Montreal Outdoors | Cultural Escapes In Our Urban Jungle

Come out and play! Discover the latest terraces, urban jungle layouts, installations, visual art, exhibits and tours of Montreal outdoors.

Living in Montreal means you pretty much know of all the big attractions. Montrealers have seen and done it all, right? Well, there just so happens to be a ton of new outdoor activities to partake this summer into the Fall. Thanks to Quartier des Spectacles, in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal your 2020 doesn’t have to be spent indoors.

1. Terraces & Urban Layouts

Warm weather in Montreal is rare. Winter seems to go on forever preventing us from enjoying beautiful outdoor terraces. Well here are a couple you can check out before the cooler temperatures set in.

Our recommendations? La Terrasse Prenez Place is a sunny, picturesque terrace complete with yellow tables and chairs located at the Quartier des Spectacles.

Montreal outdoors, Montreal cultural escapes, montreal urban jungle, montreal covid activites, Eva blue — La Terrasse Prenez Place, a lovely yellow mood lifting Montreal outdoors installation! (credit: Eva Blue)

Le Terrain Jeux located at Place D’ Youville has everything a family could ask for. Swings and a large colourful fountain will keep you and your kids occupied in the busy Quartier des Spectacles. Place des Festivals located at the Quartier des Spectacles is a large area that usually hosts festivals and other large gatherings. It also has the largest array of animated interactive fountains in Canada with 235 water jets!

Montreal Outdoors | Cultural Escapes In Our Urban Jungle 2 — Le Terrain de jeux @ la Place D’Youville. There are fun LED fountains in back of the musical swings! (Credit: Eva Blue)

If you’re looking for a cultural trip without actually going on an airplane, Sha Tan is the perfect place for you. Located in Chinatown, at the corner of Saint-Laurent and René-Lévesque this place is complete with Chinese lanterns and decorations. It certainly is the perfect place for a delicious bubble tea and dumplings!

Tulip (Terrasses Urbaines Libres au Public) dada on Peel street (between Saint-Catherine street and De Maisonneuve) is a gorgeous urban layout decked out with colourful squares. The spot is definitely Instagram worthy!

Montreal Outdoors | Cultural Escapes In Our Urban Jungle 3 — TULIP DADA on Peel Street (credit: Eva Blue)

Another urban layout to check out is Tulip, Place des Festivals located between Sainte-Catherine and Jeanne-Mance street. Lay on some funky beach chairs and chill out on the soft, fake grass after a long day of exploring. Urban layouts are especially practical if you want to avoid eating inside a restaurant. Taking your food to-go and doing some people watching is a great alternative to staying indoors.

Montreal Outdoors | Cultural Escapes In Our Urban Jungle 4 — Tulip terrasse @ Place des Festivals – “Art dogs” provided for pet-less peeps this Montreal Summer! (Credit: Eva Blue)

So grab some snacks, get your friends and have a fantastic time in these pleasant surroundings. The recipe for a perfect day!

2. Art Installations & Visual Art

See a beautiful rendition of the famous “Rocher Percé” at Place de la Paix by artist Sacha Perez del Solar. Just be sure to take your camera with you! Place Jacques Quartier offers a fun art installation for the whole family. Full of colour, “Los Trompos” by artists Esrawe and Cadena will help you pass the time by spinning around and around. This is especially enjoyable for those of us with kids! Just kick back and let them spin as much as their heart desires.

Placott'Art Los Trompos on Place Jacques Cartier (credit: Eva Blue) — Placott’Art Los Trompos on Place Jacques Cartier (credit: Eva Blue)

”Ça va bien aller! and Waxhead’s home for bird friend” by Judith Portier, Frédéric St-Laurent, Isabelle Raymond, Myriam Peixeiro and Waxhead presents art lovers with some much needed visual therapy at Place Jean-Paul Riopelle. Rainbow trees in a peaceful green space provides an escape from hectic city life into a world of tranquility and colour.

You don’t need to be in a museum to see great art. Art is all around us and you might be amazed at what you come across out and about in the city.

Visit Quai King Edward and check out some cool blue waves at an art installation called “La Vague”. Artists 2×4 and Lucas Tisné probably just wanted to give you some waves to hold you over until you can actually swim in the ocean again.

Placott'Art La Vague @ Quai King Edward (credit: Eva Blue) — Placott’Art La Vague @ Quai King Edward (credit: Eva Blue)

“Oscillation” on Quartier Latin (Rue Saint-Denis) is the place to be if you enjoy some good old neon lights. Made by “The Urban Conga” and produced by Creos, it is definitely an Instagram worthy spot to check out.

Go at night for a more intense experience! Multi-coloured cubes are brought to life on Saint-Catherine street between Wolfe and Atateken street.

VIsit Le Quartier Latin - Oscillations, The Urban Conga — VIsit Le Quartier Latin – Oscillations, The Urban Conga (Credit: Eva Blue)

Last but certainly not least there is ”ÇA VA BIEN” by Dixx au carré. Take some funky pictures and get inspired at this ode to the “Ça va bien aller” movement ensuring Quebecers that everything will be fine. Art is all around the city this summer. All you need is a camera, some sunny weather and you’re all set!

4. Exhibits

Émergences et convergences at the Centre PHI is inspired by the coronavirus pandemic and the effects of social distancing on our collective conscience. It brings together works that contemplate the space between the self, digital technology, the built environment, and the natural world. It focuses on the effects of confinement on our collective consciousness.

Emergence & Convergence exhibition for free all summer long, with a guest

See the first one of its kind in Montreal! It is open Wednesdays to Sundays for a couple more weeks! This exhibit is totally worth taking a look at while its still here!

5. Urban Tours

Glass, Wall, People, Woman, Girl, Hair, Headphones — Go beyond sightseeing – delve into history, culture, fabulous food and even the city’s secrets!

Montreal is a complex city with history around every corner. Exploring without a guide can be a challenge for even the most experienced among us. Make your life a whole lot easier with these certified tours and podcasts that will lead the way in getting to know the city.

The city of Montreal has partnered up with Radio Canada and its mobile platform OHdio to provide explorers with an amazing set of podcasts. They’re available at all times, free and, give listeners a sense of Montreal’s rich culture. Even Montrealers can discover a whole new side to their city they never would have thought of otherwise. Other great audio tours include Ville sans voitures, Cing regards sur l’art public and Le Red Light. Learn more about The City of a Hundred Steeples with some of these guides!