Montreal for The Family Explorers: a Friday-to-Monday weekend

Two ponds, ducks, playgrounds and a big lawn; let the children run off the flight before dinner.

Open all night since 1968 and kid-friendly early on: thirty kinds of poutine on the board; order La Classique and share.

A 60-metre Ferris wheel lit up over the Old Port; the ride is twenty minutes, with the city and the river on both sides.

Five ecosystems under one roof, from rainforest with sloths to a St Lawrence marine tank and penguins; go at opening for quiet.

A rebuilt insectarium with live bugs and a greenhouse of butterflies, within the botanical garden; the Chinese lanterns glow in autumn.

Smoked meat on rye with a pickle at shared tables; go early to beat the line, and ask for fries on the side.

Hands-on exhibits on the Old Port pier, with an IMAX cinema; the children can build, steer and splash for a good three hours.

Rent a pedal cart or take the children along the quay to the Clock Tower; there are playgrounds and seagulls on every pier.

A neighbourhood pizzeria with a wood-fired oven and a family room; the margherita is the one to order, and the kitchen is quick.

Children can walk under the old city through Montreal's first sewer and a Catholic cemetery; the audio guide has a children's route.

A bakery café in Old Montreal serving pressed sandwiches and brownies; take a table early, as the queue builds from eleven.

A long pier to the 1922 Clock Tower, with views over the river and the Jacques-Cartier bridge; a short stroll before the airport.