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25 Ways To Experience The Best of Montreal In The Fall

By: Author Meghan Emcee

Posted on  - Last updated:

Categories Montreal, Québec, Travel

Looking for some inspiration for what to do in Montreal in the fall?  Montreal in the fall is beautiful (along with most places in the world!). 

Growing up in Montreal, fall was always my favourite season. It’s not the longest or the warmest season, but it just may be the prettiest! 

There are tons of Montreal fall activities to keep you entertained all season long. From seasonal apple picking, cozying up indoors with a fall tea, or enjoying some unique Montreal fall festivals!  

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!

How To Spend Fall in Montreal: The Complete Guide

Things To Do In Montreal In The Fall

I separated the best things to do in Montreal in the fall into four categories:

Outdoor Fall Adventures In Montreal

1. Chase The Fall Leaves In Montreal

Fall is really all about chasing those fall leaves. That’s a little easier said than done.  Keep in mind that the leaves change and fall pretty quickly so you only have a few weeks between mid September and mid October to see the leaves.  Next, you need to know where to go.

Best Day Trip To See Fall Colours From Montreal: Visit The Laurentians

Chase the leaves in Montreal on a day trip from the city to Mont Tremblant for the best views!

a close up of a bright yellow fall maple leaf. You can see more yellow leaves blurred in the background completely covering the green grass.

2. Go To The Look Outs Around Montreal

The popular lookout is the Mont Royal Look Out, but there are actually three lookouts around the mountain that you can go to.  

There’s the Mont Royal Look Out, the Kondiaronk Belvedere Look Out (in the park), and (in my opinion) the best lookout, Summit Circle Look Out.  It’s usually a bit less over crowded with tourists and offers equally stunning views.  

You won’t see the landmarks like the Olympic Stadium, but you will see downtown Montreal. And on a clear day you’ll be able to see as far as Mont Saint Bruno and Mont Saint Hilaire which is pretty cool.

Book this tour with Viator to take you to the top spots around Montreal.

montreal summit circle lookout. There's a stone railing and stairs leading up to it. It overlooks a green hill with trees below and in the background are the buildings of Montreal city skyline. Behind it you can even see the st. lawerence river and some mountains on a completely clear day

3. Head To Montreal’s West Island

Montreal’s West Island is the perfect place to connect a bit more with nature and chase those fall leaves.

There are a few parks that you’ll want to go to, but the best place is McGill’s Morgan Arboretum. 

You can also head to Cap Sainte Jacques, Bois de Liesse Nature Park and Ile Bizzard.

4.VéloVolant @ Au Diable Vert

Velovolant a.k.a. the flying bike. This is such a unique experience just outside Montreal in Sutton.

It’s a 1000 metre suspended bike track through the trees.

P.S. You can also stay overnight in one of their cabins!

looking up a crinkly tree truk into the fully covered sky filled with green leaves. Only a bit of the sky makes it through to be seen.

5. Go On A Fall Hike Near Montreal

If you’re willing to go a bit outside the city, there are incredible hikes an hour or less away from Montreal.  

Fall hikes are the best. It isn’t too hot (or too cold) outside. It’s beautiful walking through the woods with the leaves on the ground. And the views from the top are always better with an autumn landscape!

6. Sauveur Hike X Yoga

Truly connect with nature this fall by signing up for Sauveur Hike x Yoga. 

a woman standing in fall attire: skinny jeans, blundstone boots, a polar fleece sweater, and a green puffer vest on top. She among the fall vibes, hiking up a mountain. There are rocks of all sizes on the leave covered ground. Despite the amount of fall coloured leaves on the ground, the trees are not completely barren, they still have some yellow, and even green leaves that completely block the you from seeing the sky above.

Saint-Sauveur is offering combined fall hiking and yoga sessions in the mountains to truly appreciate the season. 

This activity starts Labour Day weekend (August 30), and goes until October 17. They offer a Monday sunrise hike, a Wednesday night hike, and a Saturday morning hike!

7. Go To Arbraska

Want something more adventurous for fall in Montreal this year? Head to an Arbraska park to zipline and climb through the trees.  

They have a few parks around Montreal in Rawdon, Mont-Saint-Grégoire, and Rigaud.

a couple sitting on a rocky mountain top. They are hugging each other wearing fall jackets. There are fall coloured trees all around them (orange, red, and yellow), and below there's a lake. Off into the distance you can see the continuation of the mountain range, but it's blending in to the blue sky

8. Explore Chutes Darwin

Another place I love visiting in the fall is Chutes Darwin. On a nice fall day it’s a lovely place to visit for the day.

Make sure to pack a picnic lunch! You can take in the sights of the falls and they have short walking paths to explore more of the fall scenery along the river.

P.S. Invest in some waterproof hiking boots for fall hikes around Montreal (you’ll thank me later!). My favourites are the Columbia’s Newton Ridge, see them on Amazon.

9. Book An Overnight Stay In Nature

I’m not one to go camping, and it’s probably a bit too cold to camp in the fall in Montreal. 

Instead, what you can do is book a unique hotel that lets you enjoy all that fall in Montreal has to offer without being outside.

fall in rawdon at the water fall. Evergreen trees surround a rushing waterfall as it plummets into the river below. There are some reddish brown tree leaves you can see. It's a clear day with only a few clouds in the sky

Make the most of enjoying the fall scenery and stay in a dome at Bel Air Resorts near Tremblant or rent a Treehouse for a night.

RELATED: 15 Hotels In Mont Tremblant For The Perfect Weekend Getaway

Fall Seasons Pickings

One of the most traditional fall activities in Montreal is apple picking.
 
But in recent years, it’s not just apple picking that you can enjoy during fall in Montreal though. Go apple, pumpkin, and even cranberry picking now!  
 
These are perfect activities to bring along the family and also make for a fun day out with friends. 

quinn farms apple picking in the fall: people are walking into a wooden barn with red accented paint around the windows, doors, and the red roof. There's hay all around on the ground. And there's a mini red tractor in front of the barn that kids are taking turns riding

10. Apple Picking Near Montreal in the Fall

Apple picking is a classic! It’s the one that started it all so you have to do it at least once every fall.

There are many orchards that offer apple picking but my favourite was always Quinn Farm. They even offer a hay bale ride for the kids!

Apple picking season actually starts at the end of August and goes until mid October.

11. Visit A Pumpkin Patch For Pumpkin Picking!

Is it even fall if you don’t have a pumpkin in front of you house? Why not pick your own this year?

Quinn Farm also has pumpkins you can pick from the end of September to October.

It isn’t just pumpkins you can pick but many other types of squash too!

apple picking at quinn farm from montreal in the fall. A closeup view of three fresh red apples in the fully leaved tree with bright blue sky peaking through the branches

12. Cranberry Picking

I had no idea this was even a thing until last year. 

Cranberries grow in a field but then when they’re ready to be harvested it’s flooded.

Jardins VMO made it possible to not flood the fields so you can pick your own cranberries in the fall.

Cranberries are ready for harvest the end of September to mid October.

You can also check out the Cranberry Festival in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford (about a two hour drive from Montreal, just passed Trois-Rivière).

13. Fall Farm Extra! Get Lost In A Corn Maze

Another quintessential fall farm activity is getting lost in a corn maze (except don’t actually get lost please!).

Verger Labonté turned their field into three different corn mazes for all ages. The mazes are also filled with puzzles and riddles to decipher!

And once you’re at the farm, Verger Labonté also offers apple and pumpkin picking throughout the fall!

cranberry picking Montreal fall activity: a closeup of 5 bright red circular fruit hanging from a tree branch. There's even water droplets waiting to fall on two of them. The background is completely blurred with white and gree bokeh

Cozying Up Indoors For Fall In Montreal

It’s great to get out as much as possible during Montreal falls before the weather becomes too cold to leave your house, but that isn’t always possible.

It does rain quite a bit more in the fall in Montreal, and sometimes the bad weather comes early. If you’re stuck inside, pick one of the many indoor Montreal activities to do in the fall, or see some ideas below some indoor fall activities!

P.S. Get The Appropriate Canadian Cozy Fall Attire

If you’re going to cozy up at home in the fall, you need to wear a traditional Canadian fall outfit: Roots sweatpants!

a white mug of black coffee, still very hot, sitting on a table. Behind the coffee are slightly out of focus bookshelves filled with books

14. Seasonal Cooking At Home

There’s nothing better than sitting down with a home cooked warm meal in the fall.  But what’s even better is cooking some fall recipes with your recently harvested crop.  

Apple pie or apple sauce anyone? 

My favourite though, Scottish smoked fish soup (a.k.a. Cullen Skink! It’s creamy, smoky, and perfect for colder weather(see my recipe)!

an overhead photo of a red bowl of hearty cullen skink soup. It's a cream colours, with green herbs, and potato chunks. There's extra pieces of smoked white fish pieces added on top and chopped green onions next to it. It's resting on a light brown and cream patterned oven mitt to protect the marble patterned countertops below. There's a wooden spoon lying next to the bowl and mitt on the counter

15. Enjoy A Seasonal Autumn Tea

There’s nothing that screams fall more than cozying up with a cup of hot tea (well for me anyway!). 

If you’re like me though and aren’t a fan of spiced teas, or maybe you just want a break from your pumpkin spiced latte, I put together a list of my favourite non-spiced teas for fall.

It doesn’t include one spicy tea but it’s still all about fall with vibrant brews and traditional fall flavours, just without the spice!

Or warm up at the best teas around Montreal on this organized tour with Viator.

P.S. Don’t forget to take your tea tasting journal to take notes of every tea you try!

three teas in different glass mugs that arent spiced for fall. They're on a bright red table cloth with pinecones and acorns, and fall coloured leaves around them. The glass mugs let you see the beautiful bright colours of the tees: a bright yellow turmeric tea, an orange chaga tea, and a deep red cranberry apple tea

16. Fall Cider Tasting!

If picking apples and cooking with apples isn’t for you, maybe a cider tasting is.

I mean, you have to do at least one apple themed activity every fall in Montreal, and this is at least indoors.

I love visiting Michel Jodoin in the fall for a cider tasting, but once you’re here, you can go apple picking and hike Rougemont mountain.

But you can also check out some of the other cider tastings in the Monteregie region.

michel jodoin cider tasting fall montreal. Someone holding up a bottle of Comme Une Pomme de Brique cider from Mochel Jodoin. In the background is a red building with a fall coloured mountain in the background. There are even some yellow leaves peaking their way into the top of the picture.

17. Hockey Night In Canada!

If you didn’t already know, hockey is sort of a big deal in Montreal, we root for the Habs (Montreal Canadiens).

But I bet you didn’t realize that the hockey season actually starts in the fall, in October.

So why not just stay home and watch the game, or see if they’re playing a home game and go watch it live!

18. Cozy Up With a Good Read & Better Company At Page Break

Swap your phone for a book every Wednesday evening at Page Break at De Stiil bookstore in the Plateau.

There isn’t any information online, I did confirm they still happen every Wednesday at 6:30 P.M.

It’s the perfect time to take a break from the stress of your week, read a book, and maybe meet someone new!

a montreal habs hockey game higher up in the stadium but still in the reds. The stands are filled all the way around the rink. It's a home game, there's the Habs logo in the middle of the rink (a C engulfing an H). In the stands in front of the rink is the Habs mascot: youppi, a strange furry orange mythical creature wearing a habs jersey and baseball cap.
See Youppi, the Montreal Canadiens Mascot? He’s the giant orange fluff!

Montreal Fall Festivals

Montreal is known for its incredible list of summer festivals, like Osheaga and Picnic Electronik, but we don’t fall short on continuing that festival vibe into autumn either.

19. Celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving

Yup! Canadians also have thanksgiving. It’s the second Monday in October. And apparently, Canadian Thanksgiving came almost 4 decades before the first American Thanksgiving.

You eat pretty much all the same foods (roast turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce…all the good stuff!)

It isn’t as wildly celebrated in Canada, and especially not in Quebec (due to its protestant roots). But it is a day off where you can see friends and family.

And if you want to add a little bit of Quebec in there, make a Tourtière (a traditional meat pie!).

seasonal cooking apple pie for canadian thanksgiving in the fall. A view from above of an incomplete apple pie. You can see all the perfectly sliced apples that are covered in a cinnamon glaze. There's a marble rolling pin beside it. And there's a bunch of flour on the cutting board.

20. Greenwood StoryFest

Greenwood StoryFest is the perfect fall festival for literature buffs.

Every fall, The Greenwood Centre For Living History invites an array of authors from locals to NY Times bestsellers to speak about their newest release.

The festival takes place in Hudson, an off-island suburb of Montreal, from the end of September until the beginning of November. See the newest lineup for this year, and buy tickets.

RELATED: Discover The Greenwood Centre For Living History

21. MTL à Table

If you’re a foodie, you have to check out MTL à Table in November.

Every few weeks they offer different menus from restaurants around the city. It’s a fixed menu that lets you discover the best of what the restaurant has to offer at a reasonable price.

greenwood centre for living history hudson quebec. A gorgeous yellow and green home with a screened in patio. There's stone steps leading up to the house from the lush green lawn. A few white lawn chairs are around the lawn for anyone to enjoy and sit for a bit.
Greenwood Centre for Living History in Hudson Quebec

22. Pop Montreal – International Music Festival

Summer couldn’t have all the music festivals in Montreal! So Pop Montreal takes place in September to celebrate emerging artists from around the world.

It’s a huge music festival over 5 days, with over 200 artists! Find out more information and buy tickets!

23. La Grande Dégustation

La Grande Dégustation is a weekend long wine-tasting event in the fall in Montreal.

Instead of having to go from winery to winery, the wineries are brought to you! Does it get better than that!?

Montreal Food Tours To Explore

Discover the best of Montreal’s food scenes with unique tours from Viator:

Secret Food Tour →

Montreal Bagel Making Workshop →

Montreal Markets & More →

For more food tours in Montreal, visit Viator.

wine tasting in provence: 10 bottles of wine are lined up on the counter top. Thousands of used wine bottle corks sit in front of them.

24. Garden of Lights Festival In Montreal

This is a truly magical experience at the Montreal Botanical gardens. The gardens stay open after the sun sets illuminating all the lanterns in the garden.

If you want to see the botanical gardens in fall bloom, plan to head there in the late afternoon and stay for the Garden of Lights!

It’s open from September until the end of October.

Visit Illumi (Closed 2024)

Like the Garden of Lights, Illumi is another fall activity in Montreal with lights.

You drive (or walk) through different landscapes created by light sculptures.

llumi open from October until January, but is closed in January 2024.

garden of lights fall activities in montreal. It's pitch black at night, but the garden of lights are lighting up some lantern birds, and trees on the water offering a reflection. There's also a Japanese style building with faerie lights lining the roof. Towering above it all is the slanted olympic Stadium of Montreal with a light at the top.

Festival Mondiale de la Bière – Moved To May 2024

Typically The World Beer Festival is held at the end of August, last year the in person event was in November. Now, the next upcoming event was in May 2024.

You can taste every beer imaginable… well almost. But you will be able to try beers that you wouldn’t normally be able to get.

If you’re a beer lover, you have to come to this event!

P.S. Print out my beer tasting bundle to make the most of the festivals tastings’. With a tasting guide and journal to take tasting notes.

25. Montreal Fall Activities: Halloween Adventures

What is fall in Montreal if there’s no Halloween activities!? I can assure you, there’s more than enough Halloween activities to do in Montreal.

Whether it’s the night of Halloween, the weekend, or the entire month of October.

Book A Ghost Tour In Montreal

Book a themed walking tour for the fall in Montreal perfect for Halloween: a ghost walking tour of Old Montreal with Viator!

See more Montreal tours with Viator.

a black and white image of Montreal on a rainy day. The trees in the front are dark black , but as you move furhter into the background they become different shades of grey, becoming lighter and lighter. You can still make out the shadow of the St Josephs Oratory famous dome on the top of the mountain in Montreal.

Montreal Weather In The Fall

Fall in Montreal doesn’t really exist. Some years it can skip from summer straight to winter in a day.

Officially though, fall starts September 21 and ends December 21. But I don’t think these dates were made for Montreal.  

December in my mind is full blown winter already! I’m always wearing my winter jacket and boots by then. 

MonthHigh (C/F)Low (C/F)# of Rainy Days
September21°C / 70°F11.5°C/ 53°F12
October13°C/ 55°F6°C/ 43°F15
November5°C/ 41°F-1°C/ 30°F11

On the other hand, September is probably one of the best times to visit Montreal. 

The weather is much cooler compared to summer, and warmer than winter. The leaves are also starting to change colour, but you won’t find any leafless trees. 

October to November are wildcards… It’s not quite winter yet, but temperatures start to reach 0°C. At this point, the trees can also be bare, and it’s gloomy and grey outside for the most part.

marche bonsecours montreal in the fall on a very rainy day. The Marche Bonsecour is an old stone building with a domed tower in the in middle. The road is dark and shiny stones from the rain. Trees line the sidewalk on the right, they're starting to change colour, now they're a mix of green and yellow leaves. You can even see a bit of red on the tips of a few of them.

My Montreal Fall Essentials

I love fall fashion, but in Montreal you have limited time to wear it! But I do have a few essentials I would recommend!

I have my two go to pairs of boots and shoes for the fall in Montreal. For city walks to keep my feet dry I wear either my Blondo boots or Oxford Leather Clarks.

But if I’m going on a bit of an outdoor adventure, then it’s Columbia Newton Ridge Hiking Boots – plus they come in so many fun colours!

Depending on the temperature outside, you’ll definitely need a jacket to stay warm. I love my Sherpa lined jean jacket or packable puffer for warmth and coziness. If it’s a warmer day I’m all for wearing my puffer vest!

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an over head photo of a completely leaf covered ground (the leaves are a mix of orange, yellows, and red with some bright green ones mixed in). In the middle on the bottom of the photo are some blundstone boots.

Where To Stay In Montreal In The Fall?

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.

montreal plateau in the fall, a couple walks on the sidewalk next to the painted ladies, what these attached victorian apartments are called. They are three stories high, all attached, with stairs leading to a second floor entrance. The main They are a mix of bay windows with stone, and the level above is a painted, each building is a different colour (hence the name!), The first apartment is purple, and then orange, you can't see the others down the street. green leaf vines are growing on the railings of the stairway. Trees are lining the sidewalk, going above the painted ladies. Although there are still green leaves on the trees, they have started to change to yellow for the fall.
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How To Spend Fall in Montreal: The Complete Guide
How To Spend Fall in Montreal: The Complete Guide

Last update on 2024-10-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Rachel - Rays of Adventure

Monday 20th of September 2021

Montreal looks so beautiful to visit in the fall. I'd love to visit this part of Canada soon.

Meghan

Monday 20th of September 2021

Montreal is unreal in the fall with the changing of the leaves :D I hope you get to one day! It's really worth it!

Marguerite

Sunday 19th of September 2021

My hometown! I always tell people to visit during the fall :) The autumn foliage is pretty nice in Germany where I live, but nothing like Quebec!!

Meghan

Monday 20th of September 2021

Go Montreal!! Couldn't agree more, fall is the best time in Montreal! On top of the insanely beautiful fall foliage the weather also couldn't be better. You finally catch a break from the humid heat of the summer and bitter cold of winter. Just wish fall was longer!

Sarah McDonald

Saturday 18th of September 2021

These all look like fun ideas. Thanks for the fashion tips too, it's not always easy to know what to pack. Montreal-ians look chic whatever the season!

Meghan

Monday 20th of September 2021

Montreal is definitely not an easy city to pack for - no matter the season! Glad to hear we have a good fashion sense here, although once it starts reaching below 0 I'm all about warmth and fashion goes out the window :P

Caroline

Saturday 18th of September 2021

What a great list - you can tell you're passionate about your local area!

Meghan

Monday 20th of September 2021

Thanks so much! I really do love Montreal, it's a great city and Montreal in the fall is even better :D

Roshunda

Saturday 18th of September 2021

Fall in Montreal looks beautiful. I've never been apple picking but it sounds like fun, but I do love me some Cider. Thanks for sharing.

Meghan

Monday 20th of September 2021

A visit to Montreal in the fall for some local apple picking is a must then! There's nothing like apple picking in the afternoon and then settling down with a nice apple cider to take the edge off :P