Montréal, Québec 9 minutes / Windows Media Player

A view of the Olympic Stadium and Tower from the top of Mont-Royal.

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As part of a 2-part roadtrip through Québec, our first stop is Montréal. Located 5-hours east of Toronto, and just above much of the Northeastern United States, Montréal is a convenient location, and one of our favourite cities.

One of the first things that always draws us back to Montréal is its unique mix of North American and European culture. It's a great place to enjoy sidewalk cafés, amazing nightlife and some of the best food we've found anywhere.

The 2002 Acura 3.2 TL we took to Montréal.

For this trip, we enjoyed the 2002 Acura 3.2 TL. With nearly 15 hours of driving spread over an extended weekend, features like an in-dash 6 CD changer and heated leather seats really added to the comfort of the trip.

The Hotel Du Fort was our home base in Montréal and it was a great place to call home for a couple of days. If you are travelling in the off-season like we were, you can find rates around the $100CDN mark, which is a great deal for a business-class hotel with all the amenities you'd expect to find.


Arriving in the evening, our first stop was the Peel Pub. This location has become so legendary that it has spawned restaurants outside of Québec as well. A no-nonsense watering hole with food and drink that are sure to fit any budget, it's a good place to catch a bite, or settle in for a longer evening.

But, we've got a busy schedule and it's on to see the sights. Starting at the Botanical Gardens. This is actually a really neat place to take a relaxing walk and fade into nature. The gardens are beautiful and feature large Chinese and Japanese gardens, as well as exhibits and gardens from around the world.

The Botanical Gardens has one of the largest Chinese gardens outside of Asia!

Across the street at the Biodome, you can walk from the Arctic to tropical settings with friends like this little guy!

From there, we crossed the street to the Olympic Park and Biodome. The Olympic Tower is a great way to see the city, as well as get a taste of the 1976 Summer Olympic legacy.

The Biodome was one of our favourite spots in Montréal. You can actually tour through living ecosystems from around the world. You literally walk from climate to climate, complete with animal, plants and other exhibits.

One of the things you'll notice about Montréal is the food! It seems like great restaurants are on every corner. Take a peek at any restaurant guide and you'll be sure to find something to fit even the most picky palate. But, while in town, you owe it to yourself to try some of the classics Montréal is famous for.

The packed lunch crowd at Schwartz's Deli

Hand-rolling bagels at Fairmont Bagels

You'll see smoked meat everywhere, but there's just something special about Schwartz's. This little spot in the heart of the city is so packed, we actually had to line up outside just to get a seat. The sandwiches are out of this world and the atmosphere is one of a kind.

And if you're still hungry, bagels are also a Montréal specialty. We headed over to Fairmont Bagels to grab a couple fresh out of the oven. Here, bagels haven't changed much in nearly a century. They're still hand-rolled and cooked in a wood oven. Day or night, it's a great place to grab a quick bite!

While you're in Montréal, you can also try a little culture. We headed over to the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts to check out an amazing exhibit constructed entirely of aluminum. Of course, as with most museums, exhibits are constantly changing, so you'll want to check with their website to see what's on when you're in town.

Browsing through history at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts

Heading out in search of a night on the town.

If you're looking for a place to wind down, or even spend a relaxing day, heading to the streets of Old Montréal is perfect. What was once the old port of Montréal, is now a great historical link to the Montréal of days gone by. Walking along cobblestone streets weaving through historic buildings, it's like taking a quick trip through time.

It's also a great place to try fine cuisine, head into a cafe or try a pint in one of the many pubs along the way.

And speaking of pubs, if nightlife is your thing, Montréal is the city for you. Night owls will do well in this city as most of the bars and clubs don't even get started until after 11! Most Montréalers prefer a late, lengthy dinner, followed by a night on the town. And with bars open until 4 a.m., there's always plenty of night ahead of you.

Well, as you can see, there's certainly more than enough to do and see for a weekend, or even longer. It's one of our favourite cities, and is a convenient drive from most parts of the Northeastern US and Canada.