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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Hudson
Go for one day from Montreal: 45 min by car, walk Main Road, eat by the lake. Sleep only if you want the Oka ferry and a slow morning.
Hudson is a small lakeside town of about 5,100 people on the south shore of the Lake of Two Mountains, 60 km west of Montreal. Its pull is a walkable Main Road of old houses, antique and craft shops, two public lake accesses and a summer theatre. Most visitors come for a day; a night makes sense if you add the Oka ferry or a maple farm.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Oct; early October for fall colour
- Avoid
- Jan–Mar (cold, wind, lake frozen)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$60–100 excl. bed · Mid C$110–180 excl. bed · High C$200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3–5 |
| Pub main (burger, poutine, fish and chips) | C$16–26 |
| Bistro small plates | C$25–35 per person |
| Draught beer | C$7–9 |
| Taxi, short hop in town | C$12–20 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YUL · Montréal-Trudeau
- About 55 km (34 mi) east; drive 50–70 min via Autoroute 40, longer at rush hour.About 34 mi (55 km) east; drive 50–70 min via Autoroute 40, longer at rush hour.
Typical fares
- Montreal → Hudson by car
- about 45 min off-peak, fuel about C$10–15 each way
- Exo Vaudreuil–Hudson line
- commuter fare from Montreal; many trains end at Vaudreuil with a bus transfer (check)
- Hudson → Oka ferry
- seasonal, spring to autumn; car and passenger fare (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Main Road is the spine and the centre is walkable in about 20 min. A car is the practical way to reach Finnegan's market, the golf clubs and the ferry landing. Local taxis cover short hops; the Exo Vaudreuil–Hudson commuter line runs from Montreal but most trains end at Vaudreuil with a bus transfer.
See and do
Known for
- Main Road heritage houses
- Finnegan's market
- Hudson Village Theatre
- Lake of Two Mountains views
- Antique and craft shops
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rigaud | Drive west on Autoroute 40 or Main Road, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Vaudreuil-Dorion | Drive east on Autoroute 40, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Oka | Hudson–Oka car ferry across the lake, seasonal | About 30–45 min |
| Montréal | Drive Autoroute 40 east, about 45 min off-peak | 45–90 min |
Sleep
- Main Road town centre
- Walk to shops, theatre and Sandy Beach; the only real base in town.
- East end near Willow Place
- Lakefront inn and terrace about 2 km (1.2 mi) east of the centre; quieter, needs a car.Lakefront inn and terrace about 1.2 mi (2 km) east of the centre; quieter, needs a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo PLEH |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-LET |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Exo trains often terminate at Vaudreuil: check the timetable before you rely on the train.
- The Oka ferry runs spring to autumn only; the lake freezes in winter.
- Side streets off Main Road (Bellevue, Cameron, Côte-Saint-Charles) are steep.
- Mosquitoes near the shore in summer: bring repellent.
- Many shops and the market keep seasonal, limited hours: check before you go.
A quiet, low-crime small town; the real issues are winter cold, mosquitoes by the water and unlit rural roads at night. 911 for anything urgent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Hudson yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Main Road heritage houses
- Finnegan's market
- Hudson Village Theatre
- Lake of Two Mountains views
- Antique and craft shops
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ville de Hudson — official site: hudson.quebec/
- Exo — Vaudreuil–Hudson line: exo.quebec/en/trip-planner/train/vaudreuil%E2%80%93hudson
- Tourisme Québec: www.quebecoriginal.com/en/
- Wikivoyage: Hudson (Quebec), revision 5259643 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5259643
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Hudson
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Hudson; the US consulate general and most others are in Montreal.
French is the main language in Québec; English is widely spoken in Hudson.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/hudson-quebec). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.