If you want to experience Europe in North American, you don’t have to fly across the pond. Yep, I’m talking about French Canada.
Quebec City is kind of like going to France on training wheels. Everyone in the province speaks both French and English so you’ll have no problems getting around.
The thing that attracted me to Quebec City was two things. The first was its heritage. It’s the oldest city in North America (founded in 1608). The whole region has a sort of European feel to it.
And many of the streets in Quebec have stone cobbled streets.
In addition, the city’s most famous building, the Fairmont Chateau Le Frontenac made me fall in love right away. So in 2017 I decided to go to Quebec City for my birthday and I had a blast!
So without further rambling, here are the must see things in Quebec City for first timers!
1. Fairmont Chateau le Frontenac
There’s nothing ordinary about the Chateau le Frontenac. It is one of Canada’s Grand Railway Hotels and arguably one of the most famous.
You can’t go to Quebec City and skip out on this wonder!
Anyways, the castle is in the heart of old Quebec. Rooms typically go for $300 – $600 a night depending on the time of year.
The hotel is MASSIVE! And it has a ton of restaurants and bars.
In fact, my favorite lounge in this place was the 1608 bar. It had great cocktails and lots of good bar snacks and food. My favorite was the mix of salty and sweet mix nuts/popcorn.
The hotel itself looks like a giant castle that dominates the Quebec skyline. I’ll never forget driving to the hotel from the airport for the first time.
It’s so imposing yet beautiful. I would highly recommend cutting a few hours out of your schedule and visiting the hotel. You can walk around in all of its beautiful ballrooms and check out all the cool history behind this magnificent hotel.
2. Terrasse Dufferin
Just right outside the Fairmont Chateau Le Frontenac is Terrasse Dufferin. It’s a large boardwalk that extends across the St. Lawrence River. This was one of my favorite attractions in Quebec City.
Take a strong along the boardwalk and you’ll see many street performers and musicians. I must say in Quebec City, the people love their street performers.
There was even a schedule posted of which performers would be coming at different times during the week! In fact, the street performers kind of reminded me of the French Quarter in New Orleans.
Anyways, Terrasse Dufferin also includes a public park. The area was actually a former military fortification and there are still cannons scattered across the grass.
I would highly recommend walking along Terrase Dufferin in the morning to watch the sunrise or later at night to watch it set. I did both and I found there were less people in the morning.
3. Old Quebec
Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) is a historic neighborhood in the city. And the #1 thing I would recommend doing here is checking out Quartier Petit-Champlain. It’s located right below the Chateau Le Frontenac (about a 5 minute walk).
This is a UNESCO designated world heritage site.
Here you’ll find many small shops, including cafes, restaurants, bakeries, cosmetics, and so much more. I think it’s one of the best places to take romantic walks in Quebec (especially at night)
It really does have a European feel to it. And the streets are cobblestone too, which adds to that feel. During the summer, the streets can get pretty busy, so don’t be surprised if you’re shoulder to shoulder with other tourists!
The best thing to do in Old Quebec is to just walk around and get lost. The neighborhood isn’t that big, so you can explore the highlights in a few hours.
I went in the summer and loved how many of the restaurants in this area have outside patios. It was a nice touch.
Although one thing I was disappointed with is many of the restaurants serve pretty much the same thing (i.e. steak, venison, a few vegetarian options).
4. Notre-Dame-de-Québec Basilica
If you like the architecture of churches, the Notre-Dame-de-Québec Basilica will definitely interest you! It’s located in the heart of Old Quebec.
The actual church has been rebuilt several times, but has stood at the same spot for its entire life. The church was built in 1647, which makes it one of the oldest churches in North America.
Inside of the church you’ll find historic religious paintings and other artifacts that date back to the early French colonial period.
My favorite part of the church was actually the paintings on the top. It’s hard to get a good picture of it because some of the seats near the middle of the church were closed off.
5. Place-Royale
If you’re a history bluff, then Place Royale will be of big interest to you. This is another historic site in Old Quebec (and actually located pretty close to the Notre-Dame-de-Québec Basilica.
Place-Royale is considered the birthplace of the French colony in 1608!
Place-Royale was the French colony’s trading post and center of business. It served as one of the biggest marketplaces where many wealthy merchants would trade. This little square is also where the town’s criminals were publicly executed…
While exploring the square you’ll come across many tributes to its French colonial past, including a bust of King Louis XIV!
I clearly remember when I was in Place-Royal. I was drinking a cup of coffee and admiring this historic location. It’s just something I do when I’m a historic place like that.
I kind of try to imagine what it was like back then in the French colonial period. It’s just cool to literally stand at such an important part of French Canadian history. I think it’s one of the more interesting things to see in Quebec City.
6. Montmorency Falls
If you like waterfalls, great views, and nature, then Montmorency falls is calling your name! Montmorency Falls was actually one of my favorite things to do in Quebec.
That morning I went for a sunrise walk along Terrasse Dufferin, but it was cloudy. But luckily, the sky cleared up when I drove to Montmorency Falls!
It’s a pretty quick drive (less than 20 minutes) and you’ll have some beautiful views of the water.
Montmorency Falls is a beautiful waterfall. In fact, it’s a 272 foot drop to the bottom! A lot of people don’t know this, but Montmorency Falls is actually a lot taller than Niagara Falls.
The place is actually a park. So there are a ton of activities you can do here including hiking, biking, playgrounds for the kids, and even zip lining!
Once you enter the park you can head to the falls. It’s a quick walk from the entrance. The water from Montmorency Falls flows directly into the St. Lawrence River.
There are two options to get to the top of the waterfall. You can either take the gondola up or you can hike up. Personally, I decided to hike up and then take the gondola down.
There’s a boardwalk to the right of the falls that allows you to hike up the stairs. It’s a fairly easy hike and you’ll get so close to the water that you’ll feel the mist against your face!
Once you get to the top you can cross the suspension bridge. The bridge is incredible. You’re literally over the falls right before the water comes crashing down.
You’ll hear the roar of the water as it passes by and you’ll feel the wind graze against your face. It was an amazing experience to be on top and seeing the St. Lawrence river in the distance.
7. Montmorency Manor
Technically this is still at Montmorency Falls, but I felt like it deserved its own separate section. You can reach the manor after walking across the suspension bridge of the falls.
The Montmorency Manor, built in 1781 by the governor general in chief of Canada. It was inhabited from 1791 to 1794 by the duke of Kent, father of Queen Victoria.
Today, the manor serves several purposes. First, there is a gift shop inside. But they also have a restaurant on the first and second floor. If you’re sitting in the right place, you’ll have an amazing view of the falls.
While I was there someone had actually reserved a room upstairs for a wedding reception.
The manor is incredibly beautiful. If you step outside, you can tour around the gardens. It’s a perfect place for a walk during a hot summer’s day.
8. Île d’Orléans
I grew up on an island. Maybe that’s what attracts me to other island. But regardless, the Île d’Orléans should be on your list of things to see in Quebec City.
The island is just a ways off from old Quebec (around 20 minutes or so) and you’ll cross a super cool suspension bridge to get there. The drive is incredibly serene and so peaceful.
The island is a little bit more on the rural side, but there are a ton of things to do. You can go visit farms, wineries, and they also have quaint shops spread around the island.
My favorite thing to do was actually just drive around and look at the homes and scenery. It’s very beautiful and a good contrast to the historic sights in Old Quebec.
If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this is the place to go.
9. Ramparts of Quebec City
Here’s a fun fact for you today: Quebec City remains the only city with fortified walls in North America north of Mexico.
The British began fortifying the city after they took Quebec City from the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759.
The walls run across the city and are designed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Today, you can actually walk over many of the fortifications.
While I was there, many locals had picnics over the fortified walls. And if you walk along the walls, you can get great views of Old Quebec.
