Montreal is vibrant, hip, sassy, and very family friendly. No matter what month you visit in, there is usually a festival going on and many have events tailored to kids; There’s an International Children’s Film Festival in May, and festivals dedicated to children’s literature, hot air balloons, and fireworks later in the year. Even the legendary Montreal Jazz Festival (in July) is very family friendly. Check out the city’s official tourism website for a full events listing to see what is going on when you’re planning to visit.
Without special events, Montreal always has plenty going on, and thanks to a great public transit system, it is really easy to explore too. Over at Olympic Park, built for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games, you’ll find the Biodome, which displays an impressive range of animals arranged by ecosystem, the Montreal Botanical Garden, which is beautiful and also home to the Insectarium which has all manner of cool and creepy bugs on display. In 2013, there’s also a brand new planetarium opening too. Give yourself plenty of time to explore the area.
Another great area to explore is Chinatown. There are lots of restaurants and cafes where you can get dim sum, interesting Asian pastries and bubble tea, all of which are great kid friendly fare. Toddlers to teens will enjoy the kooky stores where they’ll find unique treasures to take home.
Old Montreal is beautiful, and if you take a horse and carriage ride from outside the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal (which is incredibly beautiful and well worth looking around), you’ll get a fun guided tour that the kids will get a real kick out of. Afterwards, head over to the Old Port where you’ll find the Montreal Science Centre, which has neat interactive exhibits and an IMAX theatre.
These are just some of the great attractions and neighborhoods to visit. No matter how many times you go, there is always more to discover, and Montreal is a city that never disappoints.