Laval, Quebec: choose your own adventure
Attractively set on an island bordered by two rivers, Des Prairies to the south and Rivière-des-Mille-Îles to the north, Laval is ideal for a weekend getaway or whirlwind family vacation. Because the majority of its attractions, restaurants, boutiques, and hotels fall within a radius of 1.2 miles, travellers can spend less time behind the wheel here and more time, say, paddling a rabaska through an open air museum, flying a spaceship to the red planet, tasting award-winning wines at Quebec’s first Chateau, or booking a return trip to this fun, adventure-packed city!
Fun for the whole family
Indoor play facilities are popular in Canada, and are a terrific alternative for young families should the weather fail to cooperate with outdoor vacation plans. Laval is home to a handful of unique indoor entertainment options, including Quebec’s largest trampoline centre, and a “clip and climb” complex: this fun variation on a traditional rock climbing gym uses an automatic belay system to take up slack and gently lower climbers to the ground, so even pre-schoolers can challenge themselves on its quirky, colourful courses. Children as young as seven years old can also fly through the air with the greatest of ease at the country’s largest flying trapeze centre, while little ones four years old and up can safely defy gravity in a vertical recirculating indoor free fall simulator. Young (and young-at-heart) travellers can also fly an airplane without leaving the ground, learn the fine art of flowboarding, or explore our solar system in a state-of-the-art astronaut training simulator at Cosmodome, Canada’s only museum entirely dedicated to space sciences.
Go play outside…
Travellers who prefer outdoor adventures will also find plenty to do in Laval; the city offers ten parks, including one that officially triples as a museum and wildlife sanctuary. Free to the public and open in all seasons, the Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles is lush and serene, with blossoming marshes, bayous, and a calm river ideally explored in a canoe, kayak, or rabaska (a larger type of canoe that seats up to 13 people, traditionally made of birchbark). Formerly a quarry, the Centre de la Nature offers a big lake for boating enthusiasts, as well as a skate park, playground, walking trails, and a bicycle path. Though its beautiful gardens draw flocks of travellers and locals in the summer, the park is also popular in winter for tubing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing. The coldest months of the year also draw snowmobilers to the marked trails maintained by the Club de Motoneige Laval, which run for nearly 40 miles.
Days of wine and roses…
Though Laval has a well-deserved reputation as a family friendly city, it is also a swell location for an adults-only getaway. Château Taillefer Lafon, an elegant vineyard in the heart of the city, is popular for its undeniably romantic ambiance as well as its award-winning wines and ciders. The castle on the property is a popular wedding venue, though travellers can also enjoy this picturesque location during a complimentary tasting. A leisurely stroll through the Paradis des Orchidées or a stunning bouquet from Les Serres Sylvain Cléroux are also fine ways to set the mood before booking into one of the city’s luxurious hotels or spas. Couples who love to shop should make a date with CF Carrefour Laval, which offers a beautiful garden and some fine restaurants as well as 300 shops. However, if the way to your loved one’s heart is through the stomach, a trip to Marché Public 440 is in order: here you will find twenty gourmet food stores and a seasonal produce market.
Spend the day in Quebec’s Metropolis…and the night in Laval
Once described by Mark Twain as “the city of a hundred steeples” for its many churches, today Montreal is the largest city in Quebec, and is equally rich in art galleries, museums, parks, fine restaurants, nightlife, and shops. Accommodations in Montreal can be pricey, especially when the city is hosting one of its many festivals or when its historic NHL team, the Montreal Canadiens, is enjoying the home ice advantage. However, savvy sightseers can stretch their travel budget by opting for one of the many fine hotels in Laval instead: the two cities are connected by rail and metro, and the drive from one downtown to the other takes about 40 minutes.