canadian Road trip – Quebec

I first visited Montreal and Quebec City in the mid-1990s when I was 17, and when the most common question people asked was – Why are you visiting? Do you have family here? This region of Eastern Canada was not particularly on the tourist path back then, but things have certainly changed.

Both cities have grown and spread over the years, but this remains an interesting region to visit, with the dominance of the St Lawrence River and its French history giving it a very different feel to the rest of Canada.

Must Dos in Quebec

Montreal – Olympic Park and Biodome

The 1976 summer Olympics were held in Montreal and the stadium is open for tours to the public. The Montreal Tower sits above the stadium at 165 metres high with a 45 degree angle, making it the tallest inclined tower in the world. A lift taking you to the top of the tower operates on a regular basis, giving fantastic views across Olympic Park and the St Lawrence.

Also in Olympic Park, the Montreal Biodome contains five ecosystems with a variety of wildlife native to each. This is a fascinating place to spend time for both adults and children.

Montreal – Parc du Mont Royal

Designed by American Landscape Architect Frederick Law Olmsted who also designed New York’s Central Park, this lovely, sprawling urban park sits in an elevated position that offers fantastic panoramic views across Montreal. A good place to enjoy a walk, rent a row boat on the lake, or just lie on the grass in the sun.

Montreal – Old Port

The Old Port overlooking the St Lawrence River, offers plenty of entertainment options – from pedalos and zip lining, to live music, to the Grand Wheel viewing platform and street food vendors. This is where we tried the ‘famous’ poutine – a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a brown gravy – and unfortunately, we are not a fan!

Quebec City – walking tour

As with most cities, the best way to see them is on foot. And with Quebec being quite a small (although somewhat hilly!) city, we spent much of our time here exploring – from Château Frontenac, trying ‘frozen’ maple syrup on a stick, then hopping on the funicular down into the narrow streets of Old Town.

Quebec City – Montmorency Falls

Just a few miles outside of the city, Montmorency falls are well worth taking the time to visit. You can either hike or take the cable car upto the top of the falls, which you then cross on a footbridge and walk down the other side, stopping at the various viewing platforms where you can end up getting pretty wet from the spray coming off the falls! From here, you can cross the road bridge over to Île d’Orléans and drive through the small farming villages, stopping at one of the many farm shops to buy fresh produce.