Looking for ideas for a day in Montreal

[Peppermint]

My family and I are in Vermont this week for vacation. We are planning on driving to Montreal on Wednesday for the day and we are looking for any ideas for things to do and places to eat. It will be DH and I, along with 3 others ranging in age 18-21. Thanks!

 

[newboots]

Be sure to get into Old Montreal. It's been too long (26 years?) for me to recommend restaurants, and it can be kind of touristy, but it really makes a distinction between "a fabulous big city" and something that has a bit of European flair. Plus the architecture is amazing.

(For a real European feeling, you need to go to Quebec. You have to try your hand at speaking French. Again, it's been a long time - maybe 20 years.)

 

[mustski]

Old Montreal! If you only have one dat ... that is the ticket!

 

[echo_VT]

enjoy and report back!

 

[Peppermint]

I wanted to say that you for the suggestions and to let you know that we went to old Montreal and it was a blast. So many restaurants and shops to visit and the port is really nice. It definitely had a European feel to it and most were speaking French but spoke English as soon as we did.

The only odd thing to happen to us during our trip was at dinner. DD has celiac disease and I noticed a menu to a certain restaurant noted they had gluten free items, so we deduced to go there. When DD ordered her GF meal, they asked her if she was alergic or had celiacs. When she replied she had celiacs, we were told they could not serve her due to recent lawsuit that almost bankrupted them, and told us they could not take another risk (backstory below). DD told then she would assume all risks for her meal (sandwich made with GF bread) but they still said no so DH then asked where else we could go for dinner. Now I'm not sure if it was the fact that no one else was in this restaurant or the fact we were all going to leave and have dinner elsewhere, but the manager asked DD again if she would accept the risk, then relented and let her order her meal. She then verified the ingredients on the bread package to be sure and we had a wonderful meal.

Backstory:
Apparently some woman told them she had a gluten allergy and accepted all risks when ordering, then consumed the food, which resulted in medical emergency and she was taken to the hospital, which resulted in a lawsuit. I have no idea about Canadian law but I was alway under the impression that lawsuits were far less common there, so I was very surprised to hear that considering we have never been refused to be served here in the US. If DD did consume gluten, she would have a bad night in the bathroom but we have never heard of an immediate emergency brought on by consuming gluten but maybe those of you in the medical field could chime in if that is the case.