We have driven past Quebec City almost every summer for the last ten years on our way to visit my sister and her family in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Last summer we decided to stop and stay in Quebec City for a couple days on our way to the East Coast. If you are planning a trip to Canada’s East Coast from the Toronto area, Quebec City is an absolutely beautiful place to visit and it is a perfect place to stop and break up the trip.
Driving to Quebec City from the GTA
If you are driving to Quebec City from the Greater Toronto Area, it’s about an 8 hour drive. We decided to accomplish this by getting up (very) early in the morning so we could arrive in Quebec by early afternoon. The drive is fairly straight forward across the 401 through Ontario until you get close to Montreal. If you are starting from the west side of Toronto, I highly recommend taking the 407 toll route (if you don’t mind paying the fees) to avoid the congestion across the GTA. The 401 can be extremely busy with trucks, even early in the morning.
Our favourite place to stop for lunch on our way through Quebec is at St. Hubert. If you have never tried St. Hubert, it is similar to Swiss Chalet (rotisserie chicken, ribs, special sauce) but some how better – at least in our opinion! Once you cross into Quebec from Ontario, you will see signs for St. Hubert sit down restaurants at almost every exit. However, our favourite place to stop is at a service centre in St. Hyancinthe (just past Montreal) that has a St. Hubert quick service counter. The rest stop also has a large gas bar, rest rooms and a large convenience store.
Quebec City Hotels
There are several hotel choices when staying in Quebec City. I highly recommend staying in Old Quebec if you can. I chose to book the boutique style Hotel Clarendon and it ended up being perfect for our stay. Hotel Clarendon was conveniently located within walking distance to many attractions. It is a beautiful historic building and is one of the oldest hotels in Quebec.
Quebec City’s flagship hotel, however, is of course the Fairmont, Le Chateau Frontenac. This is a spectacular hotel with breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River and Old Quebec City.
Sightseeing in Quebec
There is so much to see and do when visiting Old Quebec. Quebec City dates back to 1608 and much of this history is visible with Old Quebec’s fortified core. The city is full of old stone buildings and narrow, winding cobblestone streets. While the city is very walkable, you’ll want to make sure to have good shoes and that everyone in your party is steady on their feet. Upper and Lower Quebec are connected by a large staircase. There is also a funicular to make the area more accessible. The Petit Champlain district in the lower town is claimed to be one of the oldest commercial areas in North America.
We were only in Quebec for a day and a half but we could have spent much more time there. So much of Canada’s history is abundant in the area including the Plains of Abraham. There are more than thirty National Historic sites in Quebec City and the surrounding area.
While this was a just a short stay, we will definitely drive to Quebec City again – hopefully some time soon!
Fun Family Road Trips 