Montreal Botanical Garden

The Montreal Botanical Garden (Jardin botanique de Montréal) is one of the largest and most beautiful botanical gardens in the world, and it's significantly more kid-friendly than you'd expect. Spread across 75 hectares adjacent to the Olympic Park, it contains over 22,000 plant species across 30 themed outdoor gardens and 10 greenhouses.

For families, the highlights are the immersive themed gardens. The Chinese Garden is the largest outside of China, with traditional architecture, a pagoda, koi-filled ponds, and winding stone paths that kids love exploring. The Japanese Garden offers a different energy — peaceful, meditative, with a tea house and carefully raked gravel gardens.

The First Nations Garden connects kids to Indigenous plant knowledge and is woven with interpretive trails.

The greenhouses are essential, especially on cooler days or with younger kids. You'll walk through tropical rainforest, arid desert, and orchid displays — each greenhouse has its own climate and feel. The Tree House (Maison de l'arbre) runs seasonal nature programs specifically designed for children.

The garden's crown jewel for families is the Gardens of Light festival, held from September through October. The Chinese and Japanese gardens are transformed with hundreds of illuminated silk lanterns depicting animals, mythical creatures, and cultural scenes. It's genuinely magical and worth planning a trip around.

The Botanical Garden is part of the Espace pour la vie complex alongside the Biodôme, Insectarium, and Planetarium. Combo tickets offer the best value for families planning to visit multiple attractions. The nearest metro station is Pie-IX (Green Line). Parking is shared with the Olympic Park complex at $14.25 per day.