Playtime in the park

With all kinds of activities and incredible views of Montréal, Mount Royal Park lets families experience nature without leaving the city – walk around Beaver Lake and fly a kite nearby, explore forest trails, have a picnic and more (and always important for a day out with kids: restrooms and cafés are open in the Beaver Lake Pavilion and Mount Royal Chalet).

You can also head to Jeanne-Mance Park right across from Mount Royal Park’s George-Étienne Cartier Monument, where you’ll find a huge playground. Picnic in Parc La Fontaine (where you can see free performances at Théâtre de Verdure) and many other Montréal parks and green spaces – some with fun splash pads for cooling off. Hop in the water at Parc Jean-Drapeau's swimming pool, Verdun Beach and other nearby places where pools and beaches are now open for the season.

Enjoy live music together at neighbourhood parks this summer when the Orchestre Métropolitain will offer a series of free concerts under the direction of orchestra conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin or Canadian conductor Naomi Woo, including a free concert at the foot of Mount Royal on August 2.

Festivals & events for families

Outdoors is also the place to be for Montréal’s summer festivals this year, where most outdoor performances are free! The always incredible Festival International de Jazz de Montréal returns in fine form this year to Place des Festivals and several other venues from June 29 to July 8.

Circus performances of all kinds make MONTRÉAL COMPLÈTEMENT CiRQUE a must from from July 6 to 16, featuring circus shows of all kinds, with indoor and outdoor performances in the Quartiers des spectacles and several Montréal neighbourhoods, as well as acrobatic performances by Cirque Éloize on The GIANT outside Place Ville Marie: a 50-foot-tall metal structure in the shape of a giant person!

Just For Laughs turns Place des Festivals into a fun(ny) zone for all ages from July 13 to 29. For comic and pop-culture fans of every age, Comiccon thrills from July 14 to 16. Groove to the sound of Festival International Nuits d’Afrique outdoors in the Quartier des spectacles from July 11 to 23. A summer-long festival of electronic dance music in Parc Jean-Drapeau every Sunday, Piknic Éléctronik features a dance zone just for kids.

Festival Haiti en Folie presents concerts and culture in late July, Montréal’s Italian week, ItalFestMTL celebrates from August 4 to 20, and The Montréal Highland Games entertains with all things Scottish on August 6. Catch short, family-friendly alleyway performances during Le FAR Festival des arts de ruelle from August 28 to September 10, and the Montreal First Peoples Festival presents Indigenous culture and creativity from Canada and around the world from August 8 to 17.

Wonders await at Cirque du Soleil’s fantastical new show ECHO, a tale of evolution as seen through the eyes of a female protagonist named Future, under the big top in the Old Port of Montreal until August 20. Jackalope takes over the Olympic Stadium esplanade from August 25 to 27, with extreme sports demos and activities – free for kids under 10!

By night, look to the skies above to the city to see the incredible L'International des Feux Loto-Québec fireworks competition on Wednesday nights from June 29 to August 10, and on Sunday, July 30 too! All summer in the heart of downtown Montréal, the Quartier des spectacles surprises with outdoor circus, theatre and dance performances (stop by Jardins Gamelin next to Berri-UQAM station for Sunday morning family matinées), multimedia projections, and interactive art installations.

Family adventures

A natural oasis in the city, with plants and trees from across North America, Asia and the world, a huge greenhouse, ponds and more, the Montréal Botanical Garden at Space For Life is a fascinating place to explore with kids. Also reconnect with nature in the Space for Life Biodôme's five ecosystems, explore the universe in the Planetarium’s immersive films and exhibitions, and see butterflies, moths and other insects at the newly renovated Insectarium.

Just down the hill on the Olympic Parc esplanade, Îlots76 is a blast for kids, with bouncy castles, a play area, snacks and more. Go skateboarding at Vans Skatepark (one of many cool skateparks in the city) and rock climbing on Nomad Bloc’s supervised routes (climbing shoes can be rented on site). Plus on July 7, August 4 and September 1 and October 6, Montréal’s gourmet food trucks return to the Olympic Park for the First Fridays food truck event, with great food, music and family-friendly activities. Nearby, at open-air Saputo Stadium, cheer on Major League Soccer team CF Montréal all summer. And watch for CFL games too with the Montreal Alouettes at Percival-Molson Memorial Stadium.

At Biquette Écopâturage, located in the northern part of Parc Maisonneuve throughout the summer, 17 sheep graze freely in the park. The sheepfold also features a henhouse with five Chanteclerc hens, vegetable gardens, medicinal flower gardens, hammocks, a mushroom bed, a beehive and several educational panels on sheep, chickens and bees. It's the countryside in the city! There are also Saturday workshops (free!), many of them for children.

Visit summer markets and pop-up entertainment throughout the city for food and entertainment under the sun, including Village au Pied-du-Courant and POP Montréal’s Marché des Possibles on the weekends.

Head to the West Island’s Ecomuseum Zoo to see local wildlife in their natural outdoor habitats. Go cherry, apple, pear and plum picking and explore a corn maze not far from the city at Labonté de la Pomme. They are open all summer, from Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm. Get fitted out in a cave helmet and go exploring underground at La caverne de Saint-Léonard. Meanwhile, for the thrill-seekers in the family, stay tuned for summer opening announcements from amusement park La Ronde – also an amazing place to watch L'International des Feux Loto-Québec fireworks!

Rediscover the city at any age

In the picturesque Old Port of Montréal, stroll the boardwalk or ride along it on a quadricycle. See the city from far above on the Observation Wheel. Climb high at the Voiles en Voiles family adventure park or find your way through the SOS Labyrinthe. Older kids (and parents!) can try out MTL Zipline. Or play in the sand and watch the boats go by at Clock Tower Beach.

Create your own treasure hunt for Montréal murals! Find massive, colourful murals on the sides of buildings, in parks and every neighbourhood thanks to MURAL Festival every June, and local artist collectives, LNDMRK, MU and other expert Montréal mural artists. Learn more about Montréal’s unique history and culture on private walking tours for your family with knowledgeable local companies.

And roam the city’s summertime pedestrian-only streets, including Saint-Laurent Blvd., Mont-Royal Avenue, Sainte-Catherine Street in the Village, Wellington St. in Verdun, Masson Street in Rosemont, Place du Marché-du-Nord in Jean-Talon Market, Ontario St. E. and more. Stay in the heart of the action at one of many family-friendly Montréal hotels.

Bike rides and boat trips

Stretching for 15 kilometres along a still-functioning boat canal, from Old Montréal to the Musée plein air de Lachine in the west, the Lachine Canal is ideal for short bike rides or longer treks: hop off for a bite to eat at Marché des Éclusiers in the Old Port, Atwater Market in Saint-Henri or homemade ice cream at Riverside. At the other end of the city, ride through the landscape of Frédéric-Back Park near La TOHU circus complex. Explore more of Montréal on two wheels with our guide to all things biking, including kids’ bike and trailer rentals

Summer is the best time to have fun with family on the water – Montréal is an island after all! Go on a memorable boat ride across the St. Lawrence River with Navark, offering trips to large nature parks, from Boucherville to Îles-de-Boucherville, Lachine to Châteauguay and Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot to Pointe-des-Cascades – bring your bikes too and go exploring! Or discover the beauty of the Old Port and the St. Lawrence River by boat with Croisières AML, Bateau-Mouche and Petit Navire. Even go jet boating on the river with Jet Boating Montreal!

A wide world of indoor activities

Among many Montréal kid-friendly museums, including the Space for Life, the Pointe-à-Callière, Montréal Archaeology and History Complex lets kids play on the high seas in Pirates or privateers?, explore a (clean) sewer dating back to the 1830s, and travel back 3000 years in special exhibition Egypt. Three Millennia on the Nile. And explore the world of science with kids at the Montréal Science Centre, featuring all kinds of immersive activities and IMAX films.

For artistically inclined families, a summer visit to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is a must, where you can currently see blockbuster exhibition Portable Universe: Thought and Splendour of Indigenous Colombia, featuring 400 works of Colombian art, and more exhibitions. Beyond museums, Montréal isn't short on rainy-day indoor activities for kids, with many places to run and play open this summer, including indoor skate and scooter park Le TAZ, trampoline park iSaute, Laser Game Evolution and more.

If you're on Saint-Denis, you might want to visit the café La Chouette that offers a fun cookie decorating experience. Perfect for a rainy day, it's a great activity for families and you don't need to have a certain number of participants. While booking in advance is not necessary, it's recommended to secure your spot.

Kid-friendly places to eat

Stop for bagels, sandwiches, burgers or poutine or dine on the terrasse at a wide variety of great places to eat with kids. Plan a picnic in the park or a scrumptious summer brunch. Downtown, get quick and delicious meals at gourmet food halls (with plenty of choices kids will love), including Time Out Market, Marché Artisans, Le Cathcart Restaurants et Biergarten and Le Central - Manger Montréal.

Grab a coffee, hot chocolate and babyccinos at indie coffee shops and baby-friendly cafés. Pick up something sweet or savory at Montréal's best bakeries and pastry shops or go for fresh-baked doughnuts, a visit to a chocolate shop or a trip to the candy shop. And, of course, we can't forget ice cream: what would summer in Montréal be without locally-made ice cream from the best ice cream shops in town? Have fun out there!