Montrealers recommendations

[Panky]

My parents are staying downtown for the week. We did some cool things this weekend, and we have things planned for the week, but what I'm really wondering about is all the cool stuff that you won't necessarily see in all the tourist literature my Mom has been reading.

My Dad has been making mental notes of where the strip clubs are. :D My Mom has a major shopping gene, so he'll have plenty of time to kill. LOL!

Since I haven't been in Montreal for very long, I figured I'd ask all you guys for suggestions of cool restaurants, or interesting places that are under the radar for most tourists.

Any recommendations?

Thanks! :D

[sweet7]

downtown only?

[Panky]

Nope. Can be anywhere, I have a car.

[-=HUNGRYMAN=-]

I think today is going to be Mt. Royal and BioDome so far ...

Anything else in that area worth the mention we should be taking a boo at (Yes, I know La Rhonde, but it's too late in the day, and they're more into seeing sights than riding rides ... )

[sweet7]

St-Joseph's Oratory is a nice site even for the not so religious. What restos are you planning on going to? Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is also very cool. You get to go on the track!

[DrGuile]

l'altitude 737 is a great place to have lunch or diner (much cheaper for lunch) and you cant beat the view.

[-=HUNGRYMAN=-]

Originally posted by DrGuile
l'altitude 737 is a great place to have lunch or diner (much cheaper for lunch) and you cant beat the view.

Where 'bouts is that Doc ?
google was not much help :(

[-=HUNGRYMAN=-]

We ended up doing Mt. Royal and Parc Olympique today ... BioDome was fuggn closed, so that is going to be on tomorrow's adjenda

It's supposed to rain tomorrow, so probably a good day to hit the underground too

[McAttack]

Well, today sucks cause it's raining, but normally I find people like walking around St-Denis, St-Laurent. Maybe have some lunch on Mont-Royal somewhere. The Quartier Latin is nice.

But I enjoy walking, dunno if they do.

[Evil Chris]

Are they still visiting Panky?

One place I recommend in the Old Port is Nelson Gardens. It's a very nice eatery right on Place Jacques-Cartier.

It would be about at bottom right of this live picture.
http://www.montrealcam.com/en-placecartier.html

[sweet7]

Originally posted by -=HUNGRYMAN=-
Where 'bouts is that Doc ?
google was not much help :(

it's in Place Ville Marie the 737 Building.

[sweet7]

Originally posted by Evil Chris
Are they still visiting Panky?

One place I recommend in the Old Port is Nelson Gardens. It's a very nice eatery right on Place Jacques-Cartier.

It would be about at bottom right of this live picture.
http://www.montrealcam.com/en-placecartier.html

definately a good place to go

[Panky]

Cool! Thanks everyone!

We've been having a good time so far. We've been all over the place. My parents are pretty cool and always on the go. It's been a good experience for them so far. Everything that was on Mom's "must see & do" list has been done. They have traveled to cities throughout the States, but have never experienced anything quite like Montreal. They are simply having one hell of a good time. :D

[Feynman]

If they're on the artsy side, they'll like the Café Sarajevo. They have very good musicians too.

http://english.montrealplus.ca/portal/profile.do?profileID=511296

For exotic food, anywhere along St-Denis, Ste-Cath, or some of the sidestreets around the strip bar area.

Good sushi is Maiko Sushi on Bernard. Isakawa, on Du Park, near corner Dr. Penfield (a tad north of Sherbrooke).

for cultural stuff in english, have a look at www.hour.ca , www.voir.ca in french or pick up the free papers in most convenience stores.

If they're into airplane, the best airport in a 100 miles radius for small aviation is St-Lazare's. Lotsa homebuild airplanes.

Fishing season opens this coming week-end, I think. They can go anywhere in the Ottawa river or Lake of Two Mountains (i..e along HWY 40, just at the exiit from Mtl, to catch river cat.

The view from the mountain belvedere (not the one on the road, the one you have to walk to is definitely worth the time to get there.

Old Montreal is a nice place, if there weren't sooo many tourist traps.


If they like to tango, Montreal is one international hot spot. The best reference page on the topic is http://www.totango.net/mtl.html

If they're into BDSM, there is the Fetish Café, corner St-Cath and DeLorimier (just east of Jacques Cartier bridge).

If they're into Gothic scene, fridays at the Saphir on St-Laurent, are the way to go.

For a rather extensive list of clubs and activities, visit www.altmtl.ca there is a LOT of stuff on that site. The site is badly designed, very convoluted, but there's a lot of stuff there.

There is also a visit of the sub-terranean city, which is huge, I think the biggest in north america (thanks our january weather for that)

You'll find a bunch of maps at
http://www.stcum.qc.ca/English/info/a-plans.htm
including a map of the underground tunnels

Then, one place worth visiting is westmount. Impressive houses and neighborhoods. Just drive anywhere between Dr. Penfield (parallel to Sherbroke, but up the mountainside) and Queen Mary. Start at the back of McGill U, go a tad west (say, try Guy streetn which changes into Cote des Neiges and try making a right turn somewhere. Buy a map BEFOREHAND ! he he It's a very anglo community.

Another place which is quite stunning is the Habitat 67 condos on Notre Dame Island. You take Pont de la Concorde to get there. Go park in the back. The condos look like a set of boxes piled upon each others. But ti is a very clever design. From anywhere you are, you cannot see other appartments, thus you have the impression taht you are alone. The view from the little terraces are one of the best you can get of Montreal. This is where they shoot most postcards from.

[Feynman]

Then, there is Little Italy between St-Laurent and Papineau, south of Jean-Talon.

And the Chinatown, quite impressive an exotic, centered around St-Laurent blvd, north of Viger (the service road of the Ville-Marie autoroute (520) )


There is also Old Lachine, along the canal. It,s east from Dorval, along the Lakeshore drive. On the 20, exit at 55th Ave south, and make a lef turn on the Lakeshore dr.

Generally speaking, the whole Lakeshore drive, from Ste-Anne de Bellevue to Lachine is a nice slow drive. It's a scenic route along the side of Lake St-Louis.

On the other side of the island, Gouin Boulevard, between St-Charles blvd down to Ste-Anne de Bellevue (at the tip of the island) will bring you into strange places. Some slums (Pierrefonds), and some highly luxurous areas (Senneville)

Ste-Anne de Bellevue is a nice little town. There is a university campus, and not much else. The main street is cool in the summer, with amateur jazz bands doing street shows (volunteers), lots of boats along the boardwalk, etc. It might be a bit early in the season, though.

If they want to see luxurious northern village, take HWY 15 and drive up to St-Sauveur and St-Agathe. IT's mountain country, probably one of the highest point in Quebec. It's ski hills country.

But Montreal buzzes during the summer, with all the festivals. Jazz festival, African festival, Caribean festival, Just for laugh festival, and all other sorts of public free performances. Open air symphonic concerts, tango in the parks (St-Viateur, Lafontaine and others) , etc..

Then, there are events that do not occurs every years, like the tall ships races.

Your parents should aslo take a few days in Quebec City. That's an amazing place, even older , with more history than the Old Montreal. Much older.

The nature jewel of Quebec is Charlevoix. You can go and do climbing/hiking/kayaking/camping there, and the landscape is breathtaking.