Help with quiet, scenic location/side trip near Quebec city or Montreal?
 

Hello

For a vacation this summer I really wanted to visit Quebec city and combine it with some relaxing "country or shore side" time. I will be in my 2nd trimester and did not want to spend the whole vacation in cities. However, flights going to Montreal seem less expensive then to Quebec city (cant believe how expensive the flights are from jfk), so it makes sense to add some time there as well.

Now the big question is, Does anyone have any suggestions as to where to go for the quiet, relaxing and scenic portion of our trip? How much time should be alotted for each area as well?

Ay help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

You have lots of options. There is some beautiful wine country just southeast of Montreal, in the Eastern Townships area.
Near the US border is the fun lakeside resort town of Magog. Not far away is a beautiful abbey set on the lake, where you can hear Gregorian chants.
There are lots of great bike trails in these areas - just lookup Route Verte.
If you head up the St Lawrence from Quebec City, you will be in the Charlevoix area. This is a very scenic, rural area dotted with small towns, and lots of hiking and whale watching opportunities.
I would do 3 nights in Montreal, 2 nights in Quebec City, and 2-3 nights exploring the countryside.

Good suggestions. If you'd like an idea of what there is to do, here's our account of Charlevoix: http://www.notabletravels.com/destin...harlevoix.html

You might get an idea of how long you'd like to spend in Montreal and QC by reading these:

Montreal: http://www.notabletravels.com/destin.../Montreal.html

and Quebec City:
http://www.notabletravels.com/destin...ec%20City.html

Thanks for the suggestions. I will do some research regarding places to stay in Charlevoix and Magog.

Linda...your pictures are beautiful, thanks for sharing.

If you can venture a little further north of Quebec City I would recommend Tadoussac. We stayed in a beautiful cabin there and the area is gorgeous. The seafood was delicious and we enjoyed relaxing and taking a whale watching tour.

I also vote for Tadoussac.It's beautiful. You can go whale watching.The surrounding area is wonderful.Paul

Magog is a very beautiful spot. Bustling little village, but still an old town feel.

About an hour outside of Montreal just before the NY border crossing, there is a route called Circuit du Payson which has wineries, cideries, bakeries, etc. Farm country will various small communities nestled in. Worth exploring!

If you do stay in Magog I second zootsi's suggestion of the abbey along the western side of the lake
http://www.st-benoit-du-lac.com/selecteur/chooser.html

This is a good web site for information about the Eastern Townships
http://www.easterntownships.org/region

These are great suggestions. I really wanted to go to Tadoussac and Quebec City but I think it might be too much travel to do that plus Montreal. I wish the direct flights to montreal were not so expensive :(

You could check fares to Burlington, Vt, too especially if you are going to spend some time in the Eastern Townships

Burlington is another good solution indeed! It lets you discover the charm of the Eastern Townships and it's not that long of a ride...
How many days do you have?
As for your side trip, do you prefer by the water, in the country or in a more rugged foresty environment? There are so many wonderful places not far from Montréal or Québec!