Take the family on a trip to this beautifullybrhistoric metropolis
You can't blame us for only thinking about romance thisbrmonth — we see it everywhere we turn. But the rigors of day-to-day living — whenbrnearly every minute of every day seems to be taken up by this and that — make schedulingbrsome quality one-on-one time with the apple of your eye seem near impossible. Duringbra family vacation? Impossible. For us, though, that just makes it morebrchallenging. This month, we recommend a family excursion to familiar yet farbrMontreal — a place of sights, sounds and experiences that will prove to be justbras entertaining to younger members of your clan as they are swoon-worthy forbrthe adults.
Located in the fiercely FrenchbrQuébec territory of Canada, this cosmopolitan city offers a stunning variety ofbractivities and experiences, between Old Montreal's distinctly European vibe tobrthe futuristic wonders that date to the 1967 World Expo to the tried and truebroutdoors activities available on Mount Royal and the St. Lawrence River. With abrlittle bit of careful planning, your trip can ensure not one member of yourbrparty will feel that his or her interests were not catered to.
Kid-Friendly Encampments
To trulybrtake advantage of this historic city with romance around every corner willbrrequire some one-on-one time. Two downtown hotels welcome kids and offerbrin-house babysitting and supervised children's activities. Top spot goes tobrLoews Hotel Vogue, a luxurious outpost located in the heart of downtownbrMontreal, blocks from luxe shopping destinations, the breathtaking Mount Royal Parkbrand not-to-be-missed Old Montreal. This world-class accommodation ace offersbrlending libraries of games to keep older kids occupied alongside supervisedbrrecreation programs like kids camps. Oh, and they want to make sure the littlebrones feel welcome, too, so don't be surprised when kids are offeredbrFisher-Price welcome gifts and kids menus replete with healthy options. Thebrmore affordable but no less accommodating Delta Hotel Montreal, located nearbybrin Montreal's entertainment district, offers in-house babysitters and abr“Children's Creativity Center,” designed to keep kids under age 15 entertainedbrand engaged with activities. LoewsHotels.com, DeltaHotels.com
Travel Back In Time
Plan for at least a half-day of exploring the historic sidebrof this city that dates back to the 1600s with the kids — and then plan tobrreturn for an adventure made for two. Old Montreal (or Vieux-Montréal) boastsbrnarrow, pedestrian-only cobblestone streets lines with cafés, shops and artbrgalleries. A tour of the city's underground passageways, developed in the 60sbrto account for harsh winters, can be joined, along with a traditional walkingbrtour (we like Guide a Tour), or on your own. You'll feel like you've returnedbrto a time centuries ago when horse-drawn carriages rolled down the streetbrcarrying noblemen and women to and fro. You and your sweetheart can bask in thebrromance of the setting, perhaps even finding a covered stoop for a quick kiss.brGuidatour.QC.ca
Enjoying NaturebrIndoors
Webrshould note that whether one travels to Montreal during early or late springbrshould be decided on preference. You can't beat softly falling snow for settingbrthe mood — better for warming up, we say — but if you'd rather go in latebrspring, flowers, parks and sunshine will be waiting for you. No matter what thebrweather, Montreal offers two places for exploring the bounty of the naturalbrworld within controlled climates. The Montreal Biosphére, located in Parc JeanbrDrapeau, was originally designed by Buckminster Fuller for the World Expo of 67.brIt has since been turned into a modern museum with activities and exhibitionsbrdedicated to major environmental issues related to water, climate change, airbreco-technology and sustainable development. The Montreal Biodôme, located inbrOlympic park, recreates some of the most beautiful ecosystems of the Americas,brfrom the lush and humid tropical rainforest to subpolar regions of thebrAmericas. Located in the building that once served as the velodrome for thebr1976 Olympics, it shows visitors the true nature of the Americas by offering upbrits loveliest and most amazing ecosystems.
Now it's not romantic per se, butbrthe kids will also likely want to visit some of the creepy crawlies located atbrthe nearby Insectarium, the leading collection of insects in North America. Butbrif you do head here, take comfort that it is located in the Montreal BotanicbrGarden, of the most impressive (and largest) in this hemisphere. It's home tobr22,000 plant species, 10 greenhouses and 30 thematic gardens, including culturalbrinstallations that will transport you to China and Japan and all the way backbrhome. While there, be sure to take a trip up to world's tallest leaning towerbrlocated next to Olympic Stadium for swoon-worthy sweeping panoramic views. Forbrthose who want their outdoors adventures, well, outdoors, the nearby MountbrRoyal offers plenty of Mother Nature to explore within city limits.brWell-travelled hills full of trails will keep any kid accustomed to the plainsbrof North Texas entertained, while views of the St. Lawrence River will providebrplenty of reasons for handholding. Biosphere.EC.GC.ca, EspacePourLaVie.ca
Seasonal Settings
Up until March, you will not want to miss wandering throughbrthe Snow Village, a small city made entirely of ice, including a hotel, restaurantbrand bar. The complex, located in the Parc Jean Drapeau, includes a 100-guest restaurant,br15 igloo-shaped rooms and the Jägermeisterbrice bar. It's all set in a snowy landscape full of sculptures ready to explorebrwith sleds and inflatable toys available for transportation. Entertainment likebrcomedy nights, movies and board games can be found in the heated dome, whilebrthe Ice Chapel might be the perfect place to renew your vows in a winterybrwonderland. Late-spring and summer excursions to Montreal wouldn't be repletebrwithout a cruise along the St. Lawrence River. Historic and cultural daybrcruises as well as daily dinner cruises are available while the weatherbrpermits, but we're taken by the promise of dolphin and whale watchingbrexpeditions. This day-long option carries your party up the St. Lawrence Riverbrpast Quebec City to reach Rivière-du-Loup, where you'll board your cruise boatbrfor an exciting escapade to look for whales, belugas, seals and other marinebrlife. SnowVillageCanada.com, Viator.com
Do No Wrong DatebrNight
If you are able to carve out time for just thebrtwo of you, date night options abound. We like the idea of beginning yourbrevening with some quality downtime at the Spa St. Vogue, next door to the HotelbrVogue. An encompassing spa known for its traditional Scandinavian Baths andbrfull body treatments, you’re sure to find the service to best pamper yourselfbrand your date before dinner. Of course, there’s always the intimacy and closenessbrof a candlelit massage for two available amidst the arched stoned halls at LebrSpa at Hotel Le St. James, located in a converted bank that dates to the 1800s.brDining options abound, of course, and the most-romantic award goes to restaurantbrEuropea. If the spectacular interior, white linens, crystal and delicious winebrofferings won’t get you in the mood, the refined French Québécois cuisine will.brWe love the option of staying less formal and just popping into one of the manybrterrace cafés that can be found in Old Montreal. An intimate meal shared overbrwine against a nighttime European backdrop of cobblestone streets sounds like abrdate idea winner to us. If you really want to take your date to the next level,bropt for a carriage ride through Old Montreal no matter what the weather. Youbrcan board at the Place Jacques-Carties and enjoy a cool night or cuddle underbrthick blankets taking in a city snowscape full of wonder. Europea.ca, SpaStJames.com,brHotelLeStJames.com