pay $1.3222 today. To get Euros (notes in hand), he has to pay $1.3722, may be more!
However, the truth is, a "ordinary" local bank in the US don't know what you are talking about. The branch of say Bank of America in Florida is not run like the BoA in SFO or NYC with international money "management".
If you want this, you have to deal with HSBC, Citi Bank, Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, UBC in their international branch in MIA, NYC, SFO
BTW, some of this small banks don't even have a SWIFT address!