I recently posted my top 3 most unique tourist experiences in Montreal. These are the ones I would choose to include in a Montreal “time capsule” for tourists.
That said, I received a lot of awesome feedback and suggestions this week with many more great activities to weave into your Montreal trip.
Since Montreal has 4 very distinctive seasons (which really is one of the things I love most about it), tourist activities also tend to be very seasonal. It’s important to plan your trip accordingly!
Here is a quick list of some of my suggestions, per season:
Winter
- IglooFest music festival
- A Montreal Canadiens hockey playoff game (not available every year, unfortunately!)
- Montreal en Lumière winter festival
- Ski and winter sports at Mont-Tremblant (1-hour away) or many other nearby mountains.
Spring
- Cabane à Sucre du Pied de Cochon (maple season)
- C2-MTL, 3-day business and creativity conference in the spring
- Take in the Mural public art festival
- Experience the F1 race craziness
- Terrasses, such as Dieu du Ciel, to celebrate return of good weather
Summer
- Foresta Lumina
- The summer festival season (Jazz Festival, Just for Laughs, Startup Fest)
- Osheaga 3-day summer music concert
- Piknic Electronik on Ile Ste-Helene
- Stroll on the Old Port with amazing fireworks show (once or twice per week)
- A bike ride on the Lachine Canal
- Picnic in a park (choose Lafontaine or Laurier)
- Jeanne-Mance park Tam-Tams on Sundays afternoons (also: go for a jog or hike to the top)
- A roadtrip from Montreal to incredibly beautiful Gaspésie (about 10 hours away), including a hike through gorgeous Bic park halfway.
Fall
- Cabane à Sucre du Pied de Cochon (harvest season)
- Fall foliage tour in the Laurentians or Eastern townships
- Our indie music scene, featuring Pop Montreal in September.
Year-round
- Montreal’s foodie scene, with Joe Beef and thousands of others great restaurants
- A Fitz & Folwell tour, notably the two-part Flavours of the Main eating tour on St-Laurent street, including classic haunts like Schwartz’s Deli and Fairmount bagels in the Mile-End
- Stroll around Marché Jean-Talon fresh food market
- The always innovative Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC)
- Culture and good walking tour in Mile-End.
Fellow Montrealers — What did I miss?
Tourist friends — Hope these suggestions are helpful! Look forward to seeing you in the city and let me know how you enjoyed these activities!
For more ideas, check out the very well done post by fellow Montrealer and traveler Daniel Baylis for Tourisme Montreal with more great suggestions!