We are Californians visiting son in college in mid March, not thinking straight got a non-refundable hotel reservation in Montreal for 3 nights for $400. My husband thinks he can drive from Syracuse to Montreal in 5 hours, and I am saying the roads might be snowed in/closed, and mountainous. I say blow the $400 and go in the summer and do our one time in Montreal/Quebec right. Any suggestions?

Well, don't worry about mountains.

The easy way is to drive north out of Syracuse toward and through Watertown New York and proceed north to the Ivy Lea bridge across the St. Lawrence river.

This gets you into Canada a few miles east of the city of Kingston.

From the border, follow the signs that take you along the shoreline of the St. LAwrence for a few miles, (do this just for the scenery) and then you'll merge onto highway 401, going east. This takes you right to MOntreal, more or less. (The highway name chances when you get into Quebec, and thre's a fork in the road to take you eithr to downtown Montreal, which you probably want, or to the north edge of the city.

Five hours is probably a bit short, dpending on defining when you arrive. At the west edge on Montral, or at the front door of your hotel? There's an hour right there.

Anyway, six hours is a safe estimate.

These highways are travelled by thousands of people on most days of the winter with no problems at all.

But sometimes there are storms.

BAK

You are certainly a lot safer from storms in mid-March than in mid-January, but you can still encounter one...can you wait and cancel only when you can see the 10-day forecast?

Yes, to that 5 1/2 - 6 hour estimate all-in and to heck with the weather worries. It could just as easily be glorious with bright, crisp and thats not a bad drive. I like the Adirondacks route myself but it does take a bit longer.

Although March can be still rather cold and snowy, I wouldn't worry about roads being closed due to weather. It's major 4 lane express highway pretty well the whole way. We lived near Philadelphia for several years and drove back to visit "home" in Toronto area regularly, including in the winter, often through Syracuse along the same route described by BAK (except turning west when we reached Highway 401 instead of east as you will). The highways might be slippery and slow going "if" a major snowfall happens to be occurring just as you're travelling, but there are lots of snow ploughs which operate throughout and after any storms.
Google maps claims it's 4 hours from Syracuse to Montreal, but perhaps, as other posters suggest, that is a bit optimistic especially as traffic in Montreal can be slow. Try to avoid arriving during weekday rush hours if you can.

There is about 4 hours net driving time from Syracuse to Montreal driving at about 65miles per hour. You need to add some time for the border crossing and rest stops.

As for weather, it will never stop you (pretty much flat terrain) but it can certainly slow you down. Hopefully you

March is still winter in Montreal by everybody else's standards. For us it the beginning of spring time!

I vote with your husband on this one:

When you live on one edge of the continent, and you have cause to be in a location far away, then you cover the nearby bases when/while you have reason to be in the area.

It would be dumb to go back to California and assure yourselves: "well, we don't have to do it now, we'll do it another time".

The roads will probably be pretty easy to drive over. Don't leave your sunglasses at home as the glare off of the bright snow all around could be plentiful.

In wintery climates such as those, the road crews are quick to respond and make the freeways passable just as soon as the blizzard lets up.

Montreal will probably be best remembered with a wintery chill to all of your photographs. Furthermore, as Montreal is on an island, you certainly don't have much in the way of mountains or hills to worry about once there.

So make the trip you impulsively decided to make and at least you'll determine how eager you then become to return there.

I've been to both Montreal and Quebec City in March, in different years, and while I saw awesome snow drifts on QC sidestreets in March, it was quite reasonable to be a tourist. Although admittedly it was 7 degrees (F) one night when I stayed out quite late.

It will be fine for you.