If there is one thing Vivian and I have learned since hitting the road in an RV, it is that we never lack problems that need to be solved. One of the trickiest problems we face is how to get into a city (despite being wilderness junkies, Vivian and I love visiting cities and we include them often in our travels).
The streets of Montreal…
The problem is our 21′ long and 7′ tall truck. So, when it came time to plan a visit to Montreal and Ottawa, I cringed. But eventually, I ruminated over possible strategies by studying satellite images and attempting to decipher a city’s public transportation system.
were crowded that day, my friend.
After several warnings from in-the-know Canadians and RV friends who visited both cities and learned the hard way, we needed an alternative mode of transportation to get into Montreal (Uber in, Uber out, $$$$) and Ottawa (senior day pass for the bus system, not even $). We found solutions and took the opportunity to visit Canada’s second largest city, Montreal and its capital, Ottawa – each one in a day.
One of many entrances to Montreal’s metro subway rail and underground city. The Art Nouveau design mimics the Paris metro station entrances from around 1900. Below are photos from the underground walkways, mostly empty as many Canadians were on holiday at the time.
A piece of the Berlin wall stands tall.
The plaza in front of the Notre Dame of Basilica is Montreal’s busiest. Like the city, it is an interesting display of internationality.
The Notre Dame Basilica’s towers were getting a makeover. But that is fine, what we really came to see is its interior and the AURA Experience.
What you see as you walk into the Basilica.Before the AURA show, all the stations are colorfully lit.And you are welcome to walk around the cathedral.No photos allowed during the AURA but the pre-show lights can be captured.The AURA IS a light and sound extravaganza, what you see before the show is dull in comparison.
A few days later, we visited Ottawa. We purchased day passes for the metro bus system and drove about 10 miles from our campground to a station parking lot. From there, it was a short ride to the city. So easy and inexpensive!
Ottawa, Ontario and as Canada’s capital has a more Canadian feel to it compared to Quebec’s Montreal.
What we came to see is Canada’s parliament building, currently undergoing a multi-year renovation. In the foreground is the Centennial Flame, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Canada’s confederation.
The House of Commons is temporarily meeting in the West Block of the complex. You can see from the walls that this is normally an outdoor area.
We couldn’t tour the parliament so we had more time to stop here and watch the changing of the guards at the Ottawa War Memorial.
We spent more time here at the Rideau canal locks, a national historic site.
The Ottawa locks were built in 1826 and operate the same way they did back then. Several park employees keep the locks running.
It takes a boat about an hour and a half to get through the Ottawa locks. Between here and Lake Ontario, the navigable river is 202 km (about 125 miles) and takes a boat 5 days to complete it because of several locks along the way.
We’re glad to have visited both cities. Will we ever go back to Montreal? It was hot the day we visited (high 80s) and very crowded from cruise ship tourists. We spent 10 hours in the city, which was mostly the time between our morning guided walking tour and the evening AURA Experience. A very long day! So we left feeling exhausted and spent.
During our ride back to the campsite as the sun set over Montreal.
As for the AURA, it’s a bit expensive. Think of a Catholic version of a Pink Floyd light show and that should give you an idea. You can tour the cathedral but it is not free. As an alternative, you can visit the Notre Dame-de-bon-Secour chapel, built in 1771 and just down the road from the Basilica.
The chapel with its nautical theme is appropriately near the city’s port.
As for Ottawa, the parliament is a draw, enough that we want to return one day after its completion. Besides, it’s in Canada and that alone will bring us back!
Stay tuned as we finally cross the border back to the states.
One thought on “Jul 26, 2025 – Montreal and Ottawa”
Your post brought back many good memories of when Lorraine and I visited last year. As glad as I am that we visited, I see no reason to return. Like most tourist location, “one and done”. We did find Ottawa more enjoyable (and cleaner) and more “artsy” vs Montreal. The Notre Dame Basilica was under construction when we visited as well. Your pictures of its interior should be on tourist brochures! Beautiful! How much (American) was the daily pass for the metro? I believe we paid about $25 for daily parking in Montreal and about half that for Ottawa.
Changing Views From Our RV 
Your post brought back many good memories of when Lorraine and I visited last year. As glad as I am that we visited, I see no reason to return. Like most tourist location, “one and done”. We did find Ottawa more enjoyable (and cleaner) and more “artsy” vs Montreal. The Notre Dame Basilica was under construction when we visited as well. Your pictures of its interior should be on tourist brochures! Beautiful! How much (American) was the daily pass for the metro? I believe we paid about $25 for daily parking in Montreal and about half that for Ottawa.
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