Montreal is one of my favorite cities in the world. I went there for a few days one Spring Break in college, braving a record-setting snowfall to eat maple candy, explore Old Town, and visit the Biodome. Then I spent three months there after graduating from college to do a French certificate program at McGill. As a Francophile it was like finding Paris in North America, but actually way better, because the people are nicer, it’s absurdly affordable, and only a 4-hour plane ride from Houston. I never felt unsafe there, and I don’t think I ever got lost.
We took a trip to Montreal last summer, and Braden fell in love with the city as well. I got to stretch my long-dormant French muscles and visit a few old friends. We did a few touristy things, ate bagels and poutine, climbed Mont Royal, accidentally snuck into a museum without paying, and watched fireworks from the Jaques Cartier Bridge, 350 feet above the river.
Montreal makes a great first destination on our adventure because it’s affordable – we’ve found furnished apartments for much cheaper than what we’re paying here in Houston. The exchange rate is currently in our favor, bringing the cost down even more. It’s walkable with top-notch public transit, so it’s not a problem to only have one car between the two of us. And it’s a big city, so there’s a lot to discover.
While we’re there, we want to go to the summer street festivals, shop at the farmers’ markets, take a train to Quebec City, get 40,000 steps in one day, visit cat cafes, eat Indian and Venezuelan food, eat so many Timbits, go hiking in the Laurentian Highlands, and on and on.
Anything we can’t miss in Montreal this summer? Leave a comment!
What is a cat cafe? Audrey is losing her mind at trying to beat your 40k steps.
It’s a cafe where they have resident cats living in them! So you can pat cats while drinking your coffee…if the cats are in the mood for it. Otherwise you can just look at them from across the room.
Tell her to look now ;-P