Why Montreal is Perfect for a Non-Beach Memorial Day Weekend Escape

The closest I ever got to being a beach bum was the two relaxing days I spent on the blissful beach in Manuel Antonio, having just escaped one of the grayest, most brutal winters New York has ever seen. Or at least that I’ve ever seen in New York. But I’m not a beach boho by nature, so these summer holidays when people crank it down to the beach leave me at a loss. Spend my long weekend sweaty, gritty, dehydrated, and forced to listen to some dude’s crappy radio music as we’re all squeezed onto our tiny patches of sandy ‘paradise’?

No thanks.

So when Memorial Day rolled around, I jumped on the Amtrak heading up to Montreal. For anyone who rather drink craft beer, eat smoked meat, and listen to the melodious sounds of French than bake in the sun, Montreal is for you. I’m pretty sure Montreal is for all of us all the time, really, but here are a couple reasons why it’s especially perfect over Memorial Day.

(Pst, here’s what it’s like to take the Amtrak train from New York City to Montreal.)

DISPLACEMENT

I wonder if the Montreal natives get tired of their city being compared to Paris. Montreal is Montreal. Yes, there is a European feel, at least in the Old City, but then there are also whimsical curvy outdoor staircases and Tim Hortons and mustachioed baristas that would put all of Brooklyn’s to shame (in both mustache style and coffee-tending flair).

That being said, going to Montreal is an easy way to feel like you’re traveling farther than you actually are. I knew everything was going to be in French but still was surprised about how little English there was, both spoken by people I passed on the street and in signage. I had fun trying to figure out the French menus without asking for assistance.

I’m a huge advocate for learning a few key phrases in the language of the country you’re going to. It’s respectful, fun, and an easy way to get in a local’s good graces. While basically everyone in Montreal speaks English as well, I would stumble through the little French some of my students had taught me. You know how French seems like a very light, airy language?

Turns out my French voice is deep and hoarse. Not pretty at all.

Still, I managed to order most of my food and drinks in French. Then, of course, when the barista or waiter asked a followup question, I replied with a blank stare and, “Uhh… do you speak English?” (I tried to say that in French too, but no one understood me!)

Whimsy

Montreal has a sense of humor that’s going to make your work and worries seem so far away. From the giant chess set to the swings that make music as you pump back and forth to the creative video street art to the cat cafe, you’re going to be enchanted. They have a sense of humor that’s going to make your normal life seem a thousand miles away.

Also whimsical? The sheer number of boutique donut shops in Montreal.

You need to stop by Eva B on Saint Laurent. Part consignment shop, cafe, and library, it’s like falling through a hipster Alice’s looking glass. So worth an hour or two wandering around and wondering why, exactly, not all the books are for purchase.

Budget Travel

There’s so much to do here that’s free! I hiked up to the top of Mont-Royal for spectacular views. I wandered around La Plateau neighborhood and snapped photos of the adorable winding metal staircases. Wandering around Old Montreal is free and very picturesque, especially at night or in the early morning when there are relatively few tourists. And both Atwater and Jean-Talon Market are free — if you can resist the enticing food vendors.

(The markets are just two of the places I recommend for food and drink in Montreal.)

I spent three full days in Montreal and my expenditures were almost entirely food and drink. I bought a souvenir cloth patch, like I do in all countries I visit, but that was my only ‘tourist’ expense.

I did skip ‘tourist-must’ Notre-Dame Cathedral, partially because I was out of cash, but also because I wasn’t super interested. And I didn’t spend any money on museums, because…

FREE MUSEUM DAY

I was lucky/unlucky that this fell during my trip.

Free Museum Day is a fantastic event in May, usually on the last Sunday, when 30+ museums in Montreal open their doors for free. My advice for this grand venture is – pick the ONE PLACE you want to go and get there early.

Here’s how I approached it instead, because I didn’t think anything through.

I wandered around trying to find donuts, which took longer than expected. Then I realized I was near St. Joseph’s Oratory, which I thought had fantastic views on the old city, so I headed up that way.

It is an impressive church. It has escalators, a rather intense votive chapel where they spell things out with the candles, and a modernly designed basilica that reminded me for some reason of a Communist memorial I had seen in a church in Bulgaria. But an observation deck? No.

After that, I decided to head to the Biodome, where I had really wanted to go for Museum Day. But, considering where I was and where I was headed, I didn’t end up there until 2:30.

When it was complete chaos.

There must have been a thousand people in line in front of me. And after an hour of waiting (which, considering the number of people, kept us moving fairly quickly), I was crammed into the Biodome with those thousand people, including over-tired and over-stimulated children, parents aimlessly pushing empty strollers, and couples trying to take selfies.

I had been hoping for this:

Instead I got this:

Alas, better to learn your lessons from the lives of others – begin early and don’t show up anywhere at 2:00. Unless it’s the fine art museum.

Fantastic Weather

Maybe. I had gorgeous weather, rain, cold weather, and really really hot weather. But I feel like, if you averaged this all out, you’d have really nice weather. I mean, when I’m on vacation, I never account for rain. It’s a fatal flaw.

But the real reason I’m all about the weather over Memorial Day weekend isn’t about the weather at all.

It’s the flowers at Atwater Market.

I fell in love with Atwater Market. I’ve never seen so many gorgeous blossoms crammed into a single space. I imagine these vendors had only recently assembled their immaculately designed stalls.

In general, Montreal is very green at the end of May. La Plateau was leafy and well-shaded. Mont-Royal was a wooded wonderland. I didn’t get a chance to go to the Botanical Gardens (which I regret a little), but May would be the perfect time to check out their Gardens of Light. Despite the rain (and it seriously poured on me one night), I was happy with the weather.

DISTANCE

I opted to take Amtrak’s Adirondack line between New York and Montreal, both for price and for relaxation. However, for most people, it will make more sense to fly or drive. A non-stop flight from New York will take about an hour and a half, making Montreal easy for the three-day weekend for most people in the Northeast. I’d still suggest taking an extra day or two – it’s a great way to capitalize on existing vacation days and there’s so much to do and see!

Of course, most of these things aren’t available only on Memorial Day weekend, but for beach-intolerant traveler like me, it was the perfect way to kick off my summer!

I used Pinterest to help plan my Montreal trip – check out my Montreal board for more ideas! Marie-Eve Vallieres of To Europe and Beyond is a Montreal native and is an invaluable source of information.

Have you ever been to Montreal? What are some of your favorite memories?