Montreal is a vibrant city known for it's rich history, culture and unique blend of French and English influence. Here you'll find a seasoned Montrealer's must do activities for tourists visiting Montreal for the first time or even the 10th time!
There are many, MANY comprehensive lists of things to do in this city so I won't repeat all of them. I'm going over my personal must-sees and places I'd be sure to take a friend visiting the city for the first time!
I feel like it's a given that you must visit the Old Port.
Plenty of photo opportunities on the cobblestone streets, in front of the charming architecture, the Ferris Wheel and the famous Notre-Dame Basilica. The area is very busy in the summer but in the fall you'll find weekdays are especially peaceful. This area is expensive however and the air bnbs in this part of town charge for the cachet. Restaurant I recommend in the area: L'Usine de Spaghetti (20-40$)
Photo courtesy Expedia
Mount Royal is also a must especially if you like beautiful nature walks and of course there's the scenic view of the city from the top.
You can also drive if a hike isn't your thing. Something I'd recommend while you're around there for all my ghost hunter & goth friends: The Allan Memorial Institute, formerly the Ravenscrag mansion, formerly an asylum, secretly a former CIA site for Project MKUltra - an initiative to develop mind-control. So wild. I'd also recommend paying your respects at the jaw-droppingly beautiful Mount Royal Cemetery.
I also highly recommend all our museums and museum adjacent attractions, including my favourite, The Redpath.
It's a little run-down but I do love a natural history museum and it's never terribly busy plus nobody ever minds if you take photos. Others of note include: Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, McCord Stewart Museum, Pointe-à-Callière, Phi Centre, Science Centre, OASIS immersion, the Biosphere, the Botanical Gardens and The MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises.
The Redpath
Something most people talk about when planning a trip to Montreal - the underground city.
Don't be fooled, it's really just a few tunnels connecting several malls together and inside you'll find nothing spectacularly unique. If you want a real slice of Montreal, visit the many extremely cool vintage markets like Marche Underground or the big outdoor markets like Atwater and Jean-Talon. There you'll find a true Montreal experience.
If you go to the plateau, make sure to visit a few places.
1. Kougin Amann Bakery, the best bakery in town hands down. There are a few cute shops around there too. 2. the triumvirate of bagels: the two St-Viateur bagel shops on Saint-Viateur street who are hilariously a stone's throw from each other (stop for the best coffee of your life at Cafe Olimpico while you're there), then Fairmount Bagel on - you guessed it, Fairmount street.
The nightlife in Montreal is often raved about internationally...
...and I'm sure you can google all the big clubs. Some hidden gems that I'd recommend as a Montrealer are as follows:
Turbo Haus, one of the last cool independent live venues in town.
Piranha Bar, a true dive bar in the best sense of the term. Hide your purse.
Le 4e Mur, a prohibition bar with a hidden entrance and password, very hipster.
Snowbird, a maximalist retro cocktail bar, great photo ops in this place.
The Wiggle Room, Montreal has a deep rooted history in adult entertainment that it desperately tries to erase each tourist season but there are some vestiges of vaudeville striptease that are standing strong, like the Wiggle.
The Casino, sure if you love to gamble, but I LOVE the interactive arcade. Cocktails and a game of the floor is lava is hilarious.
Roxy D Lite by Gorsky
FESTIVALS.
There are too many festivals to count so instead here's a list of them for you to look through. Some important ones are Pride, Jazz Fest, Festival International Nuits d'Afrique, Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal en Lumiere and Osheaga
Finally, You should visit Le Saint Motel.
(shameless self-promotion, I know).
We love our beautiful city, which we incorporate into many of our decors. A cute activity for friends, family or anyone that likes photos and vibrant spaces. Montrealer's have voted us in the top 5 tourist attractions and photo location for the past 3 years in CultMTL so don't miss out when you travel here!
**Tristan would also like me to note that they are a tourist attraction as well, and you can find them at Le Saint motel Monday to Friday.
*** Let us know if we missed any of your must-dos in the city!
