Best Things to Do in Montreal, Canada with a Group

Montreal, Canada: French Soul, Street Art Energy, Zero Pretense

Why Your Group Will Love Montreal

You get the European café vibe without the transatlantic flight or the price tag. Montreal delivers cobblestone streets, late-night poutine runs, and some of the best things to do in Montreal Quebec Canada packed into walkable neighborhoods where half the conversations happen in French and the other half in Franglais. Your friend group can bounce from a gallery opening in Mile End to a basement show in the Plateau without ever feeling like tourists checking boxes.

The city runs on a different rhythm than the rest of North America. Dinner starts at 9pm, bars stay open until 3am, and Sunday brunch bleeds into happy hour. For a group trip, that flexibility matters—no one's rushing anyone, and the infrastructure (metro, bike shares, late-night food) actually supports spontaneity instead of punishing it.

Getting There & First Steps

Fly into Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The 747 express bus runs 24/7 to downtown for $11 CAD—way cheaper than splitting an Uber unless you've got 6+ people and serious luggage. It drops you at major metro stops, and the whole system is stupid easy to navigate.

Grab an OPUS card at any metro station and load it with unlimited weekend passes if you're here Friday through Sunday ($14.50 CAD). The metro shuts down around 1am weeknights and 2am weekends, but night buses cover the same routes. Download the STM app for live times.

Start in Old Montreal if you want the postcard shots, but don't spend your whole trip there. The real energy lives in Mile End, the Plateau, and Little Burgundy.

Top Group Activities in Montreal

Mile End Street Art Walk: Rent bikes through BIXI (the public bike share) and cruise the alleys between Saint-Laurent and Saint-Urbain. The murals shift constantly—look for the massive Leonard Cohen portrait on Crescent Street and the geometric pieces behind Fairmount Bagel. Go mid-afternoon when light hits the east-facing walls.

Mount Royal Hike & Tam-Tams: The Sunday drum circle at the George-Étienne Cartier Monument gets massive in summer—hundreds of people, bring beers (it's technically allowed in parks with food), and post up on the grass. Hike to the Kondiaronk Belvedere lookout before sunset for skyline views that actually deliver. Winter? Rent cross-country skis or sleds.

Jean-Talon Market: Hit this on a Saturday morning for the full chaos—stalls piled with Quebec cheeses, smoked meats, and maple everything. Grab supplies for a picnic, or just eat your way through: fresh cider donuts, tourtière samples, and espresso from Café San Simeon. Things to see and do in Montreal often get reduced to tourist traps, but this market stays real because locals actually shop here.

Underground City (RÉSO): When weekend weather Montreal throws snow or freezing rain at you, 20+ miles of underground tunnels connect metro stations, malls, food courts, and bars. It sounds dystopian but it's actually brilliant—you can bar-hop in a t-shirt while it's -15°C outside.

Where to Eat & Drink

Schwartz's Deli: The smoked meat here justifies the line. Go at 2pm to avoid the worst of it, order medium-fat, and split a few sandwiches family-style so everyone tries it without falling into a meat coma.

Joe Beef or Liverpool House: If your group's doing one splurge dinner, these sister restaurants in Little Burgundy nail the upscale-but-not-stuffy vibe. Reserve two weeks out minimum. Expect $60-80 per person with wine.

Dieu du Ciel!: Craft brewery in the Plateau with wild experimental beers (the Rosée d'Hibiscus is a move) and a back patio that gets packed Thursday through Sunday. No food, but you can order delivery to the bar.

Au Pied de Cochon: Peak Quebec indulgence—foie gras poutine, duck-in-a-can, sugar shack plates in winter. It's a scene. Book ahead or show up right when they open.

Bagels at 3am: Montreal bagels hit different than New York ones—smaller, denser, sweeter. St-Viateur and Fairmount both stay open 24/7. Grab a dozen sesame bagels after the bars close, eat half on the walk home.

Where to Stay Together

Airbnb in the Plateau or Mile End: For 6-8 people, rent a full triplex apartment with multiple floors. You'll pay $80-120 per person per night and get a kitchen, backyard, and real neighborhood feel. Things to do in old city Montreal are walkable or a quick metro ride away.

HI Montreal Hostel: Private group rooms sleep 4-6 for about $45-60 per person. Central location, rooftop terrace, and you'll meet other travelers if your group's into that.

Hotel Gault or Hotel William Gray: If you're leaning boutique, these deliver design-forward rooms in Old Montreal without the corporate chain vibe. Expect $150-200 per person for doubles.

Budget Breakdown

Low-end: $75-100/day per person. Hostel or budget Airbnb, metro passes, bagels and dep (corner store) snacks, cheap eats like La Banquise for poutine, BYOB restaurants (Montreal lets you bring wine to most spots for a small corkage fee).

Mid-range: $150-200/day. Decent Airbnb, mix of casual and nicer meals, a few craft cocktail bars, museum entries, bike rentals.

High-end: $250+/day. Boutique hotel, Joe Beef-level dinners, bottle service at a club like Stereo, vintage shopping on Saint-Laurent.

Money-saving hacks: Hit up "apportez votre vin" (BYOB) restaurants—grab a bottle from the SAQ liquor store for $15-20 and pay $2-5 corkage instead of restaurant wine markups. Also, most museums offer free or pay-what-you-can evenings once a week—check schedules for Musée des Beaux-Arts and PHI Centre.

Worth the splurge: One big dinner at a Montreal institution. The food scene here punches way above its weight class, and these meals create the trip memories that last.

Ready to Plan? Use BangerTrip

Coordinating when half your group wants street art crawls, two people are vegetarian, and someone's obsessed with finding the best smoked meat gets messy fast. BangerTrip builds itineraries actually designed for groups—not solo backpackers or couples—so you can align on Mount Royal hikes, BYOB dinner spots, and whether you're splurging on Joe Beef before anyone books flights. You orchestrate the trip. We handle the rest.