The province of Quebec is gorgeous! With centuries of history, stunning landscapes and beautiful coastlines it’s one of Canada’s most-gorgeous places to visit. So, to help you see as many of the best places in Quebec as possible, I wanted to share some of our very favourite pit-stops that you can’t miss. After all, Quebec is a Canadian gem that you have to make the most of.
Of course, the province is known for its exciting cities like Montreal and historic cities like Quebec City. Though, there’s so much more to include on a trip to Quebec that goes beyond its cities and explores the natural spots that are just as impressive.
Let’s start by setting some content – Quebec, as a province, is huge! You can drive over 1000 kilometres from Quebec City and still not reached halfway to the northerly coast of the province.
It’s totally vast, untouched and incredible unspoilt.
That being said, you don’t need to travel for days to reach the gorgeous gems of Quebec. Even dotted a few hours from the main cities are a heap of the best places in Quebec that are too good to miss. So, with a little planning and an explorers spirit, you can easily see a slice of this stunning province that’s within easy reach.
Take a look, below, at some of the best places in Quebec to visit. Have an epic trip!
1.) Quebec City
With centuries of history, Quebec City is one stop you have to make in the province.
With an old school charm, the historic centre of Quebec (around Old Quebec) has to be your first stop. Once here, be sure to explore Petit Champlain for the charming cobbled streets and stone townhouses that date back centuries. You’ll find a treasure-trove of little boutiques, independent cafes and a heap of tasty restaurants, too.
For a tasty lunch, head over to Le Lapin Sauté for their Cassoulet with fresh scallops. So good!
After filling up, be sure to explore more within the historic city walls. Be sure to stop at the Citadel (the largest British built fortress in North America), visit the Plains of Abraham, and Notre Dame Basilica (one of the oldest Cathedrals in North America).
For a sumptuous stay, check into the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. It’s such a stunner of a property and also has a heap of tasty foodie joints inside. We loved it.
Oh yeah, and beyond the neighbourhood of Beauport, Montmorency Falls to see walk across the suspension bridge and see the power of this mighty fall!
Fancy a jaunt away from the city itself, head on over to Île d’Orléans that’s less than 30-minutes away from Old Quebec by car. This gorgeous island has heaps of history and lots of little apple-picking farms, cute hamlets and a few tasty stops to find a bite to eat.
Cassis Monna & Filles was our favourite spot where we gorged on all the poutine!
Read more: Exploring the city of Quebec
2.) Montcalm
This was totally special and actually pretty remote (even though it’s only around an hour from Montreal). Here, you can spend some time exploring the gorgeous lakes and hiking area (around Sentier Mont Larose) that are totally stunning.
Honestly, it’s hard to believe you’re so close to Montreal as it totally feels like you’re a million miles away!
We headed over to Amishk Aboriginal Adventures where we totally fell in love with this area. Here, we canoed across the lake, checked into our own little camp (with a roaring fire) and headed out into the wilderness with one of the guides that introduced us to the local beaver that frequent the lake.
It was such a special experience and one of the best places in Quebec where we saw beavers!
3.) Montreal
In my opinion, one of the prettiest parts of Montreal is the historic, old centre where you have to visit.
If you’re into your history, make sure to pop over to the iconic Notre-Dame Basilica that’s been around for centuries in old Montreal. Just make sure you head inside, the interior is just too beautiful to miss.
For a little stroll (and a bite to eat) take a stroll through Vieux-Port de Montréal (Old Montreal Port area). It really is one of the best places in Quebec to explore, especially when enjoying Montreal. Here, you’ll find a heap of cafes and is gorgeous for a stroll on a sunny day. Oh, and be sure to grab smoked meat poutine from the vendors here… so good and great to warm up on a winter day.
To keep your energy up, head unto Tommy for their tasty coffee blends and freshly baked bagels. Then, you can easily head for a gander for the view from Mount Royal. It’s lovely when the sun is low in the sky.
If the weather takes a turn for the worst (and you’re something of an art fiend), head over to The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Here, they host a range of permanent and temporary exhibitions that are said to be the largest art museum in all of Canada.
Getting hungry? Head over to Ile Flottante that have a totally yummy tasting menu that changes seasonally.
Read more: Best things to do in Montreal
4.) Perce (and surrounding region)
Just shy of Forillon National Park and Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé National Park, is Perce.
One of the best places in Quebec to place yourself as you explore the wider region around the Gaspé Peninsula.
Fancying a trip to Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé, head over on the 45-minute boat ride from Perce which, sometimes can include a trip to see Perce Rock, too.
Though don’t worry if you miss the latter on your trip, you can easily see it from Cap Mont Joli or Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse.
Both are extra special at sunrise.
Also, to make the most of the unspoilt countryside, head to Forillon National Park that’s a hikers dream spot! If you’re fancying a longer hiker (for more experienced hikers), join the Mont St Albans Trail. It can be a challenge at parts but the trails are stunning and views from the observation area are just too good to miss.
The whole coastline around Cap Bon Ami is just too beautiful to miss, too! You might even spot some whales from the towering cliffs.
Getting peckish, head into Perce and visit Bistro Les Sacs Vin for their freshly caught lobster and homemade, fuffy, fishcakes. So good!
Finally, if you want the views, without a strenuous hike, head over to Suspended Glass Platform that’s a short drive from the coast itself.
5.) Omega Park
We hadn’t actually planned to visit Omega Park and it was by luck we found it on our last day in Canada!
Along a 12-kilometre gravel route, you’ll get to see some of Canada’s most iconic mammals that roam the land. From Arctic Wolf, Black bears and Bison, you’ll see them all roaming this vast expanse of open land (over 2000 acres) within the beautiful Outaouais region of Quebec.
Taking around 3-hours to visit, it’s the perfect way to see that’s within easy reach of the city of Gatineau, or Ottawa (Canada’s capital) in Ontario.
Read more: Best places in Canada to visit
6.) Monteregie
Nestled within the southwest of Quebec, Monteregie is an easy-to-reach area that’s perched roughly halfway between Gatineau and Quebec and right on the doorstep of the Montreal’s city limits.
For some easy to reach skiing spots near Montreal, head over to Mont Rigaud. Best of all, they’ve got a range of slopes, for all abilities, so you don’t need to be a pro to master these slopes!
Don’t forget to pop by the reconstructed Iroquoian village at the Tsiionhiakwatha-Droulers Archaeological Centre. Here, you’ll get to explore the First Nation’s heritage, culture and vitally important history. It’s a small little place that’s easy to stop by when driving near the US/Canada border area.
Also, the whole around Monteregie has thousands of kilometres of hiking trails which are within easy reach of the city. Mont-Saint-Bruno National Park is great for hiking in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter. You can easily spend a long afternoon here.
7.) Sacacomie Lake
Another one of the best places in Quebec to be at one with nature, Sacacomie Lake is a Canadian gem that you can’t miss.
Along the way, we headed to the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations to learn more about the First Nations people in this area of Quebec. It was a great little spot (in Wendake) and a perfect place for lunch (or to stay overnight) before heading over to Lake itself.
After arriving in Sacacomie, we checked into the Sacacomie Hotel, which is an alpine retreat right in the heart of the forest. From here, you can head out on the trails that surround the lake or pop into their outdoor Nordic Spa.
This was amazing and we spent a good few hours chilling here.
If you’re feeling adventurous, book an ATV tour (we did this through the hotel) and had such an epic time!
Scaling the backroads and more hidden areas of the region, it was totally fun.
Read more: Things to do at Scacomie Lake
8.) Laurentides
cycling in this gorgeous region of Quebec is a popular pastime! Trust me, you’ll see plenty of locals and visitors hopping on the trails and routes here.
With more than 300+ cycle paths, you’re gonna be spoilt for choice. Some are long and pretty tough, whilst others can be a total breeze. For instance, the trail ‘Le p’tit train du Nord’ is over 200km long and uses a former railway line. This means the route is pretty flat but you might not want to try the whole length in one go!
It’s easily one of the best places in Quebec to explore If you love cycling and getting out of the cities – you’ll have a blast.
9.) Tremblant
Around a 100-minute drive from the centre of Montreal, Mont Tremblant is a four-season mountain retreat in the heart of the Laurentians in Quebec province.
In the chillier months, there’s a heap of slopes and trails to suit all abilities – this all means you don’t need to be an Olympian to scale the slopes here! After a day in the mountains, head for some well-deserved après ski tipples in one of the foodies spots just shy of Tremblant Lake; La Savoie is so delicious, especially for their fondue and raclette.
Read more: Best places in Canada to visit
10.) Trois-Rivières
On highway 40 (from Quebec City to Montreal), Trois-Rivières is a spot that’s totally easy to visit for a half-day stop whilst following the St Lawrence River.
If you fancy stretching your legs, head to the Old Jail for a little gander. Opened way back in 1822, it’s now a pretty macabre but totally interesting spot to take a gander. Once here, you can visit the cells; make sure you don’t get locked inside!
Alternatively, if that’s not your thing, head to the nearby Musée des Ursulines, a cosy little museum that costs around $5 to enter. A perfect little stopping point if you love history; if not, give it a miss!
11.) Lac Blanc
Around a 2-hour drive from the centre of Montreal, Lac Blanc might seem small and totally remote but that’s all part of its charm. For us, it’s easily one of the best places in Quebec to visit in fall; especially with the changing colours and warm hues. It’s magical.
To make the most of this, we took a helicopter tour to see the fall colours and it was out-of-this-world! We organised it from Pourvoirie du Lac Blanc (where you can stay) and it took off just shy of the Lac Blanc shoreline.
Honestly, if you’re planning to go, go in fall!
Afterwards, you can head out on the forest trails, explore this stunning part of Quebec and just enjoy it! We didn’t wanna leave and it was so chilled.
Alternatively, check into Auberge du Lac Taureau, as we did after visiting Lac Blanc. Here, we headed out on a cosy little boat around Taureau Lake and hunkered down in the cabin-style hotel for a nice bit of relaxation. So good.
Read more: Our time exploring Lac Blanc and Taureau Lake
12.) Pointe-Au-Père
On the southern coast of the St Lawrence River, Pointe-Au-Père is around a 4-hour drive east of Gaspe and 3.5 hours from Quebec City. This makes it a perfect stopping point if you’re heading towards Gaspe and looking for a spot to stay and chill.
Here, you’ll get to explore the Maritime Historic Site, that houses items from the shipwreck of the Empress, the lighthouse station and the Onondaga submarine (the first open to the public in all of Canada).
Also, stop by the totally informal Resto de la Mer. It might not look like a fancy high-end haunt but they make tasty poutine that’ll hit any hunger spot!
13.) Gatineau
Right on the border with Ottawa, Canada’s capital within Ontario, Gatineau is just over the Ottawa River, facing the gorgeous Parliament of Canada.
Be sure to explore the Canadian Museum of History and give yourself lots of time for the exhibits; we spent a whole morning here. Also, be sure to stop by the Canadian Children’s Museum right next door. You can literally spend a day in just these two places.
Getting hungry, reserve a table at Le Cellier; they serve up a French seasonal menu that’s so good! We left stuffed.
These alone make it one of the best places in Quebec to spend a long weekend, especially as you can partner this up with a trip to Ottawa, in Ontario, too!
14.) Lac-Supérieur
Just shy of Mont Tremblant, Lake Superior (Lac-Supérieur) is easy to visit whilst travelling for some ski or trails at Mont Tremblant itself. Totally unspoilt, Lake Superior is one of the best places in Quebec to visit if you’re fancying some easy-to-access ‘great outdoors’.
Here, you’ll be able to check into one of the waterfront chalets, head out on the trails that surround the lake and even explore the wider Mont-Tremblant Park from here.
Read more: Best places in Canada to visit
15.) Saguenay Fjord National Park
Arguably one of the best places in Quebec to visit if you love nature, the Saguenay Fjord National Park is vast and totally immense. Around a 3-hour drive from Quebec City, you can easily head here for a long weekend or part of a wider Quebec road trip.
For the hikers, take the Statue of our Lady of Saguenay trail; though it can get pretty strenuous at points, so be prepared and layer up, too.
You can also take a gorgeous cruise from Baie-Éternité wharf, which also has a heated deck for the chillier months. The whole area is stunning; just be sure to plan in advance on the type of things you’d like to do best. It’s a huge place.
16.) Bic National Park
Another gem perched on the shoreline of St Lawrence River, it’s a worthy stopping point on your trip further west (or east). Although quite a bit smaller than other national parks, it’s still got a heap of trails, seal spotting sites and yurts to book for a cosy camping trip.
Well worth the visit in Summer, though, Bic National Park do manage the trails in the winter months (Friday-Sunday).
17.) Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park
A massive UNESCO protected biosphere reserve, Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park is nestled northeast of Quebec City.
In the winter months, you’ve got everything from backcountry skiing, ice skating, fat bike areas and the most gorgeous routes for snowshoeing. Though, don’t think it’s all about the winter months here; there’s so much to do in summer!
In the milder months, you can actually head out on a rabaska canoe, which you can rent on-site and when you arrive. Also, it’s a great place to glide across the Malbaie River whilst paddle boarding. This is always so much fun and totally love just slowing down and taking all that nature in.
It really is one of the best places in Quebec to totally relax in nature. You can easily spend 3-4 days here and not get bored!
Read more: Best places in Canada to visit
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