Montreal is amazing. We stayed at the Westin, so that may not be useful, but it was such a fun trip. Super walkable and lots of great restaurants. And bagels!
What did you love in Montreal? We went in the dead of winter so maybe we just weren’t there at the right time. I do remember I wanted to return and go to the botanical garden.
Dead of winter probably didn’t help. We just really loved walking around and enjoying the city. It was spring when we went so the weather was comfortable and people were out. The food was great and we ate all the Montreal style bagels. One of our favorite things about any location is just wandering and seeing the city. That was very easy to do there.
Another vote for Bar Harbor/Acadia. We went there on a cruise stop (Boston to Montreal) a couple years ago (the summer before COVID hit) and it was divine.
We were just in Maine last week. It was the shoulder season, so not everything was open at Acadia (like any of the visitor centers)/in Bar Harbor (some of the shops). If you want to see the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain (the first place on the east coast to see the sun, during more the winter part of the year), you need to book that in advance. (We did not do the sunrise, but drove up later in the day.) We stopped in Freeport where the LL Bean flagship store is, and there’s a whole shopping area around it that’s a good place to stretch your legs if nothing else. We did a lot of exploring of Portland, there are a ton of restaurants and shops, and that was fun. We stayed near the harbor. We took the ferry (~15 mins) to Peaks Island, and then went all around that on foot (there is a loop just under 4 miles). You can rent a golf cart but I think it was like $90 for two hours, so we decided just to hoof it. Again, not everything there was open (like the umbrella cover museum and a couple of the restaurants). We also went into New Hampshire (everyone really liked hiking up Mount Major over Lake Winnipesaukee, the view was fantastic, though I might not do that significantly pregnant) and into Boston (we walked around Harvard Yard a little). I will say, to the extent this is a factor for you, I did not see a ton of diversity in Maine.
joy I’d love to hear more about what you loved about Quebec City. I have been wanting to go there forever, but I’m not exactly sure why. We decided to stay domestic this time because of Covid and stuff happening with work, but someday I want to see that part of Canada!
Montreal is amazing. We stayed at the Westin, so that may not be useful, but it was such a fun trip. Super walkable and lots of great restaurants. And bagels!
What did you love in Montreal? We went in the dead of winter so maybe we just weren’t there at the right time. I do remember I wanted to return and go to the botanical garden.
Oh I really liked Montreal in the winter! I loved just wondering around the city. The snow was beautiful. I remember eating good food. I went to a couple of museums. I went walking in a park and hiked up to the top. It just seemed like a fun place to wander around and go to different spots.
We were just in Maine last week. It was the shoulder season, so not everything was open at Acadia (like any of the visitor centers)/in Bar Harbor (some of the shops). If you want to see the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain (the first place on the east coast to see the sun, during more the winter part of the year), you need to book that in advance. (We did not do the sunrise, but drove up later in the day.) We stopped in Freeport where the LL Bean flagship store is, and there’s a whole shopping area around it that’s a good place to stretch your legs if nothing else. We did a lot of exploring of Portland, there are a ton of restaurants and shops, and that was fun. We stayed near the harbor. We took the ferry (~15 mins) to Peaks Island, and then went all around that on foot (there is a loop just under 4 miles). You can rent a golf cart but I think it was like $90 for two hours, so we decided just to hoof it. Again, not everything there was open (like the umbrella cover museum and a couple of the restaurants). We also went into New Hampshire (everyone really liked hiking up Mount Major over Lake Winnipesaukee, the view was fantastic, though I might not do that significantly pregnant) and into Boston (we walked around Harvard Yard a little). I will say, to the extent this is a factor for you, I did not see a ton of diversity in Maine.
joy I’d love to hear more about what you loved about Quebec City. I have been wanting to go there forever, but I’m not exactly sure why. We decided to stay domestic this time because of Covid and stuff happening with work, but someday I want to see that part of Canada!
Thank you for sharing!!
Yes the diversity factor is def on my mind and does give me a little bit of a pause. Last year we went to a town in NY and didn’t see a Black person for 4 days, it was bizarre and disconcerting! Anyway, I know that won’t be the first or last time that happens so it’s just something to keep in mind. Thanks for bringing it up.
minzy - Quebec City felt like an old European town. There’s an old stone wall around the old part of the city. In there are small, stone streets lined with shops and restaurants. There’s the fonicular to take you from the upper part to the lower part. The city is right on the St. Lawrence River so the views are beautiful.
We were there over NYE. It snowed heavily so everyone was out. Little kids were pulled in snow sleds, which was so charming to my newly pregnant self. The castle had a toboggan track set up so we rode down the steep hill outside by the river. There was also a big ice carnival with ferris wheel set up for the holiday. We watched the fireworks by the city wall.
We also went to Montmorency Falls. It was winter and snowing, so walking was gorgeous. In the summer, it looked like they had some good activities like ziplining. We rode the cable car to get a good look at the falls.
We took the train between Montreal and Quebec City. VIA Rail was very nice and served us a meal!
My husband and I said we’d move to Quebec City. I’d love to go back in the summertime!
We were just in Maine last week. It was the shoulder season, so not everything was open at Acadia (like any of the visitor centers)/in Bar Harbor (some of the shops). If you want to see the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain (the first place on the east coast to see the sun, during more the winter part of the year), you need to book that in advance. (We did not do the sunrise, but drove up later in the day.) We stopped in Freeport where the LL Bean flagship store is, and there’s a whole shopping area around it that’s a good place to stretch your legs if nothing else. We did a lot of exploring of Portland, there are a ton of restaurants and shops, and that was fun. We stayed near the harbor. We took the ferry (~15 mins) to Peaks Island, and then went all around that on foot (there is a loop just under 4 miles). You can rent a golf cart but I think it was like $90 for two hours, so we decided just to hoof it. Again, not everything there was open (like the umbrella cover museum and a couple of the restaurants). We also went into New Hampshire (everyone really liked hiking up Mount Major over Lake Winnipesaukee, the view was fantastic, though I might not do that significantly pregnant) and into Boston (we walked around Harvard Yard a little). I will say, to the extent this is a factor for you, I did not see a ton of diversity in Maine.
joy I’d love to hear more about what you loved about Quebec City. I have been wanting to go there forever, but I’m not exactly sure why. We decided to stay domestic this time because of Covid and stuff happening with work, but someday I want to see that part of Canada!
Thank you for sharing!!
Yes the diversity factor is def on my mind and does give me a little bit of a pause. Last year we went to a town in NY and didn’t see a Black person for 4 days, it was bizarre and disconcerting! Anyway, I know that won’t be the first or last time that happens so it’s just something to keep in mind. Thanks for bringing it up.
most of New England/the finger lakes and Lake George will be lacking in melanin, for sure.
ETA: if you end up in VT, let me know. My friend runs a brilliant all black theater company and does amazing performances and workshops that you might be interested in!
I just got back from the Berkshires; the town of Amherst is cute (but small) and Mass MOCA is very cool. In the summer, Jacob’s Pillow and Tanglewood might be fun to visit.
Martha’s Vineyard? I actually have never been, but really want to go.
I love Montreal and Quebec City in the summer. So pretty, and usually nice, cool temps. I liked the Sofitel in Montreal, and it is pretty cheap for a five-star hotel.
In Maine, we’ve hosted black friends and it’s definitely a little weird for them, coming from big cities, to see few black people around. I think Portland and Rockland are so deeply progressive that they’re pretty safe spaces. If you chose to visit, I’m a fan of the Press Hotel and the Westin in Portland, and The Inn on Carleton or the West End Inn for B&Bs. In Acadia, Terramor Resort is a worthwhile splurge. It’s glamping, which sounds ridiculous, but the tents are basically super-luxurious hotel rooms, just with canvas walls, and it’s nice to be nestled in this quiet, forested area after the tourism madness.
Post by plutosmoon on Apr 29, 2022 10:24:25 GMT -5
I live in the Berkshires, the summer is a great time to visit. Williamstown has a theater festival, you've got mass moca, Clark Art, Williams College museum of art, Norman Rockwell, Tanglewood and Jacobs pillow. Arts are big here. You can do a ton of outdoor activities too. North Adams has the tourists hotel and the porches inn which are both really nice, the Williams inn in Williamstown is also beautiful. Tourists is owned partially by a local family.