Montreal is beautiful French-Canadian city. I was expecting people to speak French, but was surprised to see that literally everything is in French. It was only an hour and a half flight, but really felt like we had escaped to Europe for the weekend.
Top 5 – Montreal
1 – Old Montreal
Old Montreal really does feel like you are somewhere in small town Europe. The buildings are old and have tons of character, the streets are cobblestone and everything is in French. It’s so nice to walk, not only through the town, but also along the waterfront path. We didn’t have time, but renting a bike to ride along the waterfront would be a nice way to spend some time as well. There are lots of restaurants, bars, shops and things to do and see. It’s a beautiful part of Montreal and definitely worth spending at least one day exploring.
2- Quebec City Day trip
I’m aware Quebec City is not Montreal, but it was a day trip from Montreal so I’m going to include it in my Top 5. We booked the tour through Viator the day before, and I’m so glad we did. It was a 3 hr drive from Montreal, but the guide gives you lots of info along the way and you make a quick stop half way for a bathroom/snack break coming and going to break up the ride. The tour stops at the Montmorency Falls, which is 80 ft higher than Niagara Falls, but much less grand. We stopped for a few minute to take some pictures, which was really all we needed, then headed into Quebec City. If you are near the falls in warm weather and have some extra time, you may want to look into the zipline that goes over the falls for something fun and adventurous to do.
Once we arrived in Quebec City a local guide took us on a tour of the city, before leaving us with several hours of free time to explore on our own. The day trip also offers the option to purchase a boat ride along the river, which we did, but decided to not use to have more time to explore the city. We had a great lunch, walked all around the upper and lower towns and did some shopping before heading back to Montreal. Quebec City is so picturesque and I would highly recommend spending some time here if you can manage when visiting Montreal. It’s a perfect day trip that makes you feel like you are wandering through small town Europe.
3 – Microbreweries
Montreal has tons of microbreweries. I don’t drink beer but I always love brewery food and can usually find a cider on the menu. We visited 3 Brasseurs, Bier Market and Dundee’s on our trip. All had great selections of their own beers, but many other local, domestic and international beers and ciders to choose from. If you’re a beer drinker, spend a little time mapping out some of them in advance so you don’t waste time looking on Google while you’re there.
4 – Food
We knew when visiting Montreal we had to try their 3 famous food items….poutine, smoked meat and a Montreal bagel. We were successful in finding all of them. My favorite was the bagel. Apparently a Montreal bagel is boiled in honey sweetened water and has a larger hole in the middle vs a New York bagel. I’m a big fan of my NYC bagels and I won’t agree that Montreal bagels are better, but they are really good and I’d suggest trying one at some point during your stay.
I’m not a huge meat eater but the smoked meats were tasty. We ordered the lean meat brisket, served like a turkey club, but swapping the turkey for the brisket. We ate at Dunn’s, but the other famous spot is Schwartz’s. Try one of them out during your trip if you are a meat eater.
Poutine you can literally find anywhere. We decided that although fries, cheese curds and gravy are all great as individual foods, we didn’t particularly love them together. The fries get soggy and it’s a really heavy dish. That being said, you have to eat poutine at least once on any trip to Canada. Check out my other post on Traveling Quebec for more restaurant recommendations.
5 – Zipline
Montreal has the first urban zipline in all of Canada, right in the Old Port. We paid $30 (Canadian dollars, $24ish USD) for the Quick Jump (an 80 ft drop from a platform attached to a bungee cord) and one run on the zipline. The quick jump was only a few seconds free falling, then they lower you the rest of the way to the ground. However, standing on the edge of the platform waiting for it to release under you is terrifying…but exhilarating. The zipline was also quick, but it was fun; with nice views of the city while flying through the air.
Honorable Mention
We happened to stumble upon a The Barbie Expo on our last day in Montreal. It was rainy and we were looking for something to do inside, so this fit the bill. It was also free, which made it even more appealing. It is the biggest collection of Barbie dolls in the world, over 1000. Designer dolls, dolls from different eras and countries around the world, celebrity barbies and lots of others. It was something different and great for anyone who loves/ed Barbies at some point in their life.
Montreal is a great place for a weekend get-a-way. It’s conveniently located and a very quick flight from New York. There is culture, nightlife, adventure and great food and drinks….a little something for everyone. Au revoir Quebec, you were lovely!
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