Montreal's Jazz Festival

May 14, 12:19 PMNY Budget Travel ExaminerSusan Finch

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The Montreal Jazz Festival kicks off on July 1st to the 12th for 2009. The 30th anniversary features over 600 concerts at venues across the downtown, parks, concert halls, and jazz clubs. Take the train or fly into the city and make use of their subway system and underground network of pedestrian malls. With some 200,000 expected visitors, the city closes to traffic. The main hub of activity is held around Complexe Desjardins and the Place des Artes near Ste-Catherine and Bleury Street.

This year's festival will feature a free outdoor concert with Stevie Wonder on the opening night of the festival on June 30th. Hailing from New York, the Harlem Gospel Choir is scheduled to perform, as well as Mos Def, Buddy Guy, and The Dears. Travelers on a budget can check the festival website on June 8th to find out the itinerary of free outdoor concerts and activities.

The Montreal Jazz Festival only scratches the surface for scheduled summer events. The Montreal Bike Fest, Just For Laughs Festival, Montreal Fireworks Competition, World Film Festival, Festival International Expo Art Montreal are just some of the featured festivals with free activities.

Book a room now at one of the downtown hotels near the festivities for easy access to summer long festivals. The Hilton Garden Inn Centre-Ville is within walking distance to McGill University, shopping on Saint Laurent and Saint Catherine, pubs, restaurants, and in proximity to the Pace des Artes and local transportation. The hotel houses 221 rooms with an onsite restaurant and bar, pool, jacuzzi, fitness room, parking (additional fee), and views of the city. Rates run approximately $150 USD.

Flights from New York to Montreal are currently running about $255 all summer long for direct flights with most carriers, including United Airlines (no hot deals just yet). The drive is only about 6 1/2 hours from New York, including time stopping at the border. Keep in mind finding parking and navigating the city will be difficult with festival traffic.

Amtrak is a surprisingly budget-friendly option. While getting from New York's Penn Station to Philly and back can cost $90, a round-trip ticket to Montreal only costs about $69 each way. If you're traveling with a senior or kids, look for 2 for 1 discounts, companion fares, veteran discounts, military rates, and special student incentives. Doing a google search for 'Amtrak discount" can also result in coupon codes and deeper discounts.

Taking the train is a trade-off regarding time, as the trip can take 10 hours including time a the border. But if you have a good book or want to watch the views along the Hudson from the dome car, the extra hours in route are well worth it. Remember that there is currently only 1 train a day both to and from Montreal via New York City, so give yourself plenty of time at the station.

For more information about Montreal, visit Tourisme-montreal.org. Watch a video of the Montreal Jazz Festival...