Fall activities you don't want to miss in Montreal

Autumn is not synonymous with depression. On the contrary. It’s the perfect season to stroll through the colourful parks and neighbourhoods, including the Old Port and the Plateau-Mont-Royal. The city is also brimming with events of all kinds to discover on your own, or with friends and family.

Montreal – Festivals and Entertainment

The Festival du nouveau cinéma will be blowing out its 53 candles this autumn. Over ten days, some one hundred feature films will be shown in cinemas across the city. An opportunity to discover new films.

Several cinemas
October 9 to 20, 2024

The OFF Festival de jazz de Montréal will offer you a host of original shows featuring artists from near and far. Surprise concerts in unusual venues and dates on Montreal’s emblematic stages will be on the menu for this 25th edition.

Several locations, including Le Ministère
October 3 to 12, 2024

Visit International Tourism and Travel Show as the ideal event for exploring new horizons. It’s a must for fans of heavenly beaches, exotic excursions and adventures around the world. Depending on your budget, the exhibitors will give you valuable advice on how to plan your get-away.

November 1-3, 2024
Palais des Congrès de Montréal

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - polynesie

The Montreal Arab World Festival (FMA) is an event dedicated to the meeting of Arab and Western cultures. This 25th edition will honor artists from all cultural horizons under the theme “Méprises, 25 years of colorful dreams”.

October 25 to November 23, 2024
Several venues, including the Quartier des spectacles

A hundred of the year’s French-language films, with English subtitles, await you at the CINEMANIA Festival. This 30th edition will feature 114 international guests. From masterpieces to conferences and special events, you’re sure to find something that peaks your interest.

Several venues, including the Cinémathèque québécoise
November 6 to 17, 2024

The Salon du livre de Montréal is a major literary event you don’t want to miss this Fall. An opportunity to meet your favorite authors for book signings. Pointes-aux-Trembles will be the guest neighbourhood for this 47th edition.

November 27 to December 1, 2024
At the Palais des congrès de Montréal

The Montreal Bach Festival will present more than thirty concerts as part of its 18th edition. Renowned artists and talents from near and far will take you into the world of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Several locations, including Saint Joseph’s Oratory
November 16 to December 8, 2024

Looking for local gifts this holiday season? Check out the 68th edition of the Salon des métiers d’art du Québec (SMAQ). You’ll find jewelry, toys, accessories, and fashion clothing. Handmade, all these items are distinguished by their refined quality.

December 12 to 22, 2024
Palais des Congrès de Montréal

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - vase

Montréal – Exhibitions and Shows

Banksy’s art without limits will feature over 170 works by British graffiti artist Banksy. You’ll even be able to witness the world premiere of a new hologram installation.

Until October 18, 2024
The Festival House

Diane Dufresne: the immersive exhibition Aujourd’hui, hier et pour toujours will plunge you into the creative universe of Diane Dufresne. Admire her many eccentric costumes.

Until October 13, 2024
Arsenal art contemporain Montréal

World Press Photo Montreal is an opportunity to admire the winning photos of the 2024 competition. For this 17th edition, the event will also highlight the work of Quebec photographer Charles-Frédérick Ouellet.

Until October 14, 2024
Bonsecours Market

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - World Press Photo 2024

For fans of Céline Dion, they will have the pleasure of listening to her greatest classics with the show Céline Symphonique such as Pour que tu m’aimes encore, J’irai où tu iras and My heart will go on.

October 12 to 13, 2024
Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier

Opéra de Montréal presents Hamletan adaptation of Shakespeare’s play. Jacques Lacombe will conduct the Orchestre Métropolitain.

November 16 to 24, 2024
Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier

Discover one of Charles Perrault’s most famous fairy tales. The duo Félix-Antoine Boutin and Sophie Cadieux take on the phantasmic world of Donkey Skin.

Until October 19, 2024
Théâtre Denise-Pelletier

Bogotá by Andrea Peña opened the Venice International Contemporary Dance Festival last July. This work will take you on a journey through the themes of death and rebirth, combining stage performance and dance theater.

December 11 to 14, 2024
Wilder Building

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - Andrea Pena

Montreal – Family Outings

La Ronde offers a variety of attractions for children. During the month of October, the amusement park will be dressed up in the “Halloween” theme, with games, shows and activities for the whole family.

Weekends from October 5 to 27, and Monday, October 14, 2024
Île Sainte-Hélène

The Groupe uni des éducateurs-naturalistes et professionnels en environnement GUEPE (the united group of nature educators and professionals in environmental sciences) offers a variety of biodiversity-related activities every year.

Île-de-la-Visitation nature park :

October 5, 2024: discovering birds and the river
October 26, 2024: discovering mammals, with a special focus on bats

La grande kermesse des p’tits loups will offer children a day full of fun activities, including short film screenings. Organized by the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, this event will introduce them to the magic of the 7^th art.

October 13, 2024
Maison Théâtre

Activities in the series Place des Arts junior will delight families this autumn. Here are the shows for ages 4 to 12:

Halloween Ball, October 27, 2024
Lionel and Mary, November 17, 2024
Quartier des spectacles

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - lueur

L’illusion – Puppet Theatre offers performances that combine the visual and performing arts. This fall, the little ones will be treated to three shows:

Lueurs: for children aged 7 and up, from October 16 to 27, 2024
Archipelago: for children aged 3 to 8, from November 5 to 17, 2024
Gingerbread: for children aged 3 to 6, from November 26 to December 15, 2024
Théâtre L’Illusion

Le Outremont Theatre offers several shows for young audiences. On the bill:

Night of the Caribou: for children aged 5 and up, October 6, 2024
Les âneries: for children aged 4 and up, November 3, 2024
Clémentine, une histoire (vraie): for children aged 6 and up, November 17, 2024
Glob: for children aged 6 and over, November 29, 2024
Outremont Theatre

Montreal – Culinary Delights

The Events

Ramen noodles in the spotlight at the 3rd edition Ramen Ramen Fes. You’ll have two weeks to try this delicious dish at participating restaurants. Then vote for your favorite ramen.

October 14 to 27, 2024
Participating restaurants

The event Invasion Cocktail event welcomes big names in mixology to Montreal every year. This 11th edition will feature exclusive creations.

October 24 to November 09, 2024
Participating bars

Would you like to discover the many vegan options? Check out the Montreal Vegan Festival. On the menu: conferences, cooking demonstrations, tastings and much more.

November 9 to 10, 2024
Grand quai du port de Montréal

It’s the great gastronomic rendez-vous! MTLàTABLE is a wonderful opportunity to discover excellent restaurants and new flavours. Around a hundred establishments will be taking part in this culinary extravaganza to delight your taste buds.

October 31 to November 17, 2024
Participating restaurants

This autumn’s wine event par excellence. The Grande Dégustation de Montréal will bring together dozens of producers from 25 countries. For this 14th edition, five wine-growing regions will be in the spotlight. You’ll have the chance to walk away with exclusive offers, enough to impress everyone this holiday season.

November 28 to 30, 2024
Grand Quai of the Port of Montreal

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - verre-alcool

Restaurants

Here’s our selection of establishments offering comforting Fall dishes.

Located downtown in the Honeyrose Hotel, the Commodore offers dishes inspired by French bistros. Let yourself be tempted by Parisian-style gnocchi, prepared with butternut squash béchamel, nutmeg, pickled onion, sage oil and tuile dentelle.

The Stanleylocated in the downtown Le Sheraton Hotel, offers locally inspired cuisine. Beef onglet with caramelized shallot coulis, onion purée, red wine sauce, herb oil and pickled onion is one of the specialties.

Discover seasonal dishes at Jajalocated in the heart of Little Italy. We say yes to oyster mushrooms, burrata and chicken skin, with a glass of natural wine.

On the 45th and 46th floors of Place Ville-Marie, the Hiatus is the city’s highest restaurant. Aged duck, rhubarb, turnip and yuzu is one of the dishes that showcases Franco-Japanese flavours.

The Hang is a Vietnamese haute cuisine restaurant in Old Montreal. The bone marrow Pho Wagyu with truffle oil infusion and gold flakes is one of the many dishes to discover.

If you like the atmosphere of a French brasserie, the Casavant should appeal to you. Located in Villeray, this restaurant offers bistro-inspired dishes, including gnochettis with corn, shrimp and garlic flower sauce.

Finally, the Spanish tapas tavern Ibéricos is a must for those in the mood for a typical Valencian paella.

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - IBERICOS

Treat yourself this fall and save while you spend at restaurants! Some credit cards earn 5 points per dollar, including the American Express Cobalt^® Card.

Here’s a roundup of the best cards for your restaurant expenses.

Culinary Activities

There are plenty of tours and tastings throughout the city. Here are some ideas:

Montreal – Visiting the City

Save With Points on Your Accommodation

Are you in Montreal for a few days? Here’s our selection of Marriott Bonvoy hotels:

Fall Activities You Don’t Want to Miss in Montreal - W-montreal

In Canada, Marriott Bonvoy is the most enticing loyalty program for free hotel nights. In fact, there are two Marriott Bonvoy credit cards issued by American Express, which allow you to accumulate numerous points in the blink of an eye.

Our credit card selection
Credit card	Annual fee	Welcome offer
Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$120	Welcome offerAfter $3,000 in 3 months Up to 70,000 points After $3,000 in 3 months	Apply NowCompare
Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card Apply NowCompare	Annual fee$150	Welcome offerAfter $5,000 in 3 months Up to 80,000 points After $5,000 in 3 months	Apply NowCompare

If you’re not going to a Marriott Bonvoy establishment, here are our other strategies for reducing your bill:

Faced with such a variety of hotels to choose from, it’s sometimes difficult to make a choice. Check out our Reviews :

Compare

American Express Cobalt^® Card

American Express Amex Membership Rewards

Annual fee: $191.88
Our valuationMilesopedia first-year estimate First-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.: $255
Welcome offerGet 1,250 points after $750 in purchases per month for 12 months: Up to 15,000 points

The American Express Cobalt^® Card is a versatile American Express card, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

American Express Cobalt^® Card welcome offer

The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer valued at $255.

Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.

You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.

You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:

15,000 Aeroplan points
15,000 Avios points
15,000 Flying Blue Miles
18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

American Express Cobalt^® Card benefits

Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.

5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, and home food delivery. A spend cap applies.
3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
Front Of The Line^® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.

The 5X categories and where they apply

The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers three kinds of merchants:

Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
Home food delivery.
Convenience stores (Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven): not part of 5X, 1 point per dollar.

The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.

With the American Express Cobalt^® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category	Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.)	5
Home food delivery	5
Restaurants and bars	5
Convenience stores	1
Streaming services	3
Service station	2
Transport	2
Travel	1
Other	1

That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.

You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.

American Express Cobalt^® Card insurance coverage

The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.

Travel insurance

Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.

Rental car insurance

Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.

Mobile device insurance

Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.

American Express Cobalt^® Card fees

Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
Additional cards: $0.
Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
Minimum income required: none.

Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.

Legal

American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.

Annual fee

Primary card$191.88

Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0

Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

5xRestaurants
5xGroceries
3xStreaming
2xTransit
2xGas
1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,675

2nd Year Value$799

Transfer partners

AeroplanAirline
British Airways ClubAirline
Cathay Asia MilesAirline
Etihad GuestAirline
Flying BlueAirline
Hilton HonorsHotel
Marriott BonvoyHotel

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days

Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days

Delayed BaggageUp to $500

Lost BaggageUp to $500

Flight DelayUp to $500

Hotel BurglaryUp to $500

Travel AccidentUp to $250,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days

Extended Warranty+1 years

Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years

Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Where to go in the Fall around Montreal?

There are plenty of places close to Montreal where you can take full advantage of the joys of autumn. One of the outings to book on your agenda could be an Orchard visit. Apple picking with family and friends is a fantastic activity, especially in the Laurentians.

Where to see Fall colours in Montreal?

There are many places in Montreal where you can admire the Fall colours and enjoy this time of year. With its many trails, Mont-Royal park is an ideal location. A stop at the chalet is a must, where you can enjoy the panoramic view of the city from the Kondiaronk lookout.

Where to spend the day in Montreal?

You could visit the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Botanical Gardens, Mount Royal Park, the Biodôme or the Museum of Fine Arts. And don’t forget to stock up on goodies in the city’s public markets.

Where to have fun in Montreal?

If you’d like to try your luck at gaming, head for the Montreal Casino. For board game fans, Randolph Pub Ludique is the place to be. You could also cheer on your favorite team in one of Montreal’s sports bars, such as La Cage.

What activities are there to do in Montreal's Old Port?

You could climb aboard one of the gondolas of the Ferris Wheel, Canada’s tallest observation wheel. Then take a zip-line ride and admire the unique view of the Old Port and the St. Lawrence River. Finally, the Science Centre offers interactive activities for the whole family. As for the Voiles en Voiles adventure park, it offers aerial courses of varying heights.

What indoor activities are available in downtown Montreal?

Shopping is king: the underground city stretches beneath the heart of the metropolis, linking metro stations and shopping centres. Take the whole family to Centre PLAYBOX, located in the Eaton Centre, for entertainment and a vast selection of games.

What free activities to do with children in Montreal?

You could (re)discover the city’s different neighbourhoods by bike. On foot, what could be better than taking a stroll through parks such as Parc La Fontaine, Parc Jean-Drapeau, Parc du Mont-Royal and Parc Frédéric-Back? Weather permitting, there’s nothing to stop you from having a picnic.

Mark your calendars: the Journées de la culture will take place from September 27 to 29, 2024, with many free activities.

What cultural activities for couples are worth trying out?

Highly anticipated events include the Montreal OFF Jazz Festival from October 3 to 12, 2024, the Salon du livre de Montréal from November 27 to December 1, 2024, and the Bach Festival from November 16 to December 8, 2024.

Where to get your flirt on in Montreal?

Nightclubs, bars, concerts, festivals, sports groups: there’s no shortage of opportunities to find something to suit your taste.