A scenic drive through upstate New York brings you to this French-influenced city in Canada brimming with beauty.
Montreal has plenty to offer during every season. From strolls on the Vieux Port on warm summer evenings to eating poutine in a bar looking out the window to see snow-covered French Gothic and Gothic Revival architecture, you’ll be able to have a great time regardless of the length of your stay.
About six and a half hours drive (maybe eight with bad traffic) from New York City, the Francophone city is a doable road trip for the weekend. Although the city has many unique and diverse neighborhoods that can make for an interesting weekend getaway, the journey through New York State and the Adirondack mountains make this trip a beautiful long drive that will have you relishing the view out the window at every turn.
How to Get There
From New York City, you’ll head towards I-87 North and take this interstate highway until you get to the Canadian Border. The road in Canada switches to the 15 Nord to Montreal. It’s pretty much a straight shot once you get out of the city, but there are plenty of amazing stops along the way, such as the Adirondack Mountains, Albany, Lake George, and many more small towns to see. Make sure to bring your passport for the Canadian and U.S. border crossings.
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Day One
Leave a little bit before noon to try and avoid the inevitable heavy city traffic of New York City. It’s only about two hours into the drive, but after all the traffic and chaos of driving out of the city, the best place to stop for a mental break is Kingston, New York. The riverside city is a popular place for New Yorkers to visit when the city becomes too overwhelming. Studded with hiking trails and gorgeous rural homes and farms along the way, the nature aspect is one of the main appeals to New Yorkers and a great way to explore nature and get some movement in before continuing the drive to Montreal.
If you crave a more creative experience closer to the downtown area, take a stroll through the Midtown Arts District to stretch your legs and look at the bright and stunning murals, even check out a museum if you want. After this, head to the waterfront to grab lunch at Savona’s Trattoria & Bar, Ship to Shore, or Mariner’s Harbor.
Following a good meal, you’ll be ready to hit the road again. Make sure to keep an eye on your speed—they go by kilometers per hour in Canada, not miles per hour. Check into your hotel for the night, order some room service, and have a relaxing first night in .
If you have the energy, head to a sushi night in the Downtown area at Ryu near the Peel metro stop. Everything is amazing here, so it’s best to splurge and get the chef’s omakase tasting menu experience and pick something from the extensive sake menu. Take a stroll through the Downtown area to see the contrast between modern and French Gothic architecture in the night before tucking into your hotel for the night.
Day Two
Enjoy a leisurely morning and head to Bar George for brunch. The Victorian-style design in this British restaurant serves elevated British classics. Try the Black Pudding Benedict with creamy hollandaise sauce, asparagus, and sauteed mushrooms. If you’re craving something sweeter, get the Pain Perdu with warm custard and seasonal berries. After breakfast and once you have your Passeport MTL, head to The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex or the McCord Stewart Museum. While both museums have spaces for Canadian and Canadian indigenous art and history, the McCord Museum showcases indigenous Canadian art and culture in an educational way. The Pointe-a-Calliere museum focuses on the first Montrealers who founded and created the city in 1642, so here you can see how the city was built and what makes it such a unique North American city.
After touring one of the museums, take the metro and head to the Espace pour la vie (Space for Life) museums. Ranging from the Jardin Botanique (Montreal Botanical Garden) to the iconic and impressive Biodome, created for Expo 67 when Montreal hosted the international exposition, the Space for Life museums offer five museums for exploration.
Once you’re done with a long day of exploring museums, head to dinner at SeaSalt in the Vieux Port. Best for the seafood lover, try out their classic braised salmon in a sesame and rose crust, served with parsnips, shiitake mushrooms, ponzu sauce, and finished with a smoky seafood bisque mousse. The outdoor patio offers stunning views and balmy weather in the summer, while the cozy inside with modern Scandinavian style furniture makes it a cozy restaurant to visit on the colder winter evenings.
Since it is a Saturday night, stay around the Old Montreal area and stop by an eclectic wine bar or the gorgeous cocktail bar, Bar Bisou Bisou, for inventive low-ABV cocktails. Finish the night by using your Passeport MTL one last time by taking a trip on the city Ferris wheel, La Grande Roue de Montréal or the Montreal Tower to see breathtaking views of the hilly city before heading back to the hotel for the night.
Days Three and Four
Enjoy a leisurely morning before heading back to the States and stopping by St. Viateur Bagels for some of the best bagels in the area, possibly even better than the bagel from your favorite bodega or bagel shop in New York City. After breakfast, tackle the under-three-hour drive, possibly longer based on how long the line is at the US border for customs, and head to Lake George, New York, for something to do in every season.
Hiking, skiing, horseback riding, biking, and a gorgeous lake surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains make for a great escape from the city. If you have the time or an extra day, try to do all or part of the 6.6-mile hike on Buck Mountain for spectacular views. This hike is quite strenuous, though, and is suggested for intermediate hikers and older children. In the winter, skiing at Gore Mountain is perfect for skiers and snowboarders of any level, and it has plenty of restaurants, facilities, and stores to entertain everyone on the trip.
You can head back to the city after a day full of fun, but if it’s not enough, take the extra day in the long weekend to stay the night. Try out Charlies Bar and Kitchen or Bistro LeRoux for dinner near the lake to finish off the jam-packed day. Take a slow morning before heading back into the city, a little less than a five–hour drive.
When to Go and Where to Stay
In Montreal, stay at the new Warwick Le Crystal. This beautiful, all-suite hotel is located across from the Bell Center in Downtown Montreal, just a five-minute walk from the metro and about a 25-minute walk away from Old Montreal, putting visitors in a great position to explore the many diverse neighborhoods of Montreal.
For Lake George, staying at the Lodges at Cresthaven is best for people who prefer a more authentic stay in the mountainous environment. For a quick night stay, though, the Courtyard by Marriott Lake George is a great alternative and has all the amenities you would need for a quick overnight.
Summer, fall, and the beginning of winter are the best times to drive to Montreal. Fall is most likely the best time to go to see the fall foliage in the trees of the Adirondack Mountains, and it is also when the weather is most consistent. Summer weather is beautiful, but large, dramatic summer thunderstorms could put a dent in a lot of activities, so try to check the weather before heading out on this road trip for the summer.