I know decks and beers are a pretty integral part of the summer experience just about everywhere, but there’s this thing in Canada we have called “winter” where life becomes a snowy, rotten nightmare for a few months at a time and most of us choose the route of hibernation to deal with it.
Then spring creeps in with apprehension and is all, “dude, are you freaking done here yet?” and kicks winter out like an insolent tenant.
Enjoying drinks on a deck is actually my favourite thing to do wherever I roam, because it ties up all the best benefits of travel into one neat package: people watching, sampling local brews, and enjoying the warmth of sun on my face.
Here are a few of my fave deck spots in Canada.
Montreal
My summer patio drinking began in Old Montreal, except there’s the awkward French thing and the locals call it a “terrace.” Cute, right? We camped out here for a couple of hours near the square, where we watched buskers and bachelor parties perform for dozens of people. We also witnessed about 20 couples getting their wedding photos taken.
Ugh, Montreal. Be still my heart.
Ottawa
I had been to Ottawa before, but somehow missed the adorable Irish Village located in Byward Market. This place can be confusing as heck, but there’s a bunch of outdoor decks tucked away in alleyways like the one below.
How cutesy!
Plus there are dozens of outdoor deck opportunities in the main part of the market, and bars and restaurants fill up QUICK on a hot day. Have some Miller Street Lemon Tea beer at The Grand. Just do it.
Aulde Dubliner is also sweeeeet.
Toronto
We celebrated Cailin’s birthday at the Croc Rock, apparently a cougar bar but with an epic rooftop patio. A MASSIVE rooftop patio. It was a great way to start the evening, even if the scene inside was a little shady and two men chased Cailin and I down the street waving their debit cards when we left.
The Toronto gang.
Sault Ste Marie
The Delta where we stayed had an epic wraparound deck looking out across the water to Michigan. It was kinda weird, knowing just across the way was a different country. Like I said before, borders are weird concepts to island folks like myself.
The food was delish as well. But beware the goose guns sometimes used at the stadium next door: it’s a “gun” that cracks loudly to scare off pesky geese. And I was thinking the whole time geese were majestic, respected creatures. Not so!
St. John’s
Naturally I had to share my local favourite—the Sundeck! Actually, it might be the only real large deck in the city. I’m not sure. But lately I’ve been spending entirely too much time here sucking back Caesars and getting a tan while creeping on guys. Plus they have this thing every Thursday night called 12-for-20…which, turns out, is really 3-for-5. Who knew?
Where’s your favourite deck? I want to visit.
