Between the pandemic and the cold weather, it can be difficult to convince yourself to leave your home at all. However, despite the current situation, there are plenty of socially-distanced, covid-safe activities that you can enjoy this winter to get you in the cheery winter spirit and out of the house.
1. Stroll through Old Montreal
If you are a native Montrealer who generally steers clear of the Old Port due to the crowded streets and overpriced services, this may be your one chance to appreciate the historic streets as they were meant to be enjoyed. Between the beautiful architecture, the carefully decorated streets, and aesthetically pleasing storefronts, Old Montreal has plenty to offer any tourist. However, the pandemic has given the locals a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the gorgeous historic streets without the crowds.
2. Go Skating
This truly could not be a complete list of Montreal winter activities without skating. Ask any Canadian (especially a Montrealer) there is just something purely magical about going skating on a cold winter’s day. Bring your skates to your local outdoor rink, which can be found in almost every local park, or visit the skating rinks at Beaver Lake or the Old Port to rent a pair instead. Finish the day off with the essential post-skating cup of hot chocolate for a picture-perfect, covid-safe winter’s day.
3. Snow Tubing
Snow tubing, the safer, less painful alternative to sledding, is an activity that isn’t only reserved for families. Head down to Beaver Lake, where for only $6 ($4 for those 12 and under), you can speed down the slope for an hour and a half. Once you’re at Beaver Lake suited up for winter, you can also rent out equipment to enjoy various other seasonal activities such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
Le Mont-Royal
4. Outdoor Light Installations
From now until January 3rd in Place des Arts, you can enjoy the “Jardins d’Hiver, a holiday-themed, magical light display to help get you in the holiday spirit. In addition to the Christmas-themed light display, returning for its 11th season is the Luminotherapy festival. Between December 3rd and March 15th in the Quartier des Spectacles, enjoy the luminous artworks meant to help Montrealers get through the inevitable winter blues.
5. Cavalia Illumi
Illumi – A Dazzling World of Lights is a magical, captivating and extraordinary nocturnal outdoor journey created from thousands of monumental light sculptures. For the second edition of Illumi, the Cavalia team has revamped and enhanced this awe-inspiring event to follow social distancing measures without sacrificing any of the magic.Though many people may consider Illumi to be a Christmas-oriented activity, the light display show put on by Cavalia actually runs all winter long and features 18 different stations, only one of which is actually Christmas related. It is up to you if you would rather view the lights by car or walk the 3km throughout the displays, either way, there will be delicious food trucks to keep you going through the night.
6. Omega Parc
A unique family day out in the heart of nature
From the comfort of your vehicle, on a 12km long safari, discover Canada’s wildlife: elk, bison, wolves, bears, and foxes in their natural habitat. Feed deer who come to you for a carrot. Open all year long, Omega Park proposes many activities; animal presentations, walking trails, picnic areas, restaurants, farm animals, and much more. Just over an hour from downtown Montreal, you can visit a Canadian safari that will make you feel hours away from the city. Between caribous and deer, to bison and bears, Omega Parc has just about every Canadian animal you could think of, which you can see from the comfort of your vehicle.
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