We love summer in the city; the terraces, the long afternoons in the parks, the nights dancing in the streets, the air-conditioned romances… But Montreal is also noisy, overcrowded, the asphalt melts and the island turns into a hotbox (and not in a good way).
And sometimes, you have to leave Montreal to better appreciate it; you have to spend a few days in hiking boots, only to come home and enjoy a dirty martini in a very cold glass…
As summer draws to a close and the start of the new school year approaches far too quickly for our liking, we still have a few weeks – and the long Labor Day weekend – to get out and about in the beautiful regions of Quebec. To swim in the lakes, to eat s’mores at the cottage, to go on long hikes and gather shellfish along the shores of the St. Lawrence River.
We don’t always have the time or the wallet to go away for a week, so we’ve put together a list of day, weekend and week-long road-trips so we can all pile into a communauto or a big vintage jeep and spend some barefoot time in nature.
Road-trips for a day
1 For those who want to spend the day on the farm (1 hour from Montreal)…
We recommend a drive to Frelighsburg, a visit to the Domaine Héritage cider house, a trip to a local orchard and a walk in the hills.
2 For those who want to spend the day in a book (1h30 from Montreal)…
We recommend a stroll through North Hatley, the inspiration for Louise Penny’s Three Pines , a visit to the Magasin Général, a break under the village’s emblematic gazebo, a dip in the lake and a snack at Casa Wippi.
3 For those who want to spend the day in the 18th century (less than 1 hour from Montreal)…
We recommend a stroll through Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu, a historical tour of heritage homes from the 1800s, a visit to the village antique shops and a bike tour along the Richelieu River.
4 For those who want to spend the day at the beach (1h from Montreal)
We recommend a day at the Réservoir Choinière, in the Parc de la Yamaska, a paddle tour, a pair of binoculars to observe the incredible biodiversity of the area and a picnic in the reeds.
Weekend road-trips
5 For those who want to spend the weekend under the stars (3 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a weekend at the Mont-Mégantic Observatory, a night of stargazing, a hike in the forest and dinner by the lake.
6 For those who want to hike in the mountains (4 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a weekend in Charlevoix, a hike on the sentier des crêtes, a night in a micro-chalet, a stroll in Baie Saint-Paul and a local wine-saucisson aperitif.
7 For those who want to get away to the city (3 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a weekend in Quebec City, a stroll and a free concert on the Plains of Abraham, a coffee to go, a night at the Augustine Sisters and a visit to the Musée des Beaux-Arts.
8 For those who want to get their feet wet (4 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a weekend in Kamouraska, doing ecotourism, going to the Art Center and swimming in the salt water.
Road-trips for a week
9 For those who want to see whales (7 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a few days in Tadoussac, a visit to GREMM, a whale-watching boat trip in the Parc Marin du Saint-Laurent, a walk in the fjord and a sea-buckthorn lemonade.
10 For those who want to swim at the end of the world (9 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a few days in Tobermory, Ontario, a pit stop in Ottawa or Cornwall, a day at the water’s edge and scuba diving in the Great Lakes.
11 For those who want to see the best sunrises in Quebec (5 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a few days in Port-au-Persil, a boat trip in the Parc Marin du Saguenay, a visit to the most postcard-esque chapel in the area and a shell-picking session on the beach.
12 For those who want an American summer (5 hours from Montreal)…
We recommend a few days in Newburyport, Massachussets, a morning of surfing at the beach, a stroll through the city streets and a platter of oysters.
