Montreal and Quebec City

[jgenie]

We’re just starting to plan a last minute August trip with a 10 yo and 8 yo. They love museums, especially science museums, old sites, and desserts! We’ll have 4 nights and 5 days. Please share ideas on what we should see and do in each place and how many days in each spot. Hotel and restaurant ideas always welcome!!

[smiles33]

There are a few old Montreal threads on here. I posted on one of those threads:

We recently went in September, when temps were in the high 80s (30 degrees Celsius!) so it felt like a really hot summer. Thankfully, our rental had AC. We stayed in the Plateau, which is a charming neighborhood and has easy access to shops and restaurants. We took Uber everywhere but Montreal was talking about banning Uber even when we were there.

Our kids are younger, ages 8 and 11, but we had a lovely week-long trip in Montreal. We did not do any of the "typical" tourist things (e.g., visiting Notre Dame Basilica, going to the Underground City, going to museums, or going to Mont Royal). Some of our favorite activities:

- Voiles en Voiles: It's a harnessed adventure course. I did it with the girls and we loved it so much we went back a second time right before we flew home.
- The Force Academy: it's a Star Wars-inspired light saber class (I know, a little cheesy, but they enjoyed themselves)
- Visiting Marche Jean-Talon (a large public market with lots of great fruit, cheese, prepared foods, etc.). We stocked up on goodies here for our rental apartment. We liked it better than Marche Atwater (which was smaller and less crowded)
- Ezkapaz: an escape room place near Schwartz's Deli (great smoked meat sandwiches!) We also loved this so much that we returned the next day and did it again. We had never done an escape room before and they recommend it for older kids, but my 8 and 11 year olds were really good and the 4 of us solved both rooms.

We targeted high end French and/or Canadian cuisine restaurants since we don't have many near our home. Our favorite restaurants were Bouillon Bilk, Hoogan et Beaufort, Maison Boulud, Lemeac, and Pastaga.

HTH!

P.S. Restaurants we didn't think were worth visiting (or the high cost!) were Toque and Au Pied du Cochon.

[ahisma]

We're headed to Montreal (1 day) and Quebec City (2 days) at the end of July, on our way to Nova Scotia. I'll report back, but here is what we have planned (pretty low key since we're only there briefly).

Montreal: Mont Royal picnic (we'll be there on a Sunday and will catch the Tam Tams), Notre Dame (view f/ spiral staircase), Old Montreal w/ Rue St. Paul, bagels at St. Viateur Bagel, cannolis at Cafe de Campi (if we had more time I'd add in the botanical gardens)

Quebec City: Old Quebec walking tour, walk the fortifications, ferry, Montmorecy Falls (suspension bridge over the falls), chocolate museum, croissants, poutine.

[SASM]

I highly recommend Gîte d’Air outside Quebec City on the St Lawrence River. My kids still talk about it. Pool, chickens/fresh eggs, cute dog, yummy breakfast, nice inn owners.