If you are going to go for budget seats I would take the Molson's. Do not take the specific blue section where you can't see the jumbotron. ( I think section 416 to 421, someone else can maybe confirm..)
March 30 is an ''optimal'' game. So tickets are more expensive. HOWEVER...for last nights optimal game against the Leafs I noticed that prices on stubhub went down as much as 40% 2 days before the event. Example, Whites at 180$ went down to 129$ Prices get closer to face value.. which is still a lot.
most of the crowd sits in the reds which, while most expensive" will give you the best watching experience IMO. whites are good seats too. you re pretty far from the ice in the greys and blues.
You can sit anywhere, you have a great view no matter where you sit
That is pretty true about the Bell Center, but to be fair, the whites are quite different from the reds in terms of being close to the action. It's not like it looks the same. (Depending on row.)
All depends on what you budget is and unless this is your big splurge of the year, Stubhub will ruin you, as it has me and my desperation the past few years. So to that end, Face81 has a good point, but again, if you're coming all the way, totally depends what your priorities are.
What about this (fellow Habs fans):
Don't bother until it's very close to the game. I've noticed some great deals on the ticket vault (http://canadiens.nhl.com/club/page.htm?id=74638) closer to the games as ticket holders want to get rid of them more desperately. It's a gamble, but the worst that happens is that you end up buying tickets where you might otherwise have bought them in the whites or family zone. Molson Ex zone is more rowdy/exciting (I've been kind of annoyed at the fans in the red lately for not being as engaged as they used to...very Toronto-esque), but honestly we are good fans despite what you might hear - you won't be taunted or anything. Maybe abused for stealing McDo, but otherwise it should be fine.
I still do think something like Red C or Red D would be a good compromise.
It really sucks that you can somehow get single tickets, but not doubles together. Given that the seats are usually bought in pairs, are there people buying single seats all around the area? (Thus liberating only the corresponding single seat) Other possibility is that the single seats available are in odd number rows.
Don't mind the drunks in the Molson Ex zone. Sure, we yell at everything and everyone; we may possibly even be obnoxious, rude or offensive- but we're just kind-hearted people who enjoy a good game of hockey. I suggest you pre-drink before the game to keep up- at 11$ a beer, we like to get a couple of rounds in before puck drop.
Stay at Novotel, it's a block from the Bell....and around 100 bucks a night...
I use novotel a lot for conferences and out of towners
Probably your best bet downtown and for proximity, but since the renovations its a bit more that that
guessing probably 129-149
as for restaurants there's more than one can list:
Steaks - Queue de cheval, Moishe's
microbrewerie - 3 brasseurs
italian - davinci, winestein&gavino's
smoked meat - schwartz's , the main
brazilian - il milsa
and for a night out with the missus if your coming for more than 1 night places like koko's come to mind where you go dine and a party breaks out afterwards
ye olde orchard pub is also right across the street from the novotel
If you're driving: Parking is MUCH easier than in Manhattan. You can get game parking in a lot from $15 to $25, depending how close to the Bell Centre it is. Street meters are a possibility with a little luck, and cost less (you can pay at any parking kiosk along the street using a credit card).
Aside from game-time, drive around town and see Mt. Royal, Old Montreal, the Olympic Stadium, etc. You should also just cruise east along Ste Catherine and watch the cultural tone shift from trendy stores to major shopping to sleazy strip joints to the Gay Village.
If you want a more artsy cultural feel, ask how to get to Le Plateau. A bit like Soho, the area is a nest of old homes converted to restaurants, cafes and clubs. Let your US flag fly and everyone will be happy to speak to you in english. Once you're in Le Plateau, our Little Italy is close by, a few minutes north. Some nice joints and less commercialized than NY's Mulberry st.
If you're flying: Best way around town is via Metro, a very simplified version of your subway. Clean and fast, but it'll make it a bit more difficult to travel beyond the downtown core, since most cool hubs outside of downtown aren't immediately visible when you get off at a nearby Metro. Metros are perfect for basic east/west travel downtown, but navigating gets trickier if you're going north or south to the cool neighbourhoods.
Based on your mandate of visiting every NHL city, I'll take a guess that you guys have a decent travel budget. If so, find a way to get to Old Montreal and find one of the many unique, upscale restaurants along St. Paul. The architecture and vibe are unlike any place in NY. It's beautiful in the summer, but end of March is still okay. Have a pre-game meal near the Bell Centre just to enjoy the gabbing with the gazillion people wearing Canadiens jerseys. I've seen the Habs in MSG and had an amazing time -- great venue and terrific fans. Never had a problem; I'm sure you won't. If you act like an adult you get treated as one.
Anything from the reds and under; you're there to feel the game.
Above the reds and beyond; you're there for the ambiance and the experience.
Everywhere is a great view, but if you're going there just to be part of a game and be in another NHL arena, go for the Molson Ex zone to not spend through your wallet and have fun with a bunch of random strangers that will likely be drunk. I've went with a friend who was a Penguins fan and they had fun with him - friendly ribbing.
__________________
"CS is one of my favorite people on this entire site." - ColePens
If you are looking to come for the March 30th game, your best bet will be checking the Montreal Canadiens website, in which on February 15th, at 10 am tickets will be put on sale for all games in March.
If the purpose of the visit is to see the Bell Centre, there are guided tours of the Bell Centre offered at $17 per person, in which u get to visit different areas of the arena. In the $17, if you have game tickets that price is reduced to $12. You also get to visit the Montreal Canadiens HOF if that is of any interest to you.
In close proximity to the arena you have Baton Rouge (10-20$ per plate, hamburgers, ribs, chicken); St Hubert (10-15$ per plate, chicken only) and Madisons (Identical to Baton Rouge). Many restaurants in close proximity.
Seats blocked by a TV due to Press Box's are in sections 420, 419 and 418. Those are really the only tickets I would avoid unless sold at a really low price.
My favorite spot is in the lower bowl right behind the goalie that the habs shoot on twice in the game. The atmosphere up top with the drunks might be a little more fun but f*)K it if i'm paying to go all the way to montreal I want seats where I can see the action
If you are looking to come for the March 30th game, your best bet will be checking the Montreal Canadiens website, in which on February 15th, at 10 am tickets will be put on sale for all games in March.
If the purpose of the visit is to see the Bell Centre, there are guided tours of the Bell Centre offered at $17 per person, in which u get to visit different areas of the arena. In the $17, if you have game tickets that price is reduced to $12. You also get to visit the Montreal Canadiens HOF if that is of any interest to you.
In close proximity to the arena you have Baton Rouge (10-20$ per plate, hamburgers, ribs, chicken); St Hubert (10-15$ per plate, chicken only) and Madisons (Identical to Baton Rouge). Many restaurants in close proximity.Seats blocked by a TV due to Press Box's are in sections 420, 419 and 418. Those are really the only tickets I would avoid unless sold at a really low price.
All good restaurant choices, but not the ones I would recommend. Those are all restaurants near the bell center that are pretty good and where some fans will go eat before the game. If you want to get a feel of the city or a real pregame snack in Montreal, I would recommend either going to the peel pub on peel (very cheap) or the ye old orhcard pub on de la montagne (a bit more expensive, but the food is better than peel pub). You will meet many habs fan and usually for games against cities not too far (Ottawa, Toronto, boston, New york) there a a couple groups from the opposite team. Last time I went to the Bell center against the rangers, we ended up sharing a table with 3 rangers fan and we really had a good time!
Any seat at the Bell Center is nice, obviously the closer you sit to the ice the better. If you're in the Molson Ex Zone though, don't be too loud and just ignore the drunks haha.
I use novotel a lot for conferences and out of towners
Probably your best bet downtown and for proximity, but since the renovations its a bit more that that
guessing probably 129-149
as for restaurants there's more than one can list:
Steaks - Queue de cheval, Moishe's
microbrewerie - 3 brasseurs
italian - davinci, winestein&gavino's
smoked meat - schwartz's , the main
brazilian - il milsa
and for a night out with the missus if your coming for more than 1 night places like koko's come to mind where you go dine and a party breaks out afterwards
ye olde orchard pub is also right across the street from the novotel
I stay at my aunt's place downtown but, If not I like the Mariott. If you have a government rate (For the OP you work for the US Government) they will give you that rate about 100-125$. No rate? Price goes up, and the Mariott is right next door to the Windsor Station (1min walk to Bell Centre)
all of the restaurants mentioned above I've been to and love, especially 3 Brasseurs (great beer and pub food) and Schwartz's (never go to Montreal without going here)
Seats, I go with the mid range anything from 100-200$ per ticket, but wait until the day before a game (good prices can happen online) even the scalpers sometimes can be ok (if you get really desperate).
Hey all,
Rangers fan coming in peace just looking for some information. My wife and I love to go to away games because we want to eventually see all the arenas in the NHL. For years, we've been told that we had to go to Montreal and we've never been able to make it work. This finally seems to be the year that we'll be able to pull it off. We're looking at the Saturday, March 30 game. So, first of all... what is the best way to get tickets? Stubhub is my guess. Does it matter where we sit? Saw some seats in the "Molson Ex Zone" and I can't find any information about what that section entails. I saw that the Family Section is half kids, so we'll pass on that. We're very polite, don't cause a scene, won't start any trouble. We pretty much watch the game, cheer when(if) the Rangers do anything and enjoy hockey. Watching games at the Bell Centre on TV and hearing the crowd, we're excited to actually be there and witness it in person.
So... looking for advice on where to sit, where to get tickets and then where to stay and any good restaurants that we should hit. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide me.
Also, check the sticky up top on what to do in Montreeal, there is a ton of good info in that thread!!
For Hotels you have the Marriott, Sheraton Centre, Intercontinental and Novotel all at less than 5 minutes walk from the Bell Centre. Hotwire has pretty awesome deals if you book ahead.
For restaurants, Sainte Catherine street has a ton with lots of choices.
- Weinstein and Gavinos (on Crescent street)
- 3 Brasseurs
- Guido and Angelinas
- Baton Rouge right next to the arena
- Nickels
- Reubens
Hello, I will be in Montreal in a few weeks. I have a friend who would like to meet up with me. I am staying downtown Montreal. Flights to Mont Tremblant are $200 less than flights to Montreal. What is the cheapest way to get from Mont Tremblant to downtown Montreal? He can arrive in Tremblant at 9 PM on Thursday or any time on Friday, and must go back to Tremblant on Sunday for the return flight.
Being an NDG'er myself, I must recommend that you try the restaurant that Swiss Chalet copied (badly). It's called the Chalet Bar-B-Q and it's at the corner of Sherbrooke St. and Addington Ave. It has been open since 1944, a full 10 years before Swiss Chalet opened in Toronto and it has never really changed. The rotisserie chickens are roasted in maplewood charcoal ovens that haven't been allowed in new restaurants for decades but because Chalet is as old as it is, the laws were grandfathered for it. I guarantee it will be the best chicken you've ever had in your life, hell I grew up on this stuff! Every year the Montreal Gazette has the "Quest for the best" in many categories and of course, one of them is traditional rotisserie chicken. Every single year, Chalet Bar-B-Q, with just the one location, defeats St.-Hubert, Cote St.-Luc BBQ and Scores by a landslide. It's pretty reasonable too, roughly $10 per person. I brought one of my friends from Toronto there and even though he didn't believe the hype, once he tasted it, in his own words he "wanted to move in there" LOL. Whenever I go back home to Montreal and I'm eating there, I still text him saying "Guess where I am!" to which he replies in words not suitable for this forum. The place is a Montreal institution and I just can't say enough about it. Their small website will give you all the information you need: http://www.chaletbbq.com/eng.htm
Oh yes, one more thing, because it is in NDG and near Westmount, it is very English-friendly, in fact, in NDG, most stores will greet you in English first regardless of Bill 101. LOL
Greetings from Buffalo. My buddy and I, and our girlfriends are going to buy tickets for the March 23rd game on that Saturday. Pricing wise...looks like we are going to purchase 300 level. 400 level seems high up and not a big price difference and 100/200 level would be 1000+ for 4 tickets.
So, any suggestion on staying safe? We don't drink too much in public so the hooligan attitude won't be coming out, and we're going to be respectful as it's not our barn (the same way we would act in ours) will we be generally safe if we wear our Sabres gear?
Also restaurant and parking wise...how much to expect? Is there good stuff to see within range of the Bell Centre? (10 miles)
Any suggestions would be extremely helpful. I know a lot of this can be googled but i've found mixed things. Big fan of very hometown type stuff too. Like if you were to come to Buffalo for food i'd say hey Duff's or Anchor Bar.
Greetings from Buffalo. My buddy and I, and our girlfriends are going to buy tickets for the March 23rd game on that Saturday. Pricing wise...looks like we are going to purchase 300 level. 400 level seems high up and not a big price difference and 100/200 level would be 1000+ for 4 tickets.
So, any suggestion on staying safe? We don't drink too much in public so the hooligan attitude won't be coming out, and we're going to be respectful as it's not our barn (the same way we would act in ours) will we be generally safe if we wear our Sabres gear?
Also restaurant and parking wise...how much to expect? Is there good stuff to see within range of the Bell Centre? (10 miles)
Any suggestions would be extremely helpful. I know a lot of this can be googled but i've found mixed things. Big fan of very hometown type stuff too. Like if you were to come to Buffalo for food i'd say hey Duff's or Anchor Bar.
Thanks guys.
You will be fine wearing your gear, there might be that retard or two like in every building but just ignore them
Parking is between 15 and 25$. Depends how close you want to be from the Bell Centre
Right next to the Bell Centre you have a choice of Baton Rouge or Madisson's steakhouse. Those are 25 feet away from the Bell Centre and best restaurants near by. Depends on how much you eat and drink but with tip and all 40$ a person you hold be alright. Check online both restaurants you can find the menu
It seems everyone that wants to watch their team play the habs always worry about wearing their teams apparel and to be harassed or physically roughed up by habs fans...
Don't worry, we're not savages like in Boston, no one is going to hurt you, unless you're the one doing the harassing and trying to get yourself into a fight. Even if you do, the chances that you do actually get into a fist fight are very thin.
finally going to my first Habs game !! Boston at Montreal April 6th !! looking for some advice on what to do while there? can you go to morning skate ? in Brassard too ? places to eat? pubs for after the game etc. ?? Would appreciate any info you folks would share !! thanks
