8 FREE activities you can do around Montreal this March to ring the spring in

It’s time to snap out of hibernation, Montreal. March arrives this weekend, which means spring is practically at the doorstep.

As the city shakes off winter’s chill, Montreal is packed with fun waiting to be had, especially during March break. The best part? There’s plenty to do without touching your wallet.

From outdoor adventures to unique cultural happenings, here are eight free activities to jump into over the next month.

Skate under the stars at L’Esplanade Tranquille

Price: Free if you own skates

When: Open every day in March

Address: 442, rue Clark, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Pop over to Esplanade Tranquille in the Quartier des Spectacles and skate under a sky full of twinkling city lights. This outdoor rink is pure magic at night, with cool projections and a refrigerated ice surface.

Don’t have skates? No biggie. They’ve got rentals ready to go right on-site.

Esplanade Tranquille website

Urban sliding at Glissades Gamelin

Price: Free

When: Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until March 9 (Extended hours for spring break)

Address: 1500 Rue Berri, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Speaking of activities at Quartier des Spectacles… Not far from the skating rink, you can find a winter slide park open to everyone. All six refrigerated hills at Glissades Gamelin are free to use.

Open until March 9, it has three slopes for all levels, allowing experts, beginners, and kids to join the fun. Sleds, snow scooters, and other pieces of equipment are available to borrow for free (helmets are included, but supplies are limited).

Glissades Gamelin website

Downtown’s enchanting lights trail

Price: Free

When: Until March 10

Address: Multiple locations across the downtown area

Why You Need To Go: Take a night to wander “Welcome to Wonder,” a free downtown Montreal trail glowing with 800,000 lights and nine quirky installations. From moose in Dorchester Square to Victoria Square’s light tunnel, these pretty fixtures will remain up through March 10.

Montreal Centre-Ville website

Montréal en Lumière

Price: Free entry

When: Until March 9

Address: 400 Blvd. De Maisonneuve Ouest, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Speaking of Montreal lights, Montréal en Lumière is one of the world’s biggest winter festivals, brightening up the Quartier des Spectacles with art, music, and interactive exhibits.

Nuit Blanche, the festival’s main event, takes place on March 1, offering a full 24 hours of free activities. Plus, the metro runs all night, so you can keep exploring until sunrise.

Montréal en Lumière Website

Snowshoeing in the city

Price: Free

When: All winter long

Address: 3400 Boul. Trinitaires, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: With free snowshoe loans, you can go for a walk in nature at Angrignon Park in LaSalle. While the large green space is steps away from Angrignon metro, you might forget you’re in the middle of the city thanks to the scenery.

There are even guided walks available, provided you book your activity.

Angrignon Park website

Hit up a museum

Price: Free

When: All month long

Why You Need To Go: While many galleries across the city have free entry on Sundays, the following seven Montreal museums are offering free visitation periods throughout the entire month:

  • McCord Stewart Museum
  • Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art
  • PHI Foundation
  • Canadian Centre for Architecture
  • Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
  • UQAM Design Center
  • Bank of Montreal Museum
For more info, check out Narcity Quebec’s article that explains how to get in without paying.

Montreal museums website

Festival Art Souterrain

Price: Free

When: March 15 to April 6

Address: 200 boul. René-Lévesque O, Montreal, QC

Why You Need To Go: Festival Art Souterrain is an annual event that transforms Montreal’s underground city into a contemporary art gallery. From March 15 to April 6, you can explore a variety of art installations and exhibits spread across six venues, all for free.

Festival Art Souterrain Website

Casino dance parties

Price: Free entry, drinks for sale on site

When: Wednesdays from 7 p.m., Thursdays from 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 5 p.m.

Address: Casino de Montréal – 1, av. du Casino, Montréal, QC

Why You Need To Go: From Wednesday to Saturday, the Velvet bar at the Casino de Montréal hosts free live music. The lineup includes live bands, DJs, and VJs playing Latin, 1980s and 1990s music, as well as party mixes.

It’s a great spot for anyone looking to let loose and bust a move.

Loto-Québec website

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Quebec cities dominate Canada’s new quality of life ranking — Here’s where Montreal landed

Do people in Quebec love where they live? The numbers say yes.

Not all Canadian cities offer the same quality of life, and fresh data from Statistics Canada sheds light on where residents are feeling the most content.

The quality of life ranking is based on Canadian Social Survey data collected between 2021 and 2024 from cities across all 10 provinces, painting a clear picture of overall well-being in the country’s biggest urban centres.

As it turns out, Quebec is home to the happiest big cities in Canada, with Quebec City, Laval, and Montreal claiming the top three spots for life satisfaction among the country’s 15 largest cities.

Quebec City

Quebec City stands at the pinnacle of the quality of life rankings among Canada’s major urban centers. An impressive 62.3% of its residents report high life satisfaction, the highest percentage recorded.

The city also leads in sense of purpose (66.9%) and hopeful outlook (72.1%). However, despite these positive indicators, community belonging is relatively lower at 41.7%, suggesting potential areas for enhancing local engagement.

Laval

Adjacent to Montreal, Laval secures the second spot with strong performances across multiple dimensions. Life satisfaction is reported by 57.8% of residents, while a sense of purpose is felt by 66.0%. The city excels in social support, with 76.7% of individuals having someone to rely on. Interestingly, Laval boasts the lowest loneliness score at 60.3%, yet its community belonging stands at just 44.3%.

Montreal

As Canada’s second-largest city, Montreal ranks third in quality of life. Half of its population (50.1%) expresses high life satisfaction, complemented by a strong sense of purpose (57.0%) and a hopeful outlook (63.0%). Despite its metropolitan scale, Montreal maintains a commendable sense of community, with 45.8% of residents feeling a sense of belonging.


Quebec’s small towns also got some love in the rankings, with Sainte-Julie emerging as one of Canada’s top spots for quality of life.

At the other end of the scale, Toronto ranked last among major cities, with residents reporting the lowest levels of life satisfaction and the highest rates of loneliness among the pack.

Here’s how Canada’s 15 biggest cities ranked:

  • 1. Quebec City, QC
  • 2. Laval, QC
  • 3. Montreal, QC
  • 4. Winnipeg, MB
  • 5. Calgary, AB
  • 6. Ottawa, ON
  • 7. Halifax, NS
  • 8. Brampton, ON
  • 9. Hamilton, ON
  • 10. Edmonton, AB
  • 11. Mississauga, ON
  • 12. London, ON
  • 13. Surrey, BC
  • 14. Vancouver, BC
  • 15. Toronto, ON

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