This may belong in just discussions forum and if a moderator wants to move it I'll understand.
Next week my wife and I are planning on a visit to Montreal for a few days.
We're thinking of staying at L Apartments which is near downtown and in our price range of about $100 a night.
We like the arts and a piano bar type night scene.
Any suggestions as to places to see and visit?
I live in Ontario but visited Montreal a few years ago. A downtown location is good. I enjoyed going on a city bus tour and going to the casino for a dinner show.
My visits lately have only gone as far as the industrial area near the airport, but years ago I visited Old Montreal which has great restaurants. St Catherines was a good shopping area as well as Place Ville Marie.
Its a small world. My wife and I just checked out of the Westin in Montreal after spending five days attending the 2013 World Parkinson's Congress and will be flying back to Oregon tomorrow. Mellany is the Oregon State Director of the Parkinson's Action Network which meant that it was all work and no play. Enjoy.
loads of great restaurants and bars.
have a look at cultmontreal.com , you might find some ideas.
for a splurge, joe beef is an incredible restaurant. book in advance.
have a good time!
And you might want to visit the Biodome (easily accessible on the Metro)Also, you will be in an area of town that has everything from "smoked meat" (similar to pastrami, and soooo good!), to typical Quebecoise cuisine, Belgian cooking, etc.art museums, and "clubs." The Metro is your friend, and most ticket sellers speak some English. There are also some world class art museums, and pricey designer shopping. If you are a bicycler, rent a bike at the old quarter waterfront and do the Lachine Canal trail ... an easy ride. If you want some taste treats to bring back home - the Atwater Marche (market) is the place to go, but beware U.S. customs regulations when it comes to some items. We go by car, so a little bit of caribou pate always seems to make it through. As for clubs etc. - be a bit careful in the Quartier Latin... sometimes the students get a bit rowdy. Have fun! Also, ask Chris Ryser ... he's a "home boy!" We are 4+ hours away (depending on border delays), and we enjoy the city so much!
Lost and confused in an optical wonderland!
Smoked Meat. A Montreal specialty -- you will probably wait in line, but you should go to Schwartz's (St. Laurent Blvd) and have a medium sandwich, fries, sour pickle and a cherry cola. The quintessential Montreal experience.
One more - if you are adventurous....go to La Banquise for a poutine. just not on the same day as your Schwartz's, or you might go into cardiac arrest....
Don't forget to take a walk on Mount Royal with its lookouts over the whole city. From all of downtown to the St.Lawrence River and the old Olympic Stadium with its leaning tower. A really green city with its thousands of trees everywhere.
As a frequent traveller through that part of the world I enjoyed the highway 30 bypass now being open , as much as enjoying the scenery, night life and restaurants.
Hopefully, they will be able to reroute through traffic and repair their aging roads, bridges and overpasses, and improve signage.
The bypass is a wonder in itself, started in the 1960's and the last section completed and opened December 2012, if your GPS is not current then you may not find it.
Last edited by idispense; 10-06-2013 at 09:03 PM.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
We're off in the morning and hope to arrive later afternoon.
Changed hotel to Le Cantlie.
My wife should fit right in. She's French Canadian on both sides of her family!
Now if only the cold I came down with yesterday would ease up.
C'est la vie!
Uncle Fester must be here by now and the weather is just beautiful ............but he will be frustrated with the traffick jams and road closures everywhere as the rotting infrastructure is being repaired here at full speed.
Hear, hear!Originally Posted by optimensch
If "full speed" and the same politicians who built the bypass are still in charge, then you only have 50 more years to wait !
you only have 50 more years to wait .................................
Montreal has now the world record of having had 3 majors in the same year 2013, and a fourth one to be elected in November. The first batch has already been in court for corruption accusations.
Vive le Quebec
Thanks for the suggestions. Optiboarders rule!!!
Chris was right. The weather was as good as it gets. Sunny and mild all week.
Unfortunately we were both sick with headcolds. My wife didn't leave the room thursday but we did get out and about all but that day.
Took a bus tour and got a feel for the city and view from Mt Royal.
Some great dinners at nearby restaurants and I brought a smoked meat sandwich from Schwart's. Yumm!
Spent an enjoyable day at the Biodome.
Thank goodness for the Garmin. Finding our way in and out would have been all but impossible without it and yes- construction is everywhere but being from Boston and having lived through the Big Dig 10 years ago it seemed very familiar to detour often.
Are all Quebeckers' so fashion conscience? They certainly were friendly and almost everyone was bilingual.
Over an hour and a half wait to clear customs on the way home but all things considered a very good time and a great possibility of a return trip in the future but first we'll probably go to Quebec.
Again- Merci!!!
I'm from Massachusetts, too, and Montreal is one of my favorite places.
Montreal has earned the title of the No 1 pothole capital of the world...............
Very nice comments on the town I live in one of the suburbs. Spring, summer and fall are beautiful here, but if you would visit during the winter month's yould would also agree that Montreal has also earned the title of the No 1 pothole capital of the world.
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