Introduction
We were very excited for our Montreal trip in summer. Montreal is 5-hour drive from Toronto and one of the best cities to enjoy & explore the Canadian summer. Montreal has tons of places & activities to enjoy, however with our kid we tend to mix the “must do” google suggestions with kid friendly places. We had a great time in Montreal with family.
Hotel we Stayed:
We have Marriott credit card and for this trip we decided to use our points to book a hotel which is an hour drive from the Old city of Montreal (60K points for 3 nights).
There are many Airbnb & great hotels in Montreal. We highly recommend staying near Old City of Montreal for easy accessibility to famous spots (Notre de dame Basilica, Mount Royale, La Grande Roue De Montreal etc.) and restaurants.
Things we Did:
La Grande Roue De Montreal (Ferris Wheel)
We started our day with Ferris wheel. We booked our tickets online. The kids were super excited about the giant wheel. The ride takes about 15-20 minutes with beautiful views of the city. We had wonderful time in La Grande Roue De Montreal where we overlooked the city.
Here is one tip for taking kids on this ride
If you are planning to go over a weekend, would suggest going early morning especially with kids as the place gets crowded.
Walk Around the Old city
We skipped other activities near La Grande (Pirate rope course & ziplining) as the kids were too young. We just walked around the old city enjoying the cobbled streets, clicked fun family pictures and loved our desserts at Café Olimpico. We tried the Tiramisu, and it was heavenly. Perfect cafe with great expresso & delicious pastries. The old city gives you a small European town experience with heavenly café, bakeries & restaurants.
Saint Joseph Oratory of Mount Royal
After our leisure time in the old city, we went to Saint Joseph Oratory of Mount Royal in the evening. It was built in 1857 by Domingo Cavallieri on top of a hill that overlooks downtown Montreal. The basilica rests on two levels: one for the main church itself (the lower level) and another for an additional chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph! The place is beautiful with great city views. We stayed for an hour and then head back for our hotel.
Botanical Gardens
Botanical Gardens is a perfect place for the whole family! There’s also plenty of space to run around without getting lost or getting into trouble–we didn’t have any issues here which is always nice when traveling with kids because they tend not follow directions very well lol!
Beaver Lake
This was one of our favorite spots in Montreal. Lot of open space for kids to run around and they can also feed the fishes. We enjoyed the leisure time at Beaver Lake. Grab a coffee & take a stroll around the lake.
Read our blog on Tobermory & Banff, if you are looking for more exciting places to explore with kids in Canada.
