Montreal Tourist Trap Tips by ChuckG

Took me 5 try but I made it...

Leave a Comment

At Least Do This: 1) Accumulate bills of more than 50$ BEFORE Tax, and not related to meal, perfume, alcool and some other exceptions

2) Total amount of bills must exceed 200$

3) When you get to Montreal Dorval Airport, head to the ARRIVAL section on the first floor and find the custom office on your left. Go there BEFORE CHECKING IN, WITH your Luggages !!

4) Show your bills to the lady who will stamp each one by one. Be ready to show the goods. (Aug06 Update: Seems like there is no longer need for stamping under a certain amount, check the custom web site for details)

5) TAKE SOME OF THE FORMS !! What they offer throughout downtown and the airport will take 20% off your refund. Only the custom form won't take % of your refund.

6) Fill the form and mail your receipts once you're home.

Note: I succeeded already 4 times in getting the refund...but the preparation is quite crazy as you saw !

Crescent Street is a tourist trap.

Tourist books seems to always recommend it based on other books that recommended it. Maybe its because American tourists feel more "at home" in that environment.

The attitude is negative. If all bars and restaurants were giving the low service-level seen on Crescent, Montreal would have the worse reputation. Its the only place I've been in Montreal where after not drinking for 10 minutes and half a beer pitcher left on the table, I was asked to leave even though the Winston Churchill Pub was half empty. Attitude...

The bars are crowded with tourists, and besides a few time like Formula 1 race week, I don't see much locals there. Every year, a flock of freshmen from McGill and Concordia goes to Crescent as the drinking age is lower in Quebec than in the ROC. In first year universite outside Quebec, ur still "underage", not in Quebec.

Don't let the "not helpful" ratings fool you...Crescent has its hardcore believers, not me

Leave a Comment

At Least Do This: Avoid the noisy rowdy places. Don't go alone as its not the right place to make friends...
Alternative: For good clubs: StLaurent

For good pubs: StDenis

For good restaurants: Elsewhere in Old Montreal, Plateau, Quartier Latin