Looking for a winter getaway within driving distance and hoping to find something new? My husband and I had the rare opportunity to get away while the grandparents were in town. After the past few years of limited travel with Covid, we were really trying to maximize a three-day weekend with something that felt a little more out of the ordinary. We’d never been to Montreal and we are not afraid of a road trip (even when we do have the kids!). It was a little over 5 hours from our location in Westchester and we left in the early evening getting us to our hotel in the Old Town just after 10 p.m.
While we had packed bundles of layers, we found the weather to not be dramatically different from our NY weather in early January so don’t let the cold scare you.
Things to Do:
Montreal is known for its markets, and it did not disappoint, even in the winter. Bonsecours Market has art galleries, clothing boutiques, and more in its indoor space. It was very conveniently located in Old Montreal. We also drove to Marché Jean-Talon on our way out of Montreal (it was in the opposite direction though…) which was a fun farmer’s market in the winter, and you could tell it would be absolutely amazing in warm-weather months, as well as during the Christmas season as a Christmas market.
Highlight: Paris may be known as the City of Lights, but Old Montreal is easier to get to and makes holiday lights its annual attraction. Light installations and light shows take place across the town from formal ones such as the evening shows at Notre-Dame Basilica, to public immersive art set to music in several of the main traffic areas. Luminothérapie is a winter staple in Montreal and runs from early December through early March. It’s a sight to be seen and experienced for children and adults.
 |
Place d’Armes in front of Notre-Dame is a square decorated with stars over 20 meters tall making for beautiful family photos. We noticed Cité Mémoire projecting on facades and in alleyways telling the stories of Montreal’s history. You can download an app to walk, listen, and learn.
Stroll the port along the St. Lawrence River for water views and stunning architecture. You’ll find the cobblestone entrances to the old town, as well as options for kids and adults alike.
The All Aboard! exhibition (port-montreal.com) is completely free and a great way to spend an hour. It’s geared towards children 7+ although younger ones would enjoy it too, and my husband and I had a great time interacting with the displays and trying to get our goods into port on time!
 |
La Grande roue de Montréal is a large Ferris wheel with enclosed cars. The ride takes about twenty minutes and is the tallest structure in the city, offering beautiful views year round. It is not cheap, especially with a family so plan accordingly to determine if it’s worth it to you. We enjoyed it, but I personally would not have done it with the whole family right now given the ages of my kids.
We treated ourselves to a unique spa experience in the port at Bota Bota. This spa is on an upcycled boat and spans four levels with a delicious cafe and an extensive outdoor pool area on land. Massages are available with appointments and for an additional charge, but the three hour circuit was perfect for us. The idea is to warm yourself in the sauna, steam room, or hot tub, then quickly submerge yourself in one of the cold dunking pools before then relaxing in one of their lounge areas. It’s recommended to do this 3 - 4 times for maximum benefit and we felt like we were on a cloud as we left.
Strolling the port also provided us with reasons to come back again in warmer weather because you can see just how vibrant of a place it would be with food trucks, vendor stalls, an intense ropes course, bike rentals, a family theme park and lots of outdoor seating. I’d also note many public art spaces, as well as historical markers, parks, and interactive exhibits throughout the city making the walk engaging and something to do in itself.
Eats:
Olive and Gormando - You’ll love the open kitchen, woodsy window scenes, tasty pastries, and general atmosphere. You can grab a quick breakfast with the kids or linger over coffees chatting with your partner whiling the day away.
 |
Modavie - We went for lunch and saw many families with children there as well. Great atmosphere, live music in the evenings, and very fresh food. It is a classically french menu and also includes options that may feel more familiar. The celeriac soup inspired us to make some at home and the poutine was outstanding.
3 Brasseurs - This microbrewery has three locations and we very much enjoyed the homebrews. It’s perfect for families and groups in space, atmosphere, and with the menu. My husband loved his french dip sandwich, but I’ll be honest that the inferno wings made me cry. And I like hot. These were HOT.
Le Petit Dep - This charming cafe is great for coffees, teas, and light bites that they warm for you behind the counter. There are local and handcrafted gifts lining the walls and the whole vibe is just adorable for lack of a better word. I loved it. It’s mint green and has a kitschy aesthetic. The food was great too!
 |
Wolf and Workman - This is your date night with an awesome library bar atmosphere and the friendliest bar tenders around. They mix you up a custom cocktail that tastes too much like lemonade and will keep you coming back for more (ask for Penicillin!). Sit at the bar or grab a table for dinner. The ravioli and the burrata were que magnifique.
Taverne Gaspar - While the tables looked cozy for couples, friends, and grown families, we opted to sit at the bar to eat and watch the show again as this is another lively place with friendly staff.
Cold Room - An over 21+ crowd in this underground speakeasy. You’ll feel cool, but you will also notice most patrons are speaking English so it may not be the go-to for Montreal natives. Definitely fun for dates and special occasions.
Although we were there just ourselves, as people with kids do, everything we saw reminded us of how much they would like something too! I’d love to come back with the whole fam and try it in the summer months.
Tips:
-You want your snow boots. It does flurry often and the sidewalks are shoveled in many places and snow covered in others. Snow boots are the shoes for walking around town.
-Stay near the Old Town and you won’t need your car for anything.
-Border crossing into Canda at night was easy breezy, no wait at all. Coming back stateside midday Sunday was a bit of a wait, but nothing dramatic. We stopped at the duty free for a quick bathroom break and some candies to bring back to the kiddos since we hadn’t covered that while sightseeing!
-Plattsburgh is not too far into the drive on the way back, but also a scenic stop.
-The Adirondacks rest stop is very cute and clean. It does not have fast food options, but vending machines with a pretty wide selection of car snacks. We enjoyed looking at the trail maps and stretching our legs here.
-Montreal is not an inexpensive city. Our dollar does stretch a bit there, but we did find prices to be comparable to NYC ones which can add up with a family. There are plenty of free things to do and several of the more commercial cafes are still delicious and filling for little tummies.
