Where to go
by: Adeline McGrath-Sheehan
St. Michael’s students have countless opportunities because of their location in Vermont. We’re right next to the pretty city of Burlington, full of great restaurants and shopping, and within a couple hours drive to multiple ski mountains like Smuggler’s Notch, Sugar Bush, and Stowe, and surrounded by a thriving live music scene. Also available with just a quick two hour drive north: Montreal!
Montreal is a great city with countless things to do, and a great idea for a long weekend trip. Just a few of the things you can enjoy include:
Marché Jean-Talon:
This is a market in the middle of Little Italy in Montreal, and is open daily and year round to the public with it’s grocers, bakers, butchers, and fishers stalls, along with a multitude of restaurants surrounding the market itself. If you’re looking for fresh berries, gourmet cheese, authentic crepes, aromatic essential oils, or a huge selection of chocolates, you can find them at the Jean Talon market.
La Grande Roue de Montreal:
Montreal boasts of the largest ferris wheel in Canada, aptly named: La Grande Roue de Montreal. This ferris wheel’s height is equivalent to that of a 20 story building, with 360 views from the ride itself. Beautiful both in the day with a great view of the city and the river, and also at night with all the lights aglow, this twenty minute ride is a great stop in the Old Port, rain or shine, year round. If you’re not particularly fond of heights, sit this one out, there’s a restaurant at the bottom you can wait at.
Mount Royal and The Chalet:
Mount Royal is a large hill in Montreal among the Monteregian Hills which gave the city it’s name. Starting in the park and walking up the winding carriage trail and stairs of Mount Royal provides a gorgeous overlook of downtown Montreal, one particularly made beautiful at sunset. The chalet near the top even has a cafe if you need some water after the 400 stair steps. Also, the park is a great place to walk the dog or take a jog!
Clubs:
If you’re over 18 (as college students we mostly are), it’s totally legal to join in on the night life scene in Montreal. The Blue Dog and Stereo are two popular dance clubs in Montreal, among many others, all with good music and lots of dancing. Drinks can be expensive and many have around $15 cover charges to get inside, but a night of dancing with your friends will end up being worth it! There are also plenty of bars if you’re not much of a dancer but still want to go out on the town.
Street Art:
Just walk around and enjoy the many murals covering the city of Montreal. You’ll be glad you did.
7 Tips for Visitng Montreal
by: Tess Beinhauer
Montreal is a popular city for weekend trips for college students in Burlington. Just a two-and-a-half-hour trip, Montreal is beautiful, historical, and can be surprisingly affordable.
1. Use an ATM to get Canadian dollars.
Instead of paying a fee to exchange your American dollars, use an ATM to withdraw cash from your debit card. This is the most convenient and cheap method. 1 Canadian Dollar is equivalent to 80 American Cents.
2. Most clubs have cover charges
Most clubs have a cover charge of anywhere from $5-$20 depending on where you go. However, once you pay the cover charge you can come back to the club for free the same night.
3. Wear a jacket– its cold
Wear a jacket, not outfit is worth the cost of shivering on the street at 3 am. Most clubs have coat check included in the cover charge or for a few dollars.
4. Plan your night
Before you go out, have a general idea of where you want to go. Having a list of clubs or bars makes it easier to navigate the city. It also ensures that you won’t ever be bored.
5. Coins matter
Canada does not have a 1-dollar bill. Instead they use $2 coins and $1 coins. Most Americans disregard the change in their purses, but don’t just throw these away!
6. Not everyone speaks English
French is one of the national languages of Canada, and is the primary language in Quebec. Don’t be surprised when someone approaches you speaking French. Though most locals speak English too, but not everyone.
7. Wear something not too dressy but not to casual
Dress codes are very relaxed in Montreal. Though dress codes are stricter in upscale clubs and bars, you can get away with wearing sneakers and jeans in most clubs. Remember that you will be doing a lot of walking, so wear something comfortable.