If one day at home with the little cherubs on March Break has you swilling wine tonight, it’s time to consider a getaway.
In all seriousness, I do find it hard to feel like I’ve had a “break” if I don’t leave home, don’t you? And I often think children must feel that way too.
A visit to the Biodome museum's rainforest is better than being at an all-inclusive resort in Costa Rica. (Okay, no really. But it is better than doing laundry at home.)
I’ve got a getaway idea for you that won’t break the bank: Montreal. When I brought my daughter to this city, she really did feel like she’d travelled to another place — new environment, different language and a hotel with a pool! Woohoo! It’s easy to make kids happy, really.
So, from Ottawa, you’re looking at an hour and a half drive. Not much, really. You could do it all in one day, or you could splurge and spend the night.
To give you a feel for how it could all shake out, here’s what I did over a 2-day period not long ago:
- We packed up a car with two moms and two seven-year-olds.
- Drove straight to Auberge Universal, which is a basic but definitely decent family-friendly hotel, in Montreal.
- The hotel is located right near the Insectarium, the Botanical Garden and the Biodome nature museums and will provide you with a free shuttle service back and forth, to and from.
- After meadering around and learning and admiring earth’s amazing creations, you then return to the hotel to eat a nice big burger and fries (sure, the hotel restaurant is supposed to be Italian, but whatever. Sometimes a girl just needs a burger.).
- Once dinner is complete, ensure that the little ones are nice and tired by heading down to the pool for a swim — kids only, of course. Moms can sit leasurely on the side, sipping wine from their Siggs.
- Head back up to your room. Crash.
- Enjoy a hearty breakfast at the hotel and then start making your way back to Ottawa.
Monsieur Croc
Penguin Party!
Les Creepy-crawly
All for $185.00! Includes accommodation for 2 adults and 2 children under 10, breakfast, shuttle, parking, and tickets to all three museums. Not a bad little getaway, eh?
Go on — be spontaneous! You know you wannnnnnnaaaa.
Other details on this Montreal trip can be found in this post. For more March Break getaway ideas that are within driving distance, check out this list here.
Questions? Just leave a comment. I’ll be happy to provide any details that I can.
Speak Your Mind