10 great things to do in Montreal

Great Things to See and Do in Montréal

Watch or walk the Pride Parade (annual)
Divers/Cité, or Montreal Pride, is the city's eclectic expression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered pride. Prepare yourself for five days of queer colour and culture unlike any other. More than just a parade, Divers/Cité has grown to become an end-of-summer cultural festival complete with concerts, shows, art, theatre and parties.

The event has become one of the most celebrated and significant in Quebec, with over 500,000 people taking part in the Pride Parade, and attendance during the entirety of the festival topping one million. Another highlight is the Pride Ball, with guest DJs and the best of the Montreal house scene. There's also a community day, outdoor cinema and dance demonstrations. Some events are ticketed, but many are free.

Go Whale Watching
From the bustle of Montreal you can head to Tadoussac for 2, 3 or more days of an unforgettable whale watching experience. Tadoussac, located by the shore of St. Laurent River is the most popular destination for whale watching. Expeditions are organised to watch seals, sperm whales, beluga whales, and the great blue whale! The season is mostly from mid- to the end of summer (July to end of September).

Go Camping
The St Laurent River area is perfect for camping too! There are many camping parks where you can rent a spot or just show up with your tent and friends. This is the perfect opportunity to roast marshmallows and sausages by the fire. The camping season is from mid-May to mid-October.

Visit Plateau Mont-Royal
Located just above the Village, the Plateau Mont-Royal is a young vibrant neighbourhood in Montreal. Here, you will find many local activities exclusive to Montreal:

The Mont-Royal Tam-Tams. A drum festival that takes place every Sunday during the summer at the “monument”. Random people get together to play drums in an improvised style.

Walking up to Mont-Royal is a great activity to do especially during the fall. The variety of colours that cover the landscape as well as the beautiful Lac des Castors (Beaver Lake) add a romantic touch to the scene. Up on the mountain you can view the entire southern part of the city from the observatory and, on a sunny day, you can see all the way to New York State!

Go Skiing or Snowboarding
Winter sports are the best way to enjoy the cold winter in Montreal. Mountains not far from Montréal such as Mont Tremblant, St Sauveur, Mont Avila and Bromont are great for skiing and snowboarding. With affordable prices for both lifts and equipment rental, all of them are really must-see places. There are several gay-organised ski trips during the winter. More information can be found at the school or independently, online at www.gaysports.com .

Go Shopping
Montreal is a city highly influenced by fashion. Since shopping might be a big part of your gay lifestyle, Montreal is a great place to unleash your fashion desires!
There are several great stores in the village where you can find trendy clothes such as Autre-Monde, but definitely the best place to go shopping is just a few steps from the school: the underground city.

The underground city is located in the heart of downtown Montreal, made up of the best shopping malls in town: the Eaton Center, les Cours Mont-Royal, les Ailes de la Mode and Promenade Cathedral. Here you can find the trendiest stores in the whole metropolitan area.

See Cirque du Soleil
KOOZA, the new spectacle of Cirque du Soleil, tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendour and fragility, presented in a colourful mélange that emphasises bold slapstick humour. Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.