Inspired somewhat by this thread, I’ll be spending roughly a week in Montreal the last week of July and would love any suggestions of any sort on things to see or do or eat or general travel tips (we have some French and there’s always Google translate but still). I’ve not spent any time in that part of Canada, so it will all be new to me.
We will have time to do day trips, so the rest of the province is fair game. No real restrictions, other than time and the hotel will be in Montreal itself so overnights won’t really be a possibility. Indoors/outdoors aren’t a problem, no food restrictions, love museums and cultural tourism, and while extreme sports are out, moderate hiking/climbing/rafting aren’t an issue either.
We’ve got some ideas cooking already but I always like getting firsthand experience and suggestions
As a child I vacationed once at Mont Tremblant, which is a day trip out of Montreal. They have a big year round ski resort there, I’m not sure if you consider that an extreme sport. But I’m sure they also have scenic hiking or cycling routes. I was there in winter but I think in the summer they do canoeing, rock climbing, horseback riding, you name it.
It’s been years since I was there, but I found Montreal to be a great city just for walking around. Lots of nightlife, if that’s your thing, but also pleasant just to explore neighborhoods. Old Montreal of course, and there you also have plenty of little artisty shops and galleries.
The Redpath Museum (on the campus of McGill) is very fun if you like 19-century style natural history museums (I certainly do). I see that it’s currently closed indefinitely because of the pandemic, but most museums seem to be opening up again this summer, so maybe there’s hope before you go. McGill is a great campus to walk around, anyway (when I was last there, my then-teen daughter became convinced for almost a year afterwards that McGill was her first choice for college. She didn’t end up there, but it would have made a good choice).
One super touristy thing that we did that was much more fun than I expected was the jet-boat ride on the river. It was very beautiful for much of the ride, and thrilling for some of it with lots of bouncing around and sensation of speed. If you like roller coasters and that kind of thing, and don’t mind getting soaking wet (really, soaking, drenched), especially for young kids, it’s great fun (my daughter LOVED it. My wife refused to board).
I’ve been to Montreal a couple of times, and almost everyone speaks English. I drove to Quebec City and got gas in a small town half way, and nobody spoke English. In Quebec City, almost everyone spoke English.
I do recommend Quebec City, as it is an interesting town with a European flavor. I’m not sure it would fit in your plans though as it is a few hours drive away.
Schwartz’s serves poutine? Oh how the mighty have fallen. The smoked meat sandwiches are divine, although maybe not worth it to stand in line outside on a hot day waiting to get seated. Go at 3 PM if you can to avoid that.
The last week in July will include the construction holiday when all construction in the city closes for two weeks and things quiet down as anyone with a family member in the construction trade will want the same two weeks off.
The art museum always has interesting special shows. I very much enjoy the transit museum on the south shore. And the historical museum at Pointe à Callière is also very interesting.
I was just there. It was a bit crowded because it was during the F1 Grand Prix but I was able to escape the crowds by visiting random neighborhoods. The public transportation was pretty good. I bought a day pass for IIRC $10, which gave me unlimited rides on the metro and busses, including the bus that took me back to the airport from downtown. Google knew where the busses were so I could minimize standing around waiting when it was hot.
I’d go back. This was a short trip and lighter on museums than I’d like.
Thanks all, Schwartz’s sounds really good. And a day trip out to Quebec City is in the cards.
No worries about the language barrier. We’ve been to small towns in Italy, France, Japan, Latin America, and the north of England. So far, a lack of (comprehensible) English has not been a problem.
Lines don’t sound great, but it’s going to hit 100 here today with overnight lows around 80 with ridiculous humidity. A ‘hot’ day up there sounds divine right now!
I doubt Schwartz’s offers a lot of dairy for some reason. Still a great place.
Try to go during the comedy or jazz festivals which offer great talent and atmosphere.
Watch out where the huskies go. And don’t you eat that yellow snow.
Consider reservations for good restaurants. Some of the more lauded used to be La Toque, Joe Beef, La Banquise and L’Express. Consult an up to date list.
Some very nice museums and art galleries if that is your thing. If not, maybe the Comedy Museum is still a thing?
Drinking on Crescent Street or Saint Laurent, for anglophones, used to be a thing. For more authenticity, maybe opt for St. Denis or Metcalfe if downtown? This advice may be out of date.
Quebec has a lot of beautiful outdoor areas. Plenty of canoeing, boating, fishing, sports.
Quebec City and Old Montreal have lots of scenic spots. Weather in the summer may be hot and humid. The Subway system in Montreal is safe and efficient, with all the cars on wheels.
A thread I started on the topic, a few years ago. Not just Montreal (as we were visiting both there, and Quebec City), but definitely some good suggestions.
We happened to arrive in Montreal on a Monday that was some kind of holiday, and it was a bit tough to find a place to have dinner. Might have been easier had we been in the city itself; we were in a suburb of sorts, Longueuil - convenient for us, as it was walking distance to a commuter hub including the subway.
The botanical garden was great, though we managed to find the longest possible route to get from point A to point B at any given time, and the paths were not well signed. I was proud of myself for being able to ask a staff member directions, in French.
In the touristy areas, you’ll find that most people speak a fair bit of English (though someone I asked, when we were using an ATM, did not). More rural areas, possibly not as much; we stopped in Trois Rivieres for dinner en route to Quebec City, and didn’t hear any English; ditto a couple years later when we took a VERY rural route back from QC and stopped in a tiny town for a snack.
We did a whale-watching tour, but we were in QC at the time, not Montreal; it was a 3 hour ride to get there, so it wouldn’t be terribly practical from Montreal, I imagine.