WHERE IS THIS?
Mont-Tremblant is an expansive, stunning natural landscape set within the Laurentian Mountains, northwest of Montreal, Quebec. It’s a 6 to 7 hour drive from downtown Toronto or less than an hour away from Toronto city-centre by airplane. If you choose to fly to Mont-Tremblant (we flew via Porter Airlines, departing from Billy Bishop Airport) you land at a quaint log cabin style airport on the mountain. The resort village is then approximately 45 minutes by car/shuttle.
The destination itself is a year-round Ski Resort community offering a plethora of activities and lodging options for young families. Obviously, in winter, there’s a ton to do (indoor water park, snow sports etc). But, in the Summer and Fall there’s a ton to do as well: we tried everything from obstacle courses and the Luge track to zip-lining and a helicopter tour. You can stay in the resort village (we stayed at the Fairmont Tremblant, which was perfect for our family of five) and be within an easy walk to all of the best attractions.
TOP 6 SUMMER/FALL FAMILY ACTIVITIES AT MONT-TREMBLANT:
(1) Skyline Luge Mont-Tremblant
If you’ve never tried a luge course, it can sound, and look , very intimidating. My first experience heading uphill on the chairlift, with my toddler beside me, was a very anxious one. I watched as Lugers soared down the mountain on the curvy, paved course and had to swallow a few fear-bubbles.
But, there was nothing to fear at all. What an exhilarating ride! You’re totally in control of the speed and pace of your ride and every rider gets a crash course before they’re allowed down the hill. Small children (like our three and five year old) tuck in snug between an adult’s legs and helmets are mandatory. The little cars are designed for easy steering and simple maneuverability; we never had any issues (nor did we see anyone else experiencing any problems). This was rated the BEST activity by my boys and we went back on this many times each day.
(2) The Obstacle Course & Trampoline Park
At the base of the mountain is a large activity area for visitors of all ages. It’s referred to as: EuroBungy, a Climbing Tower and AkroPark. But, in a nutshell, there’s a rock-climbing wall (offering levels/heights for pre-schoolers up to adults), a trampoline park (as shown above) and an obstacle course for kids.
This was our family’s first stop as soon as we arrived. Each kid tackled a different activity. For parents, watching and waiting for kids, you couldn’t be in any better location: mountain views everywhere and the fresh smell of nature (there’s also beer and snacks a few feet away in the many restaurants). We had no issues spending hours in this area an our hotel was a stones-throw away.
Note: adults can do the Bungy/Trampoline too. Anyone under 165 lbs is welcome. I gave it a try on our last morning at Mont-Tremblant and it was amazing.
(3) The Birds of Prey Show (top of mountain)
If your family loves nature, hikes, and gorgeous views, the Birds of Prey Show is a must-attend. First off, you get to the show by heading up on the panoramic Gondola (buy your Gondola tickets at the base of the mountain and hang onto them after they’re scanned to go up the ride because you need to scan them again at the top to get back down…good thing we didn’t recycle ours beforehand).
The Birds of Prey show is a great way to get outside with your family and see birds of flight in their natural environment. You’ll have 360 stunning views and the presentation is done in both French and English.
(3) ZipTrek Eco Tours
If you’re like our family and you’ve got some older kids in the mix too, it’s important to make sure your vacation destination has experiences for everyone. The ZipTrek Eco Tour at Mont-Tremblant is an incredible opportunity for children aged 7+ all the way to the seniors in your group.
We encountered natural experiences (deer, fresh/wild blueberries and newborn birds) all while hiking from zip-line to zip-line.
This is a great family adventure as long as your kids aren’t scared of heights. The Mont-Tremblant zip-line course is the second longest course in Canada. You’ll speed along four KM of cable split over 5 runs and see views like you’ve never seen before.
(4) Tubing, Water Skiing, Wake-Surfing and other Water Sports.
We took the family to the beach area at Lac Tremblant, which is another great option if you’ve got kids of all ages. At the Centre Nautique Pierre Plouffe, you can book a boat for tubing, wake surfing, water skiing and other water sports. They’ve got experienced drivers who can help your family safely learn the basics of every activity you attempt. There are non-motorized options as well (kayaks and paddle boats) and a beautiful sandy beach.
Note: if you want to sprawl out on the beach area next to the water sports attractions, you need to pay a day-use fee. When we were there the beach was closed for a special event so make sure you plan accordingly.
(5) Family Helicopter Tours
This was a bucket list adventure for our family of five: a helicopter tour high above and amongst mountains. We took to the skies with Heli-Tremblant, which is a very reputable company, and would highly recommend this to anyone looking to create long-lasting, adrenaline-pumping memories.
To this day, our eldest (who is 14.5 years old) says this is one of his favourite memories.
The helicopter holds up to three passengers (one in the front with the pilot and two in the back seat). You’ll experience a 10-minute guided tour (from above) of the area around Mont-Tremblant.
Prices for this experience start at $99/person (which is the tour we did) and it’s definitely worth it. I felt like I was living in an episode of The Bachelor…total pinch me moment for sure. I will never forget it and neither will our children. You can learn more about booking reservations and packages by clicking here.
(6) Mont-Tremblant Virtual Reality
If you’re looking for something to do indoors, the Virtual Reality gaming centre is a perfect option. Again, this is another great activity for families with kids of different ages. There are a few virtual rides for small children, but the rest of the activation is ideal for pre-teens, teens and adults. You can pay by the half-hour, hour or number of experiences you want to try out.
Our teenager played against other kids that he met while in the VR room, which is a great way for kiddos to meet other people their own age when on vacation.
If you’re not sure where to start, the staff are very helpful so make sure you explain your kids’ interests/level of gaming experience to help ensure they have the best experience possible. The virtual ride (top image with the two seats) moves slightly with the video playing in their mask and it’s quite vivid. This area is open later than others too so older kids can always head here (or the neighbouring Laser Tag) when little ones are resting.
Overall, we had never visited a ski resort village in the off-season, but now it tops our list of places to go. The smells (as soon as you step off the plane you get a strong whiff of fresh pine and cedar trees), sights and experiences are ones that you can’t get anywhere else. You’ve got the fabulous beach option combined with hotel pools, hiking, adventure, scenery and so much more.
We highly recommend checking out Mont-Tremblant for that iconic Canadian vacation. You’ll find your mind and soul rest easy after a vacation here.
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Happy travels!
