10 free ways to enjoy Montreal this winter
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Whether you're looking for fun on a budget, staycation activities or got stuck in the city for the holidays, Montreal has plenty to offer.
Reserve a tube in Ville-Émard
You won't need your own tube to hit these Sud-Ouest slopes. Visitors just need to reserve a spot through the Centre de loisirs Monseigneur Pigeon website and head over to Côte Newman at Ignace-Bourget park.
Lace up those skates
Montreal has tons of free outdoor skating rinks, but you won't want to miss this high-tech "lake" in the heart of the city.
The Esplanade Tranquille, right by Place-des-Arts, is accessible by Metro and allows you to skate to music while leaving light traces wherever you go.
Park La Fontaine is beloved by Montrealers year-round, but in the winter it's home to an illuminated outdoor rink complete with music for skaters. It also has not one, but two hockey rinks — all for free.
Equipment can be rented for a fee.
Build a snowman (and win money)?
Sign up through the city's website for the chance to win one of five cash prizes.
There are three individual categories with a $50 prize each: one for kids ages 3-5, one for kids ages 6-12, one for kids at heart from ages 13-99.
There's also a family category with a $150 prize, and a school or daycare category with $350 up for grabs.
Get out to Jean-Drapeau
This man-made island is famous for hosting Montreal's biggest music festivals in the summer, but it's a great place for classic winter activities like skiing, skating, hiking, snowshoeing and even winter biking.
The park is accessible by Metro and its trails are free. Parking and equipment rentals are available for a fee.
Hit the gardens
Montreal's botanical gardens are a beautiful place to stroll year-round. There's no fee to the outdoor gardens, and it's a real-life winter wonderland out there.
Enter a new world
Get inside the mind of Masako Miyazaki at Parc Saint-Joseph with the Song of Clematis outdoor exhibit. The internationally renowned artist gives a new lens through which to appreciate nature, turning the Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles park into a gallery.
Get out of the city
Quebec provincial parks will be free of entry on 24 designated days between Dec. 26, 2022, and March 14, 2023. Entry fees are typically $9.25 for adults and are already free for visitors under 17 years old.
Get mind-blown
If it's too cold for you to get outside, check out the Incredible but True! exhibit at.the indoor complex of the Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles.
The park in Laval is home to bald eagles and gigantic snapping turtles. And did you know that great musicians like Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra performed on its river banks of its river?
The exhibit is free of charge, though weekend guided tours cost $15 per adult over 17 years old. The park also has sledding, skating, hiking and group activities.
Hit the mountain
No Montreal list is complete without Mont-Royal. The mountain offers places to skate, hike, ski, sled and its iconic view from the belvedere.
