I fell in love with Montreal when I was a college student at McGill University in the 1970s, but going back with my family was like visiting a whole new place. French is still heard everywhere (it's the second-largest French-speaking city in the world), as are Italian, Arabic, Greek, Portuguese, and, of course, English, making it arguably the most cosmopolitan city in North America. But frankly, my sons -- 10-year-old Anthony and 13-year-old John -- aren't looking for sophistication; they just want to have a good time. Luckily, Montreal has some truly wonderful family-oriented attractions. We make the three-hour drive from our home in upstate New York as often as we can during its short but lively summer season. Here is what we like to do and see after we've crossed the border.

Our base of operations:  Old Montreal, with its European flair, is our favorite place to stay. The nearly 400-year-old stone architecture has always made me feel as if I'm walking through a medieval walled town, and there are beaucoup souvenir shops to amuse the kids. Best of all, we're only steps from the Old Port. We usually stay at the Holiday Inn Select Downtown. Although it's a few blocks uphill on the edge of Chinatown, this pagoda-topped marvel offers balconied rooms with magical views of the weekly summertime fireworks shows. It's worth the walk and the price (starting at $143 a night; yul-downtown.hiselect.com). For more Old Montreal lodging options, go to vieux.montreal.qc.ca/eng/accueila.htm.

Why we love Old Port:  Old Montreal has the history; the Old Port has the fun. On one trip, we spent an evening climbing through rope nets and making our way over obstacle courses in the Labyrinth, a mystery maze inside a huge converted warehouse ($9 to $11; labyrintheduhang ar16.com/en). Outside, we've pedaled our bicycles along the traffic-free Promenade past street vendors, artists, and entertainers. We've also explored the path on a few more unusual vehicles: a Quadricycle, a multipassenger pedal car ($16 an hour; 514-849-9953), and three-wheeled FunCycles, a family favorite (call 514-847-0666 for prices).

A destination we all dig:  With more than 30 outdoor gardens, the sprawling 200-acre Jardin Botanique de Montreal has enough to keep our kids busy for an entire morning. The collection of live creatures -- giant spiders, giant cockroaches, giant centipedes (you get the idea) -- at the garden's Insectarium gives me a serious case of the willies but was a major hit with the boys (combination tickets available; museumsnature.ca).

Worth the walk:  From my old college dorm halfway up Mount Royal (the "mont" that gives the city its name), I would stroll along Olmsted Road, a picturesque switchback route that gradually climbs the mountain. But for a real workout, you can start from downtown at the corner of Peel and Pine streets and take the stairs -- all 200-plus of them -- straight to the top. It figures that the first time I led my family up this way also happened to be the hottest day in years. Thank goodness there was ice cream at the summit and great views of the surrounding hills (find tips for your climb at lemontroyal.qc.ca/en_index3.html).

My family's idea of exotic fare:  It was in the budget-friendly eateries around McGill that I first fell in love with Portuguese paella, Greek souvlaki, and Polish pierogi. Sadly, my picky eaters aren't as adventurous. So far, their favorite Montreal delicacy is the bagel. Cooked in wood-burning ovens, Montreal bagels are thinner, crisper, and a little sweeter than their American counterparts and come in black (poppy) and white (sesame). We always stop at St.-Viateur Bagel Shop for a dozen of each ($5 per dozen; stviateurbagel.com). It's our Montreal comfort food for the drive home.