34 of the Best Things to do in Montreal Canada
Montreal, Canada
Intro
In honor of Father's Day I am writing my latest blog post on Montreal, Canada. My parents are planning a trip to the City of Saints (known for many of the street names starting with 'Saint') for five nights and six days.
Montreal is located in the Canadian country in the North American region. Montreal is a great place to visit all year round, but with the weather over the spring and summer, it is just delightful to see during warmer months. Being able to stroll down the Lachine Canal and through old Montreal, grab some food in the Jean-Talon Market, or go for a hike through Mount Royal Park; these are some of the best things around downtown Montreal. The only issue is there is so much to see and do in one of Canada's most dense cities, my parents like I’m sure many others, didn't know where to start with planning so that they optimize their six days in the city.
I went to the city of Montreal for a long weekend my sophomore year of college with an organized group through the university, so several of my friends and I decided to go. It is such a great city to visit whether a teen looking for adventure or a family wanting to see the sights! I went to university in upstate New York, which was a little over a four hour drive to Montreal, so my school coordinated two coach buses to take the sophomores and juniors that signed up for the getaway. I was supposed to go in the sophomore bus but there wasn't enough room so me and a few friends rode on the juniors bus. Luckily so, as when we got to the border, a student on the sophomore bus didn't have the proper documentation to cross the border and held that bus up for several hours. One things I always recommend is to ensure you have your passport or appropriate documentation you need to travel to your destination. I also strongly recommend checking the countries visa requirements. There have been a few counties I visited that I was unaware I needed a visa in addition to my passport and fortunately checked in enough time. If you are a US Citizen with a US Passport, a visa is not required. I am not a government official so please do your homework wherever you go abroad.
When I visited Montreal in college, I only stayed for three nights and did much of what 19 year old American college students do, drinking and everything they probably shouldn't or couldn't do. We went to bars, whereas we were still two years to young to drink legally in the US. We went to Casino de Montreal and we went to a strip club because that's where you wind up at 19 when most of the people in your group are are guys.
Street Art - Montreal, Canada
I am in a different phase in my life now then when I visited Montreal in college. I am more interested in parks, hiking, nature, museums, and great food. I also am always in search of the best free things to do in cities. Taking a walking tour for art lovers to check out the local street art and beautiful architecture, finding an annual festival with low or no cost for entrance, or walking around trendy neighborhoods to stumble across a great spot. I find wandering around a city is a great way to spend at least part of a vacation...as long as I don't stumble on the cobblestone streets walking down the European style narrow streets in Montreal.
When I was younger, I spent all my vacations visiting bigger cities. They are typically easier to get to and have more to do, especially if a solo traveler. As I have gotten older and more well traveled, I have equally enjoyed spending some time in small towns and rural areas. A lot of times bigger cities are built for tourists, where you really learn about a country, their people, customs, and food in the small towns. Also, smaller towns have some of the best views in addition to fun things to do.
Montreal Architecture - Canada
I put a list together of some of the best places to visit when in the beautiful city of Montreal. You can take a short walk around downtown Montreal and hit many of the cities top attractions, but even if you don't have a car, Montreal's public transportation is pretty ample with trains and buses running frequently. If nature is your thing, Montreal has it all from the Montreal Botanical Garden to Parc Jean Drapeau, Parc Du Mont-Royal, and Parc La Fontaine. There are a ton of green spaces in this city center with beautiful gardens and beautiful views. You can also take Montreal's ferris wheel called La Grande roue de Montreal, which is the perfect place to witness the beautiful scenery of the whole city.
Places to Eat
Time Out Market Montreal: 400,000 sq ft market in central Montreal with eateries and drinks
Hotel William Gray’s Terrasse: Restaurant with Heated Rooftop Domes
Atwater Cocktail Club: 90s themed dive bar - Ranked one of North America’s top 50 Bars
Arthur’s Nosh Bar: Known for French Toast for Brunch
Crew Collective Cafe: in the Old Royal Bank of Canada - Gilded Age Décor
Aux Quartiers Belle Gueule: Montreal Biggest Beer Garden
Schwartz’s Deli: One of the oldest restaurant in Montreal
Montreal Breweries & Wine tours
Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
Outdoor Activities
Foresta Lumina: Multimedia Forest light show in Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook
Mont-Royal Mountain: City Park
Tropical Rainforest Montreal Biodome: Zoo & Aquarium with 4 different ecosystems
Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park: Largest Park on the western part of the island
Le Vieux Montréal /Old Montreal: Section of Town Sites - Place d’Armes, Montreal City Hall, Bonsecours Market, Saint Paul Street, Pointe-à-Callière, Château Ramezay, Notre Dame, Old Port, Phi Center, Centre d’Histoire de Montréal
Quartier des Spectacles: Arts and entertainment section of town
St. Lawrence River Boat Tour
Sights
Phi Center (Multidisciplinary Arts Centre)
Musee d’art (Art Museum)
Montreal Underground City: Subterranean tunnels running throughout Downtown
La Grande Roue de Montreal: Montreal’s Ferris Wheel
St. Joseph’s Oratory: Church
Les Cours Mont-Royal (Barbie Expo)
Cite Memoire (Largest Outdoor Video Projection Installation)
Cobblestone Streets - Montreal, Canada
Entertainment
MTelus (Performing Arts Center)
Cinémathèque Québécoise (Free Outdoor Performances, Festivals, Screenings)
Conclusion
Montreal is the perfect place to spend your Canadian vacation. From strolling down the botanical gardens to catching a boat out of the Old Port to cruise down the St Lawrence River, grabbing some of the best food at an open-air market and the monthly festival with hundreds of food trucks to exploring Montreal’s underground city. This city won’t disappoint!
If you are planning on spending some extended time in Canada, check out my Vancouver blog.
Mont Royal - Montreal, Canada