So, tell me about Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa...

[OldLarry]

What's a chubby balding married harried bidniss traveler type need to know?

Decent pub grub, semi illicit activities, otherwise practical information?

Bring it, hosers (do people really use that term or is it and 80s thing? God bless bob and doug)...

[smartyiak]

To me (and most will disagree), Montreal was just another city....cleaner than most...but just a city.

BUT one of my favorite memories of my adult life was sitting on the balcony of the Frontenac overlooking the boardwalk and drinking Molson and smoking Cuban cigars.

It's not that much farther up the road and totally worth it.

[jetski]

Quebec, full contact strip clubs...

[BigDaddy]

Great white north, Montreal: St. Catherine's St.

[Timberridge]

I know a bit about Toronto. It's a weird place. Tends to be cold in the winter. Probably not as cold as Ottawa though. I'd recommend going in the summer instead. But you sound determined.

Isn't the Frontenac in Quebec City? The French call it Ville de Quebec. That's not Montreal. Montreal is kinda French unless you're in the English section so you can always pretend you're in France when you're there which is kinda cool. If you go to Chinatown, you can hear Chinese people speaking French which is interesting.

Toronto is mostly foreigners who can't make it into the US (Chinese, Pakistani's), UofT students and kids who come into the city at night from surrounding suburbs to party. The whole city is really spread out, so if you drive down Yonge St it takes like 3 hrs. They like donuts and coffee so you'll pass about 200 places during the drive. And tires. Canadians love tire stores.

I've never been to Ottawa so I can't help with that.

[OldLarry]

Ya so a work thing not a ton of choice the but I gotta belie there's fun to be had. Hear you on the foreigners in Toronto. Ottawa in the mix there too. Spent some time there in the 90s but was always on a lark from school so different circumstances. Why do all the white people looked like either neil young or matt foley?

[Viva]

I love Montreal! Go in the summer for the jaZz festival, and then walk around for hours and hours until dawn. Go in the winter and check out a Canadiens game (hockey) or bring ski gear and go to Tremblant, or drive to Vermont and ski Jay Peak (they speak English there...sort of). Hang out at McGill and (maybe) bone some 19 year-old hottie. I love Montreal!

[BmillsSkier]

Toronto is great. It gives Americans the opportunity to see a Great Lake from the North Shore. Which is kind of like being on another planet. It's that weird.

And it's only 3.5 hours to Windsor, Ontario. And you know what's across a bridge from Windsor? DETROIT! That's right, DETROIT! Think of the possibilities.

Montreal has/had great strip clubs but I'm sure all the hot strippers are old now since it's been about 15 years since I've been there.

Good luck on your business trip Larry, hope you find what you're looking for there.

[Danno]

I had the best Chinese meal of my life in Montreal's Chinatown.

[Timberridge]

One more thing, since you're into footwear. Dunham still makes the 7701 in Canada, aka the 'Canadian Boot'. You'll want to grab yourself a pair with the good exchange rate. A pair will last about 15 years, but I'm currently rotating between 2 pairs with a third in the closet...in case they decide not to make them anymore. By far the most comfortable work boot you'll ever wear.

[Kenny Satch]

Old Larry

TO has great places to eat, bars and pubs with many tourist traps but some are worth it.

Montreal has better food, bars and pubs with so much more sight seeing than TO.
Old Montreal rocks with Gibbys steakhouse being one of my favs.

PM me as to what you want to do and I'll ask around both fiends and family in TO & Montreal

as for Ottawa don't spend more than day...beautiful buildings but boring except for the strip bars

[sherpahigh]

I'm hoping to get out to Montreal myself in April, and if I do I'm definitely going to check out as many breweries as I can. Lot of great beer from there. Dieu Du Ceil's "Peche Mortel" is definitely worth seeking out if you're into beer.

Toronto's a fun place. Lots of good eats and shit to do.

[lionelhutz]

Montreal: One of the great places to eat in North America, maybe the world. You basically can't help but have a great meal.

PM me if you want reccos on where to eat.

[RShea]

Toronto- big metro city (as far as Canada big is) with things like the CN Tower (The Needle), Ontario Science Center, Hockey Hall of Fame, and hockey games if you are into their basically national pastime are a few things touristy in the winter. Lots of restaurants for any food you like- Chinese, Thai, and other Asian, Indian, and of course Greek, Italian, etc. If it is during the summer, then you have the Toronto Island Park, the Lake, the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre for music concerts.

[johnnyg82]

I'm in Ottawa, what do you want to know?

[The Tortoise]

For Ottawa.

Eat
The Manx is a great basement pub with a solid tap list, great food and reasonably priced.
Whalesbone for Seafood, mostly oysters
Hintonburger for a tasty fucking burger.

To do
If the canal is open you can skate until your feet hurt. If it's during winterlude there should be some interesting shit to see along the way.
There are a number of decent museums if that's your thing.

[Gcooker]

Brass Rail in Toronto used to be a good time, distillery district is alright too. Ottawa has a good pub scene in the market area and kickass shawarma. Things quiet down quick in the evenings when all the federal employees head home. Montreal has the finest strippers in our fair land

[Rontele]

What's a chubby balding married harried bidniss traveler type need to know?

Decent pub grub, semi illicit activities, otherwise practical information?

Bring it, hosers (do people really use that term or is it and 80s thing? God bless bob and doug)...

Go to Hull, QC (right across the border from Ottawa).

[Steven S. Dallas]

Second on Gibby's, in Montreal- good steakhouse in a cool old building. Le Club Chasse et Peche brings it, too, in a more modern way, and Schwartz' Delicatessen is a can't-miss lunch spot.

[ex-powderbroker]

When is your trip, it would help with suggestions.

[Kenny Satch]

check out The Rom in TO if you like Museums

also ripley's aquarium is actually worth it

there is Fort York. where you cam learn how our nation won the War of 1812

[steff]

I'm in Ottawa, what do you want to know?

He wants food, booze, brass pole ballet and a good alibi.

Toronto... hang out with Rob Ford.
Ottawa... stop at parliament and find out how that legal mj thing is coming along. Get a bottle of heart warming beverage and skate the canal.
Montreal... smoked meat, bagels, poutine. Walk St. Catherine street, see the pretty girls, stop at interesting pubs.

[OldLarry]

Thank you for all input! Wil be spending lots of time in all three for next year or so- mostly Toronto. Some quebi as well. Ween album in heavy rotation so that should help...

[danmelon]

Hey weren't you supposed to come up to MTL end of December/January? or was that another mag? If it was you, and you did, how did it go? We got dumped on that week and I thought of you, was hoping you managed to make it up and score some turns.

Ottawa is nice for a short visit. Lots of museums and the parliament building and all that stuff (War Museum and Musée de la Civilisation). The Byward Market is good for restaurants and if you have the chance, I second the recommendation for skating on the canal. You can go for a nice 4K rip and eat some beaver tails. Also, I beleive they have some great cross country skiing in Parc de La Gatineau.

Both Montreal and Ottawa are about equal distance from Tremblizzy, so you can visit one town, go for a ski and head over to the next one relatively easily.

Edit to add: One bad thing about Ontario is having to go to a Beer Store to buy beers rather than go to any old convenience store. Laaame.

[OldLarry]

Was me, yes. Great fun but was a shorter trip than expected cause I got stuck in la for a few days because of that snow and ironically did not get to ski! Fam is in love with the place though so will get to go back for pleasure rather than biz again. Above is all biz-