Classes are done. Assignments are submitted. Exams are written. The regular school year is over, and summertime is here!

We are very lucky to be graduate students in Montreal. It’s a vibrant and energetic city – especially in the summer. With the beautiful weather right around the corner, I wanted to share my top 5 favourite things to do in the city over the summer.

Food truck festival
On the first Friday of every month, hundreds of food trucks gather at the Olympic Stadium to showcase a wide variety of food from some of the city’s best vendors. You get to explore the city, try new food, and it’s a great excuse to go and see the Stadium grounds. A fun adventure if you’re looking for something to do after work on a Friday!

Run up (and down) Mount Royal
You really can’t beat the view from the top of Mount Royal, especially in the summer when the tulips are in bloom and you can see for miles in every direction. If you start at the bottom (around the monument) and follow the trail all the way up to the Chalet, it’s a 5km route. Then if you feel like increasing your distance (and your speed), do the 5km down – physical activity is good for you!

Get the city’s best ice cream
There are so many good ice cream places in the city – and it’s fun to go and try a few to find your favourite! There are endless flavours, toppings, and styles. Some of my favourite ice cream places in the city are La Diperie, Kem Coba, and Ripples, and I’m hoping to find new places very soon!
P.s. most of these places make for great Instagram photos as well.

Visit the canal
If you have never been along the Lachine Canal, the summer is the time to do it. There is a bike and walking path, and many interesting things to see. Stop at a terrace, the Atwater market, or a park along the way. It stretches all the way from Old Montreal to René Lévesque Park, a lovely and serene place to enjoy the nature outside of the downtown core.

Working from a park
For those of us who aren’t as lucky and still need to get some serious work done over the summer months, I love to relocate to do some work (readings, writing document drafts) outside. You can take your work anywhere – Parc La Fontaine, Mount Royal, Square St. Louis (the opportunities are endless) – and enjoy some sunshine while still being productive.

So, even for those of us who have to get work done this summer, I hope you’re able to take advantage of some of the wonderful things Montreal offers for graduate students. Get outside, see the sunshine, and make some progress on your project. Before you know it, the leaves will be falling again!

Banner Image by @aleksbud // @gradlifemcgill