Top 5 Places To Take Your Family On Vacation In Montreal, Canada
Top 5 Places To Take Your Family On Vacation In Montreal, Canada
You can have good, green fun within an hour or two of driving from Montreal, whether you go south to the Eastern Townships or north to the Laurentians. There are lakes, ski slopes, and fields full of fresh farm produce and wineries, cheeseries, and maple syrup shacks.
And if you want to see a city, you can drive three hours west to Québec City or two hours the other way to get to Ottawa. Both are capitals for a reason, and they are both great places to learn about Canada's unique and different parts. Here are our favorite day trips from Montreal and tips on how to get the most out of them.
EASTERN TOWNSHIPS
The Eastern Townships are southeast of Montreal and include beautiful towns like North Hatley, Eastman, Knowlton, Frelighsburg, and Sutton. They are made up of flat farmland and soft rolling hills that remind people of New England or even the U.K. Each is a good place to end a road trip or stop to try out restaurants and wineries.
Stay at: Manoir Hovey
Manoir Hovey, a luxurious Relais & Chateaux property on Lake Massawippi in a lush and beautiful part of Québec, is a great place to see nature without sacrificing comfort. People from Montreal come here to taste the country, and Le Hatley restaurant draws many people with its creative food. The rooms are cozy and have French doors, feather duvets, and lake views.
OTTAWA
Ottawa is the capital of Canada. It is a beautiful and culturally rich city with landmarks such as the National Gallery of Canada, Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal, and ByWard Market. If you stay overnight, buy tickets ahead of time for a show or play at the National Arts Center so you can have something to do.
Stay at: The Metcalfe Hotel
Even though Ottawa has some famous grand dame buildings, this downtown modern boutique hotel will reopen after a fabulous renovation this summer. The hotel's great location, large rooms, and new features like jetted tubs haven't changed, but adding a new restaurant will surely get guests and locals talking.
The open-plan lobby, on the ground floor of a five-story atrium where the rooms are, has a unique industrial-chic vibe. It's not the most romantic place in town, but it's the one that fits together the best. You'll get a good night's sleep, find it easy to work, and be right in the middle.
QUÉBEC CITY
A day trip to Québec City, three hours from Montreal, is a must if you want to get a real taste of Canada's European past. It's like Old Montreal times a thousand. Ancient and modern buildings blend well, and the town's location on a hill next to a cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River gives it some of the best views in the world.
Stay at: Auberge Saint-Antoine
Auberge Saint-Antoine is a Relais & Châteaux property in Québec City's Old Port on Îlot Hunt, near the St. Lawrence River. It is full of artifacts that are almost as old as the city itself and date back to when it was first built.
The Auberge Saint-Antoine is a great place to stay because of its current services, decor, furniture, and tech features. On one side, rooms face the River, and on the other, they face the courtyard. Each of the 95 rooms is different and has antiques and touches from local designers.
MONT TREMBLANT
Tremblant is known as Eastern Canada's best winter sports resort because of its ski slopes and cute European-style village. However, any Montrealer will tell you that Tremblant is a fun place to visit any time of year because it is only about 90 minutes from the city.
During the warmer months, it's a fantastic spot for hiking, road and mountain biking, and water sports on Lac Tremblant. In the fall, it's a beautiful place to look at the leaves. There are just good restaurants and bars to keep you going, and if you want to stay the night, there are a couple of cute hotels.
Stay at: Hotel Quintessence
The Quintessence offers a unique boutique experience that isn't just for a mountain resort town. It has a great location on the shores of Lac Tremblant and is just a short walk from town. At the Restaurant La Quintessence, you can enjoy fine dining with a mix of French and Québecois flavors.
If you must splurge on dinner while in town, this is the place to go. Each of the 30 suites has a fireplace that runs on wood, a luxurious king-size bed, a great view of the lake, and a private balcony where you can breathe the fresh mountain air.
HUDSON
What is it about towns in the country that are named Hudson? This cute village is less than an hour from downtown Montreal and is the perfect size to see in a day. Hudson is quickly becoming a new favorite for city dwellers looking for a reset. There are cute places to eat, interesting places to buy a souvenir, and a lot of open space to get some fresh air.
Stay at: Auberge Willow Inn
A single inn or restaurant is often all it takes to bring city people to a once-quiet town, and the Auberge Willow Inn is that place for Hudson. Chef Danny Smiles shows the way with dishes full of flavor and uses the best ingredients from Québec.
Upstairs from the restaurant are ten quiet rooms with nice touches like Charger ports and certificated bath products that make it easy to turn a day trip into an overnight one. A single inn or restaurant is often all it takes to bring city people to a once-quiet town, and the Auberge Willow Inn is that place for Hudson.