What to See & Do in Montreal – 2024 Canadian Grand Prix

Your guide to the best off-track activities in Montreal at the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix 2024. Street parties, nightlife & tourist activities.

  • The 2024 Canadian Grand Prix takes place from June 7-9
  • Tickets are now on sale. We also recommend F1 Experiences Packages
  • This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links

If you have read our Accommodation guide for the Canadian Grand Prix, you will know that we recommend staying in the downtown area of Montreal if you can afford it. It’s easy to get to the track from downtown using the Metro and the center is one big party zone during Grand Prix weekend. Montreal has a well-deserved reputation for the quality of its dining and bar scene, and summer is the best time to experience it.

Crescent Street

Join your fellow F1 fans on Crescent Street, which gets closed off on Grand Prix weekend and is the place to go to eat, drink and party with F1-themed displays and demonstrations and a stage with DJs and live music. There’s plenty of pubs, clubs and restaurants to choose from as well. In recent years, the street party has also extended to nearby de Maisonneuve street. More information about Crescent Street’s programme of events is available here.

Montreal Downtown

  • The main commercial street in downtown Montreal, St Catherine Street, runs through the heart of the business and shopping centre of the city, parallel to Montreal’s vast Underground City. A massive complex of interconnected spaces, both below ground and above. the Underground City comprises offices, shopping centres, hotels, apartments, universities and no less than seven metro stations
  • Quartier des Spectacles, Montreal’s entertainment district, is the home of many of the city’s summer festivals – the area includes over 30 performance venues including the Place de Arts cultural complex. The Latin Quarter is worth checking out for its theatres, cafes, boutiques and nightlife.
  • The eastern end of St Catherine Street is where you will find the city’s Gay Village – during the summer months, this part of the street is closed to traffic and turns into an open air market that’s also popular for alfresco drinking and dining.
  • Some of the hippest areas of Montreal can be found near Parc Mont Royal in the Plateau and Mile End districts. The Plateau is a working-class area being transformed by its artistic and bohemian artist residents, whilst Mile End is the hub of Montreal’s excellent music scene. In these areas, head to St Laurent Street and St Denis Street for diverse nightlife, trendy restaurants (the best Italian food in the city is in Little Italy) and live music.
  • The Montreal Fringe Festival (dates TBC for 2024) is in full swing on Grand Prix weekend in the Plateau-Mont-Royal area, with theater, comedy, dance, music & visual art performances at various venues.

Old Montreal

To see Old Montreal, take the orange Metro line to Place d’Armes. This historic area, including the Old Port next to the river, has some interesting landmarks including the neogothic Notre-Dame Basilica. Take a walk down St Paul Street, known for its cafes and art galleries or visit the Montreal Science Centre. Montreal’s Chinatown area is also nearby.

Parc Mont Royal

Montreal has some wonderful parks and green spaces, and Parc Mont Royal is the best. This vast park, designed by the same landscape architect responsible for Central Park in New York, is spread over 470 hectares. Head up to the elevated parts of the park to get a wonderful view of the city below.

Habitat 67 & Parc Jean Drapeau

  • If you are a fan of modernist architecture, be sure to check out Habitat 67, a housing community designed for Expo 67. From Habitat 67’s location next to the St Lawrence river, it’s possible to cross the Concorde bridge to the man made islands which comprise Parc Jean Drapeau and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
  • The Montreal Biosphere is also situated close to the circuit. The large dome building, which you’ll frequently spot when watching the Canadian Grand Prix on TV, houses an environment museum which you can enter for $15 CAD.
  • The Casino de Montréal is also situated on Parc Jean Drapeau, very close to the hairpin and main grandstand. Even if you don’t want to gamble, it’s a great place to escape for a meal (several restaurants are located at the casino) or just to use the facilities.
  • Why not hire a BIXI bike (see Getting Around section) and explore the park on the Thursday before the race, when you can also participate in the pitlane walk for fans. More information in our Trackside guide.

More Things to Do in Montreal

  • Visit the Montmorency Falls. A little further afield from the center of Montreal are the impressive Montmorency Falls. The falls are 84 meters high, and are situated on the boundary between the borough of Beauport, and Boischatel. There’s a suspension bridge over the waterfall, as well as a cable car ride which offers brilliant views of the scenery.
  • Take a trip on the Montreal Observation Wheel. The 60 meter tall ferris wheel is open every day from 10am to 11pm and has stunning views of the city. Admission is $25 CAD for adults.
  • More Information: Visit the Tourisme-Montreal website. Find the best restaurants in Montreal on RestoMontreal. For upcoming cultural events in the city, CultMontreal is a good source.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Montreal? Leave a comment below!

16 thoughts on “What to See & Do in Montreal – 2024 Canadian Grand Prix”

  1. We have tickets for Platine Stand, but most maps do not show this stand, any information please

  2. Hey, we unfortunately don’t have tickets for the track. Is there any activities with or without the pilots, as for example a show race trough the city or something else?
    If so, when and where will it be?
    Thanks in advance.

    1. Hi Lukas, no race through the city, but you can head down to Crescent Street or Peel Street in the city centre and watch it on the big screen.

  3. is there any way to know what time i should show up on thursday at the track to have a chance to meet the drivers?

    1. Hi Cory, the Open House at the Canadian Grand Prix takes place from 9am to midday at the Canadian Grand Prix (at least it did last year). There’s a lot of people, so I suggest getting there earlier if you want a good spot for the autograph sessions. More info in our Trackside Guide

  4. Will there be a way to meet drivers at the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix? Just bought our tix!! We went through F1 Experiences and have access Thur-Sun. Thanks!

    1. Hi Amy, good for you. You will have a great time in Montreal with F1 Experiences. Normally the best time to see the drivers is when the circuit has “Open House” on Thursday morning. You can do a pit lane walk, and normally there is a drivers autograph session too – however, I can’t confirm definitely that this will happen in 2022 if there are still some COVID restrictions. Depending on the package you have with F1 Experiences, it’s also possible that you will meet a driver or two with them. Some packages have a guest appearance by a driver, and some have access to the F1 Paddock – where there’s a very good chance to get close to the drivers. More information about Open House is in our Trackside post.

  5. Bought my tickets for grandstand 21 being that is closest to the entrance! So excited to go my first GP. I’m looking forward to the whole experience in downtown and partying with the fans!

    I won’t arrive until Friday afternoon though, just before P2, do you know if I can take an Uber or metro directly from the airport?

    1. For sure you can take an Uber direct from the airport to the circuit, but you may be better dropping your bags off first at wherever you are staying – you may not get into the circuit with a large bag. It’s also possible to take public transport all the way – airport bus, followed by the Metro.

  6. Hi. I am traveling from NY with my son who is seven years old. This will be our first Formula 1 experience and we are so excited. What do you recommend for us to see the drivers and get autographs? We will be arriving on the 18th. Is there going to be any special events for kids?

    1. Hi Andy, that will be a great experience with your son. The best chance to see drivers is normally at the open house on Thursday morning, but this is not yet confirmed for 2022 – and you won’t be there till Saturday! Otherwise it’s hard to meet drivers at the track in Montreal without a Paddock pass. The only other thing I can suggest would be to check out a few of the best 5-star hotels in the centre of Montreal. You will probably see some other fans waiting around if a team/s are staying there.

  7. Hi Andrew, we are staying in Old Montreal. Whats the most convenient way to get to the track?
    Thanks, Jim

    1. Most convenient would probably be the Metro, but try to avoid travelling to/from the circuit at peak times as there will be delays/queues. Otherwise, you can try to get an Uber or Taxi to take you to the Casino – there’s an entry gate to the circuit from the Casino. But all depends where you will be sitting/watching the action.

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