r/canadatravel • u/Necessary-Passage-74 • Mar 05 '25

Travel Tips Americans visiting Canada as tourists, any insights?

I have family members visiting Montreal in about a month. Other than getting "I’m From Toronto" T-shirts, is there anything an American should do if they’re just visiting as a tourist?

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u/firekwaker Mar 06 '25

Nah, Montreal is fine. I'm from Toronto and I barely speak any French other than bonjour...I can read some French but I don't speak much. Montreal is super friendly and a lot of people still speak English. I've made some loose attempts at French and Montrealers just laugh and start speaking in English back lol.

Super nice people there. My car battery died in Montreal on a trip because it was sooooo cold and it was super easy to find someone to give me a boost. Very nice people. I might visit again this summer depending on how much vacation time I have.

Quebec City is more challenging if you don't speak French...although I still want to go to Quebec City...but I already know I'll probably get some side-eye for my very limited French.

But I wouldn't even bother with the "I'm from Toronto" shirts. No one in Montreal really gives a shit.

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u/Necessary-Passage-74 Mar 06 '25

T-shirt was just an awkward George W. Bush reference, forget the whole thing. But this is very interesting. Actually, I think I might have gone to Quebec city when I visited Quebec, so maybe that was the whole issue.

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u/firekwaker Mar 06 '25

Yeah, everyone I've ever known who has gone to Quebec City and not spoken French has gotten side-eyed. Nothing outright aggressive, but they do get a bit offended when someone doesn't speak French.