A Boston Girl’s Guide to Montreal
How to get there and where to stay, eat and drink
Growing up in New England, Canada was not too far away. My family loved visiting Montreal and Quebec City growing up, and I’ve really been wanting to go back recently. Until I’m able to scratch that itch, here is my guide to visiting Montreal.
Transportation:
As a Massachusetts girlie, my family and I always drove, so I had my own vehicle for transportation. Leaving from Boston, my route takes me through some of the most incredible New England scenery.
Profile Lake along Route 93 in Lincoln, New Hampshire.
Driving by mountains, through valleys with lakeland and rivers. The drive up is almost as good as the destination. And of course, any time I can, I love stopping in the White Mountains.
A lookout area up PemiTrail, accessible from Governor Gallen Memorial near Mittersville, New Hampshire.
Some of the coolest places you can get to are just random stops along the way. That is how my sister and I discovered this little pool area along the Pemi Trail near Lincoln and Mittersville, New Hampshire. The trail was beautiful, we didn’t venture too far from the parking lot, but there was this pretty little stream bed with a waterfall nearby. I highly recommend driving if you are able to.
However, these are the avenues you can use to get to the city:
Plane: fly into Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (yes, Trudeau as in the father of Justin Trudeau)
Train: Take the Amtrak Adirondack train from Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station in NYC, New York
Lodging:
When traveling, especially when I was younger, I typically would stay in hostels. I have other recommendations here, so don’t roll your eyes and click out! Hostels are really cool places where travelers are looking to connect with other travelers (not always, but often). I’ve met people at hostels that I still keep up with to this day, including @landofthelonesome I met almost a decade ago. He’s a super talented photographer, highlighting the American West.
Here is my non-comprehensive (but highlighted) list:
M Montreal (hostel) is one of the best hostels I have stayed in. It feels very much like a hotel (they have shared dorm rooms of varying sizes) as well as private rooms. There is usually a fun crowd with many different ages (20’s, 30’s, families, and older). My sister and I stayed here and hung out with a lot of cool people, going on an impromptu bar crawl as well. The hostel often has events and various activities planned every day.
William Grey Hotel (boutique) is located in the Old Town of Montreal. Its gorgeous inside, making for some picture-perfect areas (including the rooftop bar with a view of the skyline). The Old Town location is perfect, close to all the sites you need to see (more on that later). The elevated industrial feel of this hotel is modern and sleek, with a very NYC feel, perfect for modern travelers.
Hotel Place D’Armes (hotel) is also in the heart of Old Montreal, offering travelers an elevated Old European ambience. They also have a Michelin Key and are ranked the second best urban hotel in Canada by Travel + Leisure (for a surprisingly affordable nightly rate).
Lastly, we have Hotel Birks Montreal (hotel), a luxurious accommodation reminiscent of the Gilded Age. Hotel Birks is located in the city center and is close to multiple attractions, including Museum of Contemporary Art and Place des Arts.
Where to EAT
Montreal has GOOD food. including one of the best dumpling hosues I have ever been to and my favorite Jewish Deli (yes, it beats out NYC deli’s).
Petit Poisson Dumpling makes their dumplings fresh in-house. You literally walk by some grandmothers making them when you walk in the door. I got soup dumplings and another kind as well, and yes, it was about 3 degrees outside, but good lord, they were incredible. The boba was from a nearby shop, as Petit Poisson is located in a small Chinatown.
Schwartz’s Deli serves up insane Pastrami Sandwiches and more (its on the Michelin Guide) in the Jewish quarter. As a Jewish girlie, Reuben’s, pastrami sandwiches are one of my favorites. I’ve made the rounds to spots in NYC and Boston and Schwartz’s is and has been my favorite for years. Be prepared for a line around mealtimes. My sister and I once waited an hour for them to open so that we could get lunch before heading back home. It’s so worth it.
L’Auberge Saint-Gabriel is the oldest restaurant and bar in Montreal, dating back to the late 1600’s, when it was founded by a French soldier. It’s changed hands many times and was briefly converted into a mansion along the way. Stop in for dishes that utilize local produce (like Cornish hen, Quebec Pork Chop, and Icelandic Cod).
Drinks!
The Cold Room is a speakeasy-themed bar tucked away in the Old Town. They offer unique, elevated cocktails and a warm and cozy ambience. The Cold Room gets its name from the historic use of the building as a refrigerated grocer’s warehouse.
Le Majestique is located in the Jewish quarter of the city (same as Schwartz’s), with good seafood, and oyster bar, and delicious drinks. They have a great selection of rums, wine (my favorite), and more.
Upstairs Jazz Bar and Grill is open 6 nights a week and offers a curated and snazzy cocktail and wine mine to go with the live jazz music. This jazz bar is right down the street from Petit Poisson Dumpling, close to Chinatown.
Ok, this post is getting long! Come back for part two on my favorite things to do in Montreal. (Shopping, Historic Sites, and more)
