Things have been slow on the writing in my blog front while I have been in Montreal. A lot of it has to do with work- just working away. Part of it also is that the weather is so nice that I am always outside and focusing on the fun things to do in Montreal in summer and being with friends rather than at my computer, which I prefer it that way.  

Summer in Montreal has been rather lovely. It has been a bit humid off and on to the point of just constantly sweating, but usually that is paired with rain and thunderstorms- so annoying!   While most of my colleagues have complained about no air conditioning or old units, my building is fortunate enough to have air conditioning to the point where I am super cold in my apartment (it is one temperature for the whole building). But sleeping cold they say is better than sleeping hot.  

My coworkers and I have also started making our own ice coffee at work, which has been nice- granted it isn’t glamorous, but it taste decent enough.   Besides indoor life, here are some outdoor activities you can do in Montreal over the summer:  

Explore Mount Royal and see the views

Mount Royal is a little mountain or a really big hill, however you want to look at it, in the middle of Montreal city. It is one of the fun things to do in Montreal offers several lovely views of the city, but also of beautiful nature. In the summer, full green trees!

Enjoy many of the outdoor terraces or patios or even rooftop bars!

So many bars and cafes have outdoor seating, soak up the sun while enjoying one of the numerous happy hour or as they say it here in Quebec, 5 a 7 (pronounced using the French numbers even in English). Sky Resto Bar is a nightclub in the evening, but holds a rooftop bar during it’s restaurant hours.

fun things to do in Montreal
On top of Sky

Participate in all the festivities  

There are so many festivals so many fun things to do in Montreal going on it is sometimes hard to do all of them as they overlap or you just get busy doing other outdoor things. Here are a few and the well known ones. But if you search among Facebook, Instagram, Montreal Blog, etc, you will be sure to find more! Or just walking along different streets and realizing they closed it off to cars for shops to set up booths to sell people. Many of these festivals have free events, but some also have pay for tickets one too.

A. Mural Festival

The Mural Festival is mainly held in the Plateau as this area is known for street art. The main street, St. Laurent, is shut down as stores bring their wares on the street and artists have a safe place to do their work without cars zooming by.

B. Jazz Festival

The Jazz Festival is located all over the city- outside and inside! Some events have a fee, but others are free!

C. Circus Festival

The Circus Festival are for fans of Cirque du Soleil…which comes from Montreal! In the section of the city known as “The Village,” circus acts take to the street to delight audience.

D. Just for Laughs

Just for Laughs is a comedy festival that is mainly held in different venues around downtown. Shows are sometimes free or greatly discounted on the Just for Laughs site.

E. International Firework Competition

The International Firework Competition is located in La Ronde or can be viewed from Old Port or Old Montreal. It features a handful of countries over 2 months. Every Saturday, 2 countries compete with bright colors and music.  

Rent a bike and join the locals pedal around town

Bicycles everywhere! There are a lot of bike lanes, but honestly…I am more afraid of the bikers than the cars.

Have a picnic in one of the numerous parks

It is legal to drink in parks, just make sure you have food to accompany it! And of course, no other public disturbances. Just have fun with friends!

Go to La Ronde

This is 6 Flags amusement park! One of the fun things to do in Montreal It is just like the other ones in the United States minus a bunch of people. A Season pass costs way less than a one day pass so if you know you are going ahead of time get the season pass (it increases as the season goes one). Basically, 2 times at the park and the pass pays for itself plus some.

Fun fact, Montreal is known for construction, at least by the locals. It is said that the construction companies are wrong my old mafias that have politicians in their pockets meaning they stretch out projects for years in order to keep getting money. Whether or not this is true, what is pretty true is that there is a 2 week vacation period for all the construction workers. I find this funny as most construction happens in the summer due to bad winters and their vacation time is in the summer….  

Don’t forget your sunblock!

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