Top West Island Montreal Activities Recommended By A Local

Growing up in The West Island Montreal, I know all the best places to visit. I won’t lie to you, it’s a bit of a hassle to get to, but it’ll be worth it. Montreal’s West Island is filled with nature, unbeatable sunset views, and unique shopping experiences.

There are so many unique things to do in the West Island that it’s a very different experience from Downtown Montreal. As great as the city is, there are times when you need a break from it and the West Island is your escape!

P.S. Montreal’s West Island is mainly anglophone, so it’s a great place to come if you need a break from French!

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’s Considered West Island In Montreal

West Island Montreal is made up of a few cities, towns, and boroughs on the west part of the Island. Most of Montreal’s West Island is your typical suburbia, meaning, there’s really not much worth exploring. Take my old stomping grounds for example, Dollard-des-Ormeaux… you really don’t want to end up there.  (P.S. Read more about how to visit Montreal like a true local!).

So Montreal’s West Island includes Dorval, Pointe-Claire, Kirkland, Beaconsfield / Baie-D’Urfé, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Pierrefond, Dollard-des-Ormeaux/ Roxboro, Lachine and Île-Bizard.

Fun fact: if you flew into Montreal, you’ve actually already visited the West Island once! The Pierre Elliot Trudeau airport is in Dorval, one of the West Island municipalities.

How Can You Get To The West Island Montreal?

The easiest way to get to the West Island of Montreal is with a car. The metro, unfortunately, doesn’t make it all the way out there… yet anyway. 

If you are traveling by public transport you’ll have to take the metro to at least one other bus (depending on where you’re going). Let’s just say, without a car, getting to the West Island will take a good chunk of your day. Depending on where you’re going, you might also be able to take the train. But, the train isn’t next to any of the West Island activities… so you’ll still have to take at least one bus. 

Pro Tip: It isn’t just getting to the West Island that you’ll want a car for, it’s also once you’re there. NOTHING IS CLOSE TO EACH OTHER! You aren’t downtown anymore! When something is nearby, that means it’s at least a 10 minute DRIVE away. You can’t walk from one West Island activity to another.

Need to rent a car? On every trip, I only trust renting my car with Enterprise. Alternatively, Montreal does have a few car sharing apps, like CommunAuto.

Top Things To Do In The West Island Montreal

As a local Montreal, growing up in the West Island, here are the top things to do in the area…

Discover Bois-de-Liesse Nature Park

The closest place from downtown that you can visit in Montreal’s West Island is Bois-de-Liesse. It’s a HUGE nature park that spans a few Montreal West Island neighbourhoods. There are entrances to the park in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, St. Laurent, AND Dorval.

It’s such a large park that I don’t think I’ve ever seen it all! There are countless trails that will all take you somewhere new. You can bike through the forest, walk along the Prairie River on the edge of the island, or, have a picnic lunch with some friends near the chalet. 

Explore Île Bizard

Although Île Bizard isn’t technically still on the island of Montreal, it’s still a borough of the city. It’s a small island in the Hochelaga Archipelago region. It’s less than a minute drive off the island over a small bridge from Pierrefonds.

I’ll be honest, the island doesn’t have all that much. There’s are a lot of gorgeous suburban homes that you can drive by and admire. But really, the main reason I’m bringing you to Île Bizard is for the Bois-de-L’Île-Bizard Nature park.

Bois-de-L’Île-Bizard Nature park is filled with trails for walking and biking. There are some parts of the park that look out onto the river too. In fact, my favourite spot is on the edge of the island off of Rue Patenade. There’s a very small parking lot and picnic tables on the river. We love setting up some chairs, bringing a book, and just looking out onto the river.

If you’re into golfing, there are also quite a few golf courses you can go on the Island, like Elm Ridge Country Club.

P.S. Bizard should not to be confused with bizarre, the French word for weird. Île Bizard is named after Jacques Bizard, the former owner of the island. Can you imagine owning an entire island!?

Walk & Shop In Pointe-Claire Village

Pointe-Claire is a main suburb in the West Island Montreal. But! What you’re really interested in visiting a small area, Pointe-Claire Village. It’s along the edge of the island, on Lake Saint Louis (where the St. Lawrence River widens).

This was always my go-to spot after supper during the summertime because it’s home to none other than Wild Willy’s. You know it’s good when the worst part about this ice cream shop is that they give you too many flavours to choose from (48 to be exact!). They even have dog ice cream! So the whole family can have some delicious dessert!

Okay, I lied, the worse part is that no matter when you go to Wild Willy’s expect to wait in line… This is the go-to spot in the West Island Montreal on every beautiful summer day!

You can either choose to sit down to enjoy your ice cream, or walk along Lakeshore Dr. or take your ice cream down to the water. There are a few quaint blocks on Lakeshore Dr. with shops, more ice cream, cafes, and restaurants.

You can also walk through the many park paths along the water. You won’t want to miss the old windmill from the 17th Century though, find out more about its history. And if you walk out to the edge, you can actually see the city skyline on a clear day (can you spot St. Joseph’s Oratory?).

P.S. You might also be interested in more local Montreal foods you need to try!

Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue: The Best Montreal West Island Restaurants To Enjoy

Located right at the tip of the island, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue has quite a bit going on. The main area you’ll want to visit is actually similar to Pointe-Claire Village. It’s along the water and has a few blocks along Sainte Anne St filled with cafés, delicious restaurants, and stores to explore. 

But, the main attraction here is the canal, it brings boats of all sizes to dock at night. It’s Right behind Saint Anne St, there’s a boardwalk that you can walk along and admire all the boats. Plus, the restaurants all have terraces overlooking the boardwalk.

Sainte Anne (as locals call is for short!), has not one, but two of my favourite Montreal restaurants. For breakfast or lunch head to Au Bout de L’Isle, Chez Lidia et Oscar. They also offer delicious good coffee and ice cream for a quick pick me up!

For dinner, my favourite Montreal West Island restaurants is the Italian restaurant Violet Angel. They’re also located on the boardwalk, and have a wonderful terrace in the back over looking the canal.

There are a few other attractions you’ll want to see in the area like the Eco-Museum and Morgan Arboretum…

The EcoMuseum: Family Friendly Things To Do In The West Island

The EcoMuseum was truly a family favourite growing up! If you’re an animal lover, there’s no better place to visit in Montreal, well I guess you could also go to the Bîodome downtown… but the EcoMuseum is all outdoors! The Bîodome is perfect for a rainy or cold winter day in Montreal, but when it’s summertime, the EcoMuseum is where you want to be!

I’m not typically a big fan of visiting zoos, but the EcoMuseum is all about being eco-friendly. They only have animals from Québec and their mission is to educate, protect, and preserve Québec’s wildlife.

Relax At The Morgan Arboretum

If you aren’t into zoos though, you can still see local wildlife and be surrounded by nature at the Morgan Arboretum. It’s practically around the corner from the EcoMuseum (in West Island Montreal standards).

It’s owned by McGill for education and research purposes, but it’s open to the public. In the summer you can walk on one of their many trails, then relax in Blossom Corner. They have bird feeders set up here so you can bird watch and see all the different species. It’s really the ultimate spot to connect with nature.

In the winter they have cross-country skiing and snow showing (so Canadian, eh!).

P.S. If you’re a McGill student you’re in for some luck! It’s 100% free for you!

Senneville – Visit L’Anse à L’Orme West Island Activities

Past Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue is Senneville. This is where the rich and famous of Québec live. No seriously, the homes are GORGEOUS here! You can walk or drive along the Chemin Senneville just to admire the homes. 

But, I really recommend visiting L’Anse à L’Orme park, especially for sunset. Pack a picnic dinner and set up at one of the many picnic tables with a view of the water. It’s hands down the best place to watch the sunset in Montreal.

Plus, if you’re here on a good windy night, you can watch people para-sail (or try it out yourself!). It’s so mesmerizing to watch them glide!

Spend The Day At Cap-Saint-Jacques in West Island Montreal

Anyone who grew up in Montreal has heard of (and most likely been to) Cap-Saint-Jacques at least once. This is one of the best West Island activities the whole family can enjoy!

Cap-Saint-Jacques has it ALL! It’s the largest park in Montreal with a beach, different water activities, hiking trails, a sugar shack, and countless picnic areas. They even have a little farm with horses, donkeys, goats, and cows!

Access to the park is totally free, all you have to pay for is parking. You will have to pay a small entrance fee for the beach though.

Fun fact: this is also the only natural beach on the entire Island. It’s really the best place to come on a hot summer day with the family that isn’t too far from the city.

P.S. Keep Driving Off The Island To Hudson

If you’re willing to drive a bit further past West Island Montreal, you’ll find Hudson, an off-island suburb of Montreal part of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Municipality. You can easily spend an entire day exploring Hudson. There’s a small town to walk around, a park, beach…etc.

My absolute favourite growing up was going for lunch at the Willow Inn. You have to grab a seat outside here to enjoy the incredible view. You’re looking at the Ottawa River and across that is the town of Oka (another great destination to visit from Montreal)!

I also recently discovered The Greenwood Centre For Living History just before the main town. I swear, they have something for everyone here…

Discover The Greenwood Centre For Living History

The main attraction at Greenwood Centre For Living History is actually the house itself. Greenwood is an almost 300 year old house that’s been passed down through generations. You can tour the house, explore tons of family antiques, and even learn a bit more about Canadian and Montreal history. But for me anyway, the best part of the house is the afternoon tea…

The Greenwood Centre For Living History serves a delightful afternoon tea on their back patio! The house has a screened-in patio where you can enjoy some tea and desserts as you watch the sailboats go by. The desserts are even baked with love by volunteers in the community. Can it really get better than that!?

Check to see when you’re visiting, they also host events and family activities at the house (like watercolour painting, theatre shows, and more!). Or read more about the Greenwood Centre for Living History in my post.

Need A Place To Stay? Montreal West Island Hotels

If you’re interested in a few of the top things to do in the West Island of Montreal, you might want to consider staying there one night. This way you don’t have to waste as much time travelling there and back.

There aren’t too many options for hotels in the West Island but they have the main hotel brands.

I’d recommend Courtyard by Marriott, it’s close to all the top things to do in the West Island. It’s near Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue and West Island activities like the Ecomuseum and Morgan Arboretum. See availability and room rates.

If you want a halfway point between the city and the West Island, the Home2 Suites in Dorval is a good option. It’s right off the highway too which makes leaving and coming back very easy and quick. Plus it’s still a pretty new hotel, I remember when they were building it! See availability and room rates.

If you’re interested in only hotels in downtown Montreal, click here for more options.

Related Montreal Posts

• Discover Oka Québec: Why Go On A Day Trip From Montreal
• The Greenwood Centre For Living History: Discover This Off Island Montreal Gem
• How to fit in like a local in Montreal
• The ultimate guide to McGill’s Morgan Arboretum
• What’s Actually The Best Time To Visit Montreal – A Local Opinion

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