Montreal

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

My wife and I will be going to Montreal in a couple of weeks -- I wonder if there's anyone local who can tell me if it's a good idea to get parking at the hotel, or if it makes more sense to use a park-and-ride garage and just take the metro?  We'll be staying downtown.  Is @mpf around to opine?

[mpf]

My wife and I will be going to Montreal in a couple of weeks -- I wonder if there's anyone local who can tell me if it's a good idea to get parking at the hotel, or if it makes more sense to use a park-and-ride garage and just take the metro?  We'll be staying downtown.  Is @mpf around to opine?

I honestly have no idea! Where are you staying? Are we facebook friends?

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

I honestly have no idea! Where are you staying? Are we facebook friends?

I will be staying downtown.

I don't think we're Facebook friends? I don't really use it anymore.

Any advice you have to offer would be really appreciated, when it comes to visiting the city. I've been before, but only briefly to walk the cobblestones of the old city.

[mpf]

I will be staying downtown.

I don't think we're Facebook friends? I don't really use it anymore.

Any advice you have to offer would be really appreciated, when it comes to visiting the city. I've been before, but only briefly to walk the cobblestones of the old city.

I don't really have one. Parking over night is banned almost everywhere and if you leave it at night at a park and ride, odds are you will be towed. So the hotel parking is most likely the best (and possibly only) option

There are no free parking options downtown. All "free parking lot" have deals with towing companies to tow cars from non-customers, and every other parking place charges per hour, sometimes with a maximum per day, but still expensive.

The only option I could see, is to park at a downtown hospital, since the government put a maximum parking cost on those parking lots, and several offer long term parking (like if you are hospitalized)

Unlike shopping malls, the parking lot of the hospitals are NOT managed by the hospital, but rather by the non-profit foundation of the hospital.

As such, I don't think they check you really are in the hospital?

Like, if you park at Notre-Dame:

https://en.parkopedia.ca/parking/lot/h%C3%B4pital_notre_dame/h2l/montr%C3%A9al/?arriving=202507090900&leaving=202507091100

It's $11 per 24 hour period, and 49.75 per week. It is visitor only, but I don't know how well they check.

Away from downtown, there might be areas where you can park for free near a subway station, especially far away from downtown (like on the Orange line on either branches).

That could be an option, but be careful; if you don't drive your car at all, it might still be towed for being abandoned, even if parking is legal.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

I don't really have one. Parking over night is banned almost everywhere and if you leave it at night at a park and ride, odds are you will be towed. So the hotel parking is most likely the best (and possibly only) option

There are no free parking options downtown. All "free parking lot" have deals with towing companies to tow cars from non-customers, and every other parking place charges per hour, sometimes with a maximum per day, but still expensive.

The only option I could see, is to park at a downtown hospital, since the government put a maximum parking cost on those parking lots, and several offer long term parking (like if you are hospitalized)

Unlike shopping malls, the parking lot of the hospitals are NOT managed by the hospital, but rather by the non-profit foundation of the hospital.

As such, I don't think they check you really are in the hospital?

Like, if you park at Notre-Dame:

https://en.parkopedia.ca/parking/lot/h%C3%B4pital_notre_dame/h2l/montr%C3%A9al/?arriving=202507090900&leaving=202507091100

It's $11 per 24 hour period, and 49.75 per week. It is visitor only, but I don't know how well they check.

Away from downtown, there might be areas where you can park for free near a subway station, especially far away from downtown (like on the Orange line on either branches).

That could be an option, but be careful; if you don't drive your car at all, it might still be towed for being abandoned, even if parking is legal.

Yeah, since I posted that first post, I did enough research to find that I probably will have to park at the hotel. It's good to hear that's correct.

Any place you think I should particularly go in the city, that a tourist might not ordinarily think to go to?

Thank you for your advice, by the way!

[mpf]

Yeah, since I posted that first post, I did enough research to find that I probably will have to park at the hotel. It's good to hear that's correct.

Any place you think I should particularly go in the city, that a tourist might not ordinarily think to go to?

Thank you for your advice, by the way!

There is PLENTY to do in Montreal, but I don't know what you have in mind?

Do you like to walk? The underground city is fun to have a walk in while it's raining.

Do you like museums? The McCord museum is not well know but is rather cool.

How far do you want to travel? Because the downtown area is very cool, but there are places too.

Do you want farmer's market? To ride a bike?

[mpf]

If you like metal music, you have to stop at the Foofs as it is legendary (but underwhelming in my humble opinion).

If you like food, well, Montreal is often #1 in gastronomy lists, with Austin, TX as a second (I remember, I was in Austin, and a food server proudly told my group that Austin was #2 in all of North America. I asked what number #1 was, and he said "Ah, it's not even in the USA, it's Montreal". He was actually HAPPY to serve a Montrealer... but he didn't blow my mind.

You need to taste Montreal style bagels, but don't need to go to St-Viateur or Fairmount if you can't. There are other places. Just make sure they are Montreal style.

You should also find a deli and get a smoked-meat sandwich, they came from Montreal apparently, but you can get them elsewhere, they are called "Reuben" outside of Montreal.

The difference is in the brisket. I had a Reuben in Austin,TX and it wasn't as good as in Montreal, but maybe it's me...

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

There is PLENTY to do in Montreal, but I don't know what you have in mind?

Do you like to walk? The underground city is fun to have a walk in while it's raining.

Do you like museums? The McCord museum is not well know but is rather cool.

How far do you want to travel? Because the downtown area is very cool, but there are places too.

Do you want farmer's market? To ride a bike?

We honestly don't have a lot of plans or intentions.  The McCord Museum looks cool!

Any really amazing restaurants?  Is Chinatown worth visiting?

It seems hot to ride a bike around, but it's a good thing to keep in mind -- are there bikes to rent, like in NYC or DC?

We're happy to go wherever if there's something good to see and it's accessible by the Metro.

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

If you like metal music, you have to stop at the Foofs as it is legendary (but underwhelming in my humble opinion).

If you like food, well, Montreal is often #1 in gastronomy lists, with Austin, TX as a second (I remember, I was in Austin, and a food server proudly told my group that Austin was #2 in all of North America. I asked what number #1 was, and he said "Ah, it's not even in the USA, it's Montreal". He was actually HAPPY to serve a Montrealer... but he didn't blow my mind.

You need to taste Montreal style bagels, but don't need to go to St-Viateur or Fairmount if you can't. There are other places. Just make sure they are Montreal style.

You should also find a deli and get a smoked-meat sandwich, they came from Montreal apparently, but you can get them elsewhere, they are called "Reuben" outside of Montreal.

The difference is in the brisket. I had a Reuben in Austin,TX and it wasn't as good as in Montreal, but maybe it's me...

We do love food... but we're vegetarians!  So I don't think the brisket or reuben is going to be for us.  I will definitely remember to try the bagels, Montreal-style.  What does that mean?  Are they different somehow?

[mpf]

We do love food... but we're vegetarians!  So I don't think the brisket or reuben is going to be for us.  I will definitely remember to try the bagels, Montreal-style.  What does that mean?  Are they different somehow?

There are good vegetarian places, but since I have so many plant-based food intolerances since I was sick that I can't actually become a vegetarian, or I wouldn't have much proteins to eat :-(

Are they different... Oh boy!

The abomination you call bagels, is a pastry. It has far too much salt in it, and are basically processed food. They are are basically bread with a hole in them (as said in the video below). They are boiled in baking soda, yuck.

The Montreal style bagels are something else... artisanal, fresh, boiled in honey water with a golden crush with an fluffly internal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-wHd6oJUIU

[Baron Alexandreu Davinescu]

There are good vegetarian places, but since I have so many plant-based food intolerances since I was sick that I can't actually become a vegetarian, or I wouldn't have much proteins to eat :-(

Are they different... Oh boy!

The abomination you call bagels, is a pastry. It has far too much salt in it, and are basically processed food. They are are basically bread with a hole in them (as said in the video below). They are boiled in baking soda, yuck.

The Montreal style bagels are something else... artisanal, fresh, boiled in honey water with a golden crush with an fluffly internal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-wHd6oJUIU

I'm sorry to hear about your intolerances. Food stuff can be so hard to deal with, since you're confronted with it every day.

I love regular bagels, but now I'm very much looking forward to the Montreal ones!