If you’re a New York-area resident in need of a satisfying getaway, there’s no need to arrange a big-deal vacation! Make like Napoleon and keep it short! Drive up for a weekend in Montreal and experience the culture of French Canada, with the convenience of only being a half-day’s drive from home. Leave work early on a Friday, get the F out of town, and you’ll be rolling into Montreal in time for dinner and drinks!
Friday Night: Check in to your hotel and check out your local bar!
When I travel to a charming city, I often prefer a boutique hotel or B&B. However, online searches for boutique hotels can lead you to dozens of places grotesquely decorated with flowery old-lady crap. Frilly beds, lace curtains, and gaudy headboards do not make me feel at home, and they especially clash with my boyfriend’s boots and beard. I recommend staying at the Montreal Espace Confort. This simple (and reasonably-priced) auberge is located in a youthful neighborhood, steps away from decent bars, restaurants, and shops. The rooms are clean, with internet access, private bathrooms and kitchenettes. There is also parking right around the corner!
Take a stroll just around the corner to La Distillerie for a drink. This dark, unpretentious college bar has a laid back vibe- perfect for unwinding your first night in town. They serve amazing cocktails in large mason jars! Try the OMFG (Oh My Fantastic Grapefruit): A spin on an Old Fashioned made with Jim Beam, Pamplemousse (French Grapefruit), and Cynar (an Italian liquor made from plants & herbs)!
Saturday Day: Take a walk!
Take a left out of the hotel and walk north along St-Denis. At times the walk may look like there’s nothing of interest, but press on all the way to Mont Royal and along the way you’ll find lots of great shops like Urban Outfitters, American Apparel and LUSH, in addition to these great local hot-spots:
Memento Vintage Clothing: Memento is a fantastic vintage clothing shop. On our visit, my boyfriend scored a great vintage denim Levi’s shirt at this shop. We chatted a while with the owner, a professional collector of vintage who was at that time contributing costuming to the film I’m Not There, about the life of Bob Dylan.
Beatnick Record Shop: Beatnick is a great little record shop with fair prices, and a wide selection of vinyl ranging from soul to psychadelic rock. You never know what you’ll find!
Snack Time: First, stop at ChuChai (or their sibling restaurant next door named Chuch) for awesome vegetarian Thai food! They have a delicious take-out counter, but we sat and ordered off the menu – something with ‘crispy spinach’ that blew our minds. For a tasty dessert, keep walking on St-Denis to Suite 88 Chocolatier. Their website aptly compares their chocolates to jewelry, but they should call it ‘droolery’. Their drool-inducing fine chocolates are displayed like gems in modern glass cases. Purchase a little chocolate snack, or some gourmet gelato, and take a break in their fashionable seating area!
Keep on the trail, and make a right at Avenue Mont Royal where you’ll find more clothing and record shops, bars, and restaurants like the fantastic Misto! Then, Circle back through the Parc La Fontaine, taking in the beauty of the park and the neighborhood. You can also rent bicycles here! Make your way back to your hotel to rest up before nighttime!
Saturday Night: Old Town
For your Saturday night out in Montreal, head on over to Old Town! The ambiance of Old Town is spectacular, with ornate buildings, cobblestone streets and horse-drawn carriages.
A really rad casual dinner spot in Montreal is Stash. Its an authentic polish restaurant with menu items including pierogies, potato pancakes, borscht and much more! Stash’s delicious food is only matched by its great ambiance. With its old stone walls, wood beams, large rustic wooden tables, and a hip looking young dude playing songs on the piano ranging from the Sound of Music to Everything in its Right Place by Radiohead (no kidding), Stash’s charm has stood out in my memory.
For a fancier dining experience, make reservations at Bonaparte. The food is terrific, and they have small intimate tables set-in against the restaurant’s front windows, so you can look out onto the streets of Old Town and the horse-drawn carriages passing by.
After dinner, walk over to Garde Manger for drinks. This bar and restaurant is often a crowded hot spot- but its right up your alley if you’re looking for some great drinks and excitement. Perfect for some Saturday night fun!
Sunday: Picnic!
Once you check out in the morning, load your car up with your things, and drive back up to Avenue Mont Royal to pick up some brunch for a Sunday picnic.
Boulangerie Premiere Moisson is a small grocery with stations selling pastries, breads, cheeses, prepared spreads and more. It even has a prepared foods counter where you can order up sandwiches, amazing side-salads, and classic french dishes like Croque Madame. Order some tasty dishes to go, and head east to the Montreal Botanical Gardens!
Bring a blanket and set up a picnic somewhere among the vast property of the Montreal Botanical Gardens Arboretum. If they still allow it, you might even be able to bring a bottle of wine – just don’t forget the corkscrew like I did 
Then check out the gardens, the Biodome, and definitely don’t miss the Insectarium- it’s pretty fly! Ha. By late Sunday afternoon, you should be ready to head out of town with great memories of amazing, beautiful, and delicious Montreal!
