For years i wanted to visit Montreal and Quebec City. As a kid living in Vermont and New Hampshire when we were so close to this part of Canada, we never went. So it was one of those places I thought to get a little feel of Europe without actually traveling so far.
Our family was waiting for 1 1/2 years to hear from Arlington National Cemetery to schedule our father’s internment. Finally in August, the cemetery scheduler gave us our timeline and we set the ceremony for October 14. That’s when a lightbulb went off in my head and I said how about that Montreal/QC trip since I was flying all the way to the East-coast. I booked flights on the cheap and using points for one of the legs. This report is somewhat different from others i have given the Forum in that it won’t set out day by day details. Shoot me questions/comment if you’re curious on those details.
Flights & Immigration:
Delta SEA>Washington DC, Air Canada DC > Montreal, United Montreal/Chicago/SEA
Purchased checked bags all 3 flights; Air Canada changed flight leaving DC early morning instead of late afternoon so this hampered some plans in DC; no upgrade on seat position, so middle seat for 3 legs; ORD walk from Terminal C to B fantastic lighting art display, insane long immigration line arrival in Montreal, a breeze leaving though as they just took my photo (hmmmm?)
Accommodations: Hotel Roberval, Montreal - perfect setup, comfortable bed with full kitchen, breakfast was decent with usual continental fare, elevator, major transit center very close (construction though), 747 airport bus in front of hotel, staff very friendly showed me laundry room
Hotel AtypiQ: very different hotel in that it is almost like a hostel. They provide a full sized decked out kitchen and breakfast items for guests to use to create their own breakfast. The beds are Murphy type beds coming down from the ceiling. I left mine down the entire stay. The room area was very tight but I knew that. This was fine except the bed was very high off the ground level so I had to launch myself in and out of it.
Montreal:
Explored Le Champs de Mars park, basilique, Chateau Ramezay, AURA light show at Basilique, explored Chinatown, Loved the Marche Jean Talon shopping, visited Little Italy shops, explored waterfront and downtown Musee des Arts, Dinner and jazz at Jardin Nelson in Old Montreal
Quebec City:
Explored old Quebec, port, Chateau Frontenac, QC historic walking tour starting at Port then petit Champlain, funiculaire to Old Quebec and Dufferine Terrace history, visit to Musee de Ursulines, guided tour of Old Forts of Saint Louis (ruins), Museum of Civilization, guided tour of the Citadel, self guided walk of Plains of Abraham, garden and museum, day trip to Montmorency Falls, explored more of the waterfront and ferry trip to Levis
Ground Transportation: Booking.com provided airport taxi as my Genius perk, Uber and Montreal metro using OPUS 3 day pass worked well most of the time BUT there seems to be construction everywhere in Montreal so some bus routes were on detours, mostly walked and used the funiculaire in QC, #800 bus to Montmorency Falls (upload transit app for payment); Orleans bus between Montreal & QC
Fun encounters/entertainment: Live jazz music at Jardin Nelson, AURA light/music show inside basilica, dog walking group on ferry to Levis (I fell in love with a poodle named LiLu)