Travel and Tourism
VISA Details
Travel
Flying to Montreal. All domestic & international flights land at Montreal’s Pierre Elliott-Trudeau International Airport (usually just called Montreal-Trudeau Airport for short). From the terminal, you can reach the downtown core in less than 20 minutes. Shuttle buses, taxis and limousines, service all major downtown hotels from the airport. All major car rental companies have service counters in the terminal. Montreal-Trudeau Airport is served by all major airlines. Once you arrive you can get downtown for a fixed taxi fare of $40 or take the STM Airport Express Bus 747 which travels between the city and the airport 24 hours per day. Official airport site https://www.admtl.com/en-CA/
Driving to Montreal from USA. If you are driving from New York City or the nearby area, you will cross over the border at Plattsburgh and then take Autoroute 15 into downtown Montreal. If you are driving from Boston, you will take Interstate Highway 93 to Highway 89 as you cross into New Hampshire. You will then follow Interstate 89 north through Vermont to the border crossing where it will turn into Highway 133. This will turn into Autoroute 10, which will lead into downtown Montreal. Be aware when driving that the street signs will all be written in French, which might make things difficult! Also, mileage and speed are in metric units.
Arriving via Train from New York. Amtrak offers the “Adirondack” service to New York, which departs every day and passes through most of upstate New York. The journey will take around 7-9 hours but is cheaper than the bus and offers extra legroom, the ability to walk around the train and much more comfortable seats. Also, the views of the gorgeous scenery along the way make riding the train a pleasure.
Coming through Canadian Customs from USA. No matter which way you travel to Canada, you will need to pass through Canadian customs and immigration. Make sure that you have your passport and that you clearly state that the purpose of your visit is to attend the Vitamin D Workshop conference. You might need to show proof of your hotel bookings or your return travel.
Does anyone speak English in Montreal? Even if Montreal is the 2nd largest French speaking city after Paris, most Montreal residents, are at least bilingual if not trilingual, and speak English and French.
Tourism
Top 10 “must do” activities for first time visitors: https://www.mtl.org/en/experience/musts-first-time-visitors
The Quartier des Spectacles https://maps.app.goo.gl/tWP1f14Cn79YrZyh8 is the city’s major cultural district. At its heart are Place des Arts, a complex with several performance halls, and the adjacent Musée d’art contemporain. Year-round outdoor events and festivals draw crowds to the Place des Festivals, where public art installations and light projections create a festive vibe. The nearby Quartier Latin has cinemas, theatres and casual bars and eateries.
45th International Montreal Jazz Fest https://montrealjazzfest.com/en: June 26th through July 5th. Takes place in the Quartier des Spectacles. This is between Saint-Laurent Boulevard, Président-Kennedy Avenue, De Bleury Street and Sainte-Catherine Street. No tickets are needed for entry to the site; outdoor concerts are free of charge and open to all!
Cirque de Soliel https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/canada/montreal/shows: Cirque du Soleil is the world's largest contemporary circus producer, known for its innovative and visually stunning shows that blend acrobatics, theater, dance, music, and visual arts.
Map and description of Montreal musems: https://museesmontreal.org/en/museums
Additional summer events and activities: https://www.mtl.org/en/what-to-do/summer