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"Montreal to Uncover and Celebrate
One of
Canada's Oldest Cities"
One of the unique
opportunities for families when they travel is to experience different
cultures and to take advantage of historical and scientific attractions to
teach children more about the world they live in.
As a family destination, Montreal offers a wealth of
entertainment, shopping, dining, attractions and historical sites. First settled in 1642,
Montreal has
become one of the world's most culturally intriguing tourism destinations.
Some of the City's most popular attractions, resulting from major world
events like the Olympics and the 1967 Expo have been transformed to
provide families with first hand knowledge of our world.
With all this going for it, Montreal was an ideal
candidate for a www.hotelfun4kids.com "Visit..." and the newly renovated Fairmont
Queen Elizabeth's "Family Celebration" package combined a fascinating
hotel centrally located in downtown Montreal (connected to the train
station) with admission to some of the attractions we wanted to explore.
"Taking the Train to Montreal"
This visit also gave us a chance to experience VIA
Rail Canada's Corridor Service in both economy class and VIA 1 class, as the train ride become part of this Hotel Fun 4
Kids™ Vacation. For more
information on VIA Rail Canada's Service go to
VIA Rail Canada's Policies, Fares and
Services for Children on the Train.
Stopping at major Cities along the 401 Corridor of
Southern Ontario from Windsor to Montreal, Via Rail's train service was a
relaxing and convenient way to travel for this visit. We
boarded the train at the Oshawa station, taking advantage of one of the
many cities along the route that the train stops at, leaving our car right
at the station.
Wanting to experience both economy and the VIA 1
classes offered on this route, we choose economy on our way to Montreal.
We were lucky to get one of the four seater sections making for some
quality family time during the trip. Prior to boarding at the
station we picked up VIA Rail's Children's Activity Book containing some
interesting facts and fun for kids riding the rails.
| We enjoyed the scenery, some lively conversation and since the
boys brought their CD players, some quiet time too. |
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Experiencing the differences between Economy and VIA 1 was
an interesting experiment. In Economy Class the attendants do serve
a light menu of snack items and refreshments at an additional charge.
Returning from Montreal on the VIA 1 class, we enjoyed waiting in the
first class lounge at the Montreal Train Station along with priority
boarding. We received a delicious hot meal during our trip along
with complimentary beverages. This service also allowed us to
reserve a four-seater section, one of two in the VIA 1 rail car. The
VIA 1 class seats have power adaptors for hand held games or CD players -
this turned out to be especially handy since the batteries died on one of
the CD Players.
Fairmont Queen Elizabeth's "Family Celebration
Package"
Since we were travelling to Montreal by train when
planning this visit, we wanted a hotel that was near the train station.
We couldn't have gotten any nearer than the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth -
it's connected to the Train Station (which was a good thing as we were
late leaving the hotel on our day of departure). In fact, it is
located right above the station and is also connected to the City's
underground.
The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth's
Family Celebration Package
combines great accommodations, family admission to some popular family
attractions and more. As part of the package we received an
Exploration package for the Science Center, a 1 hour bicycle or roller
blade rental coupon, admission to our choice from two of the Insectarium,
Olympic Tower and/or Biodome, along with two nights accommodation in a
Fairmont room. Package rates start at $170.00 Canadian per adult
per night based on two adults and two children aged 17 and under.
Children age 6 and under eat free while kids 7 to 12 pay half-price in the
Hotel's restaurants too. For more information see
Unique Summer Getaways at
Montreal's Newly Renovated Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth include Family Fun
and More.
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We did upgrade
our accommodations to a junior suite and were pleased with the upgrade.
Travelling with two older boys (aged 9 and 13), we have learned the value
of booking a suite or connecting rooms. We enjoyed the
luxury of our own bedroom and bath. |
| The advantage of a second television in
the sitting room and an additional bathroom allows privacy for everyone. |
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The Queen Elizabeth's indoor pool, part
of the Health Club, was a popular place for our family to relax.
After all the sight seeing we did, a
soothing soak in the hot tub made sure we were ready to do it again
the next day.
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The large lap pool was perfect for some
swimming and water play. |
The facility also includes a wading
pool for young children.
When we were ready for a
hearty breakfast, the Fairmont's Queen Elizabeth's Bistro-style
Le Montréalais had the buffet and menu ready to please. Since we
were on the go with so much to see and do, the buffet worked well for us.
Everyone could get their choice and then we were off to see more of
Montreal. Lunch and dinner are also available at this restaurant and
the hotel's two other restaurants. There is an extensive room
service menu with children's menu items also.
Fairmont's Queen Elizabeth
has a host of services that provide convenience for families including,
Box Lunches for picnics, Laundry Services and for families with young
children housekeeping can provide Strollers, Cribs and Highchairs.
So much to Uncover in Old Montreal
Our goal during this weekend visit to
Montreal was to explore some of the history of this City from the "Ground
Up". There is no better place to do this than in Old Montreal and
the "Old Port", just a short walk from our hotel, and there was no
better place to start from the ground up than the Montreal Museum of
Archaeology and History.
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The architecturally renowned main building is
where the tour begins.
An introductory 18 minute multimedia show
took us back in time to "Where Montreal was Born" and through some of it's
earliest history. Following the show we headed into the
basement for a look at the City's first Catholic Cemetery.
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Before leaving the main building we enjoyed a
great view of the Old Port from the Lookout Tower - an elevator from the
basement took us all the way to the top. Other features of the Museum highlight
archaeological remains and the floor models depict Place Royale during
five different eras. This Museum provides a great insight into
early Montreal and is a great starting place for families before exploring
the Old Montreal.
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While in Old Montreal we walked down
Saint-Paul browsing in many of the quaint shops and taking in the historical
buildings. Restaurants with outdoor seating abound in Old Montreal. |
Most restaurants display their menus outside
for perusing before choosing.
| We enjoyed a lobster lunch with all the trimming in this
restaurant on Saint-Paul. In fact, this picture has become a
screen saver on my computer to remind me of the meal. |
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A recreational trail running along the Old
Port is an enjoyable walk, ride or roller skate, with many activities
taking place. Unfortunately during our visit a work stoppage was
taking place and we didn't get a chance to see this vibrant area at it's
best.
Located on King-Edward Pier is where new
meets old at the Montreal Science Centre and Imax Theatre.
Interactive exhibits allow kids to have hands on experience with modern
science. The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Family Celebration
Package includes a pass to this attraction for a family of four.
From Botanical Gardens to
Bugs to the Biodome
Taking advantage of Montreal's Metro subway
system, its just a short ride to the City's most popular "Nature"
Attractions.
Montreal's Botanical Garden, open year-round,
showcases 30 themed gardens both indoors and outdoors throughout the 75
hectare site. A mini-train provided a great way to see the variety
of gardens at a glance with stops along the way.
One of the Botanical Garden's most popular
attractions is the Insectarium of Montreal, a natural science museum
created in 1990 to explore and encourage an interactive approach to
learning about these fascinating creatures. Throughout the six biogeographic zones represented in the museum, there were plenty of ohs
and ahs as we viewed all the sizes and varieties of bugs on display.
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This tarantula, while not an insect, caught our
attention as it was enjoying a meal. Not that I wanted to take
it home or anything, but it was interesting. |
During certain times visitors can also be heard going yum when insect tastings - yes I said tastings - take place.
Located across the street from the Botanical
Gardens is Olympic Park, home to The Biodome, a world renowned and
accredited zoological attraction. The Biodome explores four
distinct ecosystems displaying animals within their natural environments.
From the Tropical Rainforest and Laurentian Forest to the St. Lawrence
Marine and Polar ecosystems, this unique zoo let us see endangered species
as never before.
The St. Lawrence Marine Ecosystem provided is
with an underwater and above water perspective detailing the relationship between
the creatures that live both above and below the water line. While
we observed the fish swimming about as part of the underwater observatory, one of the many ducks dove into the water for a meal. Up top in the
St. Lawrence Estuary we watched this scene from another perspective, as
birds dove and surfaced, providing a
complete picture.
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Not to be missed is the lower level's
Naturalia where the boys could actually touch and learn more about the
Biodome's inhabitants close up. |
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Look Up, Look Way Up!
Within easy walking distance to the Fairmont
Queen Elizabeth is the Montreal Planetarium and its "Night Sky!" show.
Reflecting the current sky's positioning of the constellations, we were
treated to an attention grabbing tour of the stars over Montreal.
The Night Sky runs until January 4, 2004.
Eating in Montreal - To
call it that is just an Understatement
From outdoor cafes and bistros and the eclectic
mix of restaurants on Crescent Street to the dining experiences of Old
Montreal, we just couldn't believe the variety and options when our
stomachs started to growl.
Here's the tough part - where to eat - there
are just too many choices. We relied on the Concierge at the
Fairmont Queen Elizabeth for recommendations with excellent results.
For authentic French flair Union Avenue was
the place to go while a stroll along Saint Catherine and Sherbrooke
had our heads spinning with all selections.
Since the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is world
famous for it's role in John Lennon's Bed-In for Peace, we thought some
"Rock and Roll" for dinner was in order. If you are lucky and
the suite is not occupied, sometimes you can even arrange to see the
actual room in the Hotel - Suite 1742.
The Hard Rock Café,
located on Crescent Street, fit this bill. This rock and roll themed
restaurant features classic American cuisine and a Children's Menu.
The restaurant's stain glass windows illuminate the expansive selection of
musical memorabilia, a delight for adults, teens and children to inspect
while dining and listening to classic "Rock and Roll".
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I don't know who had more fun, but I sure
enjoyed watching my husband relive his teenage years as he explained
some of the music to the boys during appetizers. |
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The Hard Rock Cafe also has an outdoor patio
so you can watch all the comings and goings of Crescent Street during the
summer.
What a Weekend!!
As our fascinating "VISIT..." weekend in
Montreal drew to a conclusion, we knew that we would be back again to
explore this fascinating City. We barely scratched the surface of all
there is to see and learn in this exciting and vibrant City.
Montreal is
full of entertaining and educational experiences for families to uncover. Perhaps
a future Visit will uncover even more for us.
For more information on visiting Montreal go
to
www.tourism-montreal.org.
www.hotelfun4kids.com"Visits
..." is an unique opportunity that encourages you to ask us
questions about the Visit location. Go to www.hotelfun4kids.com/contactus.htm
to submit your question and we will do our best to answer
it. By
Maureen Hall
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