A Montreal Winter Adventure for the Whole Family
A few days in Montreal during Winter can go further than expected. It’s a little more difficult to enjoy the walkable city aspect in the cold (with kids) but there are plenty of ways to get around that and not be disappointed. We relaxed a bit also, more than I normally would on a trip and we still managed to knock off quite a few things on my crazy list.
20 Ways to Enjoy a Montreal Winter Adventure
1. I’d recommend a stay at the DoubleTree By Hilton Montreal, for the cookies and ease of access to the subway, the Underground City, Montreal, and the Complexe Desjardins. It was nice being able to park in the Complexe garage, it kept the car warm and it smelled good for some reason. Maybe, it’s just us but we couldn’t recall a parking lot that smelled like that before. We were able to park and go right up to the hotel lobby. Although, the layout might be confusing at first but if you find the hotel faster than we did, you should be fine. We’re blaming it on construction and tired minds.
2. It’s also a great place to relax, because baby, it’s cold outside.
3. Eggspectation Complexe Desjardins is easy to get to within the Complexe – we enjoyed the good service and good food.
4. Take a short walk to the Barbie Expo– FREE inside Les Cours Mont-Royal.
5. Be sure to pose by a giant handbag or shoe while you’re there.
6. Sample some Poutine – It’s everywhere!
It would be hard NOT to find it on the menu somewhere. Before I got there, I swore I wouldn’t. I really couldn’t grasp the idea of fries with gravy and cheese curds on it, but when in Quebec, do as the Quebecois.
7. Grab some Canadian moolah out of one of the nearby ATM’s so you can keep trying to calculate how much you’re really spending.
8. Definitely visit Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History– stroll thru North America’s first collector sewer called the Memory Collector.
9. Walk on a glass floor overlooking the remains of Fort Ville-Marie Where Montreal Began, watch the coolest light show illuminating the remains and telling their story.
10. Be a Privateer.
11. If you make it there before April 28, 2019, you can chill on the set of La Petite Vie, even without knowing much about the show, we could appreciate this special treat. If you can relate, I suspect it would be like walking through the set of Married with Children (one of the longest running shows) or the Love Boat (for 70’s reference).
12. Daytrip to Quebec City – tour Old Quebec and Quartier Petit Champlain (First French Settlement) pose with ice sculptures, eat at one of the many restaurants – we chose Sapristi, as you stroll down a snow covered cobblestone street.
13. Make a stop at Montmorency Falls or just drive past way too fast to get a picture.
14. Stand on the Quai Chouinard.
15. Back in Montreal, don’t forget to at least drive thru Mont Royal (again, too fast for pictures but lovely even covered in snow.)
16. Get a smoked meats sandwich at Schwartz’s
17. Tour some of the Montreal’s outstanding murals.
18. Tour the Basilique Notre-Dame $8 adults, $5 for 7 – 17, and FREE for children under 6.
19. Admire the Gates of China-Town and some pretty nice murals.
20. Try to get a little closer to Habitat 67 than we did.
It wound up being an afterthought that I spotted a little too late.
The few that I didn’t get to see but they’re on my list for next time:
SOS Labyrinthe – Vieux-Port de Montréal
And if I happen to return in summer, there’s plenty of parks that I’d have to go enjoy.
