[amgraham]

I've stayed in the heart of town, Old Montreal and across the river in Longueuil, mostly downtown, over the last 15 years or so. We used to take the Metro since as other mentioned, you cannot drive to the track and park. But... for the last few years, we just grab a cab outside the hotel. With 3-4 of us it's not that bad and less hassle. Can't Uber to/from the track but you can everywhere else.

I don't get too hung up on getting tickets and hotel until like... now. The first few years, yeah, I had all that stuff taken care of in like... January. More recently, we manage to score rooms relatively cheap, that pop up the week before. Same with tix... Got top row seats in 11 (nice breeze) last year for probably 2/3 face value a week and half before the race, from CL. Thing is... we don't put "hard" plans in place any more. At first, yeah, but more recently we wing it and it's really worked out nicely several times. I can understand where that might cause some stress though. Not sure if we're going this year or not.

Regardless of where you stay or when you lock down your arrangements...

You gotta go to Schwarz's on Saint-Laurent. "Montreal" steak seasoning? It came from this place. McCormick's just didn't want to pay them so they reverse engineered it and just called it "Montreal". It's a line down the sidewalk type hole. No soda fountain. You get a can. ...and if you're from out of town... you generally don't get to look at the menu or order, you get the house special. You get in, you eat, you get out. It's not a "linger" type place. Great staff personalities too... They like to see the race fans.

Get your fill of poutine while you're in town... You can even get it at the track along with crap for beer.

For a nicer dinner... I think it was the Ferreira Café we went to a couple of years ago. Great place. Although I'm not in the market, a friend-of-a-friend hooked us up to get in during a Bugatti customer event. Talk about underdressed. They were sabering champagne and whatnot. Really great food. Might have been someplace different though too... I'll see if I can find pics.

Really though, Schwarz's is the ONLY place I make sure I go to every time. Lots of really good food elsewhere as well. But Schwarz's is my staple. I don't mess with the metro any more and I wait until the last minute. Last year we got those tix and rooms at the Fairmont QE for like $250/night... a week out or so.

Have fun... we'll see if it falls together this year or not. I *think* we're out because my primary travelling companion can't get out of a work trip to Mexico.