Montreal is a top city with an abundance of sports, culture, tradition, arts, food, and entertainment. If you’re looking to spend time with the family, Montreal has an endless list of activities.

The following are the best things to do during the summer with the kids:

Redpath Museum

This museum is at McGill University and has three floors with plenty of exhibits including minerals, world cultures, dinosaurs and Egyptian mummies. The Redpath Museum is a nice place to spend two hours with family.

La Ronde Amusement Park

What kid would not go crazy with the idea of a world-class attraction close to the center of Montreal? La Ronde was part of Montreal Expo ’67 but has now expanded to over 40 rides, 10 of them being rollercoasters. You should try the Goliath, North America’s fastest and highest roller coasters and Le Splash.

Tips

The park opens its door mid-May to late October. There is a Baby Swap service for parents with children who are too small to take the bigger rides.

La Ronde is not a cheap place but the following tips will help you get the most out of your money:

The only food allowed inside the park is baby food. Do not leave your food in your car, there are lockers that are available for a small fee, so take full advantage. Avoid “Saloon” they serve very little portions of average quality food for the top dollar.

Near the main gate, there is a grassed area with some wooden benches, this is the best place to enjoy a picnic lunch. Make sure that you ask for a re-entry stamp on your way out.

Parking goes for 20CAD per day so if you’re traveling on a budget, take the 767 and 769 buses that go past the park.

If you plan to take your kids to the Aqua Zone, bring a change of clothes. The rules here dictate that the young ones must wear shirts and shoes, no bathing suits. This does not make any sense for this environment.

Montreal Insectarium & Botanical Garden

This is the best place to be if your kids love creepy crawlies with more than 250,000 insects on display. The Botanical Garden has 20 thematic gardens that extend to more than 75 hectares.

Bring your own food because lunch here is not cheap.

Montreal Biodome

Originally used as the 1976 Olympic Games Velodrome, guests can walk into 4 replicas of 4 ecosystems found in North America. Kids enjoy the built-in slides, exhibits, and touchscreens. It is an indoor establishment and this means that it’s open throughout the year.

Montreal Tower & Olympic Stadium

This is an iconic Montreal building standing at 165 meters tall sloping at an amazing 45 degrees. You don’t have to worry about taking the stairs, the building has a glass-encased funicular that holds up to 76 passengers that goes up and down the tower in minutes.

Montreal Science Centre

With changing and permanent exhibits, this place guarantees a different experience every time you come here. The exhibits are full of detail and the facility is easy to navigate.

Fabrik and Clic are some of the favorite exhibits for kids under 8 years.

Kids under 4 get in for free and they will still enjoy the Clic exhibit.

If you want to stop for a bite, the food court next to the building to the north of the science center is best for lunch.

The exhibits open at the same time but vary on the weekends, its best to check the time before you go.

Hop On Hop Off Bus

This bus is the best way to get an overview of Montreal, its history, culture and all the things that make this place tick.

Get the ticket that is valid for 2 days and you will be taken to all popular attractions.

The tour starts from Dorchester Square near Rue Metcalfe and once the tour starts you’ll be taken to some of the favorite spots in Montreal.

Just For Laughs - Comedy Festival

Just For Laughs started in 1983 and has grown to become the biggest international comedy festival in the world. The festival features 1,700 artists from 19 countries putting on 1,600 acts.

Splash Parks

If the weather allows, you can cool off at one of the splash parks scattered all over Montreal. The locals call them “water play modules” and the kids are really occupied by these water parks.

Bagels at St-Viateur Bagel & Café

Your Montreal visit cannot be complete without having a bagel. We all have to thank the Montreal Jewish Community for these sumptuous delicacies.

One of the best places to have some bagels in Montreal is St-Viateur Bagel & Café. This place attracts locals and tourists and you’ll understand why once you taste the bagels. The cinnamon and raisin one is a top contender so head over there and enjoy some.

Ta Pies

This is an Aussie-style pie shop that is not popular with most people visiting Montreal. It’s on the north end of Mount Royal but it’s worth the journey.

Ta Pies serves some flaky and buttery pies that are well-seasoned to burst with flavor. You can take the pies home for later.

Hugh Jackman gave the pies at Ta Pies the thumbs up and if this doesn’t make you want to try them, I don’t know what else can.

Getting Around

Navigating Montreal is easy but the parking is quite expensive. However, you can get free parking for a couple of hours every Sunday so keep an eye out for the signs.

Take the Underground Metro System to get to most destinations fast and affordable (6CAD for a return trip).

Check the huge underground city, the biggest in the world actually where buildings are connected underground as well as the metro system. This means that you get around the city during winter without freezing.

The locals call it Reso, it can be confusing so look out for the 120 exterior access points and you’re good to go. The underground city started in 1966 and is now used by more than 500,000 people.

You might think its tough getting by in Montreal because French is the commonly used language but most people can communicate in English and most signage is dual lingual.

Montreal is best during summer as there is no shortage of kids and parents activities. You will feel the need to come back and explore some more.