The Canadian province of Québec offers a mix of natural beauty and cosmopolitan amenities with a heavy sprinkling of dining that focuses on local flavors and ingredients. The area, first occupied by the Huron-Wendat Nation, was settled by French colonists and now has gorgeous stone architecture and winding cobblestone streets making it a unique destination in North America. Depending on where in the United States you are located, Québec is easily accessible by a short flight or drivable from many major U.S. cities such as New York City and Boston. Just don't forget your passport.
Make Montréal your first stop on a road trip of Québec, where you can travel along the Saint Lawrence River, taking in the natural beauty, absorbing the warm weather of summer or the crisp air of fall. With stops in Trois-Rivières, Québec City, Île d'Orléans, Charlevoix and Tadoussac, you'll see mountains, fjords and lush valleys along the way. These stops offer the chance to try locally grown foods, explore historic cities, luxuriate in spas and bask in natural landscapes.
1. Montréal
Start your road trip in Montréal, a Canadian city with much to offer, from architecture that offers a European feel to delicious restaurants and more. Spend your day touring Vieux-Montréal (Old Montréal in English) either on your own or on a guided tour. Among the things to see is Rue Saint-Paul, known as the oldest street in Montréal. In the summer months, the outdoor seating at cafés that line the windy cobblestone street offers the chance to linger and enjoy dining while drinking in Montréal's sunshine.
Notre-Dame Basilica, a church built in the Gothic Revival style, is a must-see. Inside the impressive structure is detailed stained glass and decorative archways that draw the eye up to the ceiling adorned with gilding and flower-shaped windows.
Also, stroll through Montréal's Old Port. The waterfront views of the Saint Lawrence are refreshing, and you'll find tons of activities. The La Grande Roue de Montréal, a large Ferris wheel, offers a bird's-eye view of the city. Plus, there are food stalls, pedal boats, bungee jumping and a science museum. It's also the location of many events, including Cirque du Soleil shows. Did you know Montréal is home to the circus company's headquarters?
If you'd like to do some shopping, check out Bonsecours Market. The building is a National Historic Site and is easily recognized by its large silver dome. In the market are boutiques and galleries selling goods made by artisans, designers and craftspeople.
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2. Trois-Rivières
About 90 miles - 2 hours and 30 minutes on Chemin du Roy
Depart Montréal following Route 138, also known as the Chemin du Roy (aka The King's Road). It's a historic route that runs along the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River. At Trois-Rivières, walk the town's oldest district, where the architecture is reminiscent of European cities and the restaurant seating stretches out onto the sidewalks, much like the cafés of Paris.
If you want to learn more about the area, visit some of the museums and tour the historic building. Visit Boréalis, where you can learn about the paper industry that once dominated the region and explore Québec's pop culture at Musée POP.
To satisfy your sense of adventure, rent a kayak and paddle in the Saint-Maurice River or head out to the Mauricie National Park. The hiking trails in the park are especially picturesque in fall, when you'll be treated to bursts of colors as the green leaves transform into autumnal shades. The peak of fall foliage season is typically in October.
If traveling during the summer, perhaps time your trip to coincide with some of the festivities in Trois-Rivières. During Le FestiVoix de Trois Rivières, there are more than 130 musical performances on 15 stages over 9 days in late June and early July. Or come during the Cirque du Soleil Tribute Series from mid-July to mid-August and watch an awe-inspiring circus that pays tribute to a different musical artist each year.
3. Québec City
About 80 miles - 2 hours on Chemin du Roy
Much like Montréal, Québec City has an Old-World feel, especially in the Old Québec, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Dufferin Terrace offers views that look out onto the Saint Lawrence River. You can even see the island Île d'Orléans, the next stop on our Québec road trip. From the terrace, you can also see Le Château Frontenac, a palatial AAA Four Diamond hotel that first opened in 1893 and was built to attract those traveling on luxury trains.
Also visit the Citadelle de Québec within the walls of the Old City. Because the citadel is an active military installation, it can only be visited by guided tour. If visiting between late June through August, time your visit with the Changing of the Guard ceremony, so you can watch the soldiers in their iconic red coats and tall black fur caps play brass and percussion instruments as they march. You can also tour Old Québec from atop the old city walls, aka the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site. Your guide will tell you about the city's history and the wall's construction, while you get some unique views of Québec.
For a combination of shopping and scenery, take a walk down Rue Saint-Jean, which is lined with boutiques, restaurants and historic buildings. The street is especially fun to visit on weekends during the summer when it's closed to traffic and pedestrians can roam freely through the streets. If you like antiques, head over to Rue Saint-Paul in the Old Port district, where several antique dealers have set up shop. You'll also find art galleries in the area.
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4. Île d'Orléans
10 miles - 20 minutes
Depart Québec City and head to Montmorency Falls. The park at the roaring falls offers a cable car where you can ride to the top of a cliff and walk across a suspension bridge that lets you view the falls from above. For a thrill, book a trip on the zipline that'll have you soaring down across the front of the falls.
After spending time at Montmorency Falls, drive to Île d'Orléans, a small island that may have quaint vibes but delivers big when it comes to flavors and scenery. Take the agritourism loop, a road that circles the island. You'll pass through six picturesque villages and be treated to views of the Saint Lawrence River. In the summer, stop at fruit stands along the way to try the fresh, locally grown fruit — strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and more — as well as jams, jellies and syrups. After purchasing your delectable treats, sit at a picnic table or on some Adirondack chairs to snack on your berries, bask in the sun and take in the views. In the fall, head to apple orchards for crisp apples and apple products. Plus, whenever fruit is in season, you can pick your own. Many of the restaurants and food stalls throughout the island focus on local, in-season ingredients and have outdoor seating.
The island is also home to vineyards; spend some time on the island lounging in outdoor spaces while enjoying a tasting of local wines. Cideries on the island also offer tastings. And for a fun pairing, stop at Les Fromages de l'isle d'Orléans, where they make and sell cheese, including a variety using a 17th century recipe.
For travelers who wish to be active, summer offers the chance to cycle, golf and kayak, and winter activities include skating and snowshoeing. To learn more about the history of Île d'Orléans, visit the Maison Drouin, a house built in the 18th century and Maison de nos Aïeux, a history and genealogy center.
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5. The Charlevoix Region
54 miles - 1 hour and 10 minutes
After departing Île d'Orléans, take Route 138 toward the town Baie-Saint-Paul in the Charlevoix region of Québec. Along the way, the lush countryside is decorated with vibrant trees in shades of deep green in summer and bright yellows and reds in fall.
Baie-Saint-Paul offers comfortable hotels and restorative spas with saunas and thermal baths, including Le Germain Charlevoix Hotel & Spa, whose spa features a sauna and steam bath, as well as hot and cold pools. It's a great home base to explore the Charlevoix Region.
Eat your way through Charlevoix's Route des Saveurs, an agritourism trail where where the landscape of local farmers, cheesemakers, cideries and smokehouse make their products and the area's restaurants celebrate the local ingredients with their menus. The tasting menus at Faux Bergers are designed around local, seasonally available ingredients, and Hydromel Charlevoix makes wines and spirits using honey from their own hives located in the Charlevoix region. At their location in Baie-Saint-Paul, take a tour to learn about their winemaking and distilling process and enjoy tasting flight in their tasting room.
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6. La Malbaie and Hautes-Gorges
28 miles - 45 minutes
Continue your journey in Charlevoix to La Malbaie where visiting Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park is a must. The park offers hiking trails where you can spot wildlife from smaller animals like beavers and porcupines to larger mammals like towering black bears and moose. Hikers will also be rewarded with breathtaking views from mountain tops that seem to touch the sky and look down on the gorge below, where dense forest meets the river's edge. Trees cling to enormous cliff faces, appearing like dark green moss on damp river stones that turns to a dusting of yellow as the leaves change colors in autumn.
Hiking isn’t the only way to see this stunning park. Hourlong riverboat tours let visitors float along the river while a park warden tells passengers about the park and details about the natural wonders that surround them. Other activities at Hautes-Gorges include cycling and kayaking.
Back in La Malbaie, the castle-like hotel Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, originally opened in 1899 and rebuilt after a fire in 1928, offers old-world charm. Book a spa treatment and feel like a royal as you relax in a steam room or thermal bath, and perhaps, test your luck at the casino.
Make some time in the evening to marvel at the night sky by joining a guided Stargazing Evening at the Observatoire de l’Astroblème. Weather permitting, you’ll partake in a night of viewing constellations and astronomical bodies through the observatory’s telescopes.
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7. Tadoussac
50 miles - 1 hour and 15 minutes, allow extra time Baie-Sainte-Catherine–Tadoussac Ferry
Go whale watching in Saguenay-Saint Lawrence Marine Park while staying in Tadoussac, the last stop on this road trip of Québec. From land, there are three interpretation and observation centers where you can see giant aquatic mammals while ashore — Cap-de-Bon-Désir in Les Bergeronnes, the Marine Environment Discovery Centre in Les Escoumins and Pointe-Noire in Baie-Sainte-Catherine. Also in Tadoussac, visit the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre to learn more about the whales that can be seen here.
Boat tours, including zodiac boats that keep you close to the water. Whale-watching season in this area where the Saint Lawrence and Malbaie rivers meet, is May through October, peaking in mid-July through September. Many species of whale can be spotted, including fin, minke and humpback whales. Beluga whales can be seen in the area year-round and are best viewed from shore.
Also in Tadoussac, stroll through town on the Heritage Circuit to admire the older buildings and learn about their significance from interpretation panels. You can also go on a sea kayaking tour in Tadoussac Bay, where you will have a chance of spotting even more whales, while hiking trails offer the chance to admire nature from land.
While Tadoussac is the last stop on this road trip along the Saint Lawrence River, it doesn’t have to be your end point. You can continue on to Saguenay Fjord National Park, drive through Chicoutimi before heading south on Route 175 to Jacques-Cartier National Park, about 30 minutes outside of Québec City.
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Where to stay: Hôtel Tadoussac
Plan Your Québec Road Trip with AAA
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