Best time to go Ice skating in Montreal?

travel makers mdIt’s the most wonderful time of the year – it’s time for ice skating!

Winter in Montreal, Canada can get pretty blustery and that makes it a perfect time to go ice skating. The outdoor ice skating season begins in mid-December and continues until March. There are several rinks in Montreal to choose from. Spend the day outdoors on the ice at Parc La Fontaine or at Jeanne-Mance Park, which is located in the center of Montreal. Parc La Fontaine has windy icy paths so you don’t have to do the traditional skating in a circle. Old Port, the biggest outdoor rink in Montreal, is located between Old Montreal and the St. Lawrence River. The theme changes every night.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park is a 4-rink skate park which has one free skate rink and Bonsecours Basin skating rink is the first refrigerated outdoor rink in Montreal.

Village Mammouth is a winter festival that takes place in Olympic Village and features an outdoor ice skating rink. Finally there’s Beaver Lake, also known as Lac aux Castors by locals. It’s great for your budget because skating is free, but if you need skates or safety helmets for the little ones, they are available to rent.

The rink is open seven days a week and there are skating times just put aside for the 12 and under set on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Just remember that outdoor rinks depend on the weather so make sure you call the rink before you go so you know if it’s safe to skate.

If skating isn’t your thing, rest assured that there are plenty of winter activities to keep you busy. You can cross-country ski, ice skate, snowshoe, snowmobile, and go ice fishing.

If you’re looking to go to Montreal at the beginning of the year, don’t miss the Montreal Snow Festival 2017, also known as the Fête des Neiges. It runs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Sunday from January 14 to February 5, 2017. The festival is on weekends only. There is ice skating available here too.

There will also be such activities as Snow Yoga, which is for the entire family and, for the first time, the New Ice Boat complete with live captain. The festival has also added Dog Sledding, which is not recommended for pregnant women or for babies under age 2.

Travel Makers MD