Circus schools. Water parks. Skating rinks. Playgrounds. Pizza. Montreal knows what boys and girls like. And though many of its kid-friendly attractions are geared specifically toward youngsters, others have broad appeal. If you're at all attuned with your inner 5th grader, you'll love this city -- its relaxed vibe, its creativity, and its understanding that on some levels, none of us ever really grow up.
Entertainment, Easy as A, B, C
Montreal one-ups the relentlessly frigid elements with a trio of state-of-the-art indoor attractions. The Aquadome is a swimming complex, complete with palm trees, a fake beach and several waterslides. The area near the fountain is popular with the just-out-of-diapers set, while older kids obviously prefer the three larger slides. Renovated in 2001, the Aquadome doubles as a local swimming fitness center, complete with lap pools (during posted hours) and all kinds of lessons.
The Biodome is split into quadrants, each representing a different ecosystem. There's the Tropical Forest, the Polar Worlds, the Laurentian Forest and the St. Lawrence Marine Ecosystem. Exhibits and special installations change regularly -- recent ones include the Fossil Affair and Fatal Attraction, which explores different animals' mating rituals. The Biodome is located in what was originally the Olympic Velodrome back in the '70s.
Rounding out the triad is the Laval Cosmodome, a space learning center located just outside Montreal. If your family is only mildly interested in space, opt for the drop-in tour here, but if you've got a would-be astronaut in the group, plan ahead and see if you can blast off into….drum roll…Space Camp.
Summer Greenery
Montreal has tons of parks, which locals make use of even in the winter months, with snow skiing and sledding and ice skating. In summer, there's everything from boating to hiking to live music concerts. For family excursions, check out Beaver Lake found in the sprawling Mount Royal Park) which contains, sadly, none of the flap-tailed namesakes, but instead has a number of resident ducks, not to mention a few mounted policemen. If you want to spread out a biiiig old picnic blanket -- or perhaps be brave and take a summer swim as locals do -- Angrignon Park's "Little Farm," where they can make friends with goats, burros, geese and occasional emu.
Brain Food
Museums and children can be like oil and water, but you might be able to trick your kiddies into enjoying an educational outing. Start with a visit to Insectarium, where crawlies take center stage, much to the delight of little and not-so-little boys. Or check out the Just for Laughs Museum, -- the top floor houses the Magicians' Workshop, the Hall of Mirrors and other attractions just for under-12s. The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts presents the very special "Once Upon A Time, Walt Disney" exhibit through June 24, 2007. Showcasing treasures from the Disney archives, it is the North American follow-up to a successful four-month run in Paris.
Act Out
No city has more to occupy a hyperactive kid than Montréal. Attractions like École de Cirque de Verdun (circus school), Trapezium (one-day flying trapeze beginner sessions), and Labyrinthe du Hangar (a giant indoor maze in a former airplane hangar) will distract 'em from the X-Box for entire days at a stretch.
No More Mickey D's
If there was ever a place to steer your kids away from fast food, this would be it. Montreallers know how to eat, and no matter where in the city you are, you can always find a quick, cheap and healthy snack if you want to. Both Jean Talon and Atwater markets are full of vendors and farmers selling all kinds of fruit, vegetables, cheeses and more. There's a fantastic bakery at one end of Jean Talon.
While you're in the city, make sure and try two of its favorite foodie fixes: bagels at St. Viateur and smoked meat at
Scwartz's Deli. For a delicious day trip, head to Sucrerie de la Montagne, midway between Montreal and Ottaway. This "sugar shack" has its own onsite bakery, and also serves an all-you-can-eat meal with live sing-a-long entertainment.
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