visiting Montreal QC for New Years?

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Brad W

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We're looking for a place to go around the week of the new year. We've never been to Quebec and the kids have never been to Canada so we're considering it. Just going for the sake of going because the kids are out of school and we have a little time.

We'll be flying airlines

Bad idea?

I've been to Canada a bunch but it was all years ago and not Montreal (unless you count a layover in the airport) & I know nothing about that city other than I've heard or read that it's sort of like visiting Europe... we like that idea
I know...the wrong time of year to visit...and cold... and we don't speak french...

but maybe we could squeeze in a day of skiing...and the kids like to ice skate some so that might eat up a couple of hours....
What else is worth doing there this time of year?
What part of town would you stay in to maximize the tourist experience? Any hotel suggestions?

My wife would like to mix it up... maybe a couple days there then a couple days someplace else. I don't love the idea of tacking on a 3-hour drive (x 2 ways), but would Quebec City be worth doing for that? Anything closer come to mind?

Looking at flights it seems to be way cheaper to fly into Burlington VT. Don't know if the rental car would balance out against the extra money to fly to CYUL or not... that's just something else I've got to look into.


I guess another option might be Toronto and Niagra Falls...but based on my one or two visits to Toronto many years ago for work have me thinking that it's just another city. Am I wrong?
 
Les Habitants at the Bell Centre. Normally I'd HIGHLY recommend seeing a game there. I was considering heading up for the Ranger game on the weekend of the 19th, but I just can't see spending money on 2 of the worst hockey teams in existence. Here's the schedule around that timeframe:


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eman1200 said:
Les Habitants at the Bell Centre. Normally I'd HIGHLY recommend seeing a game there. I was considering heading up for the Ranger game on the weekend of the 19th, but I just can't see spending money on 2 of the worst hockey teams in existence. Here's the schedule around that timeframe:


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Hawks play Habs January 3.... But that's in Chicago
 
Quebec in the winter is brutal. However, if you are fond of the experience of kinda visiting Europe without going to Europe, absolutely go to Quebec City instead of Montreal. Montreal doesn’t really feel that European. It’s very international, English is widely spoken and the cityscape is typical North American. However, Quebec City is more like going to France than actually going to France with the difference that people are friendlier than in France. Bring warm clothes.
 
Thanks to info from @flyingpreacher...and others here I think I've just about talked my wife into trying to find someplace else.

I really do want to visit both cities but I think a mild spring or fall would be my ideal time

and @eman1200....hockey is a fun game to watch, mostly I think because it's not slow and filled with a lot of standing around.... but i don't understand it. Just recently went to a Jacksonville Icemen minor league game. It was fun but I really don't know what was happening most of the time!
 
Was going to say same as @flyingpreacher. Quebec city is like going to Europe. There are cool things to do there in the winter. (no pun intended).
 
Toronto is a very big city, with all the good & bad things that come with it. Skies are usually slate grey for most of the winter. Toronto has a massive (30km?) underground city if the kids are into that kind of thing. Montreal has a very European flair to it. Quebec city can be brutally cold in the winter, but it does have an Ice Hotel. You can probably do some dogsledding there too, but if you haven't done it before be warned - dogsledding can be a dog poop flinging ordeal.

Not sure any of them are great winter destinations because they are all very beautiful walkable cities in the summer. "Real" skiers will be unimpressed compared to the west coast or Europe.

Are you flying from NE Florida? If you are looking for a winter adventure I'd consider Iceland. Remarkably accessible from the east coast, northern lights, hot springs.
 
Hengelo said:
? If you are looking for a winter adventure I'd consider Iceland. Remarkably accessible from the east coast, northern lights, hot springs.
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now I love that idea!....but about $1900 per person is the cheapest flight coming up right now. I'm buying for a family of 5.
 
In case this thread is searched by somebody in the future, my wife is from just outside of Montreal, so I’m up there at least 1-2x/year. If you’re ever looking for info for that area, shoot me a PM. I can give some advice from the air or ground travel side, whichever you opt for.
 
in case we do go, either now or a little later...and hotel suggestions, or parts of town to look for hotels in?
 
Hengelo said:
If you are looking for a winter adventure I'd consider Iceland. Remarkably accessible from the east coast, northern lights, hot springs.
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Or the out of control volcanoes that might get you evacuated in a hurry, giving you the scare of your life. lol. Ask me how I know.
 
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