Montreal - Off the Beaten Path ... (with kids - which won't slow us down)
Jun 2nd, 2013, 05:41 PM
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Montreal - Off the Beaten Path ... (with kids - which won't slow us down)
Hi All:
Finally have accomodations figured out and now it's time to think about what to see and do. Have 5 nights in Montreal in early July - starting the 6th.
We love to put down roots and really explore the neighborhoods -- food is a driver for us (kids eat it all), love to bike, modern art, farmers markets ...
Please give me some tips of things of great things to do and see that might not be in the tourist books - and even some that are.
Merci
Finally have accomodations figured out and now it's time to think about what to see and do. Have 5 nights in Montreal in early July - starting the 6th.
We love to put down roots and really explore the neighborhoods -- food is a driver for us (kids eat it all), love to bike, modern art, farmers markets ...
Please give me some tips of things of great things to do and see that might not be in the tourist books - and even some that are.
Merci
Jun 3rd, 2013, 02:09 PM
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The huge international jazz festival finishes July 7 so there will still be concerts when you arrive. It's renowned for eclectic programming and lots of free outdoor shows as well as the ticketed concerts. Consider buying tickets in advance since the more popular shows sell out fast. The free shows don't appear on the Internet calendar yet. http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/prog...ted=2013-07-06
Jun 4th, 2013, 06:55 AM
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If you search back, you'll see lots of ideas. As the above mentioned, the Jazz Fest will still be going on, so there will be plenty going on downtown - lots of outdoor free music from noon to midnight. You mentioned biking - Montreal is possibly the best city in North America for biking. Lots of paved, safe biking trails. The free tourist map has most of the bike trails marked. The Route from Rue Rachael down to the waterfront and out along Lachine Canal is perhaps the most popular. You can stop for lunch at the Atwater Market, just look for the clock tower. Other ideas would include the Botanical Gardens, the Biosphere & observatory in the Olympic Park, Jean Talon Market (huge, lots of free samples), a boatride on the river, a boatride on the rapids, nature hikes and old mill along the north shore, Notre Dame Basillica and the rest of Old Montreal. The ethnic byob restaurants with outdoor dining that line Rue Duluth and Rue Prince Arthur on the plateau are lots of fun. The plateau neighborhood is perhaps the best for exploring ethnic neighborhoods and eating, although all of Montreal is fun for walking and biking.
Jul 1st, 2013, 04:54 PM
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Visit the Redpath Museum, the small natural history museum on the campus of McGill University. You feel like you have stepped back in time about 100 years—it has a very old-school look and vibe (in a good way). Things on display include mummies, a shrunken head (or is it??), fossils, a whale skeleton, and other fun stuff.
Go to Fairmount Bagel (74 Fairmount St. West) and La Maison du Bagel (a.k.a. St-Viateur Bagel, 263 St-Viateur West) and try a fresh, hot bagel (or two) from each. You can have one straight from the wood-fired oven!
Go for ice cream. Montreal had lots of good places to get it.
Check out Week-Ends du Monde (http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/event...ends-du-monde/)
Become a trapeze artist at Cirque Carpe Diem (http://montrealcompletementcirque.co...ue-carpe-diem/)
Go to Fairmount Bagel (74 Fairmount St. West) and La Maison du Bagel (a.k.a. St-Viateur Bagel, 263 St-Viateur West) and try a fresh, hot bagel (or two) from each. You can have one straight from the wood-fired oven!
Go for ice cream. Montreal had lots of good places to get it.
Check out Week-Ends du Monde (http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/event...ends-du-monde/)
Become a trapeze artist at Cirque Carpe Diem (http://montrealcompletementcirque.co...ue-carpe-diem/)
Jul 2nd, 2013, 02:18 AM
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A few other museums your family might enjoy:
the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archeology and History in the old city (very old city--with actual archeological ruins from the birthplace of the city in the basement)
http://www.pacmusee.qc.ca/en/home and
the Biosphere museum in Parc Jean-Drapeau. Lots of interesting exhibits about envioronmental issues, and you can climb up in the geodesic dome Buckminster Fuller designed for
expo '67
http://www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere/ (Note this is a different place than the Biodome in the Olympic park area which is also popular)
Near the biosphere is a Fort and Museum Stewart.
La Ronde, the amusement park
There are many interesting ethnic restaurants to try, and it sounds as though your kids are open to exploring those. If they don't live near a big city with a Chinatown, they would probably enjoy visiting the one in montreal which is near the old city area.
I hope you have a great visit--Montreal is a wonderful city.
the Pointe-à-Callière Museum of Archeology and History in the old city (very old city--with actual archeological ruins from the birthplace of the city in the basement)
http://www.pacmusee.qc.ca/en/home and
the Biosphere museum in Parc Jean-Drapeau. Lots of interesting exhibits about envioronmental issues, and you can climb up in the geodesic dome Buckminster Fuller designed for
expo '67
http://www.ec.gc.ca/biosphere/ (Note this is a different place than the Biodome in the Olympic park area which is also popular)
Near the biosphere is a Fort and Museum Stewart.
La Ronde, the amusement park
There are many interesting ethnic restaurants to try, and it sounds as though your kids are open to exploring those. If they don't live near a big city with a Chinatown, they would probably enjoy visiting the one in montreal which is near the old city area.
I hope you have a great visit--Montreal is a wonderful city.
