The Thanksgiving Dinner Pitch: How to Bring Up Your Montreal March Break Trip With Your Family

Thanksgiving is one of the best times to ask your parents about a Montreal March Break trip. Everyone is home, the mood is good, and there’s still plenty of time to plan. Go in prepared: know who’s supervising, how the trip works, what it costs and how payments are spread out. When you can answer their questions before they ask them, “we’ll see” turns into “let’s look into it” a lot faster.

Why Thanksgiving is the perfect moment

• Everyone’s at the same table. No chasing your parents between work, practice and errands.
• The timing works. March Break is still months away, which means time to plan, budget and spread out payments.
• It’s literally a holiday about being grateful. Lead with that energy and you’re already ahead.

Before dinner: do your homework

Don’t walk in with “can I go to Montreal with my friends?” and nothing else. Spend 15 minutes beforehand on our Parent Info page and our FAQs so you’ve got real answers ready. Even better, know which friends are going too. Parents feel a lot better when they know the group.

The pitch: what your parents will ask (and what to say)

“Who’s supervising you?”

What to say: “Breakaway Tours has a trained team on the trip, about one team member for every 30 travellers. Every team member goes through a full background check and training before they travel, and someone on the team can be reached through the hotel front desk overnight in case of an emergency.”

“How do we know this company is legit?”

What to say: “They’ve been running trips for over 30 years and have taken more than 30,000 students. They even have a whole guide for parents.” Then pull up Everything Parents Need to Know About Breakaway Tours and hand over your phone.

“What are the rules?”

What to say: “There’s a code of conduct everyone has to follow. Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., there’s a daily sign-in, and I have to wear my Breakaway Tours wristband the whole trip. Things like fighting, drugs and harassment aren’t tolerated, and there are no exceptions.”

Trust us: bringing up the rules yourself earns you major points.

Bonus: quiet hours mean you’ll actually get some sleep, and the Sleep Foundation has tips for sleeping well in a hotel if you’re not used to it.

“How are you getting there?”

What to say: “We travel by bus, and pickup spots are usually central, like community centres, arenas or parking lots. There’s no alcohol and no smoking on the buses.”

“Do you need a passport?”

What to say: “Nope. Montreal is in Canada, so I just need a valid photo ID with my full name and picture, like a driver’s licence or health card. Breakaway Tours actually recommends leaving passports at home.”

“How much is this going to cost?”

What to say: “There’s a deposit to hold my spot, and then monthly payments until the final balance, which is due about 60 days before we leave. Meals aren’t included, so I’d budget around $30 to $40 a day for food.” Bonus points if you offer to help pay with a part-time job or birthday money. 

“What if plans change?”

What to say: “There’s an optional insurance plan with cancel-for-any-reason coverage, but it has to be bought within 72 hours of registering. Without it, there aren’t refunds, so that’s something we should decide together.” Being upfront about this shows you’ve actually thought it through.

“What would you even do there?”

What to say: “Explore the city, do winter activities like skiing and snow tubing, and go to exclusive Breakaway night events.” Then show them the best spots to hit in Montreal and our March Break 2026 recap so they can see it for themselves.

What not to do

• Don’t ambush them mid-turkey-carving. Wait until everyone’s sitting down and relaxed, or save it for dessert.
• Don’t lead with the night events. Start with supervision and safety, then get to the fun stuff.
• Don’t push for an answer on the spot. Offer to send them the links after dinner so they can read on their own time.
• Don’t forget to say thank you, whatever the answer. It’s Thanksgiving after all.

Parents, if you’re reading this

We get it. Sending your teen on a trip without you is a big decision, and you should have every answer you need before making it. Our Parent Info page covers supervision, our code of conduct, transportation and payments in detail. If you’re still comparing options, here’s why it pays to start researching March Break trips now. And if you have a question we haven’t answered, reach out to us directly. We’re happy to talk it through.

And if the conversation at dinner doesn’t go perfectly, that’s okay. Psychology Today has a great read on how to have a conversation with a teen, not make a point.