For a French experience without the trans-Atlantic flight, Montreal is a perfect family travel destination. Easy to reach by air and less than a two-hour drive from Burlington, Vermont, this bilingual city is both exotic and familiar, a good first taste of foreign travel for kids.
Get a feel for this lively city on the St. Lawrence River by beginning at Vieux Port, the old port area. A lively neighborhood with lots of public space and outdoor cafés, the port offers plenty of activities, including the La Grande Rou de Montreal Ferris wheel. Ride in one of its climate-controlled (you’ll welcome the heat in winter), eight-passenger gondolas to get a bird’s eye view of the river and sprawling city. Older kids may choose the thrill of soaring over the river on the Tyrolienne MTL zip line, or the whole family can take a boat tour from the docks.
In the same neighborhood, Montreal Science Centre is an interactive museum designed for kids of all ages, where emphasis lies on participation. Kids love creating their own inventions from a variety of random pieces and materials or working with others on an assembly line. They can walk through a kaleidoscope, experiment with codes, learn words in different languages and create electricity.
From the riverfront, hop aboard Line 1 of the Metro to visit Jardin Botanique, a collection of 30 themed gardens high on a hill overlooking the city. Kids especially like the Japanese and Chinese gardens, the tropical rain forest in the green house and the Insectarium.
Back along the river, on the island of Notre-Dame and Sainte-Hélène, Parc Jean Drapeau has a public beach, heated outdoor pools, kayaking and La Ronde amusement park. In winter, there’s a maple sugar cabin, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
You’ll want to visit at least one of Montreal’s lively markets. The Atwater and Jean Talon markets are filled with local food specialties and places to eat. Speaking of food, kids will love Montreal’s Chinatown with its colorful gates and Asian restaurants and shops.
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