10 things to do in Montreal before summer ends

by Michelle Trottier

Summer in Quebec is short, so be sure to enjoy every moment you can outside. Here are 10 activities to do outside in Montreal before the summer ends. [image credit: iStockphoto/rmnunes]

Going to the beach is not only a purely summer activity (at least in Quebec), but it’s also for cooling off when the heat and humidity hit. At Jean-Doré Beach at Parc Jean-Drapeau, you can dip in quality water, have fun on the floating Aquazilla course, play beach volleyball, rent boats and try stand up paddleboarding.

Even though you can't swim there, Horloge Beach in the Old Port still provides the opportunity for a little freshness thanks to the atomizers on site. But above all, it's a place to relax under the coloured umbrellas, for admiring the view of the river, the Jacques-Cartier bridge and Île Sainte-Hélène.

Eating and drinking outside is a real pleasure when the weather permits.

Patios pop up like mushrooms all over Montreal in the summer. For an excellent "pig out" meal on a patio that’s as funky as the name of the establishment that hosts it, you can head to Chez ma grosse truie chérie on Ontario Street. Feel like a cold beer, a glass of bubbles or a caesar? Le Palco in Verdun is the right place. Rather start off with a coffee? For the feeling of enjoying a coffee in the heart of a small forest with an unpretentious decor, the Santropol on Saint-Urbain Street is charming every time.

At the Esplanade Sun Life Financial Plaza in Olympic Park40 street food trucks You’ll find trucks like the Boîte à Fromages, Monsieur Crémeux and Les Boucaniers en cavale.

One last picnic before things get to chilly to dine on the grass? Check out our list of 27 places to buy everything you’ll need for a picnic in Montreal.

You can always eat ice cream, even in the winter, but what could be better than enjoying cold treats while wandering around the city while it’s hot? On Saint-Denis Street, Meu Meu serves passers-by their soft crème anglaise ice cream with unparalleled flavour. On Masson Street in Vieux-Rosemont, Les Givrés offers their homemade ice cream products in cones that are also made locally. And at Ca lem in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, satisfy your curiosity with the coveted soft black ice cream Coco Ash or even try durian banana ice.
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OTHER GREAT SUGGESTIONS:

• 8 simple ways to enjoy the outdoors more
• Explore Montreal’s most amazing local landmarks
• 5 tips for a healthy picnic

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In Montreal, even though you can dance outside in winter – Hello Igloofest! – the warm season offers many events that let you move it under the sun or in the warm air of a summer night. Le Piknic Électronik at the Plaine des Jeux on Île Sainte-Hélène, the summer brother of the abovementioned winter fiesta, is a must for fans of electronic music. Another ephemeral place to visit before autumn comes is the Village at Pied-du-Courant at the foot of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge where various musical evenings are held. And for a collective dance experience of another kind, you can check out Maisonneuve Market before the end of August for line dancing, preceded by an urban picnic where everyone is invited.

For a few years now, there has been an enthusiasm in Quebec for exercising in city parks, and many of Montreal's parks have set up facilities just for that. For an outdoor workout before you have to bundle up, try the urban gym Trekfit at Toussaint-Louverture Park downtown, the one in Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park on the Plateau, or the Energi module at Morgan Park in Hochelaga, right next to the bike path.

Whether you choose to go to the beach, have a picnic or dance on the river banks, you can spend your last summer days outdoors collecting wonderful memories of warmth and fresh air. Then you’ll be ready to face the other Quebec season while waiting for the summer activities to return the following year.