Day Trips Out of Quebec City
Most trips out of Quebec City are short drives of 15 to 50 minutes, so two or three stops fit in a day. A car is the simplest way to link them, though Montmorency Falls is on a city bus line. Prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and several are quoted before tax.
About 15 minutes: Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans
The falls drop 83 m, which the park puts about 30 m above Niagara. Parc de la Chute-Montmorency is open all year and closed on 25 December. Entry is charged per person, not per car: daily access for adults is about 13.90 CAD from 11 May to 1 November 2026 and about 10.42 in low season, with lower rates for Quebec residents. A cable car costs about 14.95 round trip for adults, and the zip line and via ferrata are extra. In winter the spray builds an ice cone at the base, so stay behind the fences. The 487-step staircase is a summer route. Bus 800 stops at des Rapides, a short walk from the park.
Île d’Orléans lies across a single road bridge, and there is no ferry. The circuit is about 67 km through six villages. Stops that suit a picnic or a tasting include Cassis Monna & Filles at 1225 chemin Royal, the Cidrerie Verger Bilodeau at 1868 chemin Royal, and the Vignoble Isle de Bacchus at 1335 chemin Royal, which keeps seasonal hours. Sugar shacks open from mid-March to the end of April.
20 to 30 minutes: Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and Canyon Sainte-Anne
The basilica at 10018 avenue Royale is a working pilgrimage shrine, so keep voices low and dress modestly. Outdoor parking is free, and hours are on the shrine’s own site. Canyon Sainte-Anne, about 6 km farther along Route 138, has a 74 m waterfall and three suspension footbridges, the highest about 60 m over the river. Its 2026 season ran 7 May to 25 October, with the gate opening at 9:00.
Wendake and the Jacques-Cartier valley
Wendake is a Huron-Wendat community about 20 minutes from the centre. The Musée huron-wendat at 15 place de la Rencontre runs a guided tour of the longhouse and exhibition, and the traditional site at 575 rue Chef Stanislas-Koska offers a one-hour guided visit. Restaurant La Traite is inside the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations. Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier lies 40 to 50 km north, with daily access at about 10.30 CAD for adults and free entry for under-18s, who still need an access permit.
Too far for one day
Tadoussac, for whale watching, is 210 to 215 km away, about three hours each way plus a free 10-minute ferry. Treat it as an overnight stay. Boats leave from Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine, not from Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
Winter driving
Storms can close roads from November to April, so check conditions and carry winter tires from the start of December.
For park details see the Montmorency Falls page on Québec-Cité and the Canyon Sainte-Anne listing . Guided departures can be searched on Viator .
Read more: multi-day trips from Quebec City and family activities .