Let’s be real, there’s no bad season to visit Montreal – well maybe Spring! But, Montreal can be a great city to visit no matter the time of year!
I would say that the best time to visit Montreal really depends on you and what you want to do in the city. Each season in Montreal is so different from each other that you can have a completely different experience.
Living in Montreal, there are things I like and dislike about every season. So I’ll break down all the pros and cons for each season so you can decide when to visit Montreal.
Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!
What Are The Montreal Seasons?
Montreal is “lucky” to have all four seasons… in theory! On paper, we have winter, spring, summer, and fall.
In actuality, we have too cold to leave the house season, terrace & festival season, and of course hockey season!
We do have a brief period of greyness and fall foliage as well. But to be honest, they hardly last long enough to be officially called seasons (in my mind anyway!).
The Best Month To Visit Montreal Depends On What You Want!
The montreal seasons are SO different from each other, we go from -40 to +40 in a matter of weeks.
And so, obviously, the experiences you can have in each season are VERY different from each other.
You have to ask yourself, what you’re looking for in a vacation in Montreal.
I’ll dive deeper into each season so you can decide which is the best time to visit Montreal for you!
Here’s a table of comparisons of the Montreal seasons…
| Winter | Spring | Summer | Fall | |
| Months | Dec – March | April – May | June – August | Sept – Nov |
| Av. Temp. | -6°C / 21 °F | 10°C / 50°F | 21°C/ 70°F | 9°C / 50 °F |
| Pros | Pretty when it snows | It’s no longer winter! | Festival season! | Fall foliage! |
| Cons | Cold A.F. | Grey days with gross melting snow, allergies… | High season & very hot! | Rainy |
| Jump To Season | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here | Click Here |
Popular Montreal Travel Experiences You Might Be Interested In
There are a few Montreal experiences that might dictate when the best time to visit Montreal is for you.
For example, if you’re interested in going to a Habs game in the city, you’ll definitely want to be visiting Montreal during hockey season!
If You Want To Go To A Hockey Game…
Hockey season starts at the beginning of October and goes until early April (not including playoffs).
I will admit, going to a hockey game and rooting for the Habs is an iconic thing to do when visiting Montreal.
Interested in going to a game – see the schedule here.
If You Want To Experience A Montreal Festival…
Montreal festivals happen throughout the year. But the biggest festival seasons in Montreal are in the winter and summer months.
Popular winter festivals that you might be interested in are Igloo Fest and Nuit Blanche – but see them all here (with updated dates).
Popular summer festivals include Just For Laughs, the Jazz Festival, and of course, Osheaga. See a full list of the best Montreal summer festivals here (with updated dates!).
If you’re interested in any one festival, it only makes sense to plan a trip around that festival.
You might also be interested in reading…
17 Vibin Montreal Summer Festivals You Want To Experience
The Top 10 Montreal Winter Festivals To Make The Most Of Winter
If You Want To Go Sugaring Off
Sugaring Off is a classic winter/ spring activity in Quebec, and Montreal is no exception!
If you’re interested in going sugaring off, then the best time to visit Montreal is between February to April.
Sugaring Off is when you go to what’s called a sugar shack, get maple syrup from the trees, try tire-a-neiges (essentially a maple syrup and snow popsicle!), and then warm up in the shack with pea soup!!
If you’re traveling with your family, you can also go on a winter hay bail ride.
If You Want To Go To A Montreal Market – When To Visit Montreal
Full blown Montreal markets will primarily be during the summer months – but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a part of them during the colder months of the year as well.
So, if you’re interested in visiting Montreal for the popular Jean Talon and Atwater markets, they’re actually open all year round (the indoor sections!).
In the summer they open an extra outdoor section. And around Christmas time, they have an extra Christmas market.
A Look At Montreal In Winter
Montreal in winter is a mixed bag! Our winter can start as early as November and go all the way into March. But real winter (the coldest and snowiest months) are January and February.
On the one hand it’s beautiful, on the other hand, it can be very, very cold!
| High (C/F) | Low (C/F) | # of Rainy (snowy) Days | |
| December | -2°C / 28°F | -9°C/ 16°F | 11 |
| January | -6°C/ 21°F | -13°C/ 9°F | 9 |
| February | -4°C/ 25°F | -11°C/ 12°F | 8 |
| March | 2°C/ 36°F | -5°C/ 23°F | 9 |
The Pros Of Visit Montreal In The Winter…
You should only visit Montreal in the winter if you’re okay with the cold, and interested in seeing some snow!
Of course, winter also brings an array of winter activities with it as well. There’s skiing, snowboarding, tubing, skating… and then the glorious après-ski (warming up after hitting the slopes with a hot chocolate in the chalet or back at home. It’s a real vibe!).
But, for the most part, you’ll have to head out of the city for most the winter activities (except for skating!).
Winter gives you an excuse to wear your warmest sweaters and cozy up inside with a good book or movie too!
If you want to make sure to visit when there’s snow, come after Christmas (yes, we’ve had snow free Christmas’s!).
Winter in Montreal also brings some fun winter festivals that are one of a kind (see my top 10 here)!
February is also the start of sugaring off season (which goes until the beginning of may!).
Winter Bucket List (Printable)
Don’t let the winter cold get to you this year, get out and try new winter experiences with my downloadable Winter Bucket List.
I’ve put together a list of fun winter activities perfect to stay busy this winter. Plus if there’s anything extra you think of, there are two blank winter checklists for you to fill out with your own ideas!
The Cons – Don’t Visit In Winter If…
You don’t like being cold.
Seriously though, if you aren’t used to the cold, and have no interested in seeing winter then don’t visit Montreal in the winter months.
You need have to have the appropriate attire to be warm and comfortable.
If you are interested in some outdoor winter activities, it’s important to remember that they are weather dependant. You need enough snow to ski, and it can’t be too cold!
The same goes for skating – you need cold enough weather to freeze the ice. But, you don’t actually want to go skating when it’s too cold outside – trust me, it’s not fun!
So, although coldest months are January and February, they’re also your best bet if you want to enjoy some winter activities.
It can also be dangerous visiting Montreal in the winter. Driving and even walking conditions are not great. You can slip on the ice and it can be a disaster.
Keep this in mind if you’re more interested in touring the city and walking everywhere. Plus, you can’t stay outside for too long usually, it will be too cold! P.S. Montreal is prepared for cold winters with a great underground network to get around without ever having to go outside!
You can read my full guide to visiting Montreal in the winter, and what to pack here.
Amazon Quick Links To Winter Gear For Ottawa in Winter
Montreal Travel In Spring
Spring is a tricky season for visiting Montreal because we don’t really have spring.
Of course, officially spring is from March until June… but we can go from winter to summer overnight.
April is really a mixed bag, you can be wearing a jacket one day to shorts the next – the same goes for May.
In general though, April is much closer to winter (grey), and May is closer to summer (it’s a lot more green!).
By the beginning of June, you can already be in full blown summer (so I’ve included in my summer guide – jump to that here!).
| High (C/F) | Low (C/F) | # of Rainy Days | |
| April | 11°C / 52°F | 3°C/ 37°F | 8 |
| May | 19°C/ 66°F | 10°C/ 50°F | 9 |
Pros Of Visiting During Spring
Spring is low season in Montreal, it’s the end of winter travel and the start of summer. So, you can get lucky with less crowds and “better” weather.
The weather is warming up, and the trees ad flowers are blooming. One of the best parts about spring in Montreal is everyone coming out of hibernation. On nicer days, everyone is outside taking advantage and the streets feel so lively once again!
Along with warmer weather, spring also brings the start of summer festival season, so you can still take part in that aspect of Montreal (see my top Montreal summer festivals)
Plus, if you are interested in sugaring off, you can still catch the tail end of the season until the end of May.
Cons Of Visiting Montreal In The Spring…
For starters, although the weather is warming up, it’s just unpredictable. We’ve had snow up until the beginning of April some years.
And until all the snow melts away, it’s just grey sludge. Everyday looks the same grey day and you just don’t want to go outside. There’s not a lot of sun, and the trees are still bare.
You might also be interested in reading…
Did I mention yet that it’s also allergy season. Now this won’t affect everyone, but if you are affected by hay fever then do not come to Montreal in the spring!
You can still go sugaring off until the beginning of May, but other than that, there’s not many specific spring activities to run here for.
Visiting Montreal In Summer (A.K.A. High Season)
Summers in Montreal bring warmer weather, more crowds, festival, and terrace season!
June is technically still spring, but often the weather is closer to summer weather and summer vibes are in full swing.
July and August will be the busiest and hottest.
There’s a lot of benefits to visiting Montreal in the summer, but also a lot of cons….
| High (C/F) | Low (C/F) | # of Rainy Days | |
| June | 24°C / 75°F | 15°C/ 59°F | 9 |
| July | 27°C/ 81°F | 18°C/ 64°F | 9 |
| August | 25°C/ 77°F | 17°C/ 63°F | 9 |
Pros Of Visiting Montreal In The Summer
Summer in Montreal is when the city comes alive! Summer festival season is in full swing bringing the best of the best to Montreal all summer long!
The weather is also warm so you’re encouraged to take advantage every chance you get. Picnic in the parks, sitting on the patio at every restaurant… etc.
You also get to enjoy the best summer activities, like biking, hiking, swimming, and more!
You might also be interested in reading…
Cons Of Montreal In The Summer…
Every pro about summer Montreal travel is also kind of a con…
Montreal temperatures like to take it to the extremes – and summer is no exception. The humidity in the city can make it feel like it’s 35 degrees outside (or more in recent years). This is more so the case for July and August than for June.
It can become hard to breath the warmth is so heavy outside, and you need to avoid the outside at all costs on those days. Which kind of defeats the purpose of summer when you’re hanging out in the AC all day.
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With all the festivals and warmer weather, of course, also brings an influx of tourists. So, Montreal in the summer is high season for travel which comes with it’s own set of cons.
For example, hotels are more expensive, and book up earlier. The same goes for top tourists attractions – they become over crowded and sometimes sell out (so you also want to book those earlier!).
It can also be hard to find a place to eat if they’re all full. Plus, the reality is that Montreal is a University town – so it’s really lively all year round, and more people isn’t necessarily better.
Visiting Montreal In Fall
Fall is an example where the first month is NOTHING like the last month of the season. September is back to school time, but the weather is similar to summer.
You can have warm weather well into September. And some years November can be full blown winter already – I would avoid visiting in November altogether…
Just like spring, Montreal in the fall is hard to time because it’s so unpredictable and can be really short.
It can either be best time to visit Montreal, or the worst.
| High (C/F) | Low (C/F) | # of Rainy Days | |
| September | 19°C / 66°F | 12°C/ 54°F | 9 |
| October | 12°C/ 54°F | 6°C/ 43°F | 9 |
| November | 5°C/ 41°F | 0°C/ 32°F | 10 |
Pros Of Montreal Travel In The Fall
The temperature in Montreal in the fall is starting to cool off, losing that horrid summer humidity. Fall also brings less toursits, so it’s starting to calm down.
If you manage to time it properly, you get to see the leaves change colours which is BEAUTIFUL!
In Montreal, we have all the fall colours – red, orange, and yellow leaves, and it’s spectacular!
You might also be interested in reading…
Experience The Best of Montreal In The Fall: The Ultimate Guide
You also get some fall specific activities, like apple picking! But, most of what you can do in the summer, you can do at the beginning of the fall (like hiking and biking) and it’s a better temperature outside for them.
Plus, some of the top Montreal summer festivals also go into October (like Piknic Electronik, and First Fridays).
Cons Of Fall Travel In Montreal
It can rain more in the fall in Montreal, but really it’s barely more than in the summer (Montreal is pretty consistent rainy days!).
The worst part about visiting in the fall though is the unpredictability of the changing of the leaves.
If you visit too early, they might not have changed yet, too late and then you end up with bare naked trees (which just looks creepy in picture!). Once the leaves fall off the trees, it’s like winter without the pretty snow.
Plus, like I said, October and November are already starting to become too cold and even grey – similar to spring.
So, What’s My Favourite Season(s) In Montreal?
I love almost every Montreal seasons: winter, summer, and fall. Well, maybe less so winter!
Spring is just depressing though in my mind – it’s like a tease for summer.
I love winter at the beginning – it’s a nice change of pace from the go-go-go of summer. Plus, I absolutely love seeing the first snowfall and having freshly fallen snow on the ground!
But, winter definitely goes on too long. It’s perfect for a visit though and to see Montreal in a new light!
I love summer for the hot weather and just soaking up the sun. The summer activities in the city with the festivals are unbeatable.
Fall is really the perfect season, with cooler weather (but still warm) and the fall foliage. But of course, for visitors, it’s less ideal because you risk missing the leaves altogether.
You might also be interested in…
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So The Best Month To Visit Montreal: June & September
Seasons include a few months, and in reality, the weather changes a lot from the start to the end of the season.
If you couldn’t already tell, my favourite months in Montreal are June and September. These are the tail ends of summer months, before it gets too hot or cold! The temperatures are beautiful, warm enough to sit outside but not too hot or cold.
Even though June and September can be hot, the humidity is usually not there like it is in July and August (where sometimes you again can’t leave the AC because it’s so hot outside – the opposite problem of winter!).
Packing is a bit more complicated because you’ll need to pack for an array of temperatures. Pack a jacket for if it’s too cold, and shorts for if it’s too hot.
Plus, like I said, some of the summer festivals start as early as June and go well into October, so you still get to enjoy those (shoutout to First Fridays and Piknic Elektronic!).
You might also be interested in reading…
17 Vibin Montreal Summer Festivals You Want To Experience
The Top 10 Montreal Winter Festivals To Make The Most Of Winter
June is amazing because it’s the start of the warmer months in Montreal. Locals have a lot of pent up energy from winter so live outside breathing in the fresh air.
What About The Best Winter Month To Visit?
If you’re interested in visiting in Montreal in the winter, I would avoid January at all costs as it’s the coldest. You’re best bet is to visit towards the end of February.
The ski hills will all be open, there are some of the best winter festivals (shout out to Nuit Blanche), and it’s starting to warm up.
Where Should You Stay In Montreal?
I love going on staycations at Hotel Nelligan in the Old Port of Montreal. It’s in a great location, walking distance to everywhere you need to be. When you stay there you can’t miss out on their unique roof top terrace above the hotel. See room rates & availability.
I’ve also stayed at the newly built Homewood Suites in Montreal Midtown (west of the city) and I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for a hotel that isn’t in the city centre. But they also have a branch downtown as well. It has a little kitchenette in every room and breakfast is included. Even though it isn’t downtown, you aren’t far from it. It’s walking distance to the Namur metro station, which will get you downtown in less than 20 minutes. See room rates & availability.
Here are some other alternatives I’ve heard about if you’re looking to stay in Downtown Montreal;
If you’re looking to stay in the heart of Downtown Montreal check out Auberge Les Bons Matins. This is a one of a kind stay perfect for a romantic getaway in Montreal. In this charming inn in Montreal, you’ll get a taste of local life. See room rates & availability.
You can also stay Le Square Phillips Hôtel & Suites if an auberge isn’t your style. Le Square Phillips Hôtel & Suites is in a supreme location in between the orange and the green metro line that get you anywhere else in the city. Breakfast is also included with your stay! See room rates & availability
For more accommodation options in Montreal, see Booking.com.
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