Day trips from Montreal
There are plenty of must-see places to explore within two hours of downtown Montreal. Pedal out on one of the world’s most beautiful routes, wander through amazing Victorian-era architecture and picnic on the banks of historic canals. Look no further, let these can’t-miss visits inspire your next outing!
A wonderful stone fort featuring treasures from the French period.
- Driving: 40 minutes
- Transit: 50 minutes
Fort Chambly National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: 40 minutes from downtown, follow Highway 10 East, 30 East, then QC-112 East.
- Transit: Just 1 hour from Terminus Centre-Ville.
What to do
- Discover the daily life of the soldiers in this French fort and how smuggling helped forge links between colonizers and Indigenous peoples. Will you deserve to wear the uniform?
- Hike or cycle along the banks of the Richelieu River, along the canal or simply admire the boats passing through the locks, which are still operated manually.
Two for one
Visit Chambly Canal National Historic Site on the banks of the Richelieu River to enjoy hiking, biking or boating. Admire locks that are still operated manually.
A lock canal with a 200-tonne guillotine gate.
- Drive: 1.5 hours
Carillon Canal National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: 1.5 hours from downtown, take Highway 15 North, then 640 West and follow the signs for Route 344 West to Carillon.
What to do
- Watch a boat drop 20 metres in 40 minutes thanks to 19th century British Army Engineering ingenuity.
- Take a kayak out for a paddle, or enjoy a picnic on the sunny banks of the Ottawa River.
The first lock canal in North America.
- Drive: 1 hour
- Transit: 2 hours
Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: 1 hour on Highway 20 West to Coteau-du-Lac.
- Transit: A 2 hour trip from Lucien-L'Allier train station. Take the Vaudreuil-Hudson train to Vaudreuil station, and the bus to Valleyfield, then Coteau-du-Lac.
What to do
- Discover the unique archaeology of the Soulanges Canal by taking part in the ArchéoTour by kayak or paddleboard, or by bike on a 45 km guided or self-guided route.
- Observe the scale model of the site at the interpretation centre.
Challenge the family
Explore your way through Canada’s first fortified lock canal, photographing items in a race against the clock!
Canada's first industrial village and ironworks.
- Drive: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Transit: 2.5 hours
Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Under 2 hours from Montreal via Highway 40 East and 55 North towards Trois-Rivières.
- Transit: Take the Montreal-Québec bus, upon arrival in Trois-Rivières, take bus 4 Terminus des Légendes.
What to do
- Explore the settler and industrial past of the Forges du Saint-Maurice through its multi-media exhibition and fascinating museum.
- Follow the master founder and see if you can complete the cast iron manufacturing process. Try out the new immersive experience designed to put you to the test! Shovel, load, skim... and heat it up!
Listen to what Fred Pellerin has to say!
Immerse yourself in the legendary world of the Forges du Saint-Maurice thanks to Fred Pellerin’s vivid storytelling with Diabolus ex machina, a playful outdoor audio tour.
A rare example of a 19th century British fortification built on an island.
- Drive: 1 hour
Fort Lennox National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Head to Saint-Paul-de-l’Île-aux-Noix, just an hour from downtown via Highway 15 South and QC-221 South.
What to do
- Explore the strategic location of this fort on an island in the heart of the Richelieu River and take advantage of the crossing and green spaces to observe the flora and fauna.
- Visit the exhibition “Passages, experiences of this island”, which traces the occupation of the island from 6000 BC to the present day.
- Discover a faithful reconstruction of the soldiers' barracks, where sergeants, soldiers, women and children lived.
True Laurentian wilderness half-way between Quebec City and Montreal.
- Drive: 2 hours
La Mauricie National Park
How to get there
- Drive: Just over 2 hours from Montreal on Highway 40 East and 55 North.
What to do
- Paddle out on the pristine waters of Wapizagonke Lake to Vide-Bouteille Beach. Then kick back and relax in a set of red chairs while enjoying the captivating vista.
- Kilometres of marked trails on foot, cross-country skis or snowshoes.
Discover a hidden gem
Take the Saint-Gerard entrance of the park and hike to secluded Parker Falls to take a refreshing dip in its crystal clear waters.
This 14.5 km lock canal paved the way for the industrialization of Montreal.
- Drive: 20 minutes
- Transit: 20 minutes
Lachine Canal National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: For the Old Port locks, take Peel Street South to the Peel Basin. For Lachine, drive from downtown via Highway 720 West and Notre Dame West.
- Transit: The Old Port locks are a 15-minute walk from Square-Victoria-OACI Metro station. Atwater Market is a 10-minute walk from Lionel-Groulx Metro station. For the east end of the canal in Lachine, take bus 195 West from Angrignon Metro station.
What to do
- Cycle on one of the world’s most beautiful routes running more than 14 kilometres along the canal.
- Hop aboard the Petit Navire and soar through 150 years of history or learn to paddle with our instructors, ending your day in a cosy floating café.
Two for one
Dig deep into the foundations of Canada at The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site. Experience what life was like in 1803 at the site of an old fur warehouse with this fun interactive exhibit.
The elegant Manor House of one of French Canada’s most prominent politicians in 19th century Québec.
- Drive: 1.5 hours
Manoir Papineau National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: A 1.5-hour drive from downtown Montreal to Montebello on Highway 50 West.
What to do
- Take a guided tour through the intimate details of Louis-Joseph Papineau's home life.
- Explore this enchanting site, the oak tree, the family museum, the granary and the funeral chapel, then discover the manor in a different way with the “Tales from the shadow” experience.
Opened in 1849, this canal allowed boats to bypass the final barrier on the waterway between New York and Montreal.
- Drive: 1 hour 15 minutes
Saint-Ours Canal National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: An hour 15 minutes from downtown on Highway 20 East and on Chemin des Patriotes/QC-133 North.
What to do
- See the unique fish ladder at the Vianney-Legendre fishway project, which helped re-stabilize declining eel and copper redhorse populations.
- Discover Darvard Island, a picnic paradise. Wander around and visit the superintendent’s house.
An oTENTik getaway!
Six three-season ready-to-camp oTENTik accommodations are now available with a spectacular view on the Richelieu River. It’s an ideal way to enjoy a taste of outdoor adventure.
Canada’s busiest lock.
- Drive: 30 minutes
- Transit: 1.5 hours
Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: 30 minutes via Highway 20 West.
- Transit: 1.5 hours by bus from Lionel-Groulx Metro station.
What to do
- Sail on a waterway with more than 150 years of history. Paradise for recreational boaters and adventure for kayakers.
- Watch the lock in operation, laze under a shady tree and snack on a picnic.
Hit the boardwalk
Take a stroll on the boardwalk and enjoy a sunset meal at one of the bistros or restaurants.
Home of Sir George-Étienne Cartier, one of the main architects of Confederation.
- Drive: 20 minutes
- Transit: 20 minutes
Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: In the heart of Old Montreal, at the corner of Berri and Notre-Dame streets.
- Transit: 10 min walk from either Berri-UQAM or Champ-de-Mars Metro stations.
What to do
- Visit the home of one of the Fathers of Confederation, the only Victorian-style house open to the public in Montreal, and discover the bourgeois ways of the Cartier family.
- Enjoy contemporary exhibitions that invite you to reflect on the workings of power and the creation of a country, or visit in December to immerse yourself in the preparations for a Victorian Christmas.
- Download the Parks Canada app and explore the neighbourhood with a self-guided tour through the streets of Old Montreal.
Imagine a Country
Discover how the Fathers of Confederation envisioned their country 150 years ago. Imagine your dream country and share your vision!
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