Best Day Trips from Quebec City

Quebec City’s surroundings are as rewarding as the city itself. Within 90 minutes of Old Quebec, you can stand at the base of a waterfall taller than Niagara, cycle around a heritage island that was the cradle of French civilisation in North America, hike into a 550-metre river canyon in the boreal forest, visit the reserve of the Huron-Wendat Nation, and begin the approach to Charlevoix — one of the most beautiful and culinarily celebrated regions in Canada.

Quebec City works best as a base for at least two days of the surrounding region, not just as a destination in itself. Most of the day trips below can be accomplished in half a day if you have a car and an efficient itinerary; combining two destinations on a single day is feasible for several of them.

North shore circuit (half day or full day)

The north shore drive east from Quebec City on Route 138 (or the faster Route 440 autoroute) passes through a sequence of destinations that can be combined in various ways depending on available time.

Montmorency Falls (10 km, 15 minutes)

The closest and most dramatic nature destination from Quebec City. Montmorency Falls — 83 metres high, 30 metres taller than Niagara — is located where the Montmorency River drops from the Laurentide plateau into the St. Lawrence estuary. Three viewing perspectives (base, suspension bridge above the crest, gondola cable car) provide different relationships with the scale and drama of the falls.

In winter (January–March), the spray from the falls builds a towering ice cone — the pain de sucre — that can reach 30 metres in height. It is one of the most distinctive natural phenomena in the Quebec City region and worth a specific winter trip.

Time needed: 1.5–2 hours for a thorough visit including the gondola. Combine with Île d’Orléans (5 minutes further east) for a full north shore half-day.

Île d’Orléans (15 km, 20 minutes)

A 35-kilometre island in the St. Lawrence, connected to the north shore by a suspension bridge 5 kilometres east of Montmorency Falls. The island circuit (67 km by car) passes through six heritage parishes, farm stands, orchards, cideries, vineyards, and stone farmhouses from the 17th and 18th centuries. Jacques Cartier called it the “island of enchantment” in 1535.

The Île d’Orléans guide covers the island in full detail: what to stop for, where to eat, which cideries are worth visiting, and the best seasonal timing (strawberries in June, apples in September).

Time needed: 2.5–4 hours for the full circuit with stops. Combine with Montmorency Falls for a complete north shore half-day.

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (35 km, 35 minutes)

The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré — North America’s most visited Catholic pilgrimage site — stands on the north shore 35 kilometres east of Old Quebec. The current neo-Romanesque basilica (1923–1963) is one of the most ambitious religious buildings in Canada: twin 91-metre spires, 240 stained glass windows, and a remarkable wall of discarded crutches left by pilgrims who claimed miraculous healing.

The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré guide covers the history, architecture, and pilgrimage tradition in detail.

Time needed: 1.5–2 hours for the basilica and grounds. Works well combined with Île d’Orléans (west) and as the easternmost point of a north shore circuit before returning to Quebec City.

North: into the Laurentides

Wendake (15 km, 20 minutes)

The reserve of the Huron-Wendat Nation sits 15 kilometres north of Quebec City — a cultural destination that is almost entirely unknown to international visitors. The Onhoüa Chetek8e traditional village site offers guided tours of a reconstructed Wendat longhouse and cultural demonstrations by community members. The Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations — a five-star resort hotel with an integrated Indigenous cultural museum — is one of the most extraordinary accommodation options in Quebec.

The Wendake guide covers the cultural experience, the restaurant (La Traite, one of the most distinctive dining experiences in the region), and the overnight option.

Time needed: Half a day for a cultural visit. Combine with Jacques-Cartier National Park (25 minutes further north) for a full day in the Laurentides.

Parc National de la Jacques-Cartier (40 km, 40 minutes)

The park’s dramatic canyon — 550 metres deep, carved by the Jacques-Cartier River through the Canadian Shield — is the strongest single natural sight within day-trip distance of Quebec City. The turquoise river, the boreal forest, 100 kilometres of hiking trails, kayaking on the river, and wildlife (moose, beaver, river otter) make this the best nature day trip from the city.

The Jacques-Cartier Park guide covers trails, kayaking, and winter activities in detail.

Time needed: Full day for a serious hiking or paddling visit; half day works for the canyon viewpoint and a valley floor walk. In winter, the park is a Nordic skiing destination with 180 km of groomed trails.

Best combination: Wendake in the morning, Jacques-Cartier in the afternoon. The route north from Quebec City passes through Wendake on the way to the park entrance on Route 175.

Northeast: toward Charlevoix

The beginning of Charlevoix (60–90 km, 60 minutes)

Charlevoix — the dramatic stretch of the St. Lawrence shore northeast of Quebec City — begins at the transition from the St. Lawrence lowlands to the Laurentide highlands around Baie-Saint-Paul. The 60-kilometre drive from Old Quebec along the north shore (Route 138) through Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and on to Baie-Saint-Paul is one of the most beautiful drives in eastern Canada: the road climbs from river level into the mountains, providing views of the St. Lawrence widening into the estuary below.

Baie-Saint-Paul, the gateway to Charlevoix proper, has an excellent restaurant and arts scene that has been growing for decades. The town is worth a half-day visit and can be combined with Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré on the drive northeast.

Time needed: A full day to reach Baie-Saint-Paul and return comfortably; or continue to La Malbaie (120 km from Quebec City) for a complete Charlevoix day.

Tadoussac via Charlevoix (200 km, 2.5 hours)

Tadoussac — the whale watching capital of Quebec — is technically a day trip from Quebec City, though an early start is required for a full day and the return is a long drive. The more practical approach is to treat Tadoussac as an overnight destination, allowing time for a proper whale watching excursion (3–4 hours). The full Tadoussac guide covers blue whales, belugas, humpbacks, and how to plan the visit.

For a day trip specifically, leave Quebec City by 6:30am, spend a morning whale watching in Tadoussac, have lunch at the Hotel Tadoussac, and drive back arriving in Quebec City by early evening. It is a long day but achievable.

South: the south shore

Lévis and beyond (ferry, 12 minutes)

The south shore city of Lévis, directly across the river from Old Quebec, is accessible by passenger ferry from the Quebec City waterfront (12 minutes, frequent service). Lévis is primarily a commuter city but the view back from the Lévis waterfront — the full cliff face of Old Quebec with the Château Frontenac above — is extraordinary and worth the ferry crossing as a standalone experience.

The historic Vieux-Lévis neighbourhood has some heritage architecture; the overall experience is more about the view than the destination. Most visitors take the ferry across, walk the waterfront viewpoint, and return on the next ferry. Allow 90 minutes.

Beauce (80–100 km, 1.5 hours)

The Beauce region — the valley of the Chaudière River south of Quebec City — is Quebec’s heartland of traditional Quebecois culture, known primarily for its maple syrup industry. The Beauce has a significant number of excellent cabanes à sucre (sugar shack operations) that are the primary draw for Quebec City visitors during maple season (March–April). See the sugar shacks guide for detail on the sugar shack experience.

Outside of maple season, the Beauce has limited tourist infrastructure, but the drive through the Chaudière valley — particularly in autumn colour — is pleasant and the food culture (traditional pea soup, tourtière, salt pork dishes) at roadside restaurants is genuine.

Planning day trips: practical notes

Renting a car

Most of the destinations above are not reachable by public transit or involve inconvenient transit options. A rental car is the most practical approach for serious day tripping. Car rental companies operate at Jean-Lesage Airport and some have central Quebec City locations.

For a day trip to Jacques-Cartier and Wendake combined, or the north shore circuit (Montmorency + Île d’Orléans + Sainte-Anne), a single car rental day is sufficient. See the getting around guide for transport logistics.

Guided tours

Several Quebec City tour operators offer organised day trips to the main destinations, eliminating the need for a rental car. A guided tour to Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans, for example, typically includes transport, guide commentary, and structured stops. These are genuinely useful for visitors without a car or those who want contextual explanation alongside the landscape.

Book Quebec City area day tours on GetYourGuide

Timing

• Leave early: Most day trip destinations are better in the morning (better light, fewer crowds, more time). Leaving Quebec City by 8:30am for the north shore circuit or Jacques-Cartier allows a full day with a comfortable return.
• Seasonal considerations: Jacques-Cartier Park is year-round but peak summer (July–August) is the busiest. Île d’Orléans cideries operate primarily May–October. The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Grand Pilgrimage (late July) adds crowds around the basilica.
• Weather: Always check weather before departing for outdoor destinations. The Laurentide north of Quebec City can have significantly different weather from the city — colder in winter, more rainfall in summer.

Day trips in winter

Several day trip destinations are genuinely excellent in winter and worth planning for:

• Montmorency Falls: The ice cone (January–March) is one of the region’s most unusual natural sights
• Jacques-Cartier Park: 180 km of groomed cross-country ski trails; winter camping and chalets
• Île d’Orléans: Some cideries remain open; the heritage streetscapes in snow are beautiful
• Wendake: Traditional snowshoeing programmes run through winter

Related pages

Each destination has its own detailed guide linked above. The things to do guide places day trips in the context of a full Quebec City itinerary. The getting around guide covers transport logistics in detail, including transit routes to Montmorency Falls and rental car recommendations.