Top Rated Parks to Visit in Quebec

"Why: Located in Côte-des-Neiges, right atop the Mount Royal, Saint Joseph's Oratory is one of Canada's largest churches and a National Historic Site of Canada. Construction was completed in 1966 and its dome is the third-largest of its kind, only after the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro in Côte d’Ivoire and Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome."

"At the end of the alley you will be on St. Joseph. Continue walking two blocks east passing St. Stanislas church until you reach Avenue Laurier. This is one of the most interesting streets on the Plateau where you will find a world of style, prestige, flavours, beauty and good food. The place to see and be seen."

"Surrounding La Ronde, you’ll find the expansive Parc Jean-Drapeau, which comprises two islands: Île Sainte-Hélène and the artificial Île Notre-Dame. In addition to hiking and skiing trails, green space, bike paths and gardens, the park also boasts the city’s largest outdoor concert venue, a Formula 1 race track (which hosts the Canadian Grand Prix), the Montreal Casino and a beach, among plenty of other paid and free activities."

"Montreal's largest park comprises two islands (Ile Ste-Hélène and Ile Notre-Dame) and was the site of the city's monumental Expo 67 World Fair. Today, the islands are a great spot for exploring on foot, bicycle or rollerblades. Half of Ile Ste-Hélène is taken up by La Ronde amusement park."

"1 Circuit Gilles VilleneuveMontréal, Québec H3C 1A9(514) 977-9328. Parc Jean-Drapeau consists of two islands, Saint Helen’s Island and Notre Dame Island. The Parc Jean-Drapeau is one of the top recreational areas in the city, featuring many attractions."

"With lush, colorful landscapes and activity rosters for every season of the year, Mount Royal Park is one of the best places to visit in Montreal. The first thing to know about the park is that it’s gigantic. It’s perched atop the volcanic rock cluster that is Mount Royal, and it unfolds across all kinds of playgrounds, picnic sites, skating rinks, ski slopes, tennis courts, hiking trails, tobogganing hills and rowboating lakes."

"Parc Mont-Royal was inaugurated in 1976 in an effort to preserve a natural space in the city’s core, but the park has been an important social meeting ground for generations before it was made official. Today, it’s the site of the weekly Tam Tam drum circle, vast picnic grounds, an excellent toboggan hill where equipment can be rented for a nominal fee, a lookout at the summit and multiple hiking trails."

"You can’t mention parks in Montreal without highlighting Mont Royal Park. Sure, it hosts two hockey rinks in the winter but nothing tops Mont Royal Park’s weekly Tam-Tams parties every Sunday which is currently on hiatus. The park’s main attraction is the George-Etienne Cartier monument and the park’s liveliness stems from the sound of the drums from which Tam-Tams gets its name."

"The unique and costly (over C$1 billion) Olympic Stadium is now the venue for concerts and features a sports centre with four large swimming pools. Half-hour guided tours are available and visitors can also take a funicular (cable car) ride up the world's tallest inclined tower (175m/575ft). Nearby, the former velodrome is now a major and extremely popular attraction - the Biodôme de Montréal is a recreation of five ecosystems under one roof."

"This is where you’ll find the 540-foot Montreal Tower, Olympic Stadium, and the Esplanade, which features local outdoor events year round (ex: First Fridays). This is also where the Montreal Biodome is located, which allows you to experience five ecosystems from around the world in one building. Another worthy experience to having at Olympic Park is catching a game or show at Olympic Stadium."

"Also in the area to visit are the Olympic Stadium, Athlete’s Village and Olympic Pool. Home to the 1976 Summer Olympics, it has become one of the most recognized Montreal landmarks. Throughout the year, you can find lively outdoor events focused on culture, recreation and physical activity as well as some of Montreal’s best food trucks."

"Summit Woods Park is a great place to go for a hike if you don’t want to get off the island. It’s an ideal spot for people who want to reward their dog with smells, greens, and a challenging trek. The forest is absolutely mesmerizing, worthy enough to make you question whether or not you’re even still in Montreal."

"One of the best parks in Montreal, Jarry Parc isn’t one to be missed. A pool, a pond, and sports complexes as well as a large open area for other activities!. Jarry Park is one of the best and most frequented of all the parks in Montreal, this constantly packed park has everything you want."

"Jarry Park is a beautiful urban park located in the east-end of Montreal. It’s a great spot for basketball and soccer and has plenty of coffee outlets and restaurants to keep you quenched and well fed during your stay. It’s also oozing with history."

"Another spot to enjoy nature that’s not too far from Montreal, Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park is one of the best places to immerse yourself in local wildlife and the peacefulness of Montreal suburbs. The nature park features a black maple forest that is over a century old, as well as eight miles of hiking trails, five miles of bike trails, birdwatching opportunities (bring binoculars), and picnic areas. Best Outdoor Areas that are a Close Drive from Montreal"

"This nature preserve in the northwestern section of the Island of Montreal offers visitors a peaceful look at local plants and wildlife. The Parc Nature du Bois-de-Liesse, with its majestic hardwood forest, is a unique conservation park in an urban landscape. Its diverse ecosystem is home to a number of plants and animals that you can observe, including the American beaver, the map turtle and the flowering rush."

"This is one of the many parks in the city that actually lets you truly escape the hustle and bustle of the city and venture out into nature. Listen to birds and keep an eye out for some of the other wildlife that inhabits the island. Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park is perfect for a full day of hiking or biking with many trails to get lost on."

"Place Émilie-Gamelin is a park that exploded in to an outdoor theatre and events venue a few years ago. Come summer, pretty much every afternoon and evening is accounted for with some kind of awesome show. And, a lot of the events are free. Check out the events schedule to find out what’s on while you’re there."

"Jardins GamelinMontréal, CanadaThis “garden” in Place Émilie-Gamlin, is not really a garden. It’s a square that turns into a cool hang out place in summer. It hosts a different free cultural activity or event everyday- music, dance nights, yoga, markets, festivals and more."

"What is it: Take it from us, the BYOB in Montreal is an art form. Among the many, many restaurants to choose from which offer customers the liberty of picking their own libations at the expense of a slightly higher mark-up on food, there’s a few that stand out. Your cheat sheet to them need only have two names on it, Vincent Chatelais and Dominic Laflamme, who’ve turned the BYOB into an art form and Le Quartier Général is one of the finest."

"Le Quartier Général often finds itself on Montréal’s best BYOB restaurant lists, but it is also a strong contender for the city’s best restaurant. Nestled in the residential part of the Plateau neighborhood, Le Quartier Général is a shining example of Québec’s culinary power. With a changing menu governed by local and seasonal ingredients, the restaurant never fails to present compelling dishes which are unique to the region."

"Un menu oh comment alléchant qui ravira les plus épicuriens nous attend au Quartier Général. Tataki de cerf, cromesquis de porc, joue de veau… Fervent des produits locaux, on risque de voir apparaître tranquillement, de semaine en semaine, de magnifiques légumes du Québec. Commande en ligne et cueillette directement au QG, 7 jours sur 7."

"A stately establishment on the recently revamped Laurier Avenue, this technically traditional French bistro dishes the likes of homemade boudin, cabillaud and onglet steak frites while making allowances for the inclusion of a range of Quebec cheeses and creative desserts. Also of note: Leméac’s inexpensive table d'hôte menus aimed at the late-night crowd, nightly from 10pm ‘til close."

"A classic French Brasserie- Leméac has been serving delicious French classics for over 15 years. The menu was a collaborative effort between some of the city’s top chefs, and the outcome was superb. Better yet, the kitchen emphasizes organic and local ingredients, so your meals will be flavourful and top quality!"

"When you eat at Soy, you feel like you are being received by a friend. With its convivial setting and its delicious food, Soy will charm you. If you are a large group, we recommend the tasting menu which will allow you to try a variety of meals."

"A trip to this Brazilian steakhouse’s all-you-can-eat is made all the better when considering it’s one of the best steakhouses in Montreal. The charrascos here—a Brazilian classic—are a culinary classic, where meats like filet mignon, lamb, chicken and homemade sausages are grilled to perfection and served directly to you table on the spit. All you need to do is ask for more as you watch live samba performances."

"A post shared by Milsa Grillades Brésiliennes (@lemilsachurrasco). Food just tastes better when it’s served to you on a spit. Le Milsa serves arguably the best churrasco in the city and they serve a lot of it."

"Whether you are experienced or a novice to sushi, Le Fisshu will amaze you with its wide variety of tasty and refined sushi. You can eat as much as your hunger allows!. In addition, we also serve brochettes, dumplings, several choices of noodles and wide selection of desserts is offered to finish off your meal."