At least once in the upcoming winter months in Quebec, it could be nice to take part in an outdoor activity that doesn’t involve thick layers of clothing — and fortunately there are hot springs and thermal pools for that very purpose. La belle province has many beautiful outdoor geothermal pools where you can soak away your worries and body aches despite icy temps.
But in the meantime, there are already plenty of outdoor heated pools out there that offer a magical vibe, all gorgeous in their own way. Here are seven man-made hot springs and thermal pools in Quebec that will help you relax this snowy season.
Why You Need To Go: This 44,000-square-foot spa in Gatineau has several outdoor pools, including three hot baths. Located along the Ottawa River, it offers nordic baths combined with a Hawaiian atmosphere to make to feel like you're on vacation overseas.
Why You Need To Go: Strøm Spa in Old Quebec has a stunning infinity pool along the St. Lawrence River. Plus, it's home to "North America's largest flotation bath," an Epsom-salt bath that makes visitors feel like they're floating in the ocean. Strøm Spa has three other locations in the province, including two very close to home.
Address: 250, Rang des Vingt-Cinq E, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec
Why You Need To Go: Only 30 minutes from Montreal, this 600,000-square-foot spa has indoor and outdoor pools including thermal experiences inspired by Icelandic methods as well as spaces for beauty treatments and massage therapy.
Price: $75 from Sunday to Friday. 85$ on Saturday.
Address: 4280 Montée Ryan, Mont Tremblant, QC
Why You Need To Go: A 90-minute drive from Montreal (if traffic is in your favour), Spa Scandinave is immersed in nature. You can indulge in eucalyptus steam baths, dry saunas, thermal waterfalls and hot baths. The "thermal journey" is available without a reservation.
Why You Need To Go: This huge spa is located in the Outaouais region. This destination has 10 outdoor baths, nine saunas and one infinity pool. You'll also find a saltwater flotation pool, a biergarten and three other restaurants.
Address: 930 Boulevard des Laurentides, Piedmont, QC
Why You Need To Go: Just one hour from Montreal, this spa has three entry points to a river and two thermal waterfalls. Inspired by Finnish thermal traditions, the facility also houses steam and dry heat saunas, as well as outdoor pools.
Why You Need To Go: This spa in the forest has Scandinavian-inspired hot and cold tubs, a café and several relaxation areas by the river. More than ten massage therapy options are available for those in need of deep relaxation.
Have you seen those insane hot springs in Iceland on the mountains or mountain pools in hotels that just put you is awe? They are usually located thousands of miles away! However, lucky for us Montrealer's you can feel like a celebrity in this "Sky Lake" that is just a hop and a skip away from the city.
My Instagram feed has been FULL of posts from people's trips to Iceland and I couldn't help but wonder is there was anything like the Iceland springs near Montreal? And the truth is that is is located only 3 and a half hours away from Montreal! Yes, spend a full day in this beautiful sky lake that looks and feels like you're in Iceland.
The Sky Lake is located in Sargent's Purchase of New Hampshire which is nestled between Mount Washington and Mount Monroe. It happens to be 5,032 feet above sea level and there are multiple lakes that are known as Lakes of the Clouds.
You can access these lakes via hiking and there is actually a place called the Lakes of the Clouds Hut which is the largest and most popular lodge operated by The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). So, after a long hike and a nice dip in the lake you can relax and sleep like a god!
The fastest hike is 3.1 miles which is a 3-hour hike via the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail, which leaves from Base Station Road in Jefferson. The views are stunning and the sky lake is beautiful.
It's that time of the year when you realise that you are broke from spending money on gifts for everyone but yourself. I feel you guys first hand so I decided to help us all out by composing a list of fancy things you can treat yourselves to without breaking the bank!
Instead of moping around and thinking "woo is me", it's time to take some money and put it towards your own wellbeing! So, get up, get out there, and enjoy your own city in the most fancy, yet affordable, ways possible! You won't regret it!
For a perfect Spa day out of Montreal, I strongly recommend checking out Spa Le Finlandais. Their water circuit is absolutely amazing! They have 6 different saunas including a Russian sauna and Hammam, they also have 4 baths including arctic and thermal, and even a bubble experience! This is a great way to relax and feel fancy AF.
Cardinal is one of Montreal’s only restaurants/cafes solely dedicated to making you delicious and fancy tea! Their tea isn’t the only delicious thing there, their finger foods are just as good. The ambience is also superb! It’s a vintage location with funky decorations and a guaranteed great time. I mean who doesn’t love tea in the winter?!
Quais du Vieux-Port de Montréal, Rue de la Commune O
Ah yes, the perfect way to relax and feel classy is by treating yourself to a spa day at Bota Bota. Personally, I recommend Bota Bota since it is only $45 before 11 am and after 6pm for their water circuit. Not only do you relax, but you also get to see Montreal from a whole other angle with the stunning views you receive at the spa of Montreal covered in snow!
Honestly who hasn’t treated themselves to a Mani-Pedi with their BFF? I suggest heading to Rouge Nail Bar on Crescent for a relaxing time. They have a beautiful stress free environment and it’s a great place to talk while getting some nice foot massages with your BFF! You can still have fresh AF toes in the winter!
Feel extremely fancy by treating yourself to the famous chocolate bomb from C'chocolat! It is 100% a desert that you need to treat yourself to! Not only is it super amazing to watch like in the video above, but it is also crazy good! C’chocolat is the home of the Montreal chocolate bomb and I can honestly say that it is TO DIE FOR!
There truly is no better way to start a relaxing day than to go out for a lovely fancy brunch! This restaurant is a great place for the start to a great relaxing day. I mean, who doesn’t love going for a gourmet brunch or breakfast!
Ateliers & Saveurs is a hands-on class led by professional chefs. You can choose to specialise in cooking divine french cuisine but, I find it super fun to go to the cocktail classes where you can make fancy food and drinks!
Why not feel fancy AF by going pole dancing! You may think that this does not sound one bit fancy but trust me, it's a pretty fancy hobby to pick up! Not only is it a great workout but it’s super fun and you will have a great time! I suggest trying Milan Pole Dance Studio where you can have fun and laugh all while remaining classy!
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts contains beautiful art galleries with hundreds of paintings and archaeological artifacts such as mosaics, frescoes, statues, and much more! It’s a great way to enjoy a lovely day while feeling rich and fancy!
A facial is something everyone wants as a fancy treat at least once! To make a great saving for a great facial, I suggest checking out Groupon for a superb deal At Spa Victoria in the West Island. For $39 you receive a complete facial and mask that is valued at $155. For 90 minutes, you receive deeply cleansed pores to regenerate the superior skin layer and a hydration mask.
HVOR is one of Montreal’s best-rated restaurants! It is stunning and it is the perfect location for some gourmet food that you’ve been dying for. The ambience is very modern and classy so you can dress up and enjoy your well deserved gourmet meal. Trust me, you will love it!
The Scandinave Spa in Mont-Tremblant (537 Montée Ryan, Mont-Tremblant, QC), is about an hour and a half drive out of the city and is one seriously magical place. It is a great location for a staycation. You can relax, drink up, and have a magical fancy time!
13. Get Fancy At St. Lazare Ranch For Horseback Riding
For something new to try while remaining fancy, why not try horseback in St. Lazare! The horse ranch at St. Lazare is only 15 minutes from downtown Montreal where they offer horseback riding indoors, outdoors, and on a trail through the sunset. This is a great fun activity to try during the winter and summer!
Okay, so everyone in Montreal usually goes out for their birthday at either a night club on Boulevard St.Laurent or in Old Montreal. Well, why not be different and do something even crazier for your birthday!
Montreal does have a great night life but they also have a variety of amazing activities that you and your friends should do to celebrate your birthdays. So break away from spending hundreds of dollars on bottle service every week for someone’s birthday and try something new!
I know that you are probably thinking "what the heck is there to do in Montreal for my birthday in the WINTER?" Well, there is actually plenty of things you can do! I can guarantee you that if you choose one of these activities for your birthdays that you won’t regret it!
2017 is filled with fabulous concerts so hint to your friends to buy tickets ASAP! Click on the link above to find your favorite artists that is coming to MTL!
Become your very own personal wine consultant on your birthday at Les Conseillers Du Vin! Here, you and your friend will learn, taste, and make your own wine for a day! This is a great way to have a classy and tipsy wine birthday this winter with your friends!
Summer is never over! If you happen to be a Montrealer that just can’t get enough of summer, I suggest doing your birthday at Oasis Surf! It’s honestly amazing and a perfect way to escape winter!
When you and your girls just need an excuse to go to the spa and chill out, make your birthday that excuse! At Bota Bota you can enjoy a relaxing time for your closest friends while celebrating your birthday! It's never too cold for a spa day!
If you and your friends love trying new things, then I recommend trying pole dancing! It’s an absolute blast and a great way to share some good laughs on your birthday! It's also a great winter workout so be sure to check out Milano Pole Studio!
This year, in honor of Montreal’s 375th, the Igloofest will be bigger and better than ever.Right off the bat, this year’s celebration will last 6 whole weeks! that’s 2 weeks longer than usual! So, make it a double celebration and go to the Igloofest with all your friends for your birthday too!
Have the ultimate hightea experience for your birthday this winter! If you love feeling classy, then high tea is the perfect birthday option for you plus you stay warm AF! You can drink up and expect a wonderful birthday at Cardinal.
Head on down to Allez up for a rock climbing adventure for your birthday this year! This if perfect for those athletic Montrealers who won't let winter stop them from having fun!
If you want a more relaxing and creative birthday, then head down to the Ceramic Cafe! You can enjoy a lovely painting experience on your birthday while keepingyourself warm with some nice coffee!
It’s official, Montreal has anti-gravity yoga! You can now fly through the sky in Montreal at Club Sportif MAA. Some call it aerial yoga or zero gravity yoga but whatever you call it, it’s cool AF! Anti-gravity yoga is a new kind of workout invented by aerial performers. It involves performing a series of exercises inspired by yoga, pilates, and aerial acrobatics for a total-body workout. So book your class ASAP and spend your birthday with your friend by flying through the sky!
It’s the first ever free fall simulator in Canada. Visit Sky Venture and learn to like you are sailing over the sea! It’s the next best thing to a vacation birthday so I garantee that you will hae a blast!
The Ausable Chasm is now offering their brand new Winter Tours! You can avoid the summer crowds and maybe even have the entire park to yourself on your birthday this year! You and your BFFS will have a view of gigantic icicles that tower 150′ above the Ausable River and a chasm blanketed in snow . Two-hour guided winter tours are also available but reservations are required. All visitors must wear snowshoes or ice cleats for safety, depending on how much ice and snow have accumulated. Rentals are available for $10 per day if you do not have your own. You can even go on a special Photo Tour with resident photographers.
This hotel is world renowned and only 10 minutes from Quebec City .Everything is made of ice! From the beds to the shot glasses so it is a great way to spend your birthday! You can get drunk and enjoy winter all in one on your special day.
Located in Niagra Falls, you can find this amazing light festival! The festival spans eight kilometers and millions of lights, all making up displays, light and sound shows, 3D projections, illuminations, and more. Meaning that you’re in for one seriously magical, unbelievable time, of course. Ontario’s Winter Festival of Lights is going down November 19 – January 31. Admission is free. It's a great way to explore Canada and enjoy winter on your birthday!
Mont-Tremblant is always the easiest roadtrip that you can take spontaneously if you like to plan your birthday last minute! You obviously know that it’s beautiful in the summer but it’s actually drop dead gorgeous in the winter! So, why not have a ski trip birthday this winter?!
The Via Feratta involves a combination of hiking, climbing, ziplines, suspension, good sights, good vibes, and an all-around awesome time. It is located in the Canyon Sainte-Anne (206 Route 138 East, Beaupré, QC), in Beaupré, happens to be home to the very first uninterrupted winter via ferrata in the whole world. It's a great idea for those who love adventures on their birthday!
Every year, the Esplanade Financière Sun Life section of Montreal’s Olympic Stadium (4545 Pierre-De Coubertin) transforms into a giant, refrigerated outdoor ice rink. It's a great way to spend your birthday while enjoying winter in Montreal!
Le Miracle Montreal is opening a pop-up bar in the heart of Quartier Latin.This place will be decked out with bear skins, a fireplace, Christmas lights, Christmas music and TVs that will be playing all your favorite holiday classics.The bar officially opens on December 1st and last until December 31st so be sure to get drunk Christmas style on your birthday!
The Scandinave Spa in Mont-Tremblant (537 Montée Ryan, Mont-Tremblant, QC), is about an hour and a half drive out of the city and is one seriously magical place. It is a great location for a staycation birthday party! You can relax, drink up, and have a magical wintery time!
Ah yes, the famous chocolate bomb is 100% a desert that you must have on your birthday! Not only is it super amazing to watch like in the video above, but it is also crazy good! This is a chocolate shop in downtown Montreal that is made to serve you a gourmet dessert on your birthday!
You can go propelling down a huge snow mountain with 12 separate paths (so you can go down at the same time as 11 other friends, probably!), overlooking downtown Montreal. At night, the tube sliding activity takes a turn for the magical, with glowing lights and super fun views. This year, the Fete Des Neiges takes place in Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau between January 14 – February 5, 2017 so be sure to check it out for a fabulous birthday celebration!
Ah yes, summer time is among us young, broke, and restless Montrealers. For those broke Montrealers like me, it's about time to do something for yourself and plan a little vacation. This vacation doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg since this list comprises of cheap places to go to in Canada.
Canada may not seem like a tropical destination, but you would be surprised on the magnificent locations they have that look like they are from another world. Not only are these places beautiful, but it is also relatively cheap to travel to them especially if you make it a road trip.
So I think it's about time to take off a week from work and plan a cheap vacation with some of your friends this summer. You may be broke this summer '16 but that doesn't mean you can't make it memorable. So get your young, broke, and restless friends out of bed and explore what Canada has to offer you at a reasonable price!
1. Save Money And Visit Georgian Bay Grotto In Ontario
The Georgian Bay in Ontario holds superb views and magnificent sites that you must see this summer. One of their most popular attractions is their beautiful grotto that is perfect for swimming and relaxation. The park is completely free it's just a matter of getting there! The drive is about 6 hours so you can make a weekend getaway out of it!
2. Save Money And Visit New York For The Ausable Chasm For Their Beautiful Canyon
For a quick little vacation that is simply one hour away, you and your friends should definitely check out Ausable Chasm to swim through their beautiful canyon. It's two miles long and it takes less time to get to than Mont-Tremblant. They have biking trails, day or night tours, rock climbing, ziplines, rappelling, rafting, and of course lazy river tubing.
I was actually just here last week and I can honestly say that I had the best time! It was a bit difficult to find a spot to put all our things but once we found one it was so much fun! It's only about an hour and a half away and there is free parking. The water is great and the views are superb! Bring food and have a fun little picnic.
Bruce Peninsula National Park holds what seems to be something from the Caribbeans. The park has a peninsula that is absolutely breath taking! It is only an 8 hour drive from Montreal and trust me, it's worth every minute. They have kayaking, swimming, biking, and much more to make your cheap trip magical.
Why not enjoy a beautiful travel along the Saint Lawrence River to the town of Baie-Sainte-Catherine, to see some humongous whale! The boat ride is 3-hour where you will see whales, seals and belugas. It is truly a site to see!
For a two hour road trip from Montreal, bring your friends to explore the Chutes De La Chaudiere for a wild time! These waterfalls honestly look like they are from another country, so bring your cameras and fool your family by telling them you left Canada.
One of the most breathtaking locations in the world is found in Quebec’s Parc de la caverne du Trou de la Fée, situated in Quebec’s Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. They have a crazy footbridges and much more that includes hiking trails, a Chinese garden, and wild cliffs. It's super close and fun for everyone.
For a learning good time, why not check out the Writing-on-Stone park with your crazy intelligent friends. The park offers amazing views and a great learning experience. The park also isn't only about learning, they have hiking, kayaking, rock art tours, and much more.
If you and your broke friends want to enjoy an Island experience, then you should 100% check out Manitoulin Island, ON. It is breath taking and absolutely gorgeous. You can swim in waterfalls, hike along cliffs, and just enjoy the views. It's a perfect road trip destination for you ad your broke friends.
10. Save Money And Visit Fogo Island, NL For A Drop Dead Gorgeous View
The Newfoundland and Labrador island holds a small island called Fogo. They are known for holding a bunch of lighthouses, museums, mini-houses, great views, and much more! It is actually the is the largest of the offshore island!
For a simple two hour drive, you and your friends should swim over to the grotto in QC. It is absolutely stunning and it is a perfect place for a picnic. You can go swimming, hiking, and cliff diving in it's majestic blue waters.
12. Save Money And Visit Morraine Lake In Banff National Park AB
Moraine Lake is a glacially lake in Banff National Park. It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks where you can see its unique blue waters from a mile away. It is truly gorgeous and they water only fills up in late june so now is the time to go!
For a quick and easy road trip to take with your friends, you should check out l’Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé. It's easy to get too and super cheap for your broke friends like me! So visit Quebec's trade mark and check out their awesome rocks.
If you enjoy hiking in the rocks, then this park is the place for you! It's hard to believe that this park is located in Quebec and features some of the deepest gorges East of the Rockies. They have gorgeous views and this is great for those athletic friends of yours.
15. Save Money And Visit Tonquin Trail, British Columbia For A Backpacking Adventure
If you love backpacking and you want to experience a wild adventure, then the Tonquin Trail in BC is the place for you. All you have to worry about is getting there! Their trails are over 3KM of pure beauty and they even have amazing beaches. So pack your bags and get on a move this summer.
16. Save Money And Visit The Glacier Skywalk in Alberta To Hang 918 Feet Above The Ground
If you want an "OMG I love Canada" moment, then the Glacier Skywalk is the place to be. It may not be for those who are sacred of heights like me, but its a perfect destination for those wild friends that crave adventure. It is literally 918 feet above the ground so enjoy the view!
17. Save Money And Visit Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick
For a fabulous roadtrip with your broke friends this summer, why not check out the Bay of Fundy! The Bay of Fundy is actually considered to be one of the seven natural wonders of North America. But, it isn't only for beautiful pictures, it's also great for sea kayaking, hiking, whale watching, three-day canoe trips, and walking on the ocean floor.
18. Save Money And Visit Pebble Creek, British Columbia For Keyhole Hot Springs
If you are looking to enjoy some all natural hot springs, then the Pebble Creek is the place for you. It is very relaxing and absolutely gorgeous! So if you and your friends are looking for that SPA getaway than this is for you!
19. Save Money And Visit Cavendish Beach, Prince Edward Island
For a nice little road trip to PEI, the first place you should visit should be the Cavendish beach! The water is a distinct blue shade that makes for the best pictures and for the most inspiring moments. It is definitely a place that should be on your bucket list this summer!
For cliff diving and a sick natural water slide I strongly suggest heading to Lynn Valley Canyon in BC! It is abslutely the most fun places that has just about everything you are looking for. They have hiking, natural water slides, cliff diving, picnics, and much more! So be prepared to fall 35 feet into a pool of water!
