Day trips from Québec City
There are plenty of must-see places to explore within an hour of Québec City. Wander through the charming Historic District of Old Québec, discover what’s hidden beneath the famous Dufferin terrace or visit Grosse-Île quarantine station. Look no further, let these can’t-miss visits inspire your next outing!
The only remaining fortified city north of Mexico.
- Driving: 5 minutes
- Transit: 5 minutes
Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: located in Old Québec, near Place d’Youville.
- Transit: a 5-minute walk from Place d’Youville Terminus.
What to do
- Put on your cape, raise the banner, and unravel the mystery of The Legend of the Talking Walls. A wild adventure for the whole family!
- Take a guided tour and walk along the ramparts. You'll discover some of the most beautiful views of Old Quebec and even a soldiers' casemate, open exclusively on this tour.
- Explore the city's military and social history at Artillery Park and discover the Dauphine Redoubt.
World Heritage
The Historic District of Old Québec is a UNESCO World Heritage site and an exceptional example of a fortified colonial city. This former capital of New France represents one of the important stages in the European colonization of the Americas.
The official residence and seat of power of governors from 1620 to 1834.
- Drive: 5 minutes
- Transit: 10 minutes
Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: located in Old Québec, near Château Frontenac.
- Transit: a 10-minute walk from Place d’Youville Terminus.
What to do
- Enjoy a guided tour and explore this fascinating archaeological crypt, one of a kind in North America.
- Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of the Château Saint-Louis through captivating displays that will introduce you, at your own pace, to its lower courtyard, outbuildings, and culinary complex.
- Learn more about the diplomatic role of the Governor General in New France and his relationship with the First Nations through an exhibition produced in partnership with the Huron-Wendat Nation.
Did you know?
Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux National Historic Site is hidden under Dufferin Terrace, just steps away from Château Frontenac!
The last in a series of three detached forts in Québec City’s defensive system.
- Drive: 35 minutes
- Transit: 1 hour
Lévis Forts National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Take QC-132, Highway 20 East or the ferry from Québec City to Lévis.
- Transit: Take the ferry from Québec City to Lévis, then a bus.
What to do
- Borrow an interactive tablet and take on the last British fortification built on Canadian soil. Explore the underground firing ranges, casemates, and powder magazine. Children can even dress up as period soldiers during the tour!
- Take part in the interactive game "In Search of Memory" and help Strof i23, the artificial intelligence of the forts, reorganize its memory.
Did you know?
Built between 1865 and 1872, the Lévis Forts were designed to protect Québec City against an American invasion
Where Jacques Cartier first met the St. Lawrence Iroquois, and the first Jesuit missionaries' residence in Québec.
- Driving: 10 minutes
- Transit: 30 minutes
Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Take exit 4 off Highway 973 in Limoilou.
- Transit: Take the bus from Place d’Youville Terminus.
What to do
- Discover this magnificent site in the heart of Quebec City with the Parks Canada app's self-guided tour. View several period photographs and illustrations.
- Enjoy a family picnic while soaking up the beauty of the landscape.
- Take a break at one of the three rest areas and learn more about the Indigenous perspective on European encounter.
Did you know?
Thanks to Jacques Cartier's own travel accounts, we know that he wintered here in 1535-1536. He mentions that he spots a harbor at the confluence of the Saint-Charles and Lairet rivers, which he considers to be the ideal location to shelter his ships from the winds and tides of the St. Lawrence River.
A quarantine station and main gateway into Canada from 1832 to 1937.
- Drive: 50 minutes
Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Take Highway 20 East to Berthier-sur-Mer, then a ferry toward Grosse Île.
What to do
- Take the medical exam and visit the disinfection building.
- Discover the traces left by the passage of tens of thousands of immigrants over 105 years by exploring significant sites.
Did you know?
Grosse-Île commemorates the tragic events experienced by Irish immigrants on the island, primarily during the typhoid epidemic of 1847. It also bears witness to the work of Dr. Frederick Montizambert in the field of preventative medicine and public health.
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