Mont-Tremblant
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🇨🇦Montréal
Montréal blends French culture, excellent food, and top family attractions like the Biodome, Old Port, and Mount Royal into one brilliant city break.
Your family guide
Montréal with kids
“Two cultures, one city and enough activities to keep families busy for days.”
— San & Jo
Montréal is one of those cities that genuinely surprises families. It feels European in the best possible way, with cobblestone streets, incredible food, and a relaxed pace that makes exploring with kids feel easy rather than exhausting. Yet it is unmistakably North American too, with wide open parks, a buzzing waterfront, and a city that truly knows how to have fun.
For families, the Olympic Park district alone could fill a full day. The Biodome puts 4,500 animals from five distinct ecosystems under one roof, the Planetarium takes you to the stars, and the Insectarium is a brilliant hit with curious kids. Add in the Botanical Garden, the Science Centre at the Old Port, and Mount Royal Park, and you have a city that keeps delivering.
What makes Montréal special is the atmosphere. French and English blend together across neighbourhoods, from the historic charm of Old Montréal to the indie cafés of Mile End and the colourful streets of Plateau Mont-Royal. This is a city your whole family will want to come back to.
Québec, CanadaProvince
French and EnglishLanguages
June to SeptemberBest time to visit
Best things to do
Best things to do in Montréal
Biodome and Olympic Park district
The Biodome is one of the best indoor family attractions in North America. Your kids can walk through a tropical rainforest, a Laurentian maple forest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and polar habitats, all home to 4,500 animals. Pair it with the Planetarium and the Insectarium next door for a full day out.
Book tickets in advance in summer to skip the queue
Full day
Old Port and the waterfront
The Old Port stretches along the St. Lawrence River and offers plenty of activities for families. Ride La Grande Roue observation wheel for sweeping city views, explore the Montreal Science Centre, and in summer, splash around at the urban beach. In winter, the outdoor ice rink is a brilliant experience.
The Science Centre has hands-on exhibits that work brilliantly for all ages
Half day to full day
Old Montréal and Notre-Dame Basilica
Walking through Old Montréal takes you back in time. The cobblestone streets, 19th-century architecture, and the stunning Gothic Revival Notre-Dame Basilica make this neighbourhood really special. Kids are genuinely impressed by the basilica's interior, which was mostly completed between 1824 and 1860.
Visit the basilica early morning to avoid the crowds
2 to 3 hours
Mount Royal Park
Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same landscape architect behind New York's Central Park, Mount Royal is Montréal's green heart. Hike or take a calèche to the Kondiaronk Belvédère for breathtaking city views. In summer there are picnics and free concerts; in winter, snowshoeing and ice skating at Beaver Lake.
The Kondiaronk lookout at sunset is one of the best views in the city
2 to 4 hours
Montréal Botanical Garden
Recognised as one of the world's leading botanical gardens, this is a genuinely beautiful place to spend a few hours with your family. The Chinese Garden and Japanese Garden are highlights, and the garden is right next to the Olympic Park district, making it easy to combine with a Biodome visit.
The autumn Lantern Festival is spectacular if you visit in September or October
2 to 3 hours
Jean-Talon Market and neighbourhood food culture
Open since 1933, Jean-Talon is Montréal's largest year-round farmers market and a brilliant place to introduce your kids to local food culture. Grab fresh produce, local cheeses, and Montréal-style bagels fresh from a wood-fired oven. The Mile End and Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhoods nearby are perfect for a relaxed family brunch.
St-Viateur Bagel is a short walk from the market and always worth a stop
1 to 2 hours
Pointe-à-Callière Museum
Built on the actual birthplace of Montréal, this archaeology museum lets your family walk through layers of real excavated history beneath the city. It is one of the most engaging history experiences in Canada, with interactive displays that keep kids genuinely interested in what they are seeing.
The underground archaeological crypt is the highlight, do not rush past it
1 to 2 hours
Our verdict
How Montréal scores for families
Kids
The Biodome, Science Centre, Insectarium and Old Port make Montréal one of the best family cities in North America. Activities span every age group effectively.
Culture
A bilingual city with French roots, world-class museums, stunning architecture, and a music and arts scene that is hard to match anywhere on the continent.
Food
Poutine, smoked meat, wood-fired bagels, tourtière, and one of the best brunch cultures in the world. Montréal is a serious food city and kids tend to love it here.
Nature
Mount Royal Park is a lovely urban escape and the Botanical Garden is world-class. The broader Québec region offers incredible nature, though the city itself is primarily urban.
Budget
Montréal is one of the more affordable major cities in North America, though attraction costs and dining out can add up quickly for a family.
Planning your visit
How long should you stay in Montréal?
2
2 days
Quick visit
Old Montréal, the Old Port, and one big attraction like the Biodome
sweet spot
4
4 days
Sweet spot
Enough time to explore the neighbourhoods, hit the main family attractions, and eat really well
7
7 days
Deep dive
Explore every neighbourhood, take day trips into Québec, and truly settle into the city's rhythm
Fun facts
Things to know about Montréal
A famous song was recorded in a hotel bed
In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed at Montréal's Queen Elizabeth Hotel for a week-long bed-in for peace. They recorded 'Give Peace a Chance' right there in the room, with a crowd of journalists and supporters gathered around them.
The internet search engine was invented here
The very first internet search engine, called Archie, was created in Montréal in 1989 by Alan Emtage, a system administrator at McGill University. Without Montréal, Google might never have existed.
You can walk across the city without going outside
Montréal has an enormous underground pedestrian network connecting shopping centres, metro stations, and office buildings. In winter, locals use it to cross huge parts of the city centre without ever stepping into the cold. It is like a secret city beneath the city.
Taste Montréal
What to eat with your family in Montréal
Poutine
Kids love itLa Banquise
French fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy. It sounds simple and it is, but done well it is completely irresistible. La Banquise is the go-to spot, with a menu dedicated entirely to poutine variations.
Montréal smoked meat
Must trySchwartz's Deli
Kosher-style cured and smoked beef brisket, sliced thick and piled high on rye bread with yellow mustard. Schwartz's Deli has been doing this since 1928 and the queue outside is always worth it.
Montréal-style bagels
Daily treatSt-Viateur Bagel
Smaller, denser, and slightly sweeter than New York bagels, these are pulled from wood-fired ovens and eaten fresh. St-Viateur Bagel has been baking them the same way for decades and the smell alone will pull you in.
Tourtière
Local favouriteLa Binerie
A traditional Québécois meat pie made with minced pork, beef, or veal, potatoes, onions, and warming spices like cloves and cinnamon. La Binerie on Saint-Denis Street has been serving this since 1938 and it is the real deal.
Weekend brunch
Safe choiceVarious spots in Mile End and Plateau Mont-Royal
Brunch is practically a religion in Montréal, especially in Mile End and Plateau Mont-Royal. Expect generous portions, great coffee, and a relaxed atmosphere that makes it one of the nicest ways to start a family day in the city.
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