i need a vacation, i want to go away somewhere for a weekend trip, a 2 night thing. i have been thinking montreal. i've never been anywhere outside of the usa, or anywhere on my own, and im note sure of what things i need to do. like do i need a passport? should i book a hotel in advance or wait till i get there? i am going to drive, as its only about 6-8 hours away. something like that. i am going to go with my girlfrend, and we will be going in about a month, at least thats what im planning. if anyone has been to montreal, what type of things are there to do?

 

If you are an American citizen you do not need a passport to come to Canada, but it can make the border crossing easier. This is especially true if you don't "look" like an American. Keep in mind that when crossing an international border, you are nobody until you can prove your citizenship, immigration inspectors can make your life miserable (to which you have little if any recourse) and they are not obligated to let you cross.

A passport, politeness and truthfulness will make any border crossing easier. And don't forget to say thank you when they let you pass.

Definitely get a hotel reservation beforehand. Montreal is a very historic city and has a vibrant nightlife downtown. There are countless brasseries ("bar & grille", not the woman's support garment) where you can get a good meal and a drink. The nightclubs are called discos, but they are not stuck in the 70's. There is a subway system - the Metro - and of course buses and cabs if you don't want to stay downtown ($$) but want to check out the nightlife. In mid-December Montreal is a very cold place so take warm coats if you plan on walking around a lot. The old city predates cars, so parking is hard to find.

The 1976 summer Olympics were held in Montreal and "The Big Owe" is mostly still there. The velodrome was turned into a bio-sphere attraction a few years ago, IIRC. Check out your local bookstore or library for a travel guide to find attractions that suit your interests (Fodor's comes to mind).

It will help if you can speak some French, but it isn't essential if you are polite to people - be rude and you may find they miraculously lose the ability to speak English. The west side of Montreal (the west island) is predominantly English speaking. Downtown the language of choice is French, but many (not all) people speak English, too. Once you are east of downtown, you had better speak French.

The road signs are in French, too, including the directions:
Nord=North
Sud=South (the u is pronounced as a short oo)
Est=East (rhymes with best)
Ouest=West (oo-est)

Est and Ouest are easy to mix up when trying to negotiate the highways in traffic. It is a difficult system of highways to negotiate in Montreal when there is no traffic, and there is always traffic. We don't call them freeways or interstates in Canada.

Bienvenu a Canada!

Cheers,
Eric

 

Make sure you bring a birth certificate to get back in to the US. They are very particular about that.

 

My friends brother was shaken down, and car interior ripped apart returning to the U.S.
Oh, and ripped, like with a knife to the seat covers.
When they didn't find anything...they apologized, and let him back in the U.S.
When we crossed, getting into Canada was being waved to.
Getting back into the U.S. was a challenge. The guard was not friendly.
Then when I was honest....he was less than polite.
Really, though we had no problems. I think it was the badge that helped.
This was all more then 10 years ago...I bet now is a lot more fun.

 

I'm not sure what to tell you about identification. Right after 9/11 the US was being pretty sticky about passports and I always carried one. The birth certificate option ia a "gentleman's agreement" between our two countries. And it's important that your id is a BIRTH CERTIFICATE. Other forms of id DO NOT WORK. But Peppy is right, we generally have more trouble getting back into our own country than entering the other country. If you have time to get a passport, get one -- you should always have one anyways. If you don't have time to get one, come anyways!

I was hoping websthes would stop by this thread as he lives in Montreal. You could PM him, he probably has some good advice.

Montreal is a really nice place although might be a bit chilly & gray in December. The old town is really cool and the French will make you feel like you've gone to a truly foreign country! Take the girlfriend on one of the horse-drawn carriage rides around the old city, bundled up under a big blanket -- I know it sounds kitschy but in Montreal, you really feel like you've gone back in time and the drivers know their history. Montreal is the place if you are looking for night-life too. If you are looking for something a bit quieter/romantic you could always try Quebec City as well.

Good luck and have fun!

 

You don't need a passport to re-enter the US from a Canada. All you need is proof of citizenship or legal residence in the US, such as a birth certificate or green card, and a form of identification, such as a driver's license. If you want to spend the money on a passport, by all means do so. It can come in handy if you want to go to a country that requires US citizens to have one for entry.

 

wow, there sure are alot of rules and regulations! if i borrow a car a have to have written permission to use it! i feel like im biting off more than i can chew! i think that maybee i'll take things in smaller steps. my girlfriend has never been on a vacation before so she doesnt want to go too far. im thinking about going to maine. but dose anyone know a good place to go? im still planning and im having a hard time doing that! thanks for any help!