When I often go to the same city, at some point, I find myself not knowing what to do with friends anymore. That is why I listed 10 summer activities to do in Montreal that I always enjoy doing alternatively. I hope that it will brighten your summer! Have fun in MTL, people!
1. Go to DIY Shops to Build Yourself a Gift
If you are like me and sometimes want to do something fun by exploring your creativity and rewarding yourself with a unique piece of art, then DIY shops are your go-to activity! These places are also fantastic for creating the perfect gifts for your loved ones.
- Tututu Space offers you to decorate phone cases, create tufting of all sorts, personalize keychains, and so much more.
- L’ Atelier Marjorie gives you the opportunity to take a cupcake class to help you decorate your own cupcakes. You could then bring them to a party or a picnic with friends!
- Ceramic Café is a cozy place to paint on ceramic of multiple forms.
- Les Faiseurs allows you to shape clay freely.
2. Have a Bar and Karaoke Night
Do you enjoy Korean culture or want a crazy night with friends while singing your lungs out? Or want to have an enjoyable birthday party with your besties? Then a karaoke and bar night might be a good idea!
Pang Pang Karaoke offers various genres, from K-pop to 70s songs to today’s hit lists. Honestly, you should create a list of songs you want to sing beforehand. That way, you won’t waste your time deciding through the countless songs the karaoke catalogue has, and you will be able to enjoy your time spent there singing entirely.
There are tons of bars in MTL, like Ganadara Bar and 1994 Bar, to name just a few.
3. Thrift Shopping Trip on St-Laurent Street
With our degradant environment, thrift shopping is a new way of getting clothes. I am still new to it, but so far, here are my top three thrift shops discoveries:
- EvaB (a bit pricey, but original pieces + there is a little café inside the shop)
- Annexe Vintage (90s style with cute local goods like handmade earrings and stickers)
- Citizen Vintage (grungy-funky style vintage thrift shop with unique accessories)
- Others: Cul-de-sac (vintage-sporty style), Ex Voto and Marché Floh (that one is on St-Denis Street but is worth the detour)
4. Hiking Trips in the Mountains and Parks
A classical ride that never gets tiring is hiking the Mount-Royal, with its majestical view over the city and multiple trails. I suggest bringing a picnic to enjoy on top of the mountain where there are picnic tables to eat while enjoying nature. Don’t worry! There is a café on the hill on McGill’s side, so there is no need to carry food.
Others: Parc Nature Du Ruisseau-De-Montigny (3 km walk to enjoy some waterfalls, fresh air and nature sounds) and Parc Jean-Drapeau and Old Port for relaxing walks.
5. Discovering Cultural Restaurants
MTL is rich in culture, and the food there is mouth-watering. So far, I’ve tried out mostly Asian restaurants, and here are some of my favourites:
- South/East Asian foodies: Le Petit Tokebi, King Bap, Japote, Daldongnae, Sammi & Soupe Dumpling, Kumamoto Ramen, Mae Sri Thai
- West Asian foodies: Ô Four, Osmow’s, Maison Lahlou, Avesta
- European foodies: Modavie, Wienstein Gavinos, L’Usine de Spaghetti
I will keep you updated with my favourite resto spots in this post
6. Try Out Uncommon Physical Activities
With friends or family, it is always memorable to try out new activities, such as:
Fly Yoga at Yoga MTL, where you have a traditional yoga course while being on a hammock. So, it is a way of challenging yourself (and your yoga routine, if you have one) while increasing your flexibility, balance and improving your mental health.
KROSSLINE is a dance studio that offers K-pop dance, famous choreographies and street dance lessons for everyone. If you are a K-pop fan like me, it is an excellent opportunity to meet up with people with the same interests as yours!
KSF offers 3 hours of surf classes for everyone above 12 years old at the Park of Rapids. It is your chance to learn how to surf even though we don’t live in a tropical country; what a dream!
7. Having a Picnic in a Park
MTL has many green fields to enjoy summer, surrounded by trees within the city. Places like Mount Royal, Westmount Park, Lafontaine Park, Maisonneuve Park and Angrignon Park are all fantastic places to picnic with friends while playing frisbee; why not? Go grab some sushis, sandwiches, fruits and chocolate bars, and let’s go!
8. Hang Out in Chinatown
MTL Chinatown is full of hidden gems and is worth the detour. For instance, you can taste the famous Dragon’s Beard Candy and drink Bubble Tea while shopping for Asian skincare products at C&C Korean Cosmetics (it will save your skin, I swear) and filling your bags with Asian snacks at D&G Market. Then, to wrap up such a tour, you could try out authentic restaurants like Lan Zhou Noodles (the lineup speaks for itself about how good these noodles are) or Mai Xiang Yuan Dumpling.
9. Walk Through the Old Port
Next, you should revisit the Old Port! That place is rich in activities to do and is family-friendly. Everyone can find joy in the following list of activities and never get enough of it:
Visit the Centre des Sciences de Montréal, take a boat ride, walk along the Saint-Laurent River, ride a multi-seater bike, go to SOS Labyrinth, eat on a terrace, look at artisanal and food trucks, taste new ice cream flavors, and so much more.
10. Shopping on Sainte-Catherine Street
It is no secret that Sainte-Catherine is THE street in MTL for shopping. So, why not going to fill out your pantries in the Asian markets or just buy out the stuff that has been on your to-do list for a while now?
*Special mention to anime and comic fans, you should visit the Captaine Quebec store; it is a hidden gem full of collectible stuff with a kind owner.
*Trick: you could use the TimeTree app to coordinate schedules between multiple friends. It is easy to use; each friend creates an account and merges their calendar with the common one, and then, you see everyone’s availability.
*There are also great festivals to attend, such as Île Soniq (EDM festival), Oshelaga (music festival), Le Grand Poutinefest, Yatai MTL (Japanese festival) and many more.
Feel free to share in the comments below fun summer activities you always like doing in Montreal or cool spots that you find exciting/delicious! Have a fantastic day, and thank you!