10 Best Sights in Outside the Old City, Quebec City

The mix of reasonably priced restaurants and bars, groceries and specialty food shops, and boutiques makes avenue Cartier a favorite lunchtime and after-work stop for many local residents. After business hours the street hums with locals running errands or soaking up the sun on patios. When darkness falls, the avenue's patrons get noticeably younger. The attraction? A half-dozen nightclubs and pubs that offer everything from wine and quiet conversation to Latin music and earsplitting dance tunes.

Situated on the city's liveliest avenue, the Grand Allée, this neoclassical museum in the park with a slick and modern wing is a remarkable steel-and-glass setting for its collection of 22,000 traditional and contemporary pieces of Québec art. Designed by starchitects Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu, the Lassonde Pavilion, added in 2016, features three stacked, cascading galleries; a grand stairwell that spirals dramatically from the top floor to the basement, where a rising almost-mile-long tunnel connects to the museum’s three other wings. MNBAQ houses works by local legends Jean-Paul Riopelle, Jean-Paul Lemieux, Alfred Pellan, Fernand Leduc, and Horatio Walker that are particularly notable, as well as temporary exhibits by international artists such as Turner, Miró, and Giacometti. The original museum building in Parc des Champs-de-Bataille is part of an abandoned prison dating from 1867; a hallway of cells, with the iron bars and courtyard, has been preserved as part of a permanent exhibition on the prison's history.

Located atop the Édifice Marie-Guyart, the city's tallest building, Observatoire de la Capitale offers a spectacular panorama of Québec City from 31 stories up. The site features an overview of the city's history with 3-D imagery, audiovisual displays in both French and English, and a time-travel theme with a 1960s twist.

This 6.8 km (4.2-mile) promenade along the St. Lawrence River offers a truly gorgeous and privileged space to enjoy the water. It's a beloved local hotspot, boasting stunning vistas of the river and the two bridges spanning it to the west. The park's creative and contemporary landscape design attracts a lively crowd of pedestrians, cyclists, and inline skaters on sunny summer days, with children often seen playing by the fountains and on the sprawling lawns. Toward the eastern end, you'll discover a charming café and an observation tower, alongside the newly inaugurated Station de la Plage. This spectacular addition features a sandy beach area complete with chairs and umbrellas, and an infinity pool that truly gives the impression of bathing directly in the river, complemented by cascading water fountains. During high season, shuttle bus #400 conveniently transports visitors directly from Petit-Champlain in Lower Town to this scenic stretch every 30 minutes.

Have breakfast with the walruses, lunch (carefully) with the polar bears, and spend the afternoon watching the seals do their tricks at this cliff-top aquarium overlooking the St. Lawrence and Québec City's two main bridges. When you tire of the mammals, check out the thousands of species of fresh and saltwater fish in the aquarium's massive, three-level aquatic gallery, or have some hands-on experiences with mollusks, starfish, and stingrays. Don't miss the jellyfish ballet or seahorse tanks. This is the only aquarium in North America with examples of all five species of cold-water seals. Experience the Arctic with the brand-new immersive projections of polar bear, narwhal, whale, polar fox, and more in their natural habitat. For an even more immersive experience, there is a re-creation of the feeling of cold, even in summer. Chill factor guaranteed!

Just minutes from Old Québec, Baie de Beauport offers a vibrant escape on the St. Lawrence River, also easily accessible by car via the Corridor du Littoral waterfront bike path. Its expansive sandy beach is perfect for sunbathing, enjoying stunning city views, and a variety of water sports, including kayak, canoe, and stand-up paddle. On land, visitors can enjoy volleyball and an outdoor climbing wall. Food is readily available on site, including a lively beach bar. The summer buzz peaks with La Cigale festival in early August. This multi-day, California-vibe beach festival hosts not only the best of Québec musicians but also a slew of indie international acts like Half Moon Run and Foster the People, making it especially appealing to English speakers.

One of the city's oldest streets, the Grande Allée was the route people took from outlying areas to come sell their furs in town. In the 19th century, the wealthy built neo-Gothic and Queen Anne–style mansions here, which now house trendy cafés, clubs, and restaurants. The street actually has four names: inside the city walls it's rue St-Louis; outside the walls, Grande Allée Est; farther west, Grande Allée Ouest; then finally, boulevard Laurier.

This 32-km (20-mile) stretch of trails and walkways follows the St. Charles River from its source at Lake St. Charles, to the northwest (which supplies a large part of Québec City's drinking water), all the way to the Bassin Louise Marina, in Vieux-Port. Many sections are in quiet stretches of forests, or run along wetlands and meadows. The trails immediately west of the harbor offer a green oasis at the heart of the city. The recently-reimagined Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site in Limoilou is particularly lovely and explains the various ways Jacques Cartier helped shape the city as we see it today. It's also possible to rent kayaks and paddle over 11 km (6.5 miles) of the northernmost part of the river.

The burial place of many of the earliest English settlers in Canada was established in 1771 and is the oldest cemetery remaining in Québec City. Also buried here is Robert Wood, the disavowed half brother of Queen Victoria. Closed in 1860, the cemetery has been turned into a park. Next door is St. Matthew's Anglican Church, now a recently renovated public library. It has a book listing most of the original tombstone inscriptions, including those on tombstones removed to make way for the city's modern convention center.

Once an industrial area and now a technology hub, St-Roch is dotted with hip bars and trendy shops. Because there are so few locals living in the old part of the city, St-Roch is a great place to mingle with the locals. And if Old Québec is a magnet for European gastronomy and fine dining, St-Roch is where the younger chefs are having the most fun; as a result, new spots are popping up all the time.

Rue St-Joseph is the neighborhood's main street. It's a mix of office buildings, modern lunch spots, and after-work hangouts. You'll quickly find the neighborhood's main thoroughfare by looking for the Église St-Roch, a massive stone church. Curated shops, third-wave cafés, trendy bistros, crowded microbreweries, and oyster bars are plentiful, creating a thriving, vibrant atmosphere. For good people-watching, head to the Jardin Jean-Paul-L'Allier, a large leafy square.

Art also abounds in the neighborhood, from the famous street-art-covered viaduct (just off rue St-Paul) and modern sculptures to outdoor theater and circus acts.

St-Roch is a long but downhill jaunt from the Old City, though easily walkable if you have the time. If you're not in the mood for exercise, the best way to get there is by taxi. Plan on spending about C$9 each way. There are usually plenty of cabs available for the return trip. Taking the bus (800 or 801) is also an option.