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Montreal's Parks: Where to Go Depending on Your Mood

Things to Do · Montreal

Montreal's Parks: Where to Go Depending on Your Mood

Montreal has hundreds of parks, and each has its own personality. Here are eight addresses, sorted by kind of outing.

Suggested itinerary

1For the viewand the postcard2For swimmingand beaches3For a familypicnic4For sports andvolleyball5For nature andforest6For the riverand sunset7For splash padsand kids8For Sundaytam-tams
1

For the view and the postcard

★★★★★
familiesathletessolocouples
Date

Open at all times.

Address

1260 Remembrance Road.

Cost

Free.

Mount Royal Park. Kondiaronk Lookout, Beaver Lake and the gently climbing trails: it is the park of Sunday walkers, designed by the architect of Central Park, per the Friends of the Mountain. Free, open at all times. Bus 11, or walk up from Park Avenue.

For Montreal's postcard, the best view in the city, 20 minutes from downtown.

Montreal's green lung, a designated heritage site — the mountain where the city was founded in 1642.

Kondiaronk Lookout (Montreal's best view), Beaver Lake and the trails designed by the architect of Central Park.

The Sunday walkers' meeting point; in summer, the tam-tams animate the park for hours.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free access to the park.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Saint Joseph's Oratory

Gratuit · Canada's largest sanctuary on the mountain's flank, per its official site.

Free

Jeanne-Mance Park

Sunday tam-tams at the foot of Mount Royal, per the City's page.

2

For swimming and beaches

★★★★☆
familiesfriendsathletes
Date

Open daily (beaches in summer season).

Address

1 Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit, Île Sainte-Hélène.

Cost

Free entry; beaches and pools paid in summer.

Parc Jean-Drapeau. Two supervised beaches (Jean-Doré and Plage Village), pools, and a huge playground facing downtown, per the park's official site. Park entry is free; the beach and pools are paid in summer. Jean-Drapeau metro.

For a swim in the city, in an exceptional setting 10 minutes from downtown.

The park of the islands and big events — site of Expo 67 and the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Two supervised beaches (Jean-Doré and Plage Village), pools and the F1 track.

Montrealers spend their summer Sundays by the water, facing downtown.

Tickets
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Gilles-Villeneuve Circuit

The F1 track, great to explore on foot or by bike, per the official site.

Paid

Jean-Doré Beach

The park's supervised beach, per the official site.

3

For a family picnic

★★★★☆
familiescouplesfriends
Date

Open 6 a.m. to midnight.

Address

3819 Calixa-Lavallée Avenue.

Cost

Free.

La Fontaine Park. Pond, picnic areas, pétanque and the Théâtre de Verdure, which programs free shows in summer, per the City's page. Free. This is the Plateau's park, steps from the cafés of Mont-Royal Avenue.

For a relaxing green day steps from the Plateau's cafés.

The Plateau's great park, one of the most loved by Montrealers.

The pond, picnic areas, pétanque and the Théâtre de Verdure (free shows in summer).

The neighbourhood's family park — people spend whole afternoons there, from pétanque to sunset.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free access to the park.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Saint-Louis Square

The Plateau's historic square, per the City's page.

4

For sports and volleyball

★★★★☆
athletesfamiliesfriends
Date

Open 6 a.m. to midnight.

Address

Jarry Street West, between Boyer and de Gaspé Streets.

Cost

Free.

Jarry Park. Outdoor pool, soccer and grass volleyball fields, bike path, per the City's page. Free. The north-end park, very lively on summer evenings.

For free sports in a warm neighbourhood atmosphere.

The great north-end park, liveliest on summer evenings.

Outdoor pool, soccer and grass volleyball fields, bike path.

Summer evenings are buzzing — volleyball games, soccer and neighbourly picnics.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free access to the park.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Jean-Talon Market

15 minutes on foot, Montreal's largest public market, per its official page.

5

For nature and forest

★★★★☆
familiesathletesnature lovers
Date

Open 6 a.m. to midnight.

Address

3400 des Trinitaires Boulevard.

Cost

Free.

Angrignon Park. A huge wooded area in the west, with a pond, trails and squirrels everywhere: the park where you forget the city, per the City's page. Free. Angrignon metro, the end of the green line.

For a real forest immersion, reachable by metro.

The west end's great wooded area, one of Montreal's largest green spaces.

A huge forest with a pond, trails and surprising wildlife — squirrels, ducks, herons.

The place where you forget the city — you walk for hours without seeing a building.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free access to the park.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Parc des Rapides

Gratuit · the St. Lawrence rapids and its trails, per the City's page.

Free

Maison de la culture Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

Gratuit · the neighbourhood's cultural program, per the City's page.

6

For the river and sunset

★★★★☆
couplesfamiliesphotographers
Date

Open 6 a.m. to midnight.

Address

3750 Gaétan-Laberge Boulevard, Verdun.

Cost

Free.

Arthur-Therrien Park in Verdun. The riverside promenade, footbridges and playgrounds: one of the island's most beautiful sunsets, per the City's page. Free. Reachable via the Verdun bike path or by bus.

For the sunset spectacle over the river, free and accessible.

The west end's sunset meeting point.

The riverside promenade, footbridges and playgrounds — one of Montreal's most beautiful sunsets.

Verduners come by bike and with family, especially in the evening.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free access to the park.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Parc des Rapides

Gratuit · the natural continuation of the riverside walk, per the City's page.

7

For splash pads and kids

★★★★☆
familiesyoung kids
Date

Open 6 a.m. to midnight.

Address

Baldwin Street, Mile End.

Cost

Free.

Baldwin Park in Mile End. Splash pad, playgrounds and greenery in a very lively neighbourhood: the ideal park for an afternoon with young children, per the City's page. Free.

For an easy afternoon with young children, everything is here.

The ideal park for families with young children in Mile End.

Splash pad, playgrounds and a large green area in a lively neighbourhood.

The meeting point for neighbourhood parents — strollers and snacks welcome.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free access to the park.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Bernard Avenue

Outremont's shopping street and cafés, per the City's page.

8

For Sunday tam-tams

★★★★★
friendsfamiliessoloculture
Date

Open 6 a.m. to midnight.

Address

4422 de l'Esplanade Avenue.

Cost

Free.

Jeanne-Mance Park. At the foot of Mount Royal, this is the tam-tams meeting point: drummers, dancers and picnickers, every Sunday of the summer, per the City's page. Free. Mont-Royal metro, then about 10 minutes on foot.

To experience a unique Montreal tradition, free and joyful.

The tam-tams meeting point, every Sunday of the summer.

Drummers, dancers and picnickers gathered at the foot of Mount Royal.

A Montreal ritual — you go without a plan, just for the vibe and the music.

Tickets
  • No ticket needed — free access to the park.
Recommended nearby sights
Free

Mount Royal Park

The mountain above the park, Kondiaronk Lookout, per the Friends of the Mountain.

Good to know for newcomers

Good to know for newcomers. Montreal's parks are free and open from 6 a.m. to midnight. In summer, bring a blanket and water: public fountains work everywhere. For swimming, the City's outdoor pools are free and supervised — the full list is on the City's sports and recreation portal.

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