Montreal is a great city for families. Where Quebec City is old European charm, Montreal takes after the modern cities of Europe. It is a much more cosmopolitan city that still retains an old town and beautiful old churches while embracing the new.

Check out my post: Montreal vs. Toronto

Montreal is the largest city in the province of Quebec and definitely the easiest to navigate. English pops up much more frequently on signs and stores than anywhere else in Quebec. So if your French is a little rusty, this might be a great place to start your exploration of Quebec.

Families will find that Montreal has a lot to offer. The city is home to many family-friendly attractions such as the Biodome, Mont Royal, and more. If you’re looking for something a little more thrill-seeking, consider heading to La Ronde amusement park.

And of course, no visit to Montreal would be complete without sampling some of the city’s amazing food. Montreal is famous for its smoked meat, international foods, and poutine. But there are endless options to choose from, no matter what your taste buds are craving.

Related post: Montreal from a local’s perspective.

 

Visit Mont Royal

The name Montreal comes from Mont Royal, and this mountain dominates the Montreal skyline and can be seen almost everywhere in Montreal. There are various parks and hiking trails on Mont Royal, but before you visit them go straight to Mont Royal Park.

It is an easy walk from the parking lot even for little ones. From the Park, you can get a panoramic view of the city. It is truly a magnificent view.

My kids loved an old piano in the center of the terrace that they could play.

There are also lots of trails to walk or run. You could easily spend a whole day here exploring.

If you are visiting in the winter, you can go sledding on the hill. Just be sure to bring your own sled!

 

Plan on an hour or two

What to do in Old Montreal

Old Montreal is the historic district of the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1642 as Ville-Marie, or “City of Mary”, it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-peaked hill located in the heart of the city.

Old Montreal is a great place to explore the history of the city. The area is full of old buildings and churches, and there are many museums to visit. Old Montreal is also a great place to find good food, with many restaurants serving traditional Quebecois dishes.

Cobblestone streets, cafes, and pedestrians make you feel like you have stepped into an old European city. This corner of the city is large enough to explore on foot.

 

 

Visit Notre- Dame Basilica

Make sure to stop at Notre-Dame Basilica (in the center of Old Montreal) to see the breathtaking interior. Tours are $6 in cash.

We have been to Montreal many times and I never tire of the Basilica and I have never had to wait in a very long line.

Plan on an hour or two

 Take your kids to the Biodome

This was a stop for the kids and the kids alone. In my family, my mom calls these events “a big ugly”!  But of course, I have kids who think animals are the best thing ever, so I do an animal “big ugly” at least once a year.

Now if you are someone who loves zoos, don’t let me dissuade you from going, my kids and husband said it was the coolest!

 

This Biodome allows you to see five different ecosystems that occur in the Americas. You can visit a forest, a tropical rain forest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Labrador coast, and the sub-antarctic islands and see the animals that live in each one of these in their somewhat natural habitat.

My kids got a big kick out of the monkeys and tropical birds in the rainforest.

Plan on 2-3 hours depending on your family’s animal craziness level.

Explore Montreal’s Food Markets

There are a number of food markets in Montreal. We went to the Atwater market and Jean-Talon market as well.  We love a food market! I like to see what stands the locals visit and then hightail it to those. I love the smells, colors, and chatter in different languages.

The Atwater Market ranks up there with the best I have seen. (Jean-Talon is lovely, just not as big) The fruit made it stand out: beautiful bouquets of radishes, woven garlic, and bright red and yellow peppers. Best of all, there were samples at each fruit and vegetable stand! That kept my kids interested as they tried to find that stand with the best peaches or oranges.

 

Plan on at least an hour.

Visit the Montreal Botanical Gardens in the Fall

I’m not sure how much your kids would enjoy this during the summer, but if you happen to be traveling in September or October this is a must-see. The Montreal Botanical Gardens become a fairyland with Chinese lanterns covering the Chinese and Japanese Gardens. We were all enchanted.

 

For your little ones, there is plenty of room to run and explore, plus they will enjoy the gorgeous lanterns as much as you do.

 

UPDATE 2022: We visited the Garden of Lights again this fall and it has become a much bigger and more expansive event. (Plus more crowded)

In addition to the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, there is now a First Nation walk through the woods, improved sounds and more technical lights. Fewer of the Chinese Lanterns are on display, but there is now a big water and light show in the pond of the Chinese Gardens.

Plan 2-3 hours.

tip-Go at dusk to get the best pictures

La Ronde

La Ronde is an amusement park in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, owned and operated by Six Flags. It is the largest amusement park in the province of Quebec and the second largest in Canada. It is also one of the oldest surviving amusement parks in North America.

La Ronde is a great way to spend a day with the family. There are rides for all ages, from the youngest to the oldest. The park also has a water park, so you can cool off on hot summer days. And if you’re looking for a thrill, La Ronde has plenty of roller coasters to choose from.

So if you’re looking for an amusement park that has something for everyone, La Ronde is definitely worth a visit.

Montreal’s Chinatown

Stroll through Chinatown to get a taste of the international. Montreal’s Chinatown is one of the largest in North America, and is definitely worth exploring. Stroll through the streets, check out the shops and restaurants, and soak up the atmosphere of this vibrant neighborhood.

 

Visit the Biosphere

The Biosphere was built for the 1967 World’s Fair, and is now a museum devoted to the environment. Wander through the different exhibit areas, watch films about environmental issues, and participate in hands-on activities.

What to Eat in Montreal

Eat Poutine at La Banquise

If you have never tasted poutine, this is the place for your first experience! Poutine fries with cheese curds and gravy. Crazy sounding but so delicious. At La Banquise you can get so many more varieties like Greek-flavored, Mexican-flavored, or my favorite the Matty with bacon, onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Your small ones will love the corn dogs called pogos.

The line is often long both, but we recently went at 11:15 AM and there was no line at all!

It is open 24/7 so you could try 3 am too.

Poutineville

This restaurant chain has some of the best poutine in Canada. The fries are crushed and crusty potato pieces and the cheese curds are among the largest you will find. Plus, you can build your poutine to suit your mood, with dozens of toppings and a variety of sauces.

We also love the Poutineville in Quebec City!

Siboire

A gastropub with amazing food. There is plenty of space for a large family or group which makes it a rarity in this part of Montreal. The fish and chips are the standouts here, but the nachos and grilled cheese are also great.

For more food ideas check out this post on good eats in Montreal!

Wait in Line at GaNaDaRa

This is our new favorite in Montreal. It is even worth waiting in a 45-minute line in the freezing cold. This Korean restaurant is very popular and for good reason. The food is exceptional! My very favorite is the heaping bowls of Dak Ball a sweet and mild spicy fried chicken in a sticky red sauce. It is not overpowering like some places and it is so crispy and light.

The kids love their unusual sushi and my husband loves the bibimbap.

Eat the Best Pastries in Montreal

We taste tested 4 of the most highly rated patisseries in Montreal on our latest trip.

1. Pâtisserie Rhubarbe
2. Pâtisserie Fous Desserts
3. Mamie Clafoutis
4. Au Kouign Amann

We tried a chocolatine, an almond croissant, and a Kouign Amman if they had one to try.

The winner across the board was Pâtisserie Fous Desserts! This smaller shop had spectacular lamination in its dough and the most flavorful fillings. The runner-up was Mamie Clafoutis, who stole my husband’s heart with the deep chocolate in the chocolatine.

You won’t go wrong with them, but if you can eat the best, why wouldn’t you?

Off the Beaten Path in Montreal

Colonel Moutarde

This dinner and board game hideaway is the perfect way to spend a Friday night. You will be seated on arrival at a table next to towers of various board games. You order food and/or drinks and wait for the game master.

The game master chooses a few games for you based on what you tell him you might like, (I was worried we would stump him, because we own well over a hundred board games, but he picked two we had never seen before!)

The game master explains how to play the game in English or French and then leaves you to play. Your food will arrive and then you can play and eat while having family fun!

Escape Room Ezkapaz

This escape room is one of the most elaborate and well designed you will find anywhere. The company runs three different escape rooms in one location as well as an interactive escape in French on certain evenings.

We did Opus Luminum, and it was tricky! We made it out with a hint in just under an hour. I can’t recommend this place enough!

SOS Labyrinth

This maze, adventure course, tresure hunt experience is a great place to let off some steam with your kids. Find the clues left by the longshoremen throughout the maze. The clues will help you solve a mystery and you get to go through the maze to find more!

Children under 13 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Montreal’s Underground City

Montreal has an enormous system of tunnels that lead to shopping centers, the metro, restaurants, hotels and more. It is called RÉSO and is a great place to head when the weather outside hits freezing.

Start at the complex DesJardins and the beautiful mall there and from there you can connect to 20 miles of tunnels that lead to dozens of shopping centers, movie theaters, and even Place des Arts.

 

Habitat 67

This unusual grouping of apartment buildings was built for the Montreal World’s Fair in 1967. It was created to show how apartment dwellers could have the comforts of the suburbs in complexes like these ones.

Each unit has a rooftop garden space, they are somewhat removed from their neighbors creating more privacy and there is room to park cars on one level.

Today, each unit is privately owned and you can only see the building from the street, however tours have recently opened up on certain days of the week to do a tour of the complex.

Street Art in Montreal

Montreal is home to some of the best street art in the world. The city’s vibrant art scene is reflected in its many murals, which can be found on buildings and sidewalks throughout the city.

Montreal’s street art scene began to take off in the late 1990s, when local artists started painting large murals on the sides of buildings. Since then, the city has become a mecca for street artists from all over the world.

Today, you can find street art everywhere you look in Montreal. From colorful murals to intricate graffiti, there is something for everyone to enjoy. If you’re looking for a dose of culture during your visit to Montreal, be sure to check out some of the city’s amazing street art.

Things to do Outside of Montreal

There are many beautiful places to visit within a short drive of Montreal. From other exciting cities to beautiful countryside.Here are some of my favorites.

La Malbaie

La Malbaie is a beautiful area that has outdoor activities for the entire family. For a great guide to La Malbaie check out this page.

Visit Quebec City

 

Quebec City is a little under 3 hours by car from Montreal, but if you loved Old Montreal, you will be crazy about Old Quebec City. It is so much bigger and has way more to do. We visit Quebec City every Christmas and love it!

Ottawa

The Capital City of Canada is a mere 2 hours away from Montreal and a must-see if you are in the area. You can visit the Parliament buildings and take a tour of the seat of the Canadian government. Or spend your time and one of the amazing national galleries or museums.

Check out my post on Ottawa with kids here.

Tips for before you go to Montreal

• Make sure your passport is valid- for adults to be able to cross the border you will need a passport that hasn’t expired. Your children under the age of 16 only need a birth certificate, or an expired passport will work as well.
• Check your phone service- most US cell companies now cover Canada as if it is the US. We have T-mobile and nothing changes for us over the border with the exception of better service!
• Brush up on French- even though almost everyone also speaks English in Montreal, it is always nice to be able to say Hello and Thank you. I believe these niceties go a long way.
• If you are flying- be prepared for long lines for passport control and customs. I have flown into Montreal a number of times and have never encountered anything but long, slow lines. I’m not sure why. Bring something to entertain the kids that you can grab quickly from your carry-on.
• Visit in the spring or the fall- Montreal in the fall is beautiful with all the fall trees and clear weather. The spring must be just as beautiful with all those same trees leafing and coming to life. The other big reason to go then is that hotels are much less expensive, and it’s easier to find a vacancy.

 

 

 

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