Summer in Montreal: 5 Ways to Beat the Heat
Nothing beats summer in Montreal—drinks on the terrasse, a different festival every week, lush green spaces. But while the city offers ample opportunity for soaking up the sun, sometimes you need a break from the heat—especially when the temperature soars above 30. Here are five ways you can stay cool in Montreal this summer (and have a little fun while you’re at it).
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Check out one of Montreal's many (temperature controlled) museums
world-class museums offer a little bit of something for everyone, whether your interest lies in history, fine art, culture, fashion or nature. The Quebec government recently pledged $5 million over five years to make some of Montreal’s best museums—including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, McCord Museum and Musée d’art Contemporain de Montréal—free to residents on the first Sunday of every month. Fine art and delicate artefacts need cool, dry conditions to survive, and so do you—so get yourself to a museum, fast!
Grab a cold drink at an air conditioned bar or café (and practice your language skills while you're at it!)
You haven’t really experienced summer in Montreal until you’ve spent an afternoon relaxing on one of the city’s incomparable terrasses, but on those 30+ days? We’ll take the air con, please. This summer, Montrealers are more eager to find a bar or café advertising free AC than free wifi. Kill two birds with one stone by participating in a language meetup like E-QIP's Tea Time. Have we mentioned that E-QIP’s new downtown location is nicely air conditioned? Just saying.
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Cool down at a local beach or pool
Is there anything better than dipping your toes in a cold pool on a hot day? Thankfully, Montreal has lots to offer in the way of public swimming spaces. For an urban swim, check out Parc Jean-Drapeau on Île Sainte-Hélène—just minutes from downtown—which offers a public beach and outdoor pool (with views of the Biosphere, to boot!) or the pool at Parc Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier in the Plateau. For something a bit more secluded, head to Cap. St. Jacques Beach in the West Island—a mere 40-minute drive from downtown but a lifetime away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
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Get Soaked at Place des Festivals' Interactive Fountain
The interaction, light-synchronized jets at Places des Festivals are nice to look at and even nicer to run through on a hot day. If you’re eager to cool off but don't have time to hit up a pool or beach, stop by the interactive fountain for a quick run through the jets for a refreshing soak.
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Enjoy a scoop of ice cream (or three)
The only problem with going out for ice cream in Montreal is having to narrow down your choices. Soft serve or hard? Avant-garde flavours or classic standards? Dipped in chocolate or covered in mochi? Vegan? Alcohol-infused? If you’re looking for a cult favourite, join the line at Kem Coba in Mile End for a twisted soft serve with off-the-wall flavours or at perennial fave Ripples in the Plateau. Or simply take a wander and see what you find—with independent shops and La Diperie on seemingly every corner, you won’t be searching for long.
