Summer family trip to Montreal & Quebec City?

[berettafan]

Been in the back of my mind to take a vacation this summer that is a bit different. Kids are 7 and 12. Any thoughts on most efficient way to see both cities over maybe a week? Would be flying from Balt/DC area. Any dates in July/Aug better than others due to events?

[AFC-911]

July has an awesome Concert Festival in Quebec City. Hundreds of artists in multiple venues every night for one price. (There's free ones too, iirc) Festival D'Ete. I lived at Universite Laval while I was there and it was so much fun.

FWIW, I prefer Quebec City over Montreal. 3 days in the big city is more than enough for me.

[JJ 911SC]

Good choice, $1 US = $1.36 Cdn

Hotel Room will be higher around the 1st of July (Canada 150 Birthday).

montreal.com - festivals

Events Calendar | Travel to Quebec City, Canada

[Tobra]

Brush up on your French.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Brush up on your French.

Actually you can make it with 2 words.

Pretty well everybody in the tourism industry do speak English. Of course trying (even if you butcher it) to order a Poutine in French will result of getting a bigger one

Bonjour (Hi)

Merci (Thanks)

Délicieux:

[berettafan]

ok thanks to little league it appears we would be looking at August. driving instead of flying I think.

assume for Montreal we want to be in the city so we can just park the van day 1 and bus/walk around. any suggestions on specific locations? is either city car friendly?

[JJ 911SC]

In Montréal they got a Subway so no problem getting around. I like the Holiday Inn Select in the Chinatown, great location. https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/montreal/yulca/hoteldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-HI-_-CAN-_-YULCA

In Québec beside the Grayline Tour bus, walking on cobble stone street is it. Anywhere close to Chateau Frontenac (very expansive) is good. Last fall we stayed at one nearby that was excellent (we are going back this fall again), https://www.hotelsjaro.com/palace-royal/en/ They got a "lowest price guaranty" and if you subscribe to their info letter, you get 10 or 15 % on your first reservation. The location is great.

As for car friendly they are but except for a side trip such as the Chute Montmorency Parc de la Chute-Montmorency - Tourist Resorts - Sépaq its best to park the car. For both city, GPS is your friend.

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by berettafan

... driving instead of flying I think.

With all the stupidity related to flying, driving is probably best.

From your location its US95/87 and when you cross the border at Lacolle you will have an hour drive to Montreal on Autoroute 15.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by JJ 911SC

Of course trying (even if you butcher it) to order a Poutine in French will result of getting a bigger one

precisement

If you are going to go to a land where a foreign language is spoken, one ought to attempt to speak the local lingo, at least in a rudimentary fashion.

Good lesson for the kiddies too

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by Tobra

... Good lesson for the kiddies too

Oui et vue que tu est un docteur, you probably know that being bilingual seem to delay the onset of Alzheimer.

Bilingualism Might Delay Alzheimer's By More Than 4 Years

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by AFC-911

July has an awesome Concert Festival in Quebec City. Hundreds of artists in multiple venues every night for one price. (There's free ones too, iirc) Festival D'Ete. I lived at Universite Laval while I was there and it was so much fun.

FWIW, I prefer Quebec City over Montreal. 3 days in the big city is more than enough for me.

^^^this

Old Quebec City is my choice, very amazing, lots to see and the food.

Montreal...meh.... after a couple days it's just another city.

[Tobra]

Kids learn language better than adults too, way better. Once it is in there, stuff tends to stay in your melon.

[kanadary]

Not sure if its changed but montreal was pretty well english speaking for the most part, quebec city, not so much but as others have said, if you try to speak the language they appreciate the effort and will help.

[Jims5543]

Montreal F1 Weekend is English speaking. Saying Bonjour and not knowing much else will result on someone speaking French to you then having to repeat in English annoyed that you wasted their time.

Speak English unless you are fluent in French. If you are not then greet with a hello. The conversation will be in English.

Ask me how I learned this.

Once the conversation / meal ordering is in English, THEN try to throw some newly learned French words in there.

11 June is the F1 weekend. I know it is before your planned trip and probably too late, it is an electric weekend in Montreal.

I hope to go to another Race there someday.

[kanadary]

When i lived in TO would go there every year so yes montreal you can just use english but not so much in Quebec city

[Charles Freeborn]

Originally Posted by Tobra

precisement



If you are going to go to a land where a foreign language is spoken, one ought to attempt to speak the local lingo, at least in a rudimentary fashion.



Good lesson for the kiddies too

I speak passable tourist French. In Montreal they wanted none of it. Crazy expensive town. Excuse given " it's a European city" ummm no, it's a Canadian city.... QC much friendlier. Watch the Anthony Bourdain show on the region for food ideas.


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[wayner]

Quebec city for sure.

Its like being transported back in tie to europe.

If you re driving maybe also consider going a little bit further east for an afternoon and take in some whale watching

the mouth of the saint lawrence is abundant with many species and there are lots of tours.

Visit the plains of abraham (then make the connection to the Louisiana purchase as well as the American revolution)

I think they should be teaching north american history not US and canadian history.

IN the 1700s the borders were vertical not horizontal.

[berettafan]

Reservations made for QC, looking forward to this! Not excited about 10+ hrs in the car but i'll suck it up to spend more $$ on a nice hotel and meals vs plane tix. Might extend QC and shorten Montreal based on responses here.

[Seahawk]

I drove from Leonardtown, Maryland to Saint Stephen, NB last week. Different route than you will take (we stayed in the "corridor" past Boston - no way around it for us) and I'll never drive it again.

The asshattery displayed behind the wheel in the Northeast is the stuff of fiction except I saw it every three minutes. Incredible.

Sorry for the rant - be careful and enjoy Quebec City. I have never been there and would appreciate a trip report

[Seahawk]

BTW, an intermediate stop could be fun:

Killington - Adventure Center

https://www.stowe.com/activities/summer/