Adventure, Escape, Wanderlust

By Jessica Burneston

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the annual Jazz fest in Montreal.  The festival will run from July 1 – 12, 2009 and will include 3,000 artists from 30 countries.  The Festivals website lists more than 650 concerts including 450 free outdoor performances. 

Many Montreal hotels are offering packages with exceptional value.  There is still space available, but most hotels will sell out during the festival, so if the Jazz fest makes your “must-do” list for the summer, book early for the best selection.

Getting there can also be fun!  Of course, there are convenient short flights to Montreal by several major airlines, but another idea for New Yorkers is to take a train to the festival.  The Montrealer, leaves New York’s Penn station daily and travels through the Adirondack mountains for breathtaking scenery.  The trip is considered one of the most scenic train trips in North America and is considered a green mode of transportation.

Speaking of being green, the Montreal Jazz Fest is carbon neutral.  An independent company calculates the CO2 emissions of everything associated with the festival, and then that carbon is off-set by donating to environmental projects.

Passports are required for entry into Canada.  Passport cards and enhanced driver’s licenses are also accepted.  However, regular driver’s licenses will no longer be accepted for travel to Canada after June 1, 2009.

For more information, please call your Linden Travel consultant or email request@lindentravel.com.