You may have read my recent blog post on my Itinerary for A One-Night Stay In Montréal, Québec, and that quick stopover in Montréal was actually a part of my bigger road trip to Québec. More specifically, to Québec City – which I was really excited to visit. From Montréal to Québec City, it’s just under a 3 hour drive with good traffic. And although I’ve visited Québec City in my grade school years, it’s been quite a while and now that I’m the one planning the trip, doing the research and can clearly remember what I’m doing, I thought it was time for another visit. Plus, I was most looking forward to hiking the beautiful Jacques Cartier National Park. I didn’t realize such striking mountains and breathtaking nature were so close to Ontario. And if you’re looking for a “foreign” getaway via road trip, Québec is the place to be and really makes for a nice vacation or quick getaway, even if it’s only for 3 days.
If you can relate, I’m always tight on time. And I don’t have the luxury yet to take off all the time I’d like to be able to enjoy myself and what this world has to offer. I think most of us don’t. So when I do get some time off from work, I like to take advantage and accomplish a lot. More often than not, I spend most of my trips exploring rather than relaxing (unless I’m at a tropical resort). For me, being at home is relaxing and when I finally have the opportunity for vacation, I don’t like to waste it doing nothing. And if that is also you, then this itinerary for a 2 night, 3 day stay in Québec City is perfect for you. And if you do have more than 3 days in Québec City, then feel free to spread this itinerary out so that you have more leisure time.
First Day In Québec City
As you’re heading in from Montréal, your first stop by car would be the Plains of Abraham and La Citadelle de Québec. Then, you can spend most of your time on foot after you park at your accommodations for your 3 day stay in Québec City.
1 – Plains Of Abraham
Time Spent: If you want to quickly walk through and see the area, about 30-45 minutes is more than enough. There’s also a nice lookout you may want to take some photos at. If you want to relax around the area or have a picnic, give yourself more time.
Parking: There are a lot of parking available around the Plains of Abraham but you will have to pay for meter parking. The grounds are pretty large so if you aren’t able to walk through it, you can drive around it.
Interesting Facts: Present day, the Plains of Abraham looks like a peaceful park with lots of open space where people like to take a nice stroll or have a picnic to enjoy the day. Although it is beautiful now, back in September 13, 1759 was when the Battle of the Plains of Abraham (also known as the Battle of Québec) occurred. This was a significant battle as it led the British to have control of Canada (as opposed to the French). Apparently, people can sometimes smell canon smoke from the battle and the ghosts of soldiers from the battle, usually around the anniversary of the battle.
2 – La Citadelle de Québec
Only about 5 minutes away from the Plains of Abraham,
Time Spent: It takes about 1 hour for a tour of La Citadelle de Québec. You can purchase your admission ticket for $18 CAD here. Maybe allocate about 30 minutes to visit the Museum before or after your tour.
Parking: There is free parking on site for 2 hours.
Interesting Facts: La Citadelle is the oldest military building in Canada that was constructed in 1820 to 1850 and is a National Historic Site of Canada. It is also one of the only 2 cities in North America that’s surrounded by fortifications. La Citadelle was built to protect Québec City from an American attack.
Where To Stay For 2 Nights, 3 Days In Québec City
I would stay in Downtown, Québec City as everything is easily walkable and the roads are not that great for driving. The roads are very hilly (I do wonder how cars and pedestrians don’t slide in the winter) and car access is not always easy. I usually get really good deals for stays here. Another option is to stay at an Airbnb for your 3 days in Québec City.
3 – St. John’s Gate / Entrance to Old Québec / Rue Saint-Jean
Time Spent: 4 to 5 hours. This is where all the fun is and it is actually closed off to pedestrians only. It truly reminds me of Europe as it has all the European charm and architecture. Once you enter St. John’s Gate, this is where all the great restaurants and one-of-a-kind shops are. You can spend hours here browsing or even eating at a restaurant. It does get really crowded so you will likely have to wait for a table if it’s busy. Try to make reservations ahead of time!
If you like soft drinks, you can actually get the Anne of Green Gables Raspberry Cordial which is a sparkling drink unique to Prince Edward Island (PEI) and is very hard to find in these parts of Canada. It’s one of the best soft drinks I’ve had so it’s definitely worth a try. You can purchase this at Cows – they have ice cream and very funny t-shirts if you’re in search of a good souvenir. There are also many ice cream and gelato shops that make very unique desserts and are delicious. One bakery I absolutely recommend every morning for breakfast during your 3 day stay in Québec City is Paillard. They won awards for their croissants and I can’t stress how good they are! This will be great for breakfast, but the lines do get long!
As you walk through the street on Rue Saint-Jean past all the restaurants and shops, you’ll come across many churches and interesting architecture in the Old Québec area. As you stroll through Upper Town and Lower Town, you’ll see many historical and heritage buildings between the 17th and 19th century.
Interesting Facts: The St. John’s Gate you see today was built in 1939 to 1940, but the original one was built sometime in the late 17th century during the French Regime and got torn down in 1897 to make way for the electric tram. Rue Saint-Jean is one of the oldest commercial streets in Québec as that is where the merchants settled in the 19th century. So some of these buildings also doubled as their residences. It is also the main road linking the walled city to other districts. The streets used to be very narrow but as it got busier with their businesses, they had to start widening the street in 1889. In the 1960s to 1970s, Rue Saint-Jean became the center of the counter-culture movement and is known for its nightlife, festivals, and street music.
4 – Morrin Centre
Time Spent: If you take a guided tour, it will be around 45 minutes and you can visit the grand Victorian library, the old jail cells, see artifacts dating back to the 16th century, and learn about the history of this place. Remember to book a reservation as spots are limited!
Interesting Facts: This cultural centre and nationally-recognized heritage site was opened in 1808 and is created to educate the public about the historic contribution as well as present-day culture of the locals. The Morrin Centre focuses on 4 major periods of Quebec City’s history and all that contributed to its heritage.
5 – Notre Dame de Québec Basilica
Time Spent: If you don’t want to go in the church, you can spend a few minutes outside for photos. If you want to visit the inside, about 15 minutes or so is enough. General admission is free, but it costs $5 CAD to visit the Museum.
Interesting Facts: Yes, another one! Not only does Ottawa and Montréal have a Notre Dame Basilica, so does Québec City. But did you know that the one in Québec City is the oldest church in Canada that was built in 1647 and the first one to be elevated to the rank of minor basilica in 1874? It was destroyed by fire twice and had to be rebuilt and restored in 1759 and 1922. The church is a National Historic Site of Canada and is located within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Historic District of Old Québec.
6 – Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac / Place Royale / Quartier Petit Champlain
Time Spent: 3 to 4 hours. There is so much to see and enjoy in this area. Most notably, the places I’ve listed above. They’re all within the same vicinity and is easily walkable to each other, as are the previous locations. There are also more great restaurants to eat at and shops to browse through. Chez Jules is a must-eat French restaurant in Old Québec that serves locally sourced food. To be honest, all the restaurants I’ve visited in Québec were on point and extremely delicious and this location was no exception. The décor, recipes and food was so authentic, and I remember sitting in the restaurant feeling like I was in a different country.
Interesting Facts: Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac is an icon and a famous hotel that opened in 1893 and is also a National Historic Site of Canada. It was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway and is one of Canada’s grand railway hotels to attract tourists to visit other cities using their railway. It has also been renovated and expanded 3 times! This hotel property overlooks the St. Lawrence River and the Dufferin Terrace that wraps around the hotel gives you a great view. Not surprisingly, there are a few ghost stories here.
Place Royale was where Samuel de Champlain founded Québec City on July 3, 1608 where he built the first permanent French settlement. Although it is somewhat modernized with new businesses, you can see that it is surrounded by British and French influence and holds important meaning as a historical landmark.
Petit-Champlain is known as one of the most beautiful sites in Old Québec and is an extension of the streets you see in Upper Town. You can find a great shopping experience with specialty boutiques here. There are also many cafés, restaurants, and entertainment around this area.
Second Day In Québec City
For those who are interested in seeing the breathtaking nature that Québec has to offer, I’m devoting a full day to Jacques Cartier National Park. I actually tried to fit more into the schedule that day but with hiking, you can never know how much time you may need depending on your fitness level, getting lost, and/or other reasons. You also don’t want to rush it since there is just so much to see.
As I was doing my research on the beautiful places to visit near Québec City, I found these mountains that really reminded me of being on the West coast of Canada. And I didn’t even realize it was so close to Toronto (driveable rather than having to take a plane). The pictures also looked so good online that I just couldn’t miss this stop.
Also, don’t forget to reward yourself with a nice dinner at the end of the day when you head back to Québec City! Your long day of exploration deserves a good meal. Speaking of food, remember to pack a lot of water and snacks for your day at the national park. You won’t be able to get food or water anywhere in the area.
1 – Jacques Cartier National Park
Make Reservations Prior To Your Visit
You want to ensure that you can enter the park on your chosen date and have a spot available for you so make a reservation before you go! There are limited parking spaces for each trail so you also want to go as early as possible.
The Drive From Québec City
Jacques Cartier National Park is north of Québec City and is about a 40 minute drive with no traffic. It is basically a straight drive and as you get closer to the national park, you can see more mountains and nature, and less businesses and homes. And the drive in the park to your hiking trail is just so scenic – I literally wanted to stop at every chance I get. Luckily, there are multiple places to quickly park your car for a quick photo! As you get deeper and deeper into the park, the road does get quite bumpy. I wasn’t sure how the Porsche behind me was doing, but they seemed to hang back quite a bit as there were a lot of potholes on the road.
Hiking Trails
There are about 22 hiking trails at Jacques Cartier National Park and depending on the distance and time needed for each (and how tired you may be), you can visit between 1 and 3 for a whole day. You don’t necessarily have to hike them all, but there are a few easy entrances to the river. There are many places to stop and if you can, the views are all different and beautiful to enjoy. There are some trails that don’t allow dogs, so check which trail you plan to hike before you go.
Here are a few of the most popular hiking trails if you only have 1 day to spend at this national park:
| Trail | Time | Distance | Difficulty | Altitude | Description |
| Le Loups | 3.5 hours | 11 km round trip | Difficult | 447 m | Probably the most popular trail. The first outlook is 2 hours or 5 km in. The views are spectacular and are worth the full trek. |
| Le Scotora | 5.5 hours | 16 km round trip | Difficult | 405 m | This is a historical trail and if you reach the Andante mount, it is 809 m with another amazing view. |
| Les Cascades | 1.5 hours | 4 km | Easy | Minimal elevation | This trail is by a cascading stream. |
| Le Perdreau | 1 hour and 45 minutes | 5.4 km | Intermediate | Minimal elevation | You can hike through the maple groves and see the Buvard Lake. |
My Experience
For our first time at the Jacques Cartier National Park, we took the Le Loups Trail. We had originally planned to hike Le Scotora since we wanted to reach the highest point, but since we left a little later than planned, we decided to turn back last minute and take the Le Loups Trail. Le Scotora is supposed to be a 5.5 hour hike, but knowing that there’s a possibility to get lost and we didn’t want to be up there when the sun was going down, we didn’t take that chance.
It was a good thing we doubled back and hiked Le Loups since we actually took about 5 hours to hike the entire trail. We had some breaks, stopped at the 2 gorgeous lookouts for a while, and even got lost (as expected – trail markers aren’t always the best).
There was a lot of shade on the hike so the temperature was very comfortable even in August. As you keep walking on the trail, the elevation keeps climbing. The paths are not paved – it’s more natural, and are not easy by any means. There are rocks, boulders, broken trees, and many other things to climb over sometimes and you want to be careful not to twist your ankle or fall. My foot actually got stuck between large boulders and I couldn’t pull my shoe out of it. I had to remove my shoe to be able to yank it out, but if I went any faster, I would have probably fallen or hurt myself somehow.
This is also probably the most water I’ve drank on a hike in a long time. If you can bring a larger water bottle that’s insulated with cold water, this will help you feel much more comfortable on your hike. But keep in mind, there is nowhere to use the bathroom on the trail and there’s no bush you can hide behind as foot traffic is heavy. There is a bathroom at the start of the trail but it smelled so bad I nearly died in there.
Overall, Jacques Cartier National Park is absolutely stunning and I had an amazing time taking in the nature. It was definitely better than any hike I’ve done in Southwestern Ontario. I can’t wait to go back and hike Le Scotora!
If you plan to spend your day at this national park during your 3 day stay in Québec City, here are 13 Things You Absolutely Need To Bring On A Hike + 2 Bonus Items to help you prepare.
Third Day In Québec City
Finally, the last day in Québec City. I actually loved it here and wanted to stay longer as there was so much to see and do. But because of my time constraints, I was only able to have 2 nights and 3 days in Québec City on top of my 1 night stay in Montréal. I will say though, that it was just the amount of time needed. I only wanted to go further into Québec and venture through other mountains, national parks, and a nearby island called Île d’Orléans which I will save for next time!
But before you head home, there are a few quick stops to make before your 9 hour drive back to Toronto. And yes it’s possible – just 2 bathroom and gas stops was enough for me!
1 – Québec City Ferry And Québec City Old Port
Close enough to Downtown, it would be great to visit the Québec City Ferry and Québec City Old Port before you leave. They are only a 10 minute walk from each other but would make for spectacular views of the sunrise and Old Town at the marina. If you choose to, you can also visit these locations at night to see the night lights and skyline of Québec City.
Time Spent: 30 minutes if you want to enjoy the view and take some photos. You can also of course, feel free to move this to the first or second day of your itinerary in Québec City if you’d like to actually take the ferry and enjoy the view from afar.
Interesting Facts: The only way to cross the St. Lawrence River is by the ferry and it was the site of many German submarine battles in World War 2. Although there is a lot of history, it is also one of the more picturesque areas of Québec City.
2 – Montmorency Falls
Time Spent: Depends on if you want to drive by on the highway to see this giant waterfall from afar or if you want to experience it up close. If from afar, maybe 10 to 15 minutes. There is a parking lot at the bottom of the falls by the highway but be careful not to miss the turn otherwise you have to get off and get back on. If you want to do an up close tour or go ziplining, give it about 45 minutes to an hour. Other options are to hitch a cable car ride from the bottom to the top, walk the suspension bridge, or climb the 487 step panoramic staircase along the cliff. You can check for parking and access here.
Interesting Facts: Montmorency Falls is 83 meters high and is actually 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls in Ontario. The best view of the falls is actually from that little island I mentioned above.
As you get ready for your 2 night 3 day stay in Québec City, you want to go prepared. Here are Packing Mistakes To Avoid When Traveling as well as 22 Vital Lessons Learned On My Summer Road Trips that will help you make your trip a smooth one. Driving long distances is never easy so stay vigilant and stay awake – and don’t forget to take breaks!