Day Trips from Quebec City by Bus and Car

October 20, 2026

Most day trips from Quebec City take 20 to 50 minutes by road, and prices below are in Canadian dollars (CAD). A car is the easiest way to link several stops, but the falls are on a city bus line. Winter storms can close roads from November to April, so check the forecast before you leave.

Montmorency Falls

Parc de la Chute-Montmorency, at 5300 boulevard Sainte-Anne, has an 83 m fall, which the park says is 30 m higher than Niagara. It is open all year, with hours that vary around 9:00 to 18:00, and it is closed on 25 December. Pricing is per person. Daily access was about 13.90 CAD for adults in high season, from 11 May to 1 November 2026, and about 10.42 in low season. Quebec residents pay about half, and residents of the Quebec City metropolitan community enter free with proof. The cable car was about 14.95 CAD round trip, a single zip line about 33.50 and the via ferrata about 51.00, all before tax and on top of access. The 487-step staircase and the suspension bridge over the crest are slick in winter. Take RTC bus 800 to the des Rapides stop, or a shuttle. See the Quebec-Cité listing .

Île d’Orléans

The island is reached by the Pont de l’Île d’Orléans, which opened in 1935. There is no ferry. A replacement bridge is under construction, so allow for possible works near the crossing. The circuit on Route 368, chemin Royal, is about 67 km and passes six villages: Sainte-Pétronille, Saint-Laurent, Saint-Jean, Saint-François, Sainte-Famille and Saint-Pierre.

Cassis Monna & Filles is at 1225 chemin Royal in Saint-Pierre, with a shop and cellar open all year and a terrace and ice cream counter closed in winter. Cidrerie Verger Bilodeau et Distillerie is at 1868 chemin Royal and is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00, with free tastings of ice cider and apple picking in season. The Chocolaterie de l’Île d’Orléans is at 8330 chemin Royal in Sainte-Pétronille. Cabane à sucre Familiale in Sainte-Famille opens from mid-March to the end of April.

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and Canyon Sainte-Anne

The shrine at 10018 avenue Royale is about 20 minutes from the city and is a working pilgrimage site, so dress modestly and keep voices low during services. Parking outside is free. Listed hours were Monday to Friday 9:00 to 16:00, Saturday 9:00 to 17:00 and Sunday 7:30 to 18:00, so confirm on the shrine’s website . Canyon Sainte-Anne, about 6 km further, is open from May to October and has three suspension footbridges, one of them 60 m above the river.

Wendake

Wendake is a Huron-Wendat community just north of the city. The Site traditionnel Huron Onhoüa Chetek8e, at 575 rue Chef Stanislas-Koska, offers a one-hour guided visit in period dress, open 9:00 to 17:00 from mid-May to mid-October and 10:00 to 16:00 otherwise. The Musée huron-wendat is at 15 place de la Rencontre, with a guided tour of a longhouse and exhibition of about 1 hour 15 minutes. The Parc de la Falaise et de la chute Kabir Kouba is free and shows a 28 m fall in a deep canyon, though the trail section closes in winter. Planning details are on the museum site and Wendake tourism . Ask the RTC planner about bus options.

Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier

The park is about 40 to 50 km north. National park daily access was about 10.30 CAD for adults, and under-18s are free but still need an access authorisation. The Les Loups trail has lookouts at 5 km return (about 2 hours) and 11 km return (about 3 hours 30 minutes), with the trailhead at kilometre 16. Canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals at the discovery centre are seasonal.

Tadoussac is an overnight

Tadoussac is about 210 to 215 km away, roughly 3 hours each way plus a free 10-minute ferry. Treat it as an overnight trip rather than a day trip, and see the multi-day guide below.

Guided departures are listed on Viator .