Gay Montreal: the ultimate guide to the best bars, clubs, hotels & more

Montreal is beautiful. Montreal is proud. Montreal is energetic. Montreal is bold. Above all else, Montreal is open, ready, and WAITING to embrace you!

This gorgeous city in Canada's French Quebec region is home to one of the biggest gay villages in the world. It's an entire neighborhood, officially recognized in city maps and social media tags. The atmosphere here is one of the best we've experienced from all the different gay scenes we've been to around the world.

There's always something going on down the mile-long Rue Sainte-Catherine with plenty of bars, clubs, after-hours clubs, saunas, ꜱtriþ bars, cafes, and more, to suit everyone. And we are LIVING for it!

We visited Montreal in the height of the summer during the Fierte Pride in August. My god, these guys sure know how to have a good time! We'd happily return in a heartbeat. Check out our vlog about the first-ever Fierte Canada Pride in Montreal right here.

Is Montreal safe for gay travelers?

Short answer: hell yeah!

This is one place we felt comfortable walking the streets holding hands. Put it this way, even at the government level there is immense pride in the city's LGBTQ community – for Montreal Pride, not only the mayor and the Premier of Quebec led the parade, but alongside them was the country's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Lovely Justin also happens to be one of Montreal's famous residents, who made this beautiful speech about diversity:

“Diversity is the engine of invention. It generates creativity that enriches the world”

Justin Trudeau

Canada generally has always been at the forefront of LGBTQ rights, being one of the first countries to legalize gay marriage and with one of the most progressive transgender laws in the world. Montreal, in particular, has always been a bedrock of acceptance and cultural diversity, to the point where it has developed the largest gay village in North America (see below), and also hosts many gay events throughout the year. 

To get a feel for gay Montreal, we recommend watching Montreal Boy: Some Strings Attached, a super cute web series made by the Tourism Board and Logo TV…let's just repeat that part: the Tourism Board of Montreal commissioned this…a sure-fire sign that a city truly welcomes and celebrates its LGBTQ community!

Le Village Gai: the gay neighborhood of Montreal

Montreal's gaybourhood, otherwise known as Le Village Gai or just The Village is famous for being the largest gay neighborhood in North America. It's an entire district of the city, even officially recognized in tourist city maps and searchable in social media location tags.

The Village is the heart of the city's LGBTQ community, based along the mile-long Saint Catherine Street, bordered by St Hubert Street to the west, De Lorimier Avenue to the east, Sherbrooke Street to the north, and René Lévesque Boulevard to the south.

The Gay Village dates back to the 1980s when it used to be a poor working-class neighborhood. It was first occupied by gay and lesbian businesses after they were forced out of downtown Montreal. Over the years, the area gentrified massively to become the pink bubble of fun it is today.

During May-September, St Catherine Street is closed to cars, allowing the cafes, bars, and restaurants to spill out onto the pavements to create outdoor terraces, giving the village an exciting buzzy atmosphere. We love it just for this! It also has a rainbow crossing to mark its starting point. 

Gay hotels in Montreal

Montreal is one place in the world where you know most hotels welcome LGBTQ travelers with open arms. We've never had any issues booking a double bed as a gay couple traveling in Montreal, especially at the large chain hotels.

We've set out some of the best gay friendly hotels for all budgets, either which we've tried and loved, or were recommended to us by fellow LGBTQ travelers:

01

Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

Downtown Montreal

The Fairmont is the place where celebs and famous people will most likely stay when in town, so you know you're in good hands! When we stayed here for the Fierte Canada Pride, the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, was not only staying here but in the same corridor as us! (Cue Stefan's many pathetic attempts to try “Hello housekeeping!”) In addition, the gay pride parade passes right outside the front door of the Fairmont, so you can watch it from the comfort of their outdoor terrace with a birds-eye view.

Rooms and suites at the Fairmont are comfortable and gorgeously designed, with lots of bold art on the walls. As well as being right in the heart of the city there is so much to do inside the hotel. For example, they have an indoor swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and a luxurious spa offering lots of wellness treatments. We loved dining at their Rosélys restaurant (famous for its French food) and also recommend getting a few cocktails at the sophisticated Nacarat Bar. They also have a cafe called Kréma which does the perfect morning brew (unless you wanna head to Timmies for a “double-double and a box of Timbits” – ask your Canadian friends to translate that!).

02

Hôtel William Gray

Old Montreal

The rooms are huge, often with incredible views. Some have a private outdoor terrace. We loved the hotel's rooftop terrace, where you can dine in the rooftop restaurant, or just have a cocktail and enjoy spectacular views of the city. The indoor Maggie Oakes restaurant is also a stylish haven, with lots of dark wood and a pop of green from the succulent wall. Perche is the terrace restaurant, which also has an adjoining cafe. We particularly enjoyed the big lounge room space, with a library, pool table and another bar.

Hôtel William Gray also has a gym, handy for burning off all those poutine calories. The hotel spa is also incredible, with a luxurious hot/cold thermal circuit, a Himalayan salt room, a Finnish sauna, a steam room, experiential showers, a cold room, an herbal sauna, and a seasonal outdoor pool. You can even relax in one of their Gharieni spa beds that involve a healing warm quartz massage bed or a Spa Wave sound therapy system. You're guaranteed to leave the William Gray feeling truly pampered!

03

W Montreal

Old Montreal

Bold design and bright colors are King at the W Montreal, along with plenty of quirky artwork on the walls. This was also the first pet-friendly hotel we'd encountered, offering pet-friendly rooms with dog/cat beds, food/water bowls, “Bark Box” treat boxes, and even dog sitting/walking facilities. Gym bunnies will be delighted with the fitness center: it's massive, with super modern equipment and lots of bold bright colors!

There are no on-site restaurants at the W, but this isn't a big deal as there are so many great dining options nearby. In terms of in-house bars, you need to check out the Bartizen. It's a beautifully designed space that captures the feeling of a 1940s-style lounge with felted seating and stunning dark tones, creating an intimate spot for a cocktail. They also specialize in Quebec gin and tonics, to which they even add perfumes…let's just say you certainly won't forget your G&T&P here in a hurry!

04

Bed and Breakfast du Village BBV

Gay Village

On offer are Suites, the Cottage Room, and The Queen Room. Guess which one we picked?

The rooms are all cozy and comfortable. There's a shared kitchen where guests can prepare their meals, although you're just steps away from the cafes and restaurants in the Gayborhood of Montreal. The breakfast is a big highlight – plentiful and everything home-cooked breakfast each morning; in the summer months, it's so nice to have your breakfast on the terrace. The shared areas are also lovely to relax with a book, with the ambient music oozing out around you.

Gay bars in Montreal (open till 3 am)

There are many gay bars in the Gay Village of Montreal. We recommend to just head there and see where the night takes you. There's always something happening every single night of the week.

Note that in Montreal, there's a blur between what is a “bar” and a “club”. Most places combine both and are open late until 3 am (due to the lax licensing laws). After 3 am, people head to “after-hours” clubs. So to differentiate between the two sections, we've put in this bit the best gay bars/clubs, which are open until 3 am, and the “after-hours” ones we've listed in the “Gay Clubs” section directly underneath.

Complexe Sky

Complexe Sky is the biggest gay club in Canada! It's also the most popular and famous gay bar in Montreal. We loved it. It's in a large building with a restaurant on the ground floor called Le Branché, then four floors with different styles of music above that, concluding with a rooftop terrace with a pool and hot tub. Our favorite part was the Cabaret area, where there are regular fierce drag shows, but basically, the entire building is one big go-to for gay gay gay party and fun!

Located at 1478 Rue St-Catherine Est, the different parts of Complexe Sky have different opening times but most of them are open from 4 pm until 3 am.

Le Stud

Although Le Stud is officially a bear bar, everyone is welcome and that's why we love hanging out here. It has a really friendly atmosphere with an outdoor drinking area during the warmer months and a large dancing area inside. Look out for their themed nights or longer events like “Polar Bear Week” and the “Full Moon” parties. The connected L'Antre BBQ + Grill does fantastic pub food with burgers, hot dogs, and poutine to keep all those rumbly bear tummies happy.

Bar Le Stud is located at 1812 Rue St-Catherine Est and is open daily from 10 am until 3 am.

Cabaret Chez Mado

Mado Lamotte is Montreal's most popular drag queen. She became famous for hosting one of the biggest drag shows called Mascara. Cabaret Chez Mado is her home where she hosts some of the city's best cabaret and drag acts, particularly on Tuesday and Saturday evenings. You don't need to be fluent in French to have a rollicking time, but knowing a few words and phrases will help you get some of her more subtle jokes!

Cabaret Mado is located at 1115 St-Catherine Est and is open every day from 4 pm until 3 am.

Bar Le Cocktail

This is the best gay bar in Montreal for karaoke. Every evening a live DJ hosts the karaoke, which goes on till late. On Fridays, before 10:30 pm they have a Happy Hour. We loved the friendly fun atmosphere – it feels like being in a gay Cheers bar, albeit a very chic one! There are two levels to the bar as well as a lovely terrace that's nice to sit outside in summer.

Located at 1669 Rue St-Catherine Est, Bar Le Cocktail is open daily from 2 pm – 3 am.

Aigle Noir/Black Eagle

Aigle Noir (French for Black Eagle) is a cool “man's” bar, similar to other Eagle bars we've been to around the world. It's friendly and cruisy, with three different bar sections. On the mezzanine level, there is a sports bar in case you want to pretend to be a hetero dude grunting over football (we tried and failed!). We came here on a Friday evening when it was heaving, but enjoyed it, especially on the terrace.

Located at 1315 Rue St-Catherine Est, Aigle Noir is open every day from 8 am til 3 am.

Club Unity

Whilst the name says “Club”, we found Unity to be more of a bar environment, which became a dancy space later in the evening. It's a big gay complex, much like Complexe Sky, but not as massive. It has 2 different dance areas playing a mix of electro/pop music as well as a VIP lounge and a large rooftop terrace. The rooftop terrace is quite a romantic spot in the evening when there's a cool breeze and you can see the stars shining bright above. Unity also hosts awesome themed parties (like for Halloween) and drag shows.

Club Unity is located at 1171 Rue St-Catherine Est and is open Wednesday to Sunday evenings from 10 pm until 3 am.

Bar Renard

Bar Renard is a very stylish gay friendly bar, which almost every gay local recommended to us as their favorite place for “cute boys and cocktails”! It doubles up as a restaurant during the day, serving delicious meals, with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Bar Renard is the perfect spot to begin your night, maybe with some of their delicious cocktails on the terrace surrounded by greenery…

Located at 1272 Rue St-Catherine est, Bar Renard is open every day from 3 pm to 3 am.

Gay clubs in Montreal (open after 3 am)

When it got to around 3 am in the Gayborhood when the gay bars (listed above) were closing, we found that most of the local gay guys who wanted to keep partying either headed to a sauna or to one of the after-hours clubs. Note that if you're looking to party after 3 am, Stereo is now the only option in Montreal after the sad closure of Circus Club in 2020:

Stereo Nightclub

Stereo was THE after-hours club everyone recommended to us. Playing primarily house and techno music until well into the next morning, Stereo has an excellent sound system. Couple this with friendly staff and delicious drinks and you're bound to have a gay ‘ole time. Sadly these two Nomadic Grandmas couldn't quite keep up and went home after Sky Bar closed at 3 am!

Located at 858 Rue St-Catherine Est, Stereo is open only on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 2-10 am.

Gay ꜱtriþ bars in Montreal

Gay ꜱtriþ bars are a thing here. Every local gay guy we met told us we have to visit a gay ꜱtriþ bar at least once in Montreal. The dancers are extremely talented and due to the lax laws, they bare everything. The best gay ꜱtriþ bars in Montreal include:

Stock Bar

It was the Tripadivsor reviews that sold it for us, boasting the most handsome men in North America. And it doesn't disappoint! Located in the heart of the gay village, Stock Bar provides hours of hot entertainment in the form of fit men gyrating on stage, often in costume (until they take it off of course) and pole dancing. The layout of the bar looks almost exactly like the one from the Channing Tatum movie “Magic Mike”!

Stock Bar is located at 1171 Rue St-Catherine Est and is open Tuesday – Sunday from 8 pm until 3 am.

Campus

Campus is a less touristic ꜱtriþ bar than Stock Bar, with a mix of gay boys and groups of (straight) women. Two bars offer prime views of the stage (should you need a stiff drink while fanning yourself!) Campus is also open during the day, so you don't have to wait until dark to enjoy the, erm, delights within… Day-time ꜱtriþpers are usually more twink-like while those working the night-shift are more of your butch bodybuilder types.

Campus is located at 1111 Rue St-Catherine Est and is open Monday – Friday 3 pm-3 am, and Saturday/Sunday 1 pm-3 am.

Gay saunas in Montreal

There are two gay saunas in Montreal, conveniently located right in the heart of the Gayborhood… So, as you stumble out of Club Unity or Le Stud at closing time at 3 am and try to decide where to go next if you don't go to one of the after-hour clubs, then you'll most likely be joining the queue to enter either Oasis or Sauna GI Joe:

Oasis

What's not to love about Sauna Oasis? It's open 24 hours a day, has a cheeky “hole in the wall” room, and free WiFi! Not to mention the fact that there are more than 100 different rooms including private ones you can rent for a bit of fun, a steam room, a dry sauna, an oversized spa, and hot movies for your viewing pleasure. Oasis is the place to come for fun, no matter the time or day!

Located at 1390 Rue St-Catherine Est, Oasis is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Sauna G.I. Joe

Another 24/7 gay sauna in Montreal is the oh-so-naughty Sauna G.I Joe. The facilities are spread out over four floors, including a roof terrace. There are lots of private rooms some featuring your very own swing. There are also all the sauna amenities you would expect like a steam room, dry sauna, and spa, along with little extras like cheeky “holes in the wall” and play areas.

Sauna G.I Joe is located at 1166 Rue St-Catherine Est and is also open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Gay cruising in Montreal

To be honest most gay guys looking for play in Montreal now use Grindr to connect with locals. This has dramatically reduced the outdoor cruising options. However, the following are places that locals told us are still quite popular for gay cruising, but we can’t vouch for them ourselves:

• Piscine Hochelaga: located at 1870 Rue Davidson
• Olympic Stadium Hall's toilets: located at 4141 Pierre de Coubertin.

Gay events in Montreal

Since it's such a gay friendly city you can bet there are plenty of fabulous events just for us LGBTQ folk! Montreal Pride in August is the biggest and best, but be sure to check out the others we've listed. For more, read our favorite gay events in Montreal.

Note that the Black & Blue Festival was canceled in 2023 and has not taken place since. We will update this guide if this changes.

Fierte Montreal Pride – August

Every year in August, Montreal has an incredible gay pride event attracting 2 million people! Everyone gets involved, families, allies, and the whole LGBTQ community of the city. We visited the Fierte Canada in Montreal in August 2017 and loved it. It features a moving Moment of Silence to commemorate LGBTQ pioneers, after which, the parade culminates in the Gay Village where there is a fantastic, fun party atmosphere going on till late.

Image+Nation Gay Film Festival – Nov/Dec

The annual Image+ Nation Festival Film LGBTQueer Montreal (now that's a mouthful!) is an 11-day-long queer film festival that highlights revolutionary storytelling. It takes place in late November/early December and 2019 celebrated its 32nd anniversary. This is a wonderful way to experience both local and internationally produced-films that amplify the voices of LGBTQ storytellers.

Igloo Fest – Jan/Feb

From mid-January for a month, Igloo Fest takes over the Old Port of Montreal for a large electro-music festival each weekend. Whilst it's not an exclusively gay festival, it's extremely popular with the LGBTQ crowd. One highlight is the unique #Iglooswag winter wear competition, although we think the icy decor, projections, and winter-themed activities are what truly make it feel like an Arctic wonderland.

Piknic Electronik Montreal – May/June/July/Aug/Sep

This is a large outdoor electronic music festival that takes place every Sunday afternoon from May to September at the Parc Jean-Drapeau. Like Igloo Fest, it's not exclusively gay, but all our local gay Montreal friends raved about this one as well. As it takes place during the summer months, the outfits are a lot skimpier compared to Igloo Fest…just sayin'...

Festival TransAmériques – May/June

Festival TransAmeriques (or FTA) is a popular, annual 2-week dance and theatre festival taking place in May/June. With workshops, debates, and performances galore, you'll find plenty to enjoy if you're in the city at the right time. There are usually around 25 different performances taking place in more than 15 venues throughout Montreal, including outdoor spaces, so check their website for all the details.

Just For Laughs – July

This is the largest international comedy festival in the world, held every July for 1 week. It features dozens of stand-up acts, comedy galas, and free events all over the city. Attracting more than 2 million people to Montreal, there are often huge comedy stars performing along with undiscovered talent. If you like a good laugh (and seriously, who doesn't?) then you have to catch some of this rip-snorting event in person!

Gay Cafes in Montreal

For when you just need a quick bite, breakfast, or cup of Joe, Montreal has some wonderful gay cafes to check out. These are our favorite gay-owned and gay friendly cafes we loved in the city:

Titanic Montreal

Unfortunately, we didn't spot Leo DiCaprio here, but Titanic Montreal is still a fabulous gay-owned cafe in Old Montreal. It's been around for over 20 years and is a great place to come for lunch or coffee during the day. They specialize in home-style classics, big sandwiches, and antipasto. We particularly recommend trying their delicious mac and cheese (with three kinds of cheese) on a cold day, or one of their amazing deli-style sandwiches with all sorts of cured meats to choose from. You can also order deluxe boxed lunches or big picnic hampers with everything you need for a romantic meal in the park!

Pourquoi Pas Espresso Bar

Pourquoi Pas Espresso Bar, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways… Well, firstly, the coffee here is uh-maaazing, with lots of different delicious varieties. The baristas are super friendly and often make cute latte art on your drink for you which is a sweet touch. Speaking of art, there's always artwork on the walls done by local artists, which you can purchase if you love it. Then there are the scrummy pastries for those who need something sweet with their coffee (guilty!), not to mention the gluten-free varieties and their non-dairy milk options.

Cafe Lulu

Directly next door to Club Stereo, Cafe Lulu is (not surprisingly) popular with the all-nighter party gay boys! Aside from that, it's also a great place to come for brunch. Some of their best prizes include decadent crepes, French toast, yummy omelets, bagels, and plenty of pastries. You can even have a ‘hair of the dog cocktail' with your breakfast if you need it! We loved their coffee, as well as the smoked salmon on a bagel for lunch. The staff here are incredibly warm and friendly, plus they make everything on the spot as soon as you order – so you know it's as fresh as can be.

La Grain Brûlée

We just love La Graine Brûlée because it's super colorful and quirky. Make sure you check out the leopard-printed seats, mini Ferris wheel, graffiti-covered cubby holes, and small nooks that make it look like a playroom, complete with old Nintendo games! The menu is small and simple, but still delicious. With wraps, sandwiches, and small plates, it's perfect for a snack while hanging with friends and playing Super Mario Kart. This unique cafe is located on the west side of the Montreal gay village right by the Berri-UQAM metro station. It's THE place to take a selfie to kick off a great night out in the Montreal gay village.

Best gay restaurants in Montreal

The Montreal gay village has many different excellent restaurants to grab a bite to eat. Whether you're craving something healthy or some deep-fried chicken, you'll manage to find mouth-watering treats at wonderfully inclusive businesses. We've listed below some of our favorite restaurants, but for more mouth-watering inspiration, be sure to check out our guide to the best gay restaurants in Montreal.

Le Saloon Bistro Bar

Le Saloon Bistro Bar was the very first restaurant we tried in the Montreal gay village. We love it because as well as being a gay institution of the village for over 25 years, they serve up delicious North American dishes like hearty burgers, tartars, and healthy salads. They also do Ᏸlooɖʏ delicious Ᏸlooɖʏ Caesar cocktails! We loved sitting outside on the tiny terrace surrounded by plants, with rainbow flags flapping over our heads as we watched the world go by. Le Saloon is a lovely spot for breakfast, lunch, or just a cheeky drink before heading out in the gay village for the night.

Le Red Tiger

Le Red Tiger was our favorite Asian restaurant in the Montreal gay village. Here they specialise in Vietnamese street food, which is ideal for sharing with friends. We loved their noodle soups as well as the decadent sticky mango rice. They also do some pretty spectacular cocktails like the Bà Den Lemonade, a sultry blend of bourbon, amaretto, organic apple juice, oolong tea, vanilla syrup, lemon juice, and mint. Also, look out for the stylish and unique murals depicting images of Vietnamese life, with a twist…!

Rotisserie St-Hubert

Although Rotisserie St-Hubert is not too fancy, we like it because it's the perfect place to get a quick bite to eat some food that isn't too unhealthy – or for something greasy and delicious when you need it! St-Hubert is a well-known chain of restaurants in Canada, but this one is conveniently located right in the middle of the Montreal gay village. They specialize in rotisserie chicken and ribs but also offer a gluten-free and vegetarian menu. However, the chicken with fries, Piri Piri sauce, and coleslaw is their classic, for a reason! They also offer brunch, with a variety of fluffy Belgian waffles and breakfast burgers!

Things to do in Montreal

As the largest city in Canada's Quebec province, you can bet there are lots of exciting things to see and do in Montreal. These are a few of the not-to-miss sightseeing highlights in Montreal that we loved the most:

The balls of the Montreal Gay Village

Montreal street art tour

Street art murals are very popular across Montreal, particularly in the Plateau neighborhood, which is not too far to walk from the Gay Village. There's even an annual mural festival which takes place over 11 days in June. During the festival, you can watch murals being painted live by world-renowned artists, as well as enjoy music, exhibitions, and artist talks. We recommend taking a tour with the gay-owned Spade & Palacio to explore Montreal's street art. The guides are gay locals who are extremely passionate about their city and know all the best spots to find gorgeous street art. They also do bicycle, food, and Old Montreal tours.

Exploring Old Montreal

The Vieux-Montréal is the oldest part of the city with many beautiful colonial buildings, some dating back to the days of New France in the 1700s. The gothic-style Basilique Notre-Dame church was our favorite site, which you should definitely check out and also go inside because the interior is incredible! Outside, many of the roads are still cobbled, and with horse-drawn carriages toting tourists around, it evokes the feeling of a bygone era. You can join a walking tour of the Old Montreal neighborhood, which is a wonderful way to learn more about the history and architecture of this beautiful city.

Bota Bota Spa

Bota Bota Spa is a unique and luuuuush spa on a large historic river ferry. Bota Bota offers numerous opportunities for relaxation with multiple heated pools, saunas, hot tubs, baths, and treatments. We recommend it as a romantic evening treat, particularly their Water Circuit at sunset which takes place in the floating garden part of the boat. There's also a divine floating restaurant called La Traversée where you can enjoy a gourmet meal before, during, or after your spa time. They have regular events and packages for special occasions like Valentine's Day too.

Mont-Royal mountain views

The city of Montreal got its name from the nearby mountain of Mont-Royal. This 233-meter (765ft) high mountain is the iconic symbol of the city from where locals get their bearings. You can hike up or drive to the Belvedere Observatory at the top for the best views of the city. There's a large park on the sides of the mountain where you can spot wildlife like squirrels, raccoons, beavers, foxes, or skunks. There are also lots of fun things to do here, especially in winter when you can access the snow tube and toboggan run or go ice skating on Beaver Lake.

Observatoire Place Ville Marie

Located in Downtown Montreal, the Observatoire Place Ville Marie is another popular place for awesome views of the city but these come without all the effort of climbing a hill! To get to the 360° observation deck you ride an elevator to the 46th floor where you can enjoy seeing the city of Montreal spread out before you. There's also a fabulous restaurant in the tower called Les Enfants Terribles, which serves up delicious burgers, poutine, tartars, and more, all with a stunning view on the side. You can also come here for a yummy brunch or perhaps a romantic sunset cocktail before hitting the gay bars and clubs.

Taste Montreal's most famous dishes

Montreal is home to some pretty amazing cuisine. First up is poutine – the perfect hangover dish! A poutine is fries served with cheese curds and topped with gravy. One of the most famous places to try poutine is at Patati Patata.

Another local culinary staple to try in Montreal is the smoked meats. The East European Jewish immigration to Canada in the 1900s brought with it culinary gems like smoked meats. Schwartz's is the most famous deli with queues going around the block (helped by the fact that it has been partly owned by Celine Dion since 2012!)

Finally, don't leave Montreal without trying a few bagels. The best can be found at one of the many bagel bakeries in the Mile End neighborhood.

Museum of Fine Arts

The Musée des Beaux-Arts is the most prestigious museum in Montreal and the most visited in Canada.

We loved the free outdoor exhibitions in front of the museum and along the main road outside.

The collection inside the museum includes local and international art, with special exhibitions of Canadian Inuit art as well as cutting-edge modern pieces. Lovers of art history? This is totally your bag!

Ziplining over the Montreal Old Port

We love activities that get the heart pumping, and Montreal's Old Port area has a lot on offer. There is a science center, an IMAX Theatre, and an urban beach (in summer). But what grabbed our attention was the Montreal Urban Zipline. We jumped at the chance to jump off a 100-foot tower and soar across the Old Port on a 1,200-foot cable. The feeling of weightlessness is thrilling and the views ain't too bad either. For those who prefer less adrenaline-inducing activities, you can also ride on the Montreal Observation Wheel – the tallest Ferris Wheel in Canada.

Spot wolves and bison at Omega Park

Not far from Montreal lies Omega Park, a truly awesome location where native wildlife roams free. In some cases, you can even interact with some of them. This isn't like a zoo where the animals are caged, but they roam free as you drive along. However, in some areas, you're not allowed to leave your car. Some animals you may spot include wild wolves, bison, deer, elks, boars, buffalos, and foxes. You can visit Omega Park on a day trip from Montreal, which also includes a visit to Montebello Lodge. Montebello Lodge is the largest log building in North America, built back in 1930, and is now a Fairmont Hotel.

Plan your trip to Montreal

We've put together some handy hints and tips to help you plan your trip to Montreal. Read on to find out everything the gay traveler should know before they go.

Gay map of Montreal

Here's our gay map of Montreal to show you where all the gay bars, clubs, hotels, and sightseeing highlights we've mentioned in this post are located. Use it to plan your amazing gay trip to Montreal!

Read more travel adventures like this in our book!

We've published our very own gay travel book called, ‘Out in the World'. It has all our practical safety tips, first-hand advice, and travel stories from some of our favorite destinations.

We hope it inspires you to have a fun and safe trip!

Click on the book to order:

For more inspiration:

• Read why we think Canada is one of the most gay friendly countries in the world
• As well as all our favorite gay friendly restaurants in Montreal
• While you're in Canada make sure you also head to the gay bars and clubs in Toronto
• There are also plenty of fun gay events in Toronto
• If you're traveling with your lover, check out these romantic things for gay couples to do in Toronto as well
• Read our gay guide to the city of Vancouver
• Don't miss out on the most incredible snowy pride event in Whistler
• And if you like snow you will love this guide to the best gay skiing holidays around the world
• But if you prefer sun and sand to snow, check out our guide to the best gay cruises instead!

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