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Last Minute Travel to Montreal - Montréal, home to a third of the population, of the province of Quebec, occupies about one-third (60 square miles) of the island of Montréal, which is part of the Hochelaga Archipelago. The island is situated in the St. Lawrence River near where it joins the Ottawa River. At the city's center is a 764-foot hill called Mont-Royal, from which the city takes its name. Nearby rise more mountains: the Laurentides (the Laurentians), the oldest mountain range in the world. The foothills of the Appalachian mountains separate Québec from the United States and add to the province's beauty.

Two cultural traditions live side by side throughout Québec and in the nine provinces of English Canada, but the blending occurs in a particularly intense fashion in Montréal. French speakers constitute 66% of the city's population, while most of the remaining residents are speakers of many other languages, but predominately English and Spanish.

Montréal is a modern and colorful city of historic buildings, modern structures, and skyscrapers. Below the ground, another city exists, where extremes of heat and cold are unknown. To the west and north of downtown are mainly English speaking commercial and residential neighborhoods, centered around Westmount. To the east and north are French speaking quartiers, notably Outremount and Plateau Mont-Royal. In between are the many dialects and cultures of residents and business people from around the globe.

Montreal is experiencing phenomenal growth and success. Unemployment in Québec, has shrunk to under 7%, the lowest mark in more than 2 decades and below that of Toronto. Crime in Montréal, already one of the safest cities in North America, has hit a 20-year low.

Favorable currency exchange and the presence of skilled workers have made the city a favored site for Hollywood film and TV production. A billion-dollar building boom has filled vacant plots of land all over downtown. The old hockey arena has been converted to a dining and entertainment center called Forum Pepsi, and La Ronde, a popular amusement park, has been given an exciting new look by the Six Flags empire's multi-million dollar renovation. The subway system, (the Métro), is modern and rapid. Streets are clean and safe. Montréal's restaurants are known for their fine and varied cuisine and their reasonable prices .

Last Minute Travel to Niagara Falls - The majestic rumble of the falls can be heard from miles away, but the sight itself never fails to cause the viewer to pause and gaze in wonder at the 600,000 gallon per second mass of hissing, frothing water crashing over a 170 foot cliff amid huge clouds of spray and mist. The Canadian Falls, is also called the Horseshoe Falls (due to it's shape). A small body of land known as Goat Island divides the river into two channels. On one side is the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and on the far side across the border is the smaller American Falls. On sunny days rainbows rise just above the mists .

The Rainbow Bridge, the Queenston Bridge and the Bridge Street Bridge each span the distance between the cities of Niagara Falls, New York, USA and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada: two totally different worlds. In New York State, the area beyond Niagara Falls is filled with the charm and beauty of small rural towns. A State Park and a large industrial area of the Niagara Falls, New York border the falls.

In the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario (the Canadian side) can be found acre after acre of meticulously landscaped lawns and a profusion of colorful flower beds, all open at no charge to the public. There has been a tremendous building boom in recent years especially in the Oakes Drive and Fallsview area. Hotels have been constructed, existing facilities modernized, and emphasis placed on esthetically pleasing architecture that blends with the incredibly beautiful natural features. One street, Clifton Avenue, retains a carnival midway atmosphere, but there is a definite advantage to having all of the congestion and glitz confined to one minute area. Controlled and planned growth have prevented the proliferation of this type of attraction elsewhere.

Throughout the area, historical sites have been preserved. The Oakes mansion now serves as the headquarters of the Niagara Parks Commission, but its first floor remains as it was in the lifetime of philanthropist Sir Harry Oakes. Fort Erie has been restored and welcomes visitors to reenactments of military life in the early 19th century.

The Niagara Parks Commission operates a School of Horticulture on the grounds of its Botanical Gardens. Established in 1936, this is one of the few residential schools for apprentice gardeners. A greenhouse that is second to none, is open year round with free admission and outstanding floral exhibits that change with the seasons. A family oriented vacation destination, Niagara Falls Ontario offers hundreds of acres of parks with broad lawns and shade trees; free boat launching areas; covered picnic pavilions and picnic tables along the Niagara Parkway.

A recreation trail runs parallel to the Niagara River from Lake Erie ( site of Historic Fort Erie) in the south, to Lake Ontario (Fort George) and Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This popular trail is used for jogging, biking, and walking, and has historic interpretative plaques placed along its length. The Falls are illuminated year round as an international project. The beautiful display of the various colors lighting the falls is viewed nightly by many visitors. Friday night fireworks at the falls are also a favorite.

Casino Niagara has become popular with thousands. Its attractive interior, excellent restaurants and interesting shops, combined with a wide variety of games of chance have attracted patrons from the United States, Canada and from other countries as well. June, 2004 marked the opening of a second casino in the Fallsview area. Named Niagara Fallsview, the new casino is part of a luxury Resort complex which is lavishly appointed. The huge entry courtyard features three bridges to the front door, representing the three local bridges connecting Canada with the United States. An extensive Galleria showcases a street-long expanse of exclusive boutiques. The casino portion of Niagara Fallsview spans 200,000 square feet on one floor. A 1500 seat theater adjoins the gaming area, where top name entertainment is scheduled throughout the year.