So Many Great Road Trip Stops In Quebec
We found so many great road trip stops in Quebec. Stays in Montreal and Quebec City provided us with lots to see and do as we enjoyed the European charm of these Canadian cities. We explored the Saguenay area for great outdoor sights. And a visit to the North Shore of the St Lawrence River gave us a fun whale watching adventure in Tadoussac.
The variety of experiences is one of the great reasons to visit Quebec on a road trip in Eastern Canada.
We Started Our Visit In Montreal
Montreal was the first stop in Quebec on our travels around the East Coast of Canada. We enjoyed a return visit to the Ritz Carlton Montreal. Great customer service, a lovely suite and tasty food treats made this the perfect stop for our anniversary.
Around Montreal we found so much great outdoor art. And the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts was a short walk from the hotel.
One day we wandered around the Old Port area and into Old Montreal for lunch. There were lots of fun things to do along the waterfront.
For our last view of Montreal, we took a harbour cruise along the St Lawrence. This finished up the first of our road trip stops in Quebec.
Enjoying The Outdoors Around Saguenay
From our stay in Montreal we travelled along the St Lawrence and then up the west side of the Saguenay River along the Fjord Route. The mountainous roads ran beside the fjords on the river. We stopped in several stops and enjoyed the view.
From Saguenay we took a day trip around Lac St Jean. This route was marked as the Blueberry Trail and we certainly found blueberry treats along the way. We made several stops in small towns and wandered on the waterfront.
The area was known for the rapids in the rivers. We found several areas where we stopped for a view of the rushing waters. And saw large hydroelectric dams which drew the power from this rushing water.
On our return drive to the St Lawrence River, we took the Fjord route on the west side. And found calm and tranquil lakes on our early morning transit.
Great outdoor adventures in the Saguenay area made this one of our fun road trip stops in Quebec.
Whale Watching From Tadoussac
We booked our whale watching from Tadoussac on the fast zodiac boats with AML Croisiere Aux Baleines. After a slow loading process we finally left the harbour and headed out into the St Lawrence River and joined the other boats on the calm seas.
We got our first sighting of a group of seals. And then several groups of fin whales lazily swam past. With lots of food in the river at this point, the whales seemed to just glide on the surface.
The captain moved the boat to deeper waters and found a group of humpback whales spouting on the surface. Everyone was excited when we finally saw a tail as one whale dived deep.
We finally saw one group of beluga whales shining white just below the surface. And on a quick trip up the Saguenay River there was a quick glimpse of another beluga. Back on shore we had a chance to learn more about the amazing Beluga whales.
We were glad we booked whale watching from Tadoussac. Even if the whale show was not quite as exciting as the amazing whale watching experience we had in British Columbia. Whale watching is certainly one of the exciting road trip stops in Quebec.
Ferry Crossing From Les Escoumins To Trois Pistoles
After our whale watching in Tadoussac, we drove up the coast along the Côte-Nord. This was known as the Whale Trail (“La Route des Baleines”). A short stop at Longue Rive at the Chute de Sault Au Mouton provided us with a view of waterfalls. And the vast expanse of mud at low tide.
We crossed from the north coast of the St Lawrence River at Les Escoumins and landed on the south coast at Trois Pistoles. It was a 90 minute ferry ride on smooth seas.
We knew there were whales on the river and we were not disappointed. That night we rolled in late to Mt Joli before we headed south to New Brunswick.
Road Trip Stops In Quebec Missed The Gaspé Peninsula
After our visit to the Atlantic provinces, we planned to stop for two nights in New Francis on the Gaspé peninsula. This was to be our base for a day trip further up the coast to see the Percé Rock. But as we travelled we watched the Gaspé weather. We really did not want a long driving day in the rain. When the weather forecast continued to be wet, we finally cancelled this stop in Quebec.
We would plan a long visit and see more of the Gaspé peninsula on another trip. And since we missed Labrador when we travelled in Newfoundland, maybe we would add Labrador to a Gaspé trip.
Finishing Up In Quebec City
When we did our first road trip itinerary, we planned for 3 days in Quebec City at the start of the trip. And then the dates all moved when we had to work around available ferry dates. We then planned for 3 days in in Quebec City at the end of the trip. But when we shuffled plans to cancel our visit to Gaspé we ended up with only one night in Quebec City.
We visited Quebec City on our first trip to Eastern Canada. And enjoyed some time in the old town.
On this visit it was hard to find a hotel in Quebec City on the weekend. We finally got one at the Hotel Pur (a Tribute Portolio Hotel in the Marriott group). It was a long drive from our stop in Moncton in New Brunswick, so we planned an easy evening. We wandered along the pedestrian streets and found the Nina Pizzeria recommended by the hotel concierge. A great Neapolitan style pizza, a large salad and an Aperol Spritz was the perfect light dinner.
Quebec City needed far more than one day on a road trip in Quebec. Even as a return visit!
A Stop At Montmorency Falls
We had one thing on our plans for Quebec City for this trip. After an early breakfast, we packed and headed to the east side of the city and explored the Montmorency Falls. We started at top of the falls at Manoir Montmorency. We got our first views from the top at the observation platform and from the suspension bridge.
When we climbed part way down the stairs, we got a view of the Montmorency Falls from the front. From there we got a great panoramic view of the site.
There were many ways to enjoy the Montmorency Falls. On this quick visit, we got soma amazing views. But one day we will head back for more.
Such Variety In The Road Trip Stops In Quebec
On our long road trip around Atlantic Canada, we enjoyed some road trip stops in Quebec at the beginning and end.
We splurged with some city time in Montreal and Quebec City. We explored the great outdoors in the Saguenay region and enjoyed a visit to the Montmorency Falls outside Quebec City. Whale watching in Tadoussac was a fun outdoor adventure.
It was wonderful to add in some great stops in Quebec on our road trip to Eastern Canada.
Have you done some great road trip stops in Quebec? Did you have a favourite spot we missed?
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Quebec is such a beautiful part of Canada! I will save this post as I won’t remember all of the towns names. Whale watching would be incredible to see here, and the Falls are spectacular! I love smaller towns in general so this would be my kind of trip.
We loved the great variety in the stops we found in Quebec. You will love wandering in the smaller towns.
Road tripping is my favorite way to travel. I enjoy the planning as much as the actual trip. I would love to do a road trip in Canada, but I would probably have to fly there and rent a vehicle. The whale watching is a bucket list wish of mine.
A road trip is definitely a great way to see a lot of variety in the sights around Quebec.
Ziplining in Montreal’s Old Port area looks like fun. Those sculptures on the Blueberry Trail look fun. The nearby rapids look so powerful, not quite suitable for me and my paddleboard.
Remind me again, those fin whales that you are talking about, are those the creatures that are 90ft long? I’d love to see those from close-by but so far every attempt at whale-watching has failed in its entirety…
There are so many different things to do on a road trip in Quebec. I am sure you guys would find lots to enjoy. We try whale watching when we can and our success has varied. Most of this group were just lazy.
It sounds like you have had a successful journey. My favorite part is Whale Watching From Tadoussac. It is something I would enjoy. I would also try the Zip lining tour. I does not seem like you have done it.
We did find a lot of fun things to see and do on our road trip in Quebec. We missed the ziplining on our stay in Montreal. But we are back often enough we can do it next time!
This collection of Quebec road trip stops is quite wonderful. I adore the beautiful public art in and around Montreal! The Saguenay River’s mountain panoramas are truly stunning. My favorite destination on the tour is Montmorency Falls. Thank you for sharing your experience; I’ve finally realized how beautiful Quebec is!
We loved the amazing variety we found in sights on our road trip in Quebec. But still much more to explore.
Happy anniversary to both of you! It seems you celebrated in style! The Whale Watching Tour from Tadoussac looks amazing. I have been whale watching two times, once in Japan and once in Iceland. In Iceland we did not see any whales, in Japan we saw one briefly. So, next time whale watching will be Canada – I hope.
We have been lucky on many of our whale watching trips. I am sure you will love to try it on a visit to Canada.
We did the same thing in reverse…Quebec City to Montreal. Loved the Montmarcy Falls. But we didn’t do the cruise and saw less of nature but more of the architecture.
Every trip to Quebec adds something new for us. Such amazing variety in things to see and do.
Happy 10th Anniversary! What a wonderful place to celebrate – at the Ritz-Carlton Montreal, no less! I am a big wildlife fan and love to be out on the water, so I would definitely want to take a whale watching tour from Tadoussac. I’ve never seen Belugas in there natural habitat so I would hope to be so lucky. Montmorency Falls look like a great take, too! Thanks for providing a diverse list of stops and attractions for a Quebec road trip. I’ll be adding several to my upcoming itinerary!
It was great to enjoy some luxury on our stay in Montreal and then head into other parts of Quebec for some outdoor beauty.
I only visited Montreal but this makes me want to explore the region further! Also the surprise in the hotel was so sweet!!
We do love our return visits to Montreal. So much to see and do. Definitely worth being on a Quebec itinerary.
I’d love to spend more time in Quebec… it’s a province we haven’t explored very much. I would LOVE to see Beluga whales – they are so fascinating and so smart too.
We have visited Quebec on different trips. Always smoothing new to find.
I haven’t been to Canada in a while. It would be neat to explore Quebec and check out some of these places.
Quebec is definitely worth putting on a Canadian travel plan.
Such a great list, I love that most suggestions are for outdoor activities. Seeing the Whales would be at the top of my list, especially the beluga, I’ve never seen them before 🙂
We did love all the great outdoor activities we found in Quebec.
These are fantastic road trip stops in Quebec. Your hotel in Ritz Carlton Montreal is luxurious and the blueberry trails with gushing rivers and calm lakes along the fjord route at Lac St Jean is amazing. Those beluga and hump back whales look so cool swimming. The montmorency falls are such pleasant sight. I would love to take this road trip!
Every stop we made in Quebec had something new to discover. I am sure you would love to travel around this province.
Happy anniversary from me, too 🙂 You certainly picked a great place to celebrate! However, as always, I’m impressed by all those wonderful sculptures – especially those blueberries are super-fun.
I’d love to go whale watching one day. In Croatia, I saw so many dolphins, that was amazing. Now I’m kinda hooked 😉
All of the stops in Quebec were great on this trip. Loved starting with such a luxurious treat. Lots of great spots for whale watching when you finally get to Canada.
A great idea for trips to Eastern Canada. Quebec and Montreal are on my bucket list for this part of Canada. They have vibrant architecture and attractions. The road trip along the Saguenay River along the Fjord Route looks pretty scenic. Also, I would love to take a whale watching tour from Tadoussac, as I love wildlife photography. Also, Montmorency Falls looks fantastic!
You will love the variety of road trip stops you will find in Quebec. Lots of variety along the way.
Wow what a perfect way to spent your anniversary. I would to go whale watching in Quebec or explore around Trois Pistoles, it looks so stunning.
Indoor and outdoor spots were lovely on our road trip through Quebec.
I totally enjoyed this blog post! I have not been to Quebec yet, but plan to do this part of the world soon. Montmorency falls look beautiful. Whale watching sounds like fun. Saguenay River along the Fjord route looks so picturesque. Happy belated anniversary! 🙂
I hope you do get to explore Quebec on your visit. So many great spots in the cities and outdoors too!
The decoration made by Ritz hotel is such a lovely attention from the customer service! I love this, and a belated Happy Anniversary! I’ve never visited Canada but your blog shares so many inspiring itineraries I’d definitely love to visit one day!
We are always impressed with the attention to detail we get at the Ritz Carlton. It was a great stay to start our road trip in Quebec. If you get to Quebec one day I know you will love it.
Okay but how AMAZING does a road trip through Quebec sound?!
We sure did love all the variety in the road trip stops we found in Quebec.
We used to live in northern Vermont and only a few miles from the Quebec border. We visited Montreal several times, but would love to return and check out all these road trip stops. So beautiful!
We love to find new spots to visit when we head to Quebec. So much variety.
Happy anniversary! I’ve been to Quebec once but years ago. Lovely to see your post and what a fun adventure! I will have to explore it.
You will find so much to see and do on a road trip in Quebec. Each new trip brings another treat for us.
I would definitely go whale watching. I have seen many types of whales in the wild but never belugas. What a thrill.
The Belugas were definitely a draw for us to head to the Saguenay region.
I’ve always wanted to visit Quebec. It’s beauty is definitely underrated. The views from Montmorency Falls are absolutely breathtaking. The special touches prepared for your anniversary was a delightful treat I’m sure.
Every part of our visit to Quebec provided another treat. Great to start with a splurge and get so many wonderful outdoor sights too.
I really enjoyed reading your post. So many diverse experiences! Your post reminds me of my Whale-Watching experience in Colombia. It was truly an awesome experience.
We were glad we finally made it to Quebec for whale watching. A great addition to the other amazing sights we found in Quebec.
How fun! Great photos as always, I love the contrast between the rushing river and the tranquil lake. But most of all it’s a dream for me to see Beluga whales in the wild! That remains a bucket list for me. Such a great trip. Do you speak French? I’m just wondering. 🙂
I speak a little French and David is pretty bilingual. It helps a bit in parts of Quebec. So many great spots to enjoy!
I read this with interest as I am back in Canada next year for a while, starting in Montreal & Quebec. Love the look of your whale watching trip & the waterfall looks impressive too. Will keep this for when I’m planning. Thank you!
I know you are going to love being in Canada. So many spots to enjoy east to west!
Wow! It’s so cool that you found so many road trip stops in Quebec. We haven’t really had the chance to explore the area but we’d love to check out the outdoors around Saguenay. The view is beautiful and we’d love to follow the blueberry trail too.
We were amazed at how many great outdoor spots we found on our road trip in Quebec. A great reason to visit for sure.
While Montreal has been on my travel bucket list for a while, I´ve never heard about the beautiful outdoors around Saguenay! Also I wouldn´t want to miss the whale watching, I´ve only done it once in Iceland and was dreaming to repeat the experience ever since
There are some great cities to visit in Quebec. But some awesome outdoor spots too. Lots to send you on a road trip in Quebec.
Pretty amazing things to explore in Quebec and whale watching from it will Fancy the tourists.
We were happy we found so many great things to see and do in Quebec on our road trip.
Been to Quebec, didn’t venture out of the city. I see now that it was a mistake! Were you able to get by easily without french? A couple places I went to in Quebec seemed to not speak English, whether by choice or lack of skill – unsure.
There are so many great areas to explore around Quebec outside of the great cities. But I do agree that French is an issue in many areas where the locals might refuse to speak English. We speak enough French it is generally not an issue for us. But I would not let the language stop you from exploring.