Staying Fit
From the historic cobblestone streets of Montreal and Quebec City to the towering waterfalls and spectacular fjords of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, and with Charlevoix’s bountiful farmlands in between, visitors road-tripping across Quebec will discover a surprising breadth and depth of experiences.
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This road trip traces an approximately 437-mile itinerary beginning in the international hub of Montreal, heading to the historic old town of Quebec City, then winding through the farmlands and port towns of the Charlevoix region, ultimately reaching Saguenay and the small vacation villages along Lac-St.-Jean, the last stop on the edge of where the “savage” wilderness of Quebec begins.
You could easily spend two weeks or more on this Quebec route, exploring the province’s many immersive city experiences and backcountry byways, but this weeklong itinerary still shows off some of the highlights you can see in a quick trip or use as inspiration for a longer journey.
While this drive is great from spring through fall (and even in winter for ski enthusiasts), autumn in Quebec is a highlight, for both its vibrant fall foliage and the fruit and wine harvests in farm country. Add the cool, crisp air, and you have a perfect setting for outdoor activities. From September through November, Quebec regularly updates its province-wide fall foliage map.
Mount Royal Park
Perry Mastrovito / Alamy Stock Photo
Day 1: Montreal
Begin your Quebec journey in Montreal, a Canadian epicenter of cuisine, culture, shopping and history that can be a full vacation destination in itself. To get a literal overview of the city, start your day with a stroll in the eponymous Mount Royal Park. Beginning in mid-September (depending on the weather), you can expect to see oranges, yellows and reds bursting forth along the park’s many tree-lined paths.
For a different sort of city overview, hop aboard La Grand Roue de Montreal, the nearly 200-foot-tall Ferris wheel in Montreal’s Old Port waterfront entertainment district. Checking out the city lights at night from the Grand Roue makes a nice bookend to the morning perspective from Mount Royal. Montreal’s famed Cirque du Soleil offers performances in a big circus tent along the waterfront, but be sure to purchase your tickets in advance, as many performances sell out.
In keeping with the road trip theme, a fun way to explore Montreal’s waterfront is by bicycle. Ça Roule Bike Tours, headquartered at the Old Port, leads guided rides across the city. Take the flat, family-friendly route to the Old Port along the St. Lawrence River, crossing over to St. Helen’s Island to see the unique architecture of Expo 67 and the Biosphere from Montreal’s World’s Fair. Cruise around Parc Jean-Drapeau to enjoy its fall foliage (or a summer swim in its Aquatic Complex).
Food & lodging
The Omni Mont-Royal Hotel, about midway between Mount Royal Park and the port, is near shopping and McGill University, and makes a good base for your Montreal visit. For a one-stop destination where you can savor Montreal’s diverse food offerings, head to the 40,000-square-foot Time Out Market in the city’s Eaton Centre mall (a short walk from the Omni), with 16 local restaurants offering cuisines from around the world. In the Old Port district, grab lunch at the new La Cantine terrace restaurant.
And of course you can’t leave the city (or the province) without sampling the region’s signature dish, poutine — French fries with cheese curds, gravy and every manner of added ingredients. Montreal Poutine, near the Old Port, is a great spot to try it out.
Old Town Quebec City
Rasvan ILIESCU / Alamy Stock Photo
Day 2: Quebec City
Quebec City, about a 170-mile, three-and-a-half-hour drive from Montreal, is a smaller, more historically preserved city than its big sister to the southwest. Walking the cobblestone streets of Quebec City’s Old Town through the shop-lined alleyways of the Petit-Champlain district, you’ll see centuries-old churches, city walls and monuments. You can fuel this city road trip with ice cream cones, maple syrup treats and, of course, more poutine.
See and hear the past come alive in Quebec City by joining a historical walking tour with Cicerone Tours, whose costumed guides play characters from the 18th century and offer a personal perspective on the city, giving their family histories of working and living in the surrounding buildings.
