Our oldest son (Cameron) was married in April 2018 and we were excited to vacation in Montreal with Cameron and his wife Kara. After visiting with them in New Hampshire, we drove towards Montreal.
It was fall in New England and we joined the “leaf peepers” by taking in the change of seasons.
We took the opportunity to stop at Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Vermont to have apple cider and cider doughnuts — they melt in your mouth.
If you get a chance to visit, it’s worth the stop. Located in Waterbury, Vermont, Ben and Jerry’s original location is also just up the street.
Montreal, Canada
A great way to experience Montreal is with a tour on bicycle. This city is so bike friendly, it’s safe and easy to navigate.
We started our tour at Mount Royal Park where we learned that Montreal’s namesake came from the words “Royal Mountain”. It was a chilly fall day but plenty of people were out enjoying the day.
We made our way through narrow streets of Old Montreal along cobblestone streets that offered a distinct European feel.
Montreal is a mashup of French and English architecture and is home to world-renowned universities.
In 2017, McGill University was ranked the number 1 student university in Canada is ranked 32nd worldwide. After cycling, we came back to visit the Redpath museum, a donation-only museum that’s worth a look.
We made our way along the St. Lawrence river — the connector between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean. This area of town has a hip vibe, with a mix of old and new.
As you cycle along the river, there are plenty of spots to chill along the way.
Habitat 67
Across from the river is Habitat 67, a model community built for Expo 67 by architect Moshe Safdie. It began as a thesis project for his architecture project at McGill University. Essentially, the building is made up of cube dwellings — coined an “architectural wonder” in 1967.
After cycling, we visited the underground city — interconnected shops, boutiques and office buildings that you can walk in the winter without experiencing the cold.
Montreal Art Scene
We also took in the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts — you can spend an entire afternoon exploring the exhibits. The museum is housed in multiple buildings but they are all connected via underground tunnels.
Notre Dame
No visit of Montreal is complete without peaking inside of Notre Dame — Montreal’s most famous church.
Gardens of Light
On our final night in Montreal, we visited the Gardens of Light at the Botanical Gardens. Located next to the Olympic Stadium — the site of the first Olympics in Canada.
At night, the Botanical Gardens is illuminated with a juxtaposition of light and art.
What’s Next?
Montreal is an interesting city with incredible eateries. Since Cameron and Kara are Vegan, we ate vegetarian most of the visit and the food was amazing.
Leaving Montreal, Lynn and I will venture to New York City to take in some Broadway shows with friends — stay tuned for an upcoming blog.
I’ll leave you with a sight you don’t see everyday — this dog seems to be the perfect sidecar companion.
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