Everything we heard about Quebec was spot on; it was way cooler than Montreal. Before heading North to Canada, friends and family that had visited Quebec had rave reviews, and we were excited to see what it was all about. Then, the Canadians that we met while in Montreal couldn’t wait to share recommendations. Our waiter at dinner even went as far to say that although he was born and raised in Montreal, he prefers Quebec. Well, everyone was right.
We departed Montreal early on in day, because, at 3 months old, Colby had us up early anyway. We were eager to head northeast towards Montreal. Google maps had the drive taking about 3 hours, but we knew that Colby would need to stop, eat, and get a change of scenery. The route from Montreal to Quebec is pretty direct, along the Saint Lawrence River. The highway is obviously the quickest route, but the Chemin du Roy, or King’s Road, was more scenic and passed through many quaint towns with some great views of the river. We chose to do half and half. We took the highway about halfway before stopping at our first brewery of the trip. Colby was getting hungry and bored, and it was the perfect excuse to try some local beer so we stopped at La Boite à Malt, a microbrewery in between Montreal and Quebec. They had a nice selection of beer and a pretty comprehensive menu, but we only stayed for one flight as we were eager to get to Quebec.
We always seek out the local breweries, distilleries and wineries in any new destination. Not only because we enjoy the products, but we also find that we learn a lot about the place and get to know the people in the process. Tip: use Google Maps to cultivate lists while in a new place. Beforehand, I create a shared list so that Ryan and I can both add points of interest. Then, as we receive recommendations from locals, we add them to our list. It allows us to hit multiple places while in one neighborhood, and also keep track of our favorites once we arrive back home. Tip: Download an offline version of the map so when you’re without wifi, you can still get directions and navigate through the city.
We did our homework prior to the trip, and read a lot about the Île d’Orléans, a small island in the Saint Lawrence River just outside of Quebec. We wanted to explore this magical isle before we returned the rental car. Although much of it was closed for the season, we found some great stops. First, we tried our the local ice wines at Isle de Bacchus. They did tastings in a wine cave along the banks of the river. We had planned to continue touring the isle, but instead headed to Montmorency Falls for sunset, upon the recommendation of the the staff at Isle de Bacchus. Montmorency Falls is 272 feet tall, almost 100 feet taller than Niagra Falls, and has a suspended bridge with some great views. There’s also a cool zipline that you can do across the falls that only costs $33 for 2 rides.
Before heading into town for dinner, we checked into our AirBnB. Again, we found that the hotels were a bit higher than we were planning on spending for accommodations. We found this great AirBnB that was converted into one bedroom units out of an older building. It had high ceilings, tall windows, lots of extra space for the 3 of us, and totaled at less than $100/night. The location in Old Quebec turned out to be perfect, as it was just a short walk from many restaurants and shops. I had almost gone a full 24 hours without poutine, so we found Les Trois Garçons along Rue Saint-Jean. A cute bistro with Quebecois fare was exactly what we needed.
Although we were there in November, you could see how much fun this isle would be in the spring and summer. There is a designated bike route, and shops, wineries, restaurants, and even farms scattered across this little isle. A quick stop at the visitor center will get you a map and lots of recommendations. With just a few hours left with a rental car, we set off for Île d’Orléans once more the next day. Cassis Monna & Filles was our first stop. They use black currents in all of their products, and we learned that there are actually many health benefits to these little berries! From wines to liquors to jams and spreads, this place had it all. Not to mention, the view and property was beautiful and very visitor friendly.
We continued along the Route des Vins, stopping at any open tasting rooms. Another one of our favorites was actually a cidery. I am a big fan of ciders, so I couldn’t wait to try Quebec’s variety. Cidrerie Bilodeau had a nice variety with a very friendly staff. In the warmer months, they offer U pick options in their orchard and host a petting zoo. We will definitely be taking Colby back once we gets a bit older!
After returning the rental car, we continued our food and drink tour of Quebec. After pinning on my Google Map anything with brasserie in the name, we took an uber to the farthest brewery and slowly made our way back into Old Quebec. We had a small bite and split a flight at each stop, and Colby slept through much of it! Korrigane, Noctem Artisans Brasseurs, La Barberie, and 3 Brasseurs all made the list. Each place was very kid friendly, many with board games and family friendly menus.
We also dined at Maison Livernois, a must see restaurant if you like gin – they have flights and provide the accompaniments to create your own craft cocktail. We ate duck wings at Le Chateau Frontenac, the historic hotel perched up on the hill. It also happens to be the most photographed hotel in the world, because, you know, Google said so. Le Chateau Frontenac is a point of interest on its own, but also happens to be a Fairmont by Marriott.
Getting around with a stroller was mostly easy. In the warmer months, I would probably have opted to use only the carrier because there are lots of hills where you can use a staircase. It was much warmer for Colby in the stroller, though. There is also a funicular that takes you up/down the hill for a small price, but requires the stroller to be collapsed and carried. Most restaurants, and even our AirBnB, had stairs at the entrance with no ramp in sight. Luckily, we brought the City Select City Mini, and we could each grab an end.
Do you have older kids? Wait to visit in the winter. Yes, it’s cold, but they have toboggan slide in the middle of the city that ends just in front of Le Chateau Frontenac. They had it set up in November, with a scheduled opening in December. We were lucky enough to be there for their first snowfall, and this walled city upgraded for sure.
Platt Family Passport 