Advice on visiting Quebec?

[Alicia64]

Dh and I would love to take our 14 year olds to Quebec. We want to show them European architecture, food, life etc. without actually paying for plane rides to France.

 

I'd love any and all suggestions.

 

Best time of year to visit?

 

What to see?

 

Where to stay?

 

TIA!!

 

Alley

[solascriptura]

Anytime besides winter! I have never felt such cold in my life when I went once in December. I know I'm a wimp and this is nothing new to Canadians, but OMG!

[solascriptura]

Definitely old Quebec City. There is an awesome cultural museum there that I loved. There are a time of small hotels there, but we stayed in the Marriott. I loved it there!

[Bluegoat]

Old Quebec for sure.

 

I will not say avoid winter, because going for the winter carnival could actually be very fun.  Summer would be fine too, and Fall is a great season there.  I'd avoid Spring.

 

You might consider a stop in Montreal or Ottawa as well.

[Pam in CT]

Winter is massively cold, that is true; but I'll second the winter carnival in old Quebec City (ice sculptures all over the old city), and you also can visit or for a once-in-a-lifetime stay overnight at the Hotel de Glace (whole thing constructed out of ice).

 

 

My girls and I visited Montreal in summer.  We stayed right in the old port and used the public City Bikes to get around, which worked very well.  The Botanical Gardens are massive and wonderful.  We also did a Jewish food-tasting food tour that got us into all sorts of neat corners of the city -- there were tours for every culinary taste imaginable, including chocolate-only, lol.

 

In both places we stayed in small boutique-y very French inns, which I adored -- smaller neighborhood, smaller scale, different food that we usually have.

[wintermom]

Are you talking about Quebec the province, or Quebec City? If it's the province of Quebec, that includes Montreal, which also has historical buildings and tours in Old Montreal. Just north of Montreal is a region with lots of small towns with ski centres, if you'd like to do winter activities, though the small towns are beautiful to visit in the summer as well. Some have horse carriages and cafes as well. 

 

Quebec City:

- Old Quebec with shops, museum, cafes, churches, hotel, port

- Plains of Abraham and Citadel (fort)

- Montmorency Falls

- Winter Carnival

 

Montreal:

- Old Montreal with shops, cafes, horse drawn carriage, church (Notre-Dame Basillica)

- Biodome and Biospere

- Botanical gardens

- Old Port

- Mount Royal overlooking the city

- La Ronde amusement park

- Lots of modern shopping downtown, huge variety of restaurants, nightlife, cultural events, concerts

 

Both cities are nice. Montreal is a lot bigger and may be easier to get to by plane, train or car.  As nice as Quebec City is, I'd go for Montreal with teens as there is a lot more variety of things to do. Also, if you've ever been to Paris and seen how alive it is, Old Quebec seems dead in comparison, sadly. It just seems to live for tourists, whereas Old Montreal is alive and vibrant right in the heart of downtown. It's a little smaller in area, but just brimming with life. 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by wintermom

[wintermom]

I just returned from a day trip to Montreal. I'd definitely recommend going here in the summer. It was really great. There are bike rental places all over downtown, so you can hop on a bike and ride along one of several dedicated bike lanes, or just walk along and enjoy the huge variety of shops and restaurants. It really is very much like Paris with all the life on the streets. So much going on.

 

Hope you have a wonderful trip, where ever you decide to go!

[Harriet Vane]

Our family went to Quebec City last Christmas. Of course it was cold, but nothing we hadn't already seen and experienced as Chicagoans, and temps were not too frigid for us. The snow was REALLY DEEP though. Good boots were a must. The Old City is charming and we enjoyed exploring it. The Christmas decorations were gorgeous. The Citadel has a cool tour. There are some local museums. My dh and ds went skiing a couple days. And of course it is wonderfully French.

[Liza Q]

I'm going to Quebec over Labor Day with one of my older daughters. We're staying in a little hotel in Old Quebec City and we're planning our trip. We're pretty excited!

 

Definitely old Quebec City. There is an awesome cultural museum there that I loved. There are a time of small hotels there, but we stayed in the Marriott. I loved it there!

 

Which museum was it? We'll only be there 9/1-9/5 so we have three days to sight-see. I want to see a minimum of one old church, one great museum, and one fort or battlefield, as well as walk around a bit and just enjoy the old buildings. But there are a lot of museums/churches/forts to choose from!!!

 

I am also looking for ideas for inexpensive breakfasts and nice but not $$$$ lunch/dinner places. I'm sure we'll get some recommendations from the hotel but it's always nice to get a personal rec. I am heading to trip advisor next. Maybe something will catch my eye. And I would prefer not to eat at any chains while we're there. At home I generally save $$ by eating at Panera Bread/Chipotle/etc instead of a charming cafe, but I'd like to do the opposite while I'm away.

 

 

 

[Harriet Vane]

We enjoyed a traditional, old-time Canadian meal at Aux Anciens Canadiens. It wasn't cheap, but we did not regret it.

 

Much cheaper, absolutely fabulous Middle Eastern cuisine at Bachir. That is not in the Old City. The food was flavorful and not greasy at all. Wonderful. And the owners are delightful as well. And we had the best baklava for dessert.

 

Dd and I greatly enjoyed crepes (twice!) at Casse-Crepe Breton. YUM.

[AmandaVT]

I haven't been to Quebec city, but I've been to other parts of Quebec. Plan on lots of people driving like maniacs. Worse than Mass drivers. Every time someone is driving a million miles an hour and almost killing people on the interstates here, they have Quebec plates. I spent years commuting from RI to the Boston area and I'm well versed in aggressive driving. Quebec drivers are way worse!

[wintermom]

I haven't been to Quebec city, but I've been to other parts of Quebec. Plan on lots of people driving like maniacs. Worse than Mass drivers. Every time someone is driving a million miles an hour and almost killing people on the interstates here, they have Quebec plates. I spent years commuting from RI to the Boston area and I'm well versed in aggressive driving. Quebec drivers are way worse!

 

I just spent the day yesterday driving on several different highways and downtown roads in Montreal and the drivers were completely fine. I did avoid rush hour, and it's summer time, so less volume of traffic overall. I find the drivers on the aggressive side, as in they will cut into a lane if there is the tiniest bit of space, but they are definitely paying attention. You don't have to worry about distracted drivers, which I find more annoying and dangerous.

 

And Quebec City drivers are completely tame. 

[SeaConquest]

I just spent the day yesterday driving on several different highways and downtown roads in Montreal and the drivers were completely fine. I did avoid rush hour, and it's summer time, so less volume of traffic overall. I find the drivers on the aggressive side, as in they will cut into a lane if there is the tiniest bit of space, but they are definitely paying attention. You don't have to worry about distracted drivers, which I find more annoying and dangerous.

 

And Quebec City drivers are completely tame.

I have to agree. From a Southern California perspective, I've never noticed anything out of the ordinary about Quebec drivers. If anything, they tend to drive slower than we do in So Cal. (My husband is from Quebec, and I've spent substantial time there.) Edited August 3, 2017 by SeaConquest

[Harriet Vane]

We drove from Chicago to Quebec City, and then from Quebec City through Niagara and on into the US. We also drove all over within Quebec City and the area around the city for the week that we were there.

 

We did not at any stage experience any crazy drivers or dangerous drivers. We thought the city driving was fine. Tame, especially compared to Chicago, but also fine compared with the much smaller city we live in now.

 

The only aspect of driving that gave me pause is that Quebec City is quite hilly, and there was a lot of snow/ice in December when we were there. But I have to say, Canadians really know what they are doing when it comes to snow. They have multitudes of different shapes and sizes of snow removal machines, and they were out there every day clearing streets. It was impressive. Plus my dh and ds just adored those monster trucks. :lol:

[AmandaVT]

That's good - maybe it's only when they drive through Vermont then. They routinely pass me like I"m standing still on the Interstate and I drive at a normal rate for the area. Lots of weaving too from lane to lane, which is totally unnecessary here as there are rarely many cars on the road.

[SeaConquest]

That's good - maybe it's only when they drive through Vermont then. They routinely pass me like I"m standing still on the Interstate and I drive at a normal rate for the area. Lots of weaving too from lane to lane, which is totally unnecessary here as there are rarely many cars on the road.

Maybe you guys just drive really slow in your area of Vermont? I can spot a driver from WA a mile away because they are a good 20 mph slower than the general flow of traffic here in So Cal. Some parts of the US have very aggressive policing on highways, so people tend to drive slower. To get a ticket in So Cal for speeding on the freeways, you truly have to be an obnoxious driver. Anything 80 mph or under is really pretty normal here. I know that would not be true in many other areas where policing is more aggressive.

[AmandaVT]

Maybe you guys just drive really slow in your area of Vermont? I can spot a driver from WA a mile away because they are a good 20 mph slower than the general flow of traffic here in So Cal. Some parts of the US have very aggressive policing on highways, so people tend to drive slower. To get a ticket in So Cal for speeding on the freeways, you truly have to be an obnoxious driver. Anything 80 mph or under is really pretty normal here. I know that would not be true in many other areas where policing is more aggressive.

 

That's definitely possible - speed limits on our interstates are 65 mph and police are very aggressive about ticketing anyone going 75+, so everyone pretty much drives right around 72 here. 

 

Although, I would think people would want to fit in with the flow of traffic. When I was in LA, years ago, traffic moved fast, comparative to what I was used to. I didn't want to cause issues with my driving, so I sped up to fit in. With our light/no traffic, I'd definitely want to fit in here! I've seen reports of people getting tickets for going up to 120 on our roads, which is nuts.  

[SeaConquest]

That's definitely possible - speed limits on our interstates are 65 mph and police are very aggressive about ticketing anyone going 75+, so everyone pretty much drives right around 72 here. 

 

Although, I would think people would want to fit in with the flow of traffic. When I was in LA, years ago, traffic moved fast, comparative to what I was used to. I didn't want to cause issues with my driving, so I sped up to fit in. With our light/no traffic, I'd definitely want to fit in here! I've seen reports of people getting tickets for going up to 120 on our roads, which is nuts.  

 

God bless you for this public service! Hey, WA drivers, listen to the nice lady from Vermont! ;)

 

My apologies, OP, for the derailment. I agree with the others that Quebec is a lovely place to visit -- Quebec City especially -- for a little of the flavor of Europe without having to leave North America. Since I am a So Cal girl, the winter is a bit too difficult for me to really enjoy (although the ice festival and Tremblant have been on my bucket list for awhile). If you do visit in winter, Quebec City is quite a bit colder than Montreal. Montmerency Falls and the Chateau Frontenac (in Quebec City) are favorites of mine. If you want to go way off the beaten path, Forillon National Park, which is in Gaspe, is supposed to be really beautiful. In Montreal, I really enjoyed the Botanical Gardens. Mount Royal, and the Jewish Quarter for bagels.

[SeaConquest]

Thanks for this thread, op. I've always wanted to travel to Europe, but am a little apprehensive (I'm a homebody, and have some health issues). I've never given Montreal or Quebec City a thought until now. Is it a problem if you speak English? I know Quebec is French. Thanks!

 

No problem not to speak French unless you go further into the countryside, and even then, you can still get around. People are generally friendly, IMO.

[wintermom]

Thanks for this thread, op. I've always wanted to travel to Europe, but am a little apprehensive (I'm a homebody, and have some health issues). I've never given Montreal or Quebec City a thought until now. Is it a problem if you speak English? I know Quebec is French. Thanks!

 

Montreal is very bilingual and most people can speak English very well. Quebec City is more French, but you can get by very well with English in the tourist areas. Restaurants have menus in both French and English. It's the smaller towns where there is less English. 

 

I really love Montreal and Quebec City. The historical buildings and cultural differences are fascinating. Definitely worth experiencing. 

[Liza Q]

Lol - we're not driving so hopefully I won't have to worry about it at all.

 

But we are planning to use the city bus and I was wondering if anyone knows how you actually pay on the bus? The website mentions needing exact change but I don't know if that means change or bills? I am sure the info is on the website but I can't find it!!!

[Arctic Bunny]

Lol - we're not driving so hopefully I won't have to worry about it at all.

 

But we are planning to use the city bus and I was wondering if anyone knows how you actually pay on the bus? The website mentions needing exact change but I don't know if that means change or bills? I am sure the info is on the website but I can't find it!!!

The RTC? It says you can buy a five day pass for $30.

https://m.rtcquebec.ca/#/pricing?_k=at4dnn

[Arctic Bunny]

Or unlimited weekend for $15.50....

[Liza Q]

Yeah....I considered that but I'm not sure if we'll take it often enough. We're coming in Friday afternoon and leaving Tuesday morning so we would need the 5-day pass. But we'd have to take 4+ roundtrips to make it worth it (single fare cash is $3.50, each round-trip $7).  Right now I am using Google maps and planning a bit. The maps on the RTC site won't load for me right now.

 

But thanks for looking! It might be worth getting a pass just so we always have the bus as an option.

[wintermom]

Lol - we're not driving so hopefully I won't have to worry about it at all.

 

But we are planning to use the city bus and I was wondering if anyone knows how you actually pay on the bus? The website mentions needing exact change but I don't know if that means change or bills? I am sure the info is on the website but I can't find it!!!

 

If your hotel is near Old Quebec, you may not need to use the city bus at all. Everything is within easy walking distance. You could take a horse-drawn carriage for fun if your feet get sore, though!

[Liza Q]

If your hotel is near Old Quebec, you may not need to use the city bus at all. Everything is within easy walking distance. You could take a horse-drawn carriage for fun if your feet get sore, though!

 

We're staying in Old Quebec so we're planning to walk around. But the walk out to the Musée national des beaux-arts is longish so I am planning a bus ride for that.

 

I have Rheumatoid arthritis and, although I'm feeling pretty good these days, I always plan defensively by rationing my walking and having either a late morning or an early night. Now I limit myself to a few miles a day with plenty of breaks; I used to be able to go a lot harder! If I have a bad day we can do one of those hop-on/hop-off buses for some sightseeing or just sit in a park for a few hours.

 

Here's the hotel - someone recommended it to my daughter and it looks charming!

http://www.hotelmarierollet.com/

[solascriptura]

I'm going to Quebec over Labor Day with one of my older daughters. We're staying in a little hotel in Old Quebec City and we're planning our trip. We're pretty excited!

 

 

 

Which museum was it? We'll only be there 9/1-9/5 so we have three days to sight-see. I want to see a minimum of one old church, one great museum, and one fort or battlefield, as well as walk around a bit and just enjoy the old buildings. But there are a lot of museums/churches/forts to choose from!!!

 

I am also looking for ideas for inexpensive breakfasts and nice but not $$$$ lunch/dinner places. I'm sure we'll get some recommendations from the hotel but it's always nice to get a personal rec. I am heading to trip advisor next. Maybe something will catch my eye. And I would prefer not to eat at any chains while we're there. At home I generally save $$ by eating at Panera Bread/Chipotle/etc instead of a charming cafe, but I'd like to do the opposite while I'm away.

 

Musee de la Civilisation. Loved it! We ate at a lot of wonderful places, but I can't remember the name of any of them. There are so many great places to eat so you won't have a problem there. I use Trip Advisor.

[Liza Q]

Musee de la Civilisation. Loved it! We ate at a lot of wonderful places, but I can't remember the name of any of them. There are so many great places to eat so you won't have a problem there. I use Trip Advisor.

 

Thanks!!

 

[Liza Q]

We got back from our trip to Quebec yesterday and it was a marvelous trip! We didn't do any museums or take the bus or a cab - we just walked a LOT. We spent a lot of time in the Upper Town, near our hotel, and the Lower Town. We went up on the walls, to the Citadel, to the Plains of Abraham, and out to some further neighborhoods, like Faubourg Saint-Jean and Montcalm. We went back to the hotel for 2-3 hours every afternoon so I never got too too tired. It was a "look at everything and eat a lot" trip. We did eat at both Aux Anciens Canadiens and Casse-Crepe Breton and several other interesting places, like Chez Boulay and Cafe Krieghoff. I would love to go back and visit the museums sometime!

 

On the way home we flew to Montreal and then were supposed to fly to Newark, but our flight was cancelled. They put us up at an airport hotel - the Sheraton - and gave us meal vouchers. We were to tired to go into Montreal but it was at least a safe, relaxing night. But it was great to finally get home yesterday!