Who said Quebec must-see attractions and places aren’t deserving of a visit even if they’re sometimes quite busy? After all, there’s a reason they constitute some of the most popular spots! I’ve prepared for you 20 can’t-miss essentials you’ll want to add to your bucket list for your next trip to Quebec Province. I’ve covered every region in the four corners of the land, bringing you well-known and loved fundamentals, as well as my favourites you’re sure to adore!
Top Must-See Attractions in Each Region of Quebec
Let’s start exploring the province’s renowned gems so you can get a good idea of what’s in store for you during your next journey to Quebec!
1. Sleeping in the World’s Largest Log Cabin at Château Montebello, Outaouais
Nothing says Quebec, or actually Canada, more than a lodge experience! Even better when it’s in the world’s biggest log cabin, isn’t it? At Le Château Montebello, part of the Fairmont chain of signature hotels in the country, you’ll feel like you’re in an all-inclusive resort in La Belle Province’s Outaouais region.
Nature, woods, sports, family activities, gastronomy… Spice it up with a visit to surrounding artisans in the town of Montebello (cheese maker, microbrewery, chocolate maker, etc.) or spend the day with free-roaming animals at Parc Omega.
2. Exploring Quebec City’s Picture-Perfect Old Town
Sure, Quebec City’s old town alleyways and historical buildings no longer remain a secret around the world, but they are worth all the time you’ll spend exploring them! Walk along the Terrasse Dufferin wood walkway, from the iconic Château Frontenac to the Citadelle of Quebec and the Plains of Abraham, battlefield grounds that have since become a park where sunbathers, bikers and runners rejoice!
3. Meeting Quebec’s Artists in the Picturesque Town of Baie-Saint-Paul, Charlevoix
Definitely one of the cutest, most Instagrammable villages in Quebec, Baie-Saint-Paul, in the region of Charlevoix, will leave you begging for more. Quaint and charming, it attracts tons of tourists, especially in the summer when artists open up their galleries and invite you in. Steps away from the shores of the Saint-Lawrence river and the mountains, you’ll find plenty to do!
4. Visiting a Provincial Icon: The Percé Rock, Gaspésie
Chances are you’ve already seen the Rocher Percé or Percé Rock on a postcard of Quebec. You know that mammoth of a rock formation with a hole at its end nestled in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Gaspésie? It’s one of our signature spots you’ve got to see with your own eyes at least once in your lifetime. Explore it on foot at low tide from the beach, hop on a boat tour to roam around it or admire the giant from the Percé village.
5. Reaching for the Stars at Laval’s Cosmodôme
Kids and adults alike will love exploring space, taking part in a mission to Mars or watching a 4D sensory and immersive film at the Cosmodôme. This interactive museum has been around since I was a kid (I’m from Laval, so I visited it many times!) and has constantly updated its exhibitions since, making wannabe astronauts or just curious visitors VERY happy!
6. Watching the City Swarm Under You From Montreal’s Mount Royal
Montrealers sure have a love affair with their mountain! Well, some would probably call it a hill more than a mountain, but the 10 km2 the park occupies are constantly filled with locals going for a stroll, hiking, enjoying the view or taking part in the Tam-Tam celebrations on Sundays at noon at the base of Mount Royal. If you’re travelling to Montreal, it’s a must-see attraction in Quebec!
7. Taking Advantage of Mont Tremblant’s Diverse Offering in the Laurentians
Flocks of people spend weekends and even week-long vacations in Mont Tremblant’s resort town in the heart of the Laurentians and there’s a reason for that! Not only is it a gorgeous essential in Quebec, but it has everything you could imagine ever wanting. Golf, biking, hiking in Mont-Tremblant National Park, gambling at the casino, fine dining, ziplining and so much more. I particularly enjoy it in the fall when the leaf colours change!
8. Pleasing Your Sweet Tooth at Montérégie’s Sucrerie de la Montagne Sugar Shack
Some of my best childhood memories are from the sugar shack, a spring tradition where families unite to celebrate our local gold: maple syrup! We enjoy traditional Canadian hearty cooking with wayyyyy too much sweet syrup taste and party along to folk music. Horse-drawn carriage rides and maple taffy are often part of the deal.
In the Montérégie region, the Sucrerie de la Montagne, although a vast establishment different from the ones I’m used to, is perfect for you to experience sugaring off as it’s open all year round if you’re not here from mid-March to mid-April. You can even sleep there if you want to make it a getaway in itself!
9. Indulging in Sutton’s Joie de Vivre in the Eastern Townships
Sutton is one of my favourites towns in Quebec. It’s just so darn cute and quaint! Stop into its coffee shop, microbrewery, range of restaurants, or cultural and heritage destinations to learn more about the Eastern Townships, all while taking in the town’s joie de vivre!
Nature lovers can treat themselves to biking, hiking, kayaking in the neighbouring outdoors. You can even pedal in the sky along the Vélo Volant canopy cycle cable or watch the stars at the National Geographic open air augmented reality planetarium ObservÉtoiles in the same location, not too far from town!
10. Going Wild and Back to Nature at La Mauricie National Park
The province of Quebec has multiple national parks, but La Mauricie National Park in the Mauricie region is definitely a staple! It contains over 150 lakes, miles of forest land, surprising waterfalls, trails for all levels and breathtaking scenery of Quebec’s wild. Turn your visit into a vacation with some camping or ready-to-camp oTENTik glamping accommodation, my kind of must-have experience!
11. Spotting Marine Life in Tadoussac on a Whale-Watching Cruise
Whale-watching tours and cruises in the Saint-Lawrence estuary are a must-do activity if you’re in the Côte-Nord region. Hop into a zodiac (bigger boats are also available) and look out for marine life as you whizz through the waters. Will you spot a humpback or a blue, fin or minke whale? Whichever company you choose for your tour, make sure they are part of the Alliance Éco-Baleine association, committed to treating animals with respect!
12. Getting the Best Out of Land and Water at the Fjord du Saguenay
From Tadoussac, head out to explore Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean’s gem, the Fjord du Saguenay, a pristine natural territory as fun to discover by car as by boat, both land and water offer stunning views. If you have time, head to the Fjord Museum in La Baie to get a better understanding of this essential part of Quebec. In my opinion, it’s one of the province’s best and most fun museums and I’m not much of a museum buff, so that says a lot!
13. Catching the Best Sunsets in Bas-Saint-Laurent’s Cutest Village, Kamouraska
Quebec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region is known for its unbelievably spectacular sunsets, and Kamouraska, its star village, is a great base to appreciate them. On the shores of the Saint Lawrence River as it widens out to sea, the town boasts a wide variety of restaurants, shops, artist boutiques and panoramas you won’t want to overlook. If you’re into seafood, you’ll never want to leave!
14. Trying to Say Goodbye to the Ochre Cliffs of the Magdalen Islands
It’s simply impossible to name only one iconic place in the Îles de la Madeleine, or the Magdalen Islands as they are called in English. The Maggies are my favourite home away from home and anyone that sets food in the archipelago will understand… It’s a bucket list must-visit destination that will simply never leave your soul even years after you’ve gone home!
15. Digging For Gold at Abitibi-Témiscamingue’s La Cité de l’Or
Pretend you’re a miner at La Cité de l’Or in the northern region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue! Put on your hard hat and miner’s outfit and reach 300 feet deep into the gold mine’s drift to see what life was like during Quebec’s 1920s gold rush. Once you emerge, explore the cute miner’s log houses of the historic village of Bourlamaque to get a feel for the times!
16. Understanding Power in Eeyou Istchee Baie-James’ Hydroelectric Dams and Stations
On top of all the awesome nature and Cree experiences you can discover in Quebec’s Eeyou Istchee Baie-James region of the North, uncover the mystery of electricity in one of its massive and jaw-dropping hydroelectric dams and stations. In the middle of nature, the force of water is sure to impress!
17. Turning Back Time in Chaudière-Appalaches’ Grosse-Île Historic Site
From 1832 to 1937, as immigrants once arrived at what is today Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site, they were put under quarantine before reaching the port of Quebec. Nestled between the northern and southern shores of the fleuve Saint-Laurent or Saint Lawrence River, the island was also an important place for medical and scientific research on top of changing immigrant lives forever. Quite an emotional place to visit in the Chaudière-Appalaches region.
18. Checking Out Trail Conditions in Lanaudière’s Snowmobile Country
They don’t call this part of Quebec snowmobile country for nothing! If you want to breeze through fresh snow and explore the trails in the Lanaudière region of the province, plan a trip on a Ski-doo! Not only is it an iconic Canadian experience to add to your top things to do while in the province, but it will also get your adrenaline pumping for a few hours or a few days, no matter your experience level!
19. Discovering Our Roots at Centre-du-Québec’s Village Québécois d’Antan
Ever wondered what Quebec looked like back from 1810 to 1930? At the Village Québécois d’Antan in Centre-du-Québec, you’ll find out! I remember visiting with school as I was younger and feeling like I had stepped back in time. It’s a moment in our history that really fascinates me!
Walk through historical houses and buildings and meet costumed individuals that will help you get of sense of what was going on back then. The village is even haunted during Halloween, illuminated for Christmas and sweetened up for sugaring off!
20. Flying Over the 55th Parallel North in Nunavik’s Pingualuit National Park
Simply the adventure of a lifetime! Although I haven’t yet gotten to see Pingualuit National Park with my own eyes, I know Nunavik’s natural treasure and its meteorite crater are bound to leave you speechless. Obviously, the Ungava Peninsula, because of its northern remoteness, isn’t that much of a “Quebec classic” as not many tourists (nor residents for that matter!) get out there, but it sure is a must-visit attraction if you’re into nature, hiking, fishing, hunting and/or indigenous tourism.
Uh oh! With this list of must-see places where to go, I might have confused you even more instead of helping you choose your next must-see attraction in Quebec… Forgive me, we have so much to offer! These 20 must-visit attractions are only some of my favourite “classics” you can’t miss, but I can promise they are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to experiences and activities you’ll enjoy all around the province.
Which of these must-see attractions in Quebec are you most interested in?
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