Summer in the city can hit like a wall of heat, and when the humidity spikes, there is only one logical solution: finding the nearest body of water. Whether you\u2019re loading up the car for a mini road trip or just walking down the street with a towel over your shoulder, Montreal and its surrounding municipalities have plenty of options to help you cool off.<\/p>\n
Beaches worth the drive Oka National Park Beach (Oka)<\/p>\n
Managed by SEPAC (Soci\u00e9t\u00e9 des \u00e9tablissements de plein air du Qu\u00e9bec) and just a scenic 45-minute drive from downtown, this beach is a summer classic. Once parked, you\u2019re greeted with soft sand and calm waters. It feels like a proper escape from the concrete jungle.<\/p>\n
The Details: Expect to pay the SEPAQ daily access fee ($9.85\/adult; kids 17 and under are free), plus a parking fee of $10.50. Arrive early to secure a good spot.<\/p>\n
Plage de Saint-Zotique (Saint-Zotique)<\/p>\n
Head west on Autoroute 20 for an hour, and you\u2019ll find this gem. It features a massive stretch of sand, thatched palapas that give off a tropical vibe, and a splash pad.<\/p>\n
The Details: Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for children. You can bring your own food, making it easy to pack a cooler in the trunk and stay all day.<\/p>\n
Plage Jean-Dor\u00e9 (Parc Jean-Drapeau)<\/p>\n
If you want the beach experience without travelling too far, this is your best bet. Located on \u00cele Notre-Dame, it offers golden sand and a massive inflatable aquapark.<\/p>\n
The Details: Access is a breeze via the metro or a quick drive in from the West Island. Entry is $9 for adults and $4.50 for kids.<\/p>\n
Pools with room to breathe<\/p>\n
Parc Jean-Drapeau Aquatic Complex<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t your average backyard setup. It is a massive facility featuring multiple pools, including a gradual-entry family pool with a cushioned floor. It is incredibly spacious, meaning you won\u2019t feel like you\u2019re swimming on top of your neighbours.<\/p>\n
The Details: Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for children. Remember to bring your own padlock for the lockers.<\/p>\n
Confederation Park Pool (NDG)<\/p>\n
For those in the west end, this community pool is a neighbourhood staple. It\u2019s large enough to accommodate lane swimmers and toddlers simultaneously. There is also plenty of grassy space surrounding the deck to lay out a blanket.<\/p>\n
The Details: The best part? It is entirely free for residents and non-residents.<\/p>\n
Jarry Park Pool (Villeray)<\/p>\n
If you find yourself crossing town, Jarry Park offers a sprawling outdoor pool that is tough to beat. The pool area is large enough that it rarely feels uncomfortably crowded, even on sweltering afternoons.<\/p>\n
The Details: Access is completely free for everyone, not just municipality residents. However, the pool has a capacity of 650 pool-goers so on those super hot days, make sure you show up early to secure your spot.<\/p>\n
Thrills on the mountain<\/p>\n
Les Sommets Water Park (Sommet Saint-Sauveur)<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re looking to trade relaxed lounging for a bit of adrenaline, head north to the Laurentians. Built right into the side of the mountain, this massive water park has it all: twisting, high-speed waterslides, a sprawling wave pool, and a lazy river for when you just need to catch your breath. It\u2019s a full-day adventure that will easily exhaust (and entertain) the whole family.<\/p>\n
The Details: As a premier mountain destination, an all-day pass runs between $45 and $50 for anyone taller than 4\u20194\u201d, with great discounted rates available for smaller kids and evening-only visits. Booking online in advance is the absolute way to go \u2014 it unlocks the best rates and lets you bypass the front ticket lines entirely. n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summer in the city can hit like a wall of heat, and when the humidity spikes, there is…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130151,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[43215,13482,43221,43218,4043,43224,43227,43217,43219,43222,50,43225,43216,43220,4044,241,43223,43226],"class_list":["post-130150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-montreal","tag-beach","tag-beaches","tag-coastal-geography","tag-duchesnay-tourist-resort","tag-earth-sciences","tag-erosion-landforms","tag-geomorphology","tag-jarry-park","tag-jean-drapeau-park","tag-lacustrine-landforms","tag-montreal","tag-mountain","tag-oka","tag-oka-national-park","tag-physical-geography","tag-quebec","tag-tourism-geography","tag-water-park"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130150"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130150\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/130151"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}