From November to March, you can count on snow and freezing weather in Montreal. (Or even in April, when we visited, it was frigid.) When you're walking along a main street such as Boulevard Rene Levesque Ouest or Rue St. Catherine Ouest, you might not realize that under your feet is an underground city of stores, restaurants, cafes, food courts, supermarkets, drugstores, all indoors. These indoor complexes, three our four stories high, light and airy, with fountains and plants, are connected by tunnels. At street level, just look for the blue RES sign, and nip down into the underground city like snug beaver in its winter lodge.

For families, these centers have a lot to offer. They are brightly-lit places, warm and homey on a snowy day. All have nice public restrooms (so no need to hunt around desperately for a restroom). They are very stroller friendly, with elevators to go up and down between floors. Centers open early in the morning (6am) and you'll find snacks and meals any time of day.

Each complex has a food court with a lot of choices - crepes, pizza, hamburgers, sushi, ethnic foods, noodles, sandwiches, hot dogs, pastries, bagels, ice cream, chocolates, smoothies and juices, plus full service restaurants. Food courts are perfect for everyone in the family, especially toddlers where they can stand up while they eat.

Tip: Arriving by train, the central train station (Gare Centrale) is connected to many of the underground walkways and complexes.