Quebec City - Your Faves; Your Secrets
 

My wife and I will be spending five days in Quebec City in mid-November, 2013. We will be visiting for the first time and are looking for interesting things to do that the locals know and appreciate, and are typically overlooked by the average tourist. We’d love to hear about unusual places, attractions, museums, galleries, restaurants, shops, bars, etc. that you loved. We are open to anything. Free, expensive, weird, ordinary, educational, frivolous, artsy-fartsy, inside, outside, architectural, historical, etc. - anything!! As an example, one of our favorite places/attractions visited during our trip to Paris was the underground Catacombs. Wandering the streets, we found it purely by accident and had a great time exploring the creepy and historical site. Not for everyone, perhaps, but thought it was a cool experience. Maybe you have a favorite local bistro, or a location on the outskirts of town with personality, or the top of a building that gives a view that is the epitome of Quebec City. Let us know!! Looking forward to your responses………….David

Why don't you start right here, by going to the Search the Forums box above right and entering Quebec City. In the last two months alone there have been eight discussion threads to kick-start your research.

I lived in QC for a year in 1997/1998 and still miss the poutine from Chez Ashton!

Hi David!

With family aplenty in and around Quebec City, I've been going a few times a year ever since I was a little girl.

Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré Cathedral is a bit out of the way and, yes, touristy, but it's beautiful and definitely worth a see. I'd suggest you rent a car for the day, go out there, see the Montmorency Falls on the way and then stop by Orleans Island on your way back to the city centre. You cross the bridge, and suddenly you're in the countryside. It's a beautiful island, one of the first European inhabited areas in this neck of the woods with a great history (it was known as the Enchanted Island), and there are still lots of typical old Quebec houses. Its microclimate means that it can grow tons of stuff and very, very well. There are lots of small agrotourism producers everywhere. One of my faves is Domaine Steinbach, where you can taste their ice ciders (a local specialty), pâtés, jams, etc. They're only opened Thursdays to Sundays in November, though. If you have time, go around the whole island. There are six villages on the island, each very different and each with its own church.

Another fun activity I recently organized when I brought a group of friends is a foodie tour through Tours Voir Québec. I discovered a bunch of new-to-me fabulous places to eat and shop when I'm in Quebec City. The Quebec City neophytes with me simply adored it. The tour guide talked about the various foods of Quebec and how the food scene has developed and evolved.

Hope this helps, but I know you'll love Quebec City regardless, even if all you do is wander the streets of Old Quebec City and shop at Simons.

Julie

I recommend a visit to the Morrin Centre in Quebec City. See my report on it
http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...uebec-city.cfm

I also posted a longer TR on our visit to the city and the things we enjoyed there.

I just stopped there on a cruise and my close friend gave me a great restuarant tip...Chez Boulay in the small hotel called Hotel Manoir Victoria....you'll thank me for this one...both lunch or dinner are excuisite...i.e bison cheeks done with red wine sauce...hmmm..!! the main entrance is off the streetcalled Cote Du Palais..or fromm the hotel off a side street ( Rue..?)....

Bon petite

I absolutely agree with Vttravler about the Morrin Centre. I just posted a long trip report on our 4 days in Quebec City also.