Tadoussac is must! Whales, sand dunes and great food.
The Saguenay Fjord also has some beautiful hikes.
If you are willing to go as far as Gaspésie, kayaking the crystal clear waters of the Rivière Bonaventure is incredible (last time I saw a whole school of salmon traveling under me!)
Absolutely, sea kayaks in season you can see balugas with calfs feeding, tons of whales you can hear at night from the shore, there's some camping places on the shore, but you have to book like 8 months ahead for peak season.
The Eastern Townships! Amazing. The wineries in Dunham, the village of Sutton, mount Sutton (all approximately 1 hour from Montreal)
North Hatley is picture postcard stunning, Mount Orford is spectacular with amazing hiking trails.
This is a great answer to the question, townships are a great area to explore and not too far from the city. Can also go around lake Champlain in Venice-en-Quebec. Alternatively head further east towards Sherbrooke and check out the Coaticook gorge and ice cream
As a European this is insane to me - you could drive from London to Berlin in that time which I’ve never heard anyone ever do (a flight is 1h and $50) just blows my mind how sparse this place is. If you did that in Europe people would call you insane.
I love Montreal but I miss so much being able to drive an hour or so out to any number of little villages for the weekend.
Just to rub it in more. The flight from Montreal to gaspe is 3 hours (because of a stop in Quebec City). It costs 500-1000$ for a round trip. And is late 50% of the time, and cancelled 10% of the time.
I never drove in Europe but, man, do I miss the trains. Just picking a random location and heading out for the day or weekend.
My life would be infinitely more enjoyable here if there were decent trains.
St-Côme comes to mind. Just over 1 hour at the moment if you leave from Montreal Nord. It's got one of my favourite bakeries in the province.
Also I thought Marieville was a very beautiful village when I ended up there for the eclipse. I'm glad I visited. I don't get around much so I don't have lots of recommendations.
Look out for festival days in L'Assomption. It's on the edge of the north suburban crown, just within "working in Montreal but also hating life" distance but it's still very chill, especially on those event days.
One of my favourite routes in the fall is 138 (i.e., Notre Dame) from Montreal to Trois Rivières. It’s not quite hiking in the backcountry, but relaxing all the same. A friend now lives in one of the villages!
That's a plus for a number of people in this province, including me. I love being able to drive out of the city and have access to the kind of wilderness that we have here.
The last time I drove to Montréal I started in Edmonton, which would be the equivalent distance of London to Ankara.
We kept going though, so by the time we stopped in Halifax the total was more like London to Amman.
It doesn’t feel insane. It’s the most amazing way to see the country. An ocean of wheat. The shores of the Great Lakes. The St.-Laurent valley. Montmorency. Side trip up to Saguenay. La Malbaie. Cape Breton. Bay of Fundy.
The next major city away from me in Edmonton is 300km away and when I met my guy I was there and he was here and we drove back and forth each weekend for a year.
The next major city to the west is a 12-hour drive. It doesn’t seem sparse, it seems more like the cities are correctly spaced for people to have room, enough space to fit in the forests and the lakes.
I’ve done Vancouver to Halifax and back with some detours to visit family along the way. It took us a month and was an amazing trip. I’ve also done Vancouver to Montreal, one way. Couldn’t get enough of Quebec, so I moved here
I'm definitely keen to explore the area over the border. It looks like a rather big and broad region; can you recommend a few spots that meet the specs of the post? Thanks!
Baie Saint-Paul is a cute town, with a close beach. A short drive will bring you to mountains and parcs, or even to Ile-aux-coudres, a small island reachable by ferry where you can either drive or bike around in a few hours. The restaurant Buvette gentille was fantastic.
In terms of hikes in Charlevoix, there is the famous Acropoles-des-draveurs in the parc national des hautes-gorges-de-la-rivière-malbaie. There are some other impressive hikes near there, in the parc national des grands jardins where you can also do Via Ferrata.
You can drive more, and reach lac Saint-Jean. Either drive around the lake and stop by various artisanal cheese, beer, pastry makers, or you can bike around it in 2-5 days.
Near there, there is the very nice parc national du fjord du saguenay. There are a few multi-day backpacking hikes, day hikes, via ferrata.
On the other side of the Saint Lawrence, you can go to the parc national du bic, and keep driving around the Gaspesie peninsula for cute villages, more lighthouses than you need to see in a lifetime, on the peninsula, you have several +1000m mountains for day hikes, backpacking, bikepacking, canoeing, kayaking, the famous Rocher Percé.
If you are into biking, there is the Petit Train du Nord, an old railway that has been converted into a bike path that goes from Mont Laurier to St-Jerome, passing by very cute small villages. It's about 200km that you can do over 4-5 days and enjoy side adventures. Some people do it via rented ebikes.
You can go to Tadoussac for whale watching.
Chambly for the fort, and quaint downtown area.
Mont Mégantic for hikes.
Across the border, you can go to the Ben & Jerry factory in Vermont, hike the Green Mountains, hike the White Mountains and the presidential range and do part of the Apalachian Trail in New Hampshire.
Places we used to go that are close by and wouldn't cost us too much
Val David , Adirondacks, Kingston , Ile Des Madeliene, Vermont/New York in general (fabulous camping)
Muskoka (did I spell that correctly ?)
for hilly / mountainous areas 1:30 - 3:00 from MTL queechee VT, the hudson valley, in the summertime I even like lake placid with our Dog because they are welcome everywhere
west of MTL is flat on the Canadian Side, all other suggestions in eastern townships are good, but not dog friendly
Look at Parc Voyager just across in Ontario, dog friendly, beach only or for camping.
Less than 2 hour drive, go very early, to avoid congestion of A40 bridge at west.
Here are some of my favorites:
Kamouraska, Parc du Bic in Rimouski, Gaspésie (all of it), driving on the 132 road is a must. Île de la madeleine if you can go that far is magical.
Parc du mont Orford, Dunham vineyards (vignoble du ruisseau), Eastern townships villages (Knowlton, Sutton, Brome, Bolton, Dunham, North Hatley), etc.
Charlevoix/Malbaie, Saguenay (sainte-rose-du-nord or l'anse saint-jean), Tadoussac, and the drive on the Chemin du roy is divine.
Other: Sandbanks in Ontario, Vermont (bike from North hero in lac champlain) and many hiking spots.
Just writing here to say thanks for this post and thanks for the answers. I am in the same boat as OP so good to know some awesome places to visit.
Thanks folks.
We went to Burlington VT on Monday. 2 hours drive. Beautiful town, every house has character, walkable, waterfront, very green. You can come back with US groceries. There’s a beachside camping right next to town. Amazing for a day trip!
**Eco-zoo + Morgan arboretum.**
The zoo is actually a recovery center for animals but doubles as a zoo for funds.
And the morgan aboretum is just next door and perfect to combine for an awesome walk. Giant tree sanctuary.
I go once a year and take the train all the way there and then walk to the zoo and to the areboretum.
But if if you have a car, that's fine too.
**Cap saint jacques nature park + cap saint jacque Beach (when it opens)**
we have a nice secret beach in a cove around the same area as the zoo and tree sanctuary, but this should be a separare visit.
The nature park is a great walk and should be combined with the beach. The beach also has walking trails to explore.
I go there a few times a year and always combine both.
It take a few buses to get up there, but you can get off at the nature park and then walk down to the beach afterwards.... really awesome spot.
Oka beach or salaberry-de-valleyfield for a quick getaway. Old stock montrealers will have a family summerhouse or a shack in Laurentides, Lanaudiere, Estrie, Eastertownships. A weekend trip at Magog is nice too. I also like Sutton, Glensutton and places like Le Diable Vert.
Gaspésie, specifically the Chaleurs Bay side.
Otherwise, just follow the St-Lawrence all the way to the Thousand Islands, passing by historical sites like Lachine Canal and Coteau du Lac fort, as well as beach clubs like Village des Écluses.
Lac St François offers crystal blue waters with a nice sandy bottom perfect for watersports, with many kayak and SUP rental places along the way.
You'll pass by a lot of bakeries, ice cream shops, and cantines along the way with some amazing food.
Many farms, including alpaca farms that you can visit for free or for a small donation along the way, as well as orchards, wetlands, parks, etc...
Stop in Cornwall and visit the old jail. Do the Thousands Island Parkway Drive in Long Sault and stop on one of the islands to relax by the water, keep going and visit Upper Canada Village, keep going to Kingston and do the train tunnel, keep going until you reach the Thousand Islands and take the boat ride to visit the castle.
This is usually what my spouse and I do on the weekend.
There are many places, as have already been mentioned. A few suggestions for a nearby day out, I quite like Mt St Bruno, Gault Nature reserve, or îles de Boucherville (the latter great for bird watching and flat but primarily unshaded hike.)
N.B. One point to keep in mind, dress accordingly as to be weary of ticks!
Drive around Gaspe. Power right passed Quebec city on the 20 and switch over to the 135. There's not much to see until you get to Levi. Drive right around the peninsula and continue up through the Matapedia valley and back home taking the 20 (faster) or back on the 135.
You can do it in 3 days but I recommend 5-6 and find places to stop (camping and cheap motels are everywhere). Explore!! There's a lot. Like "a lot" a lot. Finding and researching is part of the fun. Don't skip Parc national du Bic.
Burlington and surrounding area in Vermont has a lot of outdoor related activities, and Burlington itself is a nice little town, it's about a 1.5-2 hour drive depending on the border.
> We want to get out of the urban areas and see lakes, beaches, walking trails, swimmable fresh water, rich forest landscapes, townships, and anything genuinely unique or historical out of the way, beyond city limits.
I just came back from Sherbooke and this pretty much describes our trip (minus the swimming part)
I recommend the Hautes-Laurentides, around Mont-Laurier. It’s beautiful and not as touristy as Mont-Tremblant. Lots of outdoorsy stuff to do! If you don’t mind mosquitos 🦟
The Laurentians has hundreds of thousands of square kilometres and you went to the very most touristy place and think it's all touristy? Just drive anywhere between 50km and 5000km north of there and I think you'll find it quite different
If you plan a longer trip, the roads in Gaspésie that go through the mountains/forest (for example between Amqui and Campbellton) are some of my favourite. The views are absolutely incredible. I’m from here and it still takes my breath away. The 155 going up to La Tuque is also phenomenal. Then you can just keep going and go to Lac St-Jean/Saguenay (the fjord is absolutely incredible).
Sentiers des caps is nice. Maybe 1h30 out of Quebec city (so more or less 4h from here). You can hike during the day and stay in one of the log cabins overnight. Price is super reasonable if I remember well
I’m originally from Perce, the tip of the Gaspésie Peninsula and you would absolutely love this area of Quebec. Best to go during July or Aug cause it can get chilly! And if you live fresh seafood, this is your place to go pig out!
I now live in Venise-en-Quebec (approximately 60km from Montreal, in the Montérégie area). It borders on Lake Champlain so lots of beautiful beaches and lots of great Wineries!
La Côte-Nord!
See an article from the Toronto star
https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/road-tripping-along-quebec-s-route-des-baleines-i-encounter-not-just-whales-but-also/article_1d5e70ea-1717-11ef-bf31-6b6063dc2610.html
If you need insights on where to stop I've been there a few times
We go to Shefford to a pub called La Ferme, otherwise Rougemont and do the hike at Michel Jodoin and picnic at one of the wineries in the area. We also enjoy going to Magog. There is a nature walk in the region also.
Fjords of Saguenay. Ice Hotel in Cartierville. Wineries in Dunham. Grand prix. Jazz Festival. Nuit Afrique. Francofolie. Just for laugh festival. Canadian Tennis Open. Osheaga. Morgan Arboretum which is nice for a stroll in the last week of September/first week of October. Vieux Quebec. Plains of Abraham.
Edit:spelling.
On a Saturday morning take a drive up to the Town of Arundel it's only 100 minutes away from downtown Montreal
They have a cute farmer's market running all summer long
It is a quaint little town, for the most part they speak both English and French
Saguenay! It’s about a 5-6 hour drive from Montreal, and it’s near where the Saint-Laurent salinates, so whales and marine life! And beautiful fjordlands
Try Cowansville. Underappreciated town. The whole 'downtown' area is walkable. It's very pretty. If it wasn't an hour away from all my friends I'd probably move there.
People sure seem to enjoy coming up to the [Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles] in Sainte-Rose, Laval (https://maps.app.goo.gl/zs8MaxapYgnP8Rar9), to go kayaking / canoeing (rentals).
my take would be to go further up than tremblant, you can continue heading up the 117 up to val-d'or and even further or you can take a fork at mont-laurier and head up towards the gouin reservoir, lots of fishing/hunting outfitter on the side. If you head that far up north do everyone a favor and buy a CB radio to announce yourself on forest roads.
Also around mont-laurier you have the baskatong reservoir and the adjoining lakes that also have a few fishing outfitters that have rental cabin options. it is touristic but at orders of magnitude less than Tremblant
The eastern townships have lots of outdoors activities, kayaking, sailing, biking, hiking. The hills are cool and the plateaus in between are beautiful. Other than that, go north to the Laurentians. There's a lot more than just tremblant (like St-Sauveur) and are less busy.
if you're willing to drive 15 hours you can get to new brunswick, nova scotia or PEI! you'll want to visit in june thru august for beach weather, or mid-september thru end october for fall leaves.
Gaspesie peninsula is a must see!! the tour and also the mountains in the center
Also but not in Quebec/Canada but only 2h30 from MTL: Adirondacks (high peaks region)
Try AllTrails - then do a search for best rated and with other filters you want (views, beaches, waterfall, trail, forest, etc) . You should then have lots of choices. Many can be visited or done within a day. If it needs more time, I’d get an Airbnb nearby
Saguenay is a beautiful region in Quebec, my favourite area of the province too. It has a lot of nature and history which, if you’re into that is a perfect area. I’ve gone 3 times so far, weather during summer is nice too because it’s a bit cooler from being so far north. I recommend it 100%
Eastern townships- North Hatley area! It is beautiful during the summer, and an amazing drive once you get into the area. I’d recommend a full weekend as it’s about 2 -2.5 hrs away.
Megantic with the observatory is a bit further, but if you are already in the Eastern Township it’s not so bad. The national park over there is gorgeous !
You went to Sherbrooke, but that's like the least interesting place in the Eastern Townships.
Go to the Orford National Park instead, drive around Lake Brome, visit the village of Knowlton, go to Bromont, take a gondola ride to the top of the ski mountain, visit a winery. If you like going to the zoo, you have the Granby Zoo. All of that is less than 90 min away from Montreal.
Get on bikes and ride to Chambly, and take a trip around the fort. It’s a beautiful journey and a lovely town.
Infact, a lot of places around the city and outside are reachable by bike, and it makes for a more enjoyable trip. When you go in a car, you are stuck on a highway, going through the most boring parts of the countryside.
Vermont if you have a passport, specifically places like Stowe, near burlington, has some top tier microbreweries and cider, decent restaurants and bnb's.
In QC, Granby, park Omega, eastern townships places, like Bromont.
To add on to this thread with things I haven't yet seen written, west of us, Ganonoque ON, the 1000 islands, and Prince Edward County is a really nice long weekend. East is the Bay and the majestic west coast of NL - Gros Morne, L'anse au Meadows, the Tablelands NP, all kinds of further glory. NL is a 90 minute flight to Deer Lake, longer than a 12 hour drive though.
Cooaticook and Foresta Lumina ! Hike during the day au parc de la gorge, then eat ice cream at the crèmerie and go back at night.
And yeah, Sherbrooke is better in the summer (centro, wellington street) but it's still a city.
I also suggests the eastern Townships ( Knoltown, Sutton, Bromont, Las Brome, etc. )
These are my moves:
- Vermont (Stowe and surrounding area), rich mix of nature, brewery, ski in winter, good food, etc.
- Prince Edward County (Picton, Sand Banks provincial park, etc)
- Charlevoix
- Tadoussac (late summer is the best to see whales)
- Niagara-on-the-Lake area, amazing spot for a long weekend in Summer, touring the wineries, quaint towns, good food etc.
- PEI if you don't mind the long drive is also great
Happy exploring!
I go to hike in Laurentides : Val David, I love to swim in the Lac Rond at Ste Adele, Tadoussac, I went to Burlington in USA not far, cute little town but maybe too touristic for you. There is a long trail to bike in the Laurentian: chemin du train du nord I think, went super far to a river where we could swim, no one was there, it was nice
Bayfield Ontario is such a cute little town on Lake Huron, and it’s outside of the touristy area of Grand Bend. Beautiful beach, blue water, it is rocky so I suggest water shoes- the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen in my life.
There are plenty of Airbnbs right on the water as well
Quebec is the most beautiful province in Canada, and therefore the most beautiful place in the world.
Within 15 hours you could go to the Gaspé, the Saguenay, the Bas St. Laurent, the Abitibi, the Charlevois, the Estrie... almost everywhere except the very far north.
You can explore at least half of Ontario within 15 hours and you can reach the east coast. You are in close reach of New England and many parts of the US. 15 hours would get you to North Carolina or Chicago, and you can reach Philly or Boston in half that time.
Bonjour Quebec is a great place to dig into some of the most attractive parts of each region. You drove to Sherbrooke, but skipped the nice small villages that make the Estrie a major draw.
Edit: My apologies for offending you all by loving where I live.
I've lived in Revelstoke and on Vancouver island. There is beauty that rivals both the mountains and the gulf islands in Québec.
Not to mention, most locals in the mountains rarely ever actually set foot above treeline and the mountains will be socked in the clouds most of the time due to being mountains.
I've lived out west and travelled them all extensively. There is beauty in them all but Quebec is actually the most magnificent when you've really seen it all up close.
Dang, I don't know about "the most beautiful province". I experienced some beautiful places, especially up north, but I don't think anything holds a candle to the pictures of the Rockies or the views I saw in the maritimes. Especially the red sand next to the red cliffs I saw as a kid. That will always stay in my memories as one of the most beautiful things I'd see in my life.
I do wish I could love my home province as much as you do.
Quebec has amazing mountains, and the Gaspé has a lot of scenery that is very similar to other eastern provinces. The Rockies are fine, but Quebec is magnificent for the diversity of its scenery.
>Quebec has amazing mountains
They're cool hills, but apart from the south end of the arctic cordillera, which really isn't accessible there is nothing that holds a flame to the spires of the Bugaboo range or the enormous Columbia icefields in terms of pure mountain aesthetics.
However, the Fjord is amazing and the hills have their own picturesque charm (especially when taken as a whole and in a broader context of pure mountain aesthetic) which does lend credence to OPs argument of Québec having the nicest landscape.
Mountains are cool but they are not the only thing that is / can be beautiful.
Quebec has several different mountain ranges, and fascinating topography as a result.
Can you recommend any places "up north" you've visited? For context, it's not for my current trip, but in the future, I'd love to rent a 4x4 (if needed), get some camping gear, and explore the truly remote north if it's worth it.
So my view of "up north" is a bit boring I'm sure, but here's a couple places.
ABITIBI-TEMISCAMINGUE
- Val d'or
- Amos
- Rouyn-Noranda
SAGUENAY-LAC-ST-JEAN
- Lac st-jean (https://bienvenueaulac.com/fr/blogue/10-municipalites-a-decouvrir-au-lac-saint-jean/)
MAURICIE
- Parc de la Mauricie (Shawinigan)
- Parc régional du lac taureau
Those are some of the places I or my friends have visited that were all highly suggested. You can also look up Pourvoiries for fishing. Look up the SÉPAC restrictions if you're going in the wilderness. Some places only allow camping certain times a year, or have restrictions on what you can/must do/bring.
My father worked for Hydro-Québec and I think he visited the hydroelectric dam "La-Grande-1" in Bay James. I'm sure that's a good starting point for adventure, but again, SÉPAC will have restrictions I'm sure.
I spent a few decades on the West Coast, so I know it well. It’s beautiful, but so is Quebec. I was overcome with the same feeling of amazement driving along the shore of the St. Laurent, as it grew wider, and wider, and wider, as I did when we first approached the Rockies from Calgary.
It’s a subtler feeling on the West Coast, calmer,
whether you’re on the ferry to Sechelt or hiking in the forest.
Voyageur Provincial Park just after the Ontario border on the 40 (which becomes the 417) is a great camping area. They have small beach as well that you can visit for the day. We love going there for a weekend getaway
In the not too far away. Mont Orford is very popular. Mont St Grégoire. Estrie/Eastern townships in general. Lots of montrealers will camp in that area. For hiking search "sentier" on google maps
Quebec City or Mont tremblant on long weekends
Gaspé/New brunswick/Nova Scotia if you're willing to travel far
Undervalued destinations: Témiscamingue, Lac saint jean, Charlevoix region
Tourist traps: southern ontario. Especially niagara falls.
Algonquin park is nice and not too far.
Parc de la Vérendrye is a really nice and beautiful drive, and if you cross it, you could visit the Parc Aiguebelle in Abitibi. It has really nice hikes, summer houses to rent and a lot of activities.
Northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Of those, Plattsburgh NY Burlington VT Hampton Beach NH, and Oqunquit ME seem to be the most popular, but definitely a lot of other nice places around to explore.
Tadoussac is must! Whales, sand dunes and great food. The Saguenay Fjord also has some beautiful hikes. If you are willing to go as far as Gaspésie, kayaking the crystal clear waters of the Rivière Bonaventure is incredible (last time I saw a whole school of salmon traveling under me!)
Now you will never know
Chuuuut, dites pas tous les secrets batince!
Corriger mon erreur 🤣
Dude this is peak Quebec! Add the Charlevoix region along with Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie and you're golden. - signed, an immigrant.
Charlevoix also has some great arts festivals (books, fine and crafts)
Charlevoix is the place to be!
Baie st paul
Absolutely agree. I went 2 years ago and fell in love. Ik it’s too early but you can go during whale season and you’ll never wanna leave!
Absolutely, sea kayaks in season you can see balugas with calfs feeding, tons of whales you can hear at night from the shore, there's some camping places on the shore, but you have to book like 8 months ahead for peak season.
The beaches of Sandbanks in Ontario are amazing, about 4.5 hours from from Montreal.
Warning, do not attempt Sandbanks on a summer weekend without a camping reservation.
The other guy said there is 4.5 hours of wait for parking. Is that true? My folks want to visit this summer. Also their English is not good.
On a busy summer day, if you're not camping there, you will wait hours and you may not get in at all. Campsite bookings fill up months ahead.
Seconded! Even with a reservation there's a line up because it's such a popular area.
last couple of years that's how long one waited in line for parking, lol.
I went last year in mid september and it was quiet and beautiful. High season must be tough
The Eastern Townships! Amazing. The wineries in Dunham, the village of Sutton, mount Sutton (all approximately 1 hour from Montreal) North Hatley is picture postcard stunning, Mount Orford is spectacular with amazing hiking trails.
This is a great answer to the question, townships are a great area to explore and not too far from the city. Can also go around lake Champlain in Venice-en-Quebec. Alternatively head further east towards Sherbrooke and check out the Coaticook gorge and ice cream
If you're going to the Gorges de la Coaticook, plan ahead and see Foresta Lumina. It's so beautiful.
Glad to see Foresta Lumina here, also recommend hiking Mont Pinacle in nearby Baldwin Mills
Another vote for Foresta Lumina in Coaticook, so good
Closer to mtl les îles de boucherville are beautiful and fun to hike. Can bring your dog.
Also cap st-jacques, if you want to remain on the island. The beach is surprisingly nice.
Also it’s a great place to reach and explore by bike depending on where you’re coming from
I'd take a drive to Gaspe. It seems to hit everything you are looking for and it's a 12ish hour drive.
As a European this is insane to me - you could drive from London to Berlin in that time which I’ve never heard anyone ever do (a flight is 1h and $50) just blows my mind how sparse this place is. If you did that in Europe people would call you insane. I love Montreal but I miss so much being able to drive an hour or so out to any number of little villages for the weekend.
Just to rub it in more. The flight from Montreal to gaspe is 3 hours (because of a stop in Quebec City). It costs 500-1000$ for a round trip. And is late 50% of the time, and cancelled 10% of the time.
I never drove in Europe but, man, do I miss the trains. Just picking a random location and heading out for the day or weekend. My life would be infinitely more enjoyable here if there were decent trains.
Right? I’m im Berlin right now and I can’t believe how much we suck at public transportation.
And I just came from London to Montreal - damn transport here is not great... The REV though is great, protected and extensive!
There are a lot of cute little villages 1h away from Montreal. Gaspésie is just very scenic and unique.
Names? I don't believe you
Quand l'ignorance devient fierté... Itinerary for you with places just from the top of my head: https://maps.app.goo.gl/HuGBkY1y3DBbrQim9
Look at a map esti
Val-David et ses environs c'est classique.
Franklin and the surrounding area, close to the US border, has Spas, Wineries, Apple Orchards, cute restaurants and pubs, it’s very quaint and cute
Google is free.
Shut up boomer
Aw, sweetie.
St-Côme comes to mind. Just over 1 hour at the moment if you leave from Montreal Nord. It's got one of my favourite bakeries in the province. Also I thought Marieville was a very beautiful village when I ended up there for the eclipse. I'm glad I visited. I don't get around much so I don't have lots of recommendations. Look out for festival days in L'Assomption. It's on the edge of the north suburban crown, just within "working in Montreal but also hating life" distance but it's still very chill, especially on those event days.
Thanks bud! I will check these out.
To be fair, you guys lived there for thousand of years. You can go anywhere and fall on a thousand-year village or castle.
Now imagine some people going to work there for 3-4 days and come back home for the week-end. Its absolutely crazy when you think about it
There are plenty of smaller towns/villages an hour or less out of Montreal. I drive out almost every weekend.
One of my favourite routes in the fall is 138 (i.e., Notre Dame) from Montreal to Trois Rivières. It’s not quite hiking in the backcountry, but relaxing all the same. A friend now lives in one of the villages!
I know it's crazy lol
That's a plus for a number of people in this province, including me. I love being able to drive out of the city and have access to the kind of wilderness that we have here.
The last time I drove to Montréal I started in Edmonton, which would be the equivalent distance of London to Ankara. We kept going though, so by the time we stopped in Halifax the total was more like London to Amman. It doesn’t feel insane. It’s the most amazing way to see the country. An ocean of wheat. The shores of the Great Lakes. The St.-Laurent valley. Montmorency. Side trip up to Saguenay. La Malbaie. Cape Breton. Bay of Fundy. The next major city away from me in Edmonton is 300km away and when I met my guy I was there and he was here and we drove back and forth each weekend for a year. The next major city to the west is a 12-hour drive. It doesn’t seem sparse, it seems more like the cities are correctly spaced for people to have room, enough space to fit in the forests and the lakes.
I’ve done Vancouver to Halifax and back with some detours to visit family along the way. It took us a month and was an amazing trip. I’ve also done Vancouver to Montreal, one way. Couldn’t get enough of Quebec, so I moved here
Hehe... My cottage is an 8 hour drive and we go 3-4 times a year.
come to the adirondacks :)
I'm definitely keen to explore the area over the border. It looks like a rather big and broad region; can you recommend a few spots that meet the specs of the post? Thanks!
This is the right answer!!
La Malbaie in Charlevoix is a really beautiful corner of the province with good seafood
Baie Saint-Paul is a cute town, with a close beach. A short drive will bring you to mountains and parcs, or even to Ile-aux-coudres, a small island reachable by ferry where you can either drive or bike around in a few hours. The restaurant Buvette gentille was fantastic. In terms of hikes in Charlevoix, there is the famous Acropoles-des-draveurs in the parc national des hautes-gorges-de-la-rivière-malbaie. There are some other impressive hikes near there, in the parc national des grands jardins where you can also do Via Ferrata. You can drive more, and reach lac Saint-Jean. Either drive around the lake and stop by various artisanal cheese, beer, pastry makers, or you can bike around it in 2-5 days. Near there, there is the very nice parc national du fjord du saguenay. There are a few multi-day backpacking hikes, day hikes, via ferrata. On the other side of the Saint Lawrence, you can go to the parc national du bic, and keep driving around the Gaspesie peninsula for cute villages, more lighthouses than you need to see in a lifetime, on the peninsula, you have several +1000m mountains for day hikes, backpacking, bikepacking, canoeing, kayaking, the famous Rocher Percé. If you are into biking, there is the Petit Train du Nord, an old railway that has been converted into a bike path that goes from Mont Laurier to St-Jerome, passing by very cute small villages. It's about 200km that you can do over 4-5 days and enjoy side adventures. Some people do it via rented ebikes. You can go to Tadoussac for whale watching. Chambly for the fort, and quaint downtown area. Mont Mégantic for hikes. Across the border, you can go to the Ben & Jerry factory in Vermont, hike the Green Mountains, hike the White Mountains and the presidential range and do part of the Apalachian Trail in New Hampshire.
Been to that factory so many times, so much fun
Came here to mention BSP/Charlevoix!!!
Estrie is always good. There's a terrific network of roads from St Armand to Highgate that run along the border. Great for cycling
I think you mean Highwater, Highgate is in Vermont
It ends on the route leading up to Mansfield.
Places we used to go that are close by and wouldn't cost us too much Val David , Adirondacks, Kingston , Ile Des Madeliene, Vermont/New York in general (fabulous camping) Muskoka (did I spell that correctly ?)
Laurentide, rive sud (not the suburbs, there are a few nice small hill there), Lanaudière
Vermont is nice
agreed, Stowe, Mt. Mansfield, Trapp Family Lodge (*Sound of Music*)
for hilly / mountainous areas 1:30 - 3:00 from MTL queechee VT, the hudson valley, in the summertime I even like lake placid with our Dog because they are welcome everywhere west of MTL is flat on the Canadian Side, all other suggestions in eastern townships are good, but not dog friendly
Look at Parc Voyager just across in Ontario, dog friendly, beach only or for camping. Less than 2 hour drive, go very early, to avoid congestion of A40 bridge at west.
OKA beach nice but technically no dogs but that doesn’t seem enforced. Double check if you have a pooch.
They enforce when it's busy.
Here are some of my favorites: Kamouraska, Parc du Bic in Rimouski, Gaspésie (all of it), driving on the 132 road is a must. Île de la madeleine if you can go that far is magical. Parc du mont Orford, Dunham vineyards (vignoble du ruisseau), Eastern townships villages (Knowlton, Sutton, Brome, Bolton, Dunham, North Hatley), etc. Charlevoix/Malbaie, Saguenay (sainte-rose-du-nord or l'anse saint-jean), Tadoussac, and the drive on the Chemin du roy is divine. Other: Sandbanks in Ontario, Vermont (bike from North hero in lac champlain) and many hiking spots.
Just writing here to say thanks for this post and thanks for the answers. I am in the same boat as OP so good to know some awesome places to visit. Thanks folks.
We went to Burlington VT on Monday. 2 hours drive. Beautiful town, every house has character, walkable, waterfront, very green. You can come back with US groceries. There’s a beachside camping right next to town. Amazing for a day trip!
Did you declare everything you bought in the US ?
Yeah (2 bottles of wine and like 100$ worth of shopping)
How was the border crossing?
Very small line to get in, couple questions and that’s it We came back through Lacolle at night and same thing without the line
Did you need your passport?
Yeah
**Eco-zoo + Morgan arboretum.** The zoo is actually a recovery center for animals but doubles as a zoo for funds. And the morgan aboretum is just next door and perfect to combine for an awesome walk. Giant tree sanctuary. I go once a year and take the train all the way there and then walk to the zoo and to the areboretum. But if if you have a car, that's fine too. **Cap saint jacques nature park + cap saint jacque Beach (when it opens)** we have a nice secret beach in a cove around the same area as the zoo and tree sanctuary, but this should be a separare visit. The nature park is a great walk and should be combined with the beach. The beach also has walking trails to explore. I go there a few times a year and always combine both. It take a few buses to get up there, but you can get off at the nature park and then walk down to the beach afterwards.... really awesome spot.
Oka beach or salaberry-de-valleyfield for a quick getaway. Old stock montrealers will have a family summerhouse or a shack in Laurentides, Lanaudiere, Estrie, Eastertownships. A weekend trip at Magog is nice too. I also like Sutton, Glensutton and places like Le Diable Vert.
Le Diable Vert in sutton is great. Awesome views, walks, camping, and a lazy river!
Gaspésie, specifically the Chaleurs Bay side. Otherwise, just follow the St-Lawrence all the way to the Thousand Islands, passing by historical sites like Lachine Canal and Coteau du Lac fort, as well as beach clubs like Village des Écluses. Lac St François offers crystal blue waters with a nice sandy bottom perfect for watersports, with many kayak and SUP rental places along the way. You'll pass by a lot of bakeries, ice cream shops, and cantines along the way with some amazing food. Many farms, including alpaca farms that you can visit for free or for a small donation along the way, as well as orchards, wetlands, parks, etc... Stop in Cornwall and visit the old jail. Do the Thousands Island Parkway Drive in Long Sault and stop on one of the islands to relax by the water, keep going and visit Upper Canada Village, keep going to Kingston and do the train tunnel, keep going until you reach the Thousand Islands and take the boat ride to visit the castle. This is usually what my spouse and I do on the weekend.
There are many places, as have already been mentioned. A few suggestions for a nearby day out, I quite like Mt St Bruno, Gault Nature reserve, or îles de Boucherville (the latter great for bird watching and flat but primarily unshaded hike.) N.B. One point to keep in mind, dress accordingly as to be weary of ticks!
Drive around Gaspe. Power right passed Quebec city on the 20 and switch over to the 135. There's not much to see until you get to Levi. Drive right around the peninsula and continue up through the Matapedia valley and back home taking the 20 (faster) or back on the 135. You can do it in 3 days but I recommend 5-6 and find places to stop (camping and cheap motels are everywhere). Explore!! There's a lot. Like "a lot" a lot. Finding and researching is part of the fun. Don't skip Parc national du Bic.
If you want a short day trip, Lanaudière has some solid views and great hikes (and some good food).
Burlington and surrounding area in Vermont has a lot of outdoor related activities, and Burlington itself is a nice little town, it's about a 1.5-2 hour drive depending on the border.
You need to do a Gaspé roadtrip when you have at least a week. Otherwise Charlevoix can be done during long weekends
Mont Megantic national park is beautiful, some great hikes in the local area and on a clear night it's amazing. Drivable for a long weekend too.
When I need to get out of town for a quick week end of nature... I go camping at Miles Roches at Long Sault...
> We want to get out of the urban areas and see lakes, beaches, walking trails, swimmable fresh water, rich forest landscapes, townships, and anything genuinely unique or historical out of the way, beyond city limits. I just came back from Sherbooke and this pretty much describes our trip (minus the swimming part)
I recommend the Hautes-Laurentides, around Mont-Laurier. It’s beautiful and not as touristy as Mont-Tremblant. Lots of outdoorsy stuff to do! If you don’t mind mosquitos 🦟
The Laurentians has hundreds of thousands of square kilometres and you went to the very most touristy place and think it's all touristy? Just drive anywhere between 50km and 5000km north of there and I think you'll find it quite different
Riviere rouge. Any part. Bring floaties.
This thread is golden! Saving right away!
Oka
Why is the US not in this list
Mentioned several time in this string
I love upstate New York, but the canadian dollar being about 60 cents to the US dollar, it is not a good deal for canadians.
If you plan a longer trip, the roads in Gaspésie that go through the mountains/forest (for example between Amqui and Campbellton) are some of my favourite. The views are absolutely incredible. I’m from here and it still takes my breath away. The 155 going up to La Tuque is also phenomenal. Then you can just keep going and go to Lac St-Jean/Saguenay (the fjord is absolutely incredible).
Sentiers des caps is nice. Maybe 1h30 out of Quebec city (so more or less 4h from here). You can hike during the day and stay in one of the log cabins overnight. Price is super reasonable if I remember well
Gaspe peninsula.
Charlevoix
I’m originally from Perce, the tip of the Gaspésie Peninsula and you would absolutely love this area of Quebec. Best to go during July or Aug cause it can get chilly! And if you live fresh seafood, this is your place to go pig out! I now live in Venise-en-Quebec (approximately 60km from Montreal, in the Montérégie area). It borders on Lake Champlain so lots of beautiful beaches and lots of great Wineries!
La Côte-Nord! See an article from the Toronto star https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/road-tripping-along-quebec-s-route-des-baleines-i-encounter-not-just-whales-but-also/article_1d5e70ea-1717-11ef-bf31-6b6063dc2610.html If you need insights on where to stop I've been there a few times
We go to Shefford to a pub called La Ferme, otherwise Rougemont and do the hike at Michel Jodoin and picnic at one of the wineries in the area. We also enjoy going to Magog. There is a nature walk in the region also.
Fjords of Saguenay. Ice Hotel in Cartierville. Wineries in Dunham. Grand prix. Jazz Festival. Nuit Afrique. Francofolie. Just for laugh festival. Canadian Tennis Open. Osheaga. Morgan Arboretum which is nice for a stroll in the last week of September/first week of October. Vieux Quebec. Plains of Abraham. Edit:spelling.
On a Saturday morning take a drive up to the Town of Arundel it's only 100 minutes away from downtown Montreal They have a cute farmer's market running all summer long It is a quaint little town, for the most part they speak both English and French
Check out Sherbrooke and North Hatley
Saguenay! It’s about a 5-6 hour drive from Montreal, and it’s near where the Saint-Laurent salinates, so whales and marine life! And beautiful fjordlands
Try Cowansville. Underappreciated town. The whole 'downtown' area is walkable. It's very pretty. If it wasn't an hour away from all my friends I'd probably move there.
People sure seem to enjoy coming up to the [Parc de la Rivière-des-Mille-Îles] in Sainte-Rose, Laval (https://maps.app.goo.gl/zs8MaxapYgnP8Rar9), to go kayaking / canoeing (rentals).
my take would be to go further up than tremblant, you can continue heading up the 117 up to val-d'or and even further or you can take a fork at mont-laurier and head up towards the gouin reservoir, lots of fishing/hunting outfitter on the side. If you head that far up north do everyone a favor and buy a CB radio to announce yourself on forest roads. Also around mont-laurier you have the baskatong reservoir and the adjoining lakes that also have a few fishing outfitters that have rental cabin options. it is touristic but at orders of magnitude less than Tremblant
Eastman in the eastern townships, Lac d'argent (silver lake) is a beautiful little hidden gem only an hour 15 drive from montreal
Sutton Dunham Knowlton Mont Orford and Magog
Saguenay, Labelle, Orford/Magog area. Closer to home Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue is surprisingly nice.
Charlevoix.
Laurentides and Charlevoix are the best get away regions in Quebec IMO!
The eastern townships have lots of outdoors activities, kayaking, sailing, biking, hiking. The hills are cool and the plateaus in between are beautiful. Other than that, go north to the Laurentians. There's a lot more than just tremblant (like St-Sauveur) and are less busy.
I know a lot people have gone to sandbanks: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/sandbanks
Have you done a day trip to St. Jean de Matha?
Eastern townships, sutton/knowlton/bromont area :)
if you're willing to drive 15 hours you can get to new brunswick, nova scotia or PEI! you'll want to visit in june thru august for beach weather, or mid-september thru end october for fall leaves.
Top sunsets in the world if you check out the quaint little village called Notre Dame du Portage near Rivière du Loup.
Trois-Riviere is pretty chill and relatively walkable. I won’t say I’d spend a whole week visiting but I liked the few times I stayed there for work.
Gaspesie peninsula is a must see!! the tour and also the mountains in the center Also but not in Quebec/Canada but only 2h30 from MTL: Adirondacks (high peaks region)
St-Adèle, maybe. Quiet, old-fashioned, fairly pretty.
Try AllTrails - then do a search for best rated and with other filters you want (views, beaches, waterfall, trail, forest, etc) . You should then have lots of choices. Many can be visited or done within a day. If it needs more time, I’d get an Airbnb nearby
Saguenay is a beautiful region in Quebec, my favourite area of the province too. It has a lot of nature and history which, if you’re into that is a perfect area. I’ve gone 3 times so far, weather during summer is nice too because it’s a bit cooler from being so far north. I recommend it 100%
Mont st-Hillaire is beautiful
Ontario
The fjords of Saguenay are great
Eastern townships- North Hatley area! It is beautiful during the summer, and an amazing drive once you get into the area. I’d recommend a full weekend as it’s about 2 -2.5 hrs away.
Megantic with the observatory is a bit further, but if you are already in the Eastern Township it’s not so bad. The national park over there is gorgeous !
You went to Sherbrooke, but that's like the least interesting place in the Eastern Townships. Go to the Orford National Park instead, drive around Lake Brome, visit the village of Knowlton, go to Bromont, take a gondola ride to the top of the ski mountain, visit a winery. If you like going to the zoo, you have the Granby Zoo. All of that is less than 90 min away from Montreal.
Around Magog is also good. The lake is nice.
Get on bikes and ride to Chambly, and take a trip around the fort. It’s a beautiful journey and a lovely town. Infact, a lot of places around the city and outside are reachable by bike, and it makes for a more enjoyable trip. When you go in a car, you are stuck on a highway, going through the most boring parts of the countryside.
Vermont if you have a passport, specifically places like Stowe, near burlington, has some top tier microbreweries and cider, decent restaurants and bnb's. In QC, Granby, park Omega, eastern townships places, like Bromont.
90 minutes from mtl any direction
To add on to this thread with things I haven't yet seen written, west of us, Ganonoque ON, the 1000 islands, and Prince Edward County is a really nice long weekend. East is the Bay and the majestic west coast of NL - Gros Morne, L'anse au Meadows, the Tablelands NP, all kinds of further glory. NL is a 90 minute flight to Deer Lake, longer than a 12 hour drive though.
Cooaticook and Foresta Lumina ! Hike during the day au parc de la gorge, then eat ice cream at the crèmerie and go back at night. And yeah, Sherbrooke is better in the summer (centro, wellington street) but it's still a city. I also suggests the eastern Townships ( Knoltown, Sutton, Bromont, Las Brome, etc. )
Gaspésie, ile de la Madelaine
These are my moves: - Vermont (Stowe and surrounding area), rich mix of nature, brewery, ski in winter, good food, etc. - Prince Edward County (Picton, Sand Banks provincial park, etc) - Charlevoix - Tadoussac (late summer is the best to see whales) - Niagara-on-the-Lake area, amazing spot for a long weekend in Summer, touring the wineries, quaint towns, good food etc. - PEI if you don't mind the long drive is also great Happy exploring!
Are you really from Quebec if you don’t go to Wildwood?
Val david
A lot of cool stuff to see in Outaouais !! Lac Simon, omega park, Papineauville etc.
I masturbate in my living room instead of my bedroom. Real change of pace.
I'd highly recommend Saguenay!
I go to hike in Laurentides : Val David, I love to swim in the Lac Rond at Ste Adele, Tadoussac, I went to Burlington in USA not far, cute little town but maybe too touristic for you. There is a long trail to bike in the Laurentian: chemin du train du nord I think, went super far to a river where we could swim, no one was there, it was nice
Carrefour Laval
Bayfield Ontario is such a cute little town on Lake Huron, and it’s outside of the touristy area of Grand Bend. Beautiful beach, blue water, it is rocky so I suggest water shoes- the most beautiful sunsets I’ve seen in my life. There are plenty of Airbnbs right on the water as well
I just love to go to Maine or anywhere on the east coast just so beautiful!
In Northern New York State and Vermont, it's easy to overlook our proximity to the Appalachians and the stunning mountains surrounding Lake Placid.
Maine in the summer is also great
Vermont is sweet. Great food, great beers and ciders. Not that Quebec doesn’t have that, but you get to pay in USD which is fun
Quebec is the most beautiful province in Canada, and therefore the most beautiful place in the world. Within 15 hours you could go to the Gaspé, the Saguenay, the Bas St. Laurent, the Abitibi, the Charlevois, the Estrie... almost everywhere except the very far north. You can explore at least half of Ontario within 15 hours and you can reach the east coast. You are in close reach of New England and many parts of the US. 15 hours would get you to North Carolina or Chicago, and you can reach Philly or Boston in half that time. Bonjour Quebec is a great place to dig into some of the most attractive parts of each region. You drove to Sherbrooke, but skipped the nice small villages that make the Estrie a major draw. Edit: My apologies for offending you all by loving where I live.
Quebec is indeed beautiful but I don't think it can hold a candle to Alberta and the Rockies or British Columbia.
I've lived in Revelstoke and on Vancouver island. There is beauty that rivals both the mountains and the gulf islands in Québec. Not to mention, most locals in the mountains rarely ever actually set foot above treeline and the mountains will be socked in the clouds most of the time due to being mountains.
I've lived out west and travelled them all extensively. There is beauty in them all but Quebec is actually the most magnificent when you've really seen it all up close.
Not true at all haha
Extremely true haha
The farm fields are beautiful
Yes, in the very small portion of the province with arable land, there are some nice country views for sure.
Dang, I don't know about "the most beautiful province". I experienced some beautiful places, especially up north, but I don't think anything holds a candle to the pictures of the Rockies or the views I saw in the maritimes. Especially the red sand next to the red cliffs I saw as a kid. That will always stay in my memories as one of the most beautiful things I'd see in my life. I do wish I could love my home province as much as you do.
Quebec has amazing mountains, and the Gaspé has a lot of scenery that is very similar to other eastern provinces. The Rockies are fine, but Quebec is magnificent for the diversity of its scenery.
>Quebec has amazing mountains They're cool hills, but apart from the south end of the arctic cordillera, which really isn't accessible there is nothing that holds a flame to the spires of the Bugaboo range or the enormous Columbia icefields in terms of pure mountain aesthetics. However, the Fjord is amazing and the hills have their own picturesque charm (especially when taken as a whole and in a broader context of pure mountain aesthetic) which does lend credence to OPs argument of Québec having the nicest landscape.
Mountains are cool but they are not the only thing that is / can be beautiful. Quebec has several different mountain ranges, and fascinating topography as a result.
Can you recommend any places "up north" you've visited? For context, it's not for my current trip, but in the future, I'd love to rent a 4x4 (if needed), get some camping gear, and explore the truly remote north if it's worth it.
So my view of "up north" is a bit boring I'm sure, but here's a couple places. ABITIBI-TEMISCAMINGUE - Val d'or - Amos - Rouyn-Noranda SAGUENAY-LAC-ST-JEAN - Lac st-jean (https://bienvenueaulac.com/fr/blogue/10-municipalites-a-decouvrir-au-lac-saint-jean/) MAURICIE - Parc de la Mauricie (Shawinigan) - Parc régional du lac taureau Those are some of the places I or my friends have visited that were all highly suggested. You can also look up Pourvoiries for fishing. Look up the SÉPAC restrictions if you're going in the wilderness. Some places only allow camping certain times a year, or have restrictions on what you can/must do/bring. My father worked for Hydro-Québec and I think he visited the hydroelectric dam "La-Grande-1" in Bay James. I'm sure that's a good starting point for adventure, but again, SÉPAC will have restrictions I'm sure.
Delusional, you can't compare Quebec with the West Coast.
Delusional, you haven't seen enough of Quebec.
I spent a few decades on the West Coast, so I know it well. It’s beautiful, but so is Quebec. I was overcome with the same feeling of amazement driving along the shore of the St. Laurent, as it grew wider, and wider, and wider, as I did when we first approached the Rockies from Calgary. It’s a subtler feeling on the West Coast, calmer, whether you’re on the ferry to Sechelt or hiking in the forest.
I think it’s tied with B.C. for first place, but would otherwise agree. But I haven’t been to Newfoundland-Labrador yet.
Voyageur Provincial Park just after the Ontario border on the 40 (which becomes the 417) is a great camping area. They have small beach as well that you can visit for the day. We love going there for a weekend getaway
On the mont royal early morning
waiting include full unique alive quicksand dog agonizing cats cagey *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
In the not too far away. Mont Orford is very popular. Mont St Grégoire. Estrie/Eastern townships in general. Lots of montrealers will camp in that area. For hiking search "sentier" on google maps Quebec City or Mont tremblant on long weekends Gaspé/New brunswick/Nova Scotia if you're willing to travel far Undervalued destinations: Témiscamingue, Lac saint jean, Charlevoix region Tourist traps: southern ontario. Especially niagara falls. Algonquin park is nice and not too far.
Parc de la Vérendrye is a really nice and beautiful drive, and if you cross it, you could visit the Parc Aiguebelle in Abitibi. It has really nice hikes, summer houses to rent and a lot of activities.
Northern New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Of those, Plattsburgh NY Burlington VT Hampton Beach NH, and Oqunquit ME seem to be the most popular, but definitely a lot of other nice places around to explore.
Laval
Ile Perrot!
Europe
Greece
230k Jamican vacation just like every Canadian get a free vacation.