45 Best Sights in Quebec, Canada

Creating one of the world's great botanical gardens in a city with a winter as harsh as Montréal's was no mean feat, and the result is that no matter how brutal it gets in January there's one corner of the city where it's always summer. With 181 acres of plantings in summer and 10 greenhouses open all year, Montréal's Jardin Botanique is the second-largest attraction of its kind in the world (after England's Kew Gardens). It grows more than 26,000 species of plants, and among its 30 thematic gardens are a rose garden, an alpine garden, and—a favorite with the kids—a poisonous-plant garden.

You can attend traditional tea ceremonies in the Japanese Garden, which has one of the best bonsai collections in the West, or wander among the native birches and maples of the Jardin des Premières-Nations (First Nations Garden). The Jardin de Chine (Chinese Garden), with its pagoda and waterfall, will transport you to the Ming dynasty. In the fall, all three cultural gardens host magical mixes of light, color, plant life, and sculpture during the annual Gardens of Light spectacle.

Île Ste-Hélène and Île Notre-Dame now constitute a single park named, fittingly enough, for Jean Drapeau (1916–99), the visionary (and spendthrift) mayor who built the métro and brought the city both the 1967 World's Fair and the 1976 Olympics. The park includes La Ronde (a major amusement park), acres of flower gardens, an aquatic complex, a beach with filtered water, the Formula 1 Grand Prix Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, performance spaces, and the Casino de Montréal. There's history here, too, at the Old Fort, which was built by the British to protect the country from a possible invasion by the United States. In winter, you can skate on the old Olympic rowing basin or slide down iced trails on an inner tube.

Here's a wonderful opportunity to learn about the Loyalists who settled the area after fleeing the American Revolution. Several buildings, including the former county courthouse dating back to 1859, the old firehall (fire station), and a former school, house an eclectic collection that include 19th-century farm tools, Native Canadian arrowheads, and a military collection that includes uniforms and a World War I Fokker aircraft. The museum also maintains the Tibbits Hill Pioneer School, a stone schoolhouse built in 1834 to serve rural families—kids can find out what education was like in the mid-19th century.

Step back in time at this marvelously restored early-20th-century general store, where counters and shelves are loaded with bygone products such as old-fashioned tinctures, sewing machines, and period clothing. Hear an old telephone ring and see a fully equipped barber shop. Other rooms feature antique stoves and carriages. Curiosities fill every shelf and corner. Shopkeepers in costume lead guided tours, giving a feel of being in the store while it was in operation. They point out how some old devices worked.

Wedged between narrow streets at the foot of the cliff, this spacious museum, with its striking limestone-and-glass façade, was designed by architect Moshe Safdie to seamlessly blend into the landscape. Its bell tower thoughtfully echoes the shape of the city's church steeples. A new exhibition, running until 2030, powerfully witnesses the narratives of 95,000 First Nations and Inuit women and men of Québec as they reflect on history, embrace the present, and envision a hopeful future. The temporary exhibits here are always well worth a visit too.

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 vast wildlife sanctuary has more than 400 lakes and rivers and is home to nearly 200 species of birds and animals, so it’s great for wildlife-watching. Cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers enjoy the park's trails in winter, and camping, fishing, canoeing, and hiking are the popular summer activities. The park was once the home of the Algonquins, who called this area Manitonga Soutana, meaning "mountain of the spirits." 

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.

Crossing the St. Lawrence River on this ferry will reward you with a striking view of the Québec City skyline, with the Château Frontenac and the Québec Seminary high atop the cliff. The view is even more impressive at night. Ferries generally run every 20 or 30 minutes from 6 am until 6 pm, and then every hour until 2:20 am; there are additional ferries from April through November.

Recognized as a Wetland of International Significance, this nature reserve protects a vital habitat for migrating greater snow geese and sees more than a million fly through every October and May, with tens of thousands of birds present every day. The park harbors hundreds of other kinds of birds and mammals, and more than 700 plant species. This enclave also has 20 km (12 miles) of hiking trails; naturalists give guided tours. It's on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, about 8 km (5 miles) east of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré.

Powerful Ouiatchouan Falls, higher than Niagara Falls, overlook and long ago powered this once thriving mill town. Ultramodern in its day, the village had electricity and running water 25 years before the rest of Québec, but administrative and production pitfalls closed the mill and by 1927 all the residents had departed. Today, you can see the beautifully restored mill, post office, general store, and butcher shop, then hike to the top of the falls, where a glass platform puts you directly over the center of the cascade. Modern accommodations are available within the general store and some restored period houses, and campgrounds and rustic cottages to rent are other options.

Cougars, polar bears, grizzly bears, Canadian lynx, American bison, and Japanese macaques are among the 75 species that roam open environments here. Between June and October, guides lead overnight tours in the Land of the Caribou, including hiking, a campfire meal, and canoeing on Lac Montagnais, where caribou may swim right by your boat.

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!

Fairy-tale characters such as Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, and Alice in Wonderland wander the grounds, playing games with children. Small fry may also enjoy the petting zoo, amusement rides, wading pool, and puppet show. A ride called Le Petit Train des Merveilles (the Little Train of Wonders) is a nod to the historic train that launched the tourism industry in the Laurentians. There are 45 activities, enough to occupy those aged two to eight for about half a day. Check the website for discount coupons. The theme park is completely accessible to strollers and wheelchairs.

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.

Nothing captures the exuberance of Expo '67 better than the geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) as the U.S. Pavilion. It's only a skeleton now—the polymer panels that protected the U.S. exhibits from the elements were burned out in a fire long ago—but it's still an eye-catching sight, like something plucked from a science-fiction movie.

Science of a nonfictional kind, however, is explored in the special environmental center the federal government built in the middle of the dome. It focuses on the challenges of preserving the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River system, but it has lively and interactive exhibits on climate change, sustainable energy, and air pollution. Kids and others can use games and interactive displays arranged around a large model of the waterway to explore how shipping, tourism, water supplies, and hydroelectric power are affected.  The Biosphère forms part of Espace pour la Vie, which is based in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and endeavors to bring together art, science, and citizen action.

Back when Trois-Rivières was a lumber, paper, and pulp industry leader, this plant’s machinery whizzed and whirled. Built in the early 1920s, it pumped, filtered, and stored water for the paper mill. By the mid-1950s, the plant filtered more than 20 million gallons of water a day that was used to produce 1,000 tons of newsprint. Today, it is eerily quiet, especially the long-abandoned underground vaults, which are part of the original architecture and machinery that's on display.

Formerly known as the Canadian Museum of Civilization, this superb institution officially changed its name in 2013 when it received C$25 million in funding from the Canadian government in order to renovate and expand. More than 50,000 square feet of the existing museum has been renovated, and a Canadian History Hall showcasing the people and events that have shaped Canada over the last 15,000 years. Other highlights include the First Peoples Hall, which has some 2,000 objects on display, and the Children's Museum.

The Montréal Canadiens haven't won the Stanley Cup since 1993, though they came very close in June 2021, ultimately losing the finals against Tampa Bay. Most of the team's fans can't remember the golden 1960s and '70s, when Les Glorieux virtually owned the trophy. The superstitious blame the team's fallen fortunes on its 1996 move from the hallowed Forum to the brown-brick Centre Bell arena. Still, Montréal is a hockey-mad city and the Habs, as locals call the team, are still demigods here, and there are even university courses based on this superstar team. (When it celebrated its 100th season in 2009–10, the city changed the name of the strip of rue de la Gauchetière in front of the Centre Bell to avenue des Canadiens-de-Montréal.) Centre Bell is also a venue for blockbuster acts like Coldplay, Drake, Trevor Noah, and Cirque du Soleil.

You—or more likely, your kids—can design an energy-efficient bike, create a television news report, explore the impact that manufacturing one T-shirt has on the environment, find out what it's like to ride a unicycle 20 feet above the ground, create an animated film, or just watch an IMAX movie on a giant screen at Montréal's interactive science center. Games, puzzles, and hands-on experiments make it an ideal place for rainy days or even fair ones. The center has a cafe/bistro serving coffee, pastries and light meals and a lunch room where visitors can eat food they brought with them, though there are no microwaves.

You can rattle around Canada's largest railroad museum in a vintage tram specially built for Montréal sightseeing tours in the 1950s, when the city still had a streetcar system. The museum has more than 120 train cars and locomotives, but if you're a steam buff, you won't want to miss CPR 5935, the largest steam locomotive built in Canada, and CNR 4100, the most powerful in the British Empire when it was built in 1924. To see how the rich and powerful traveled, take a look at Sir William Van Horne's luxurious private car. Of special interest to the kids will be the car that served as a mobile classroom. The museum is south of the city in the town of St-Constant. On weekdays Expo runs commuter trains from the Gare Lucien-l'Allier, next to the Centre Bell, to Candiac/St. Constant. Trains depart at 9:35 am and return at 1:27 pm.

This massive park—nearly 364 square km (140 square miles)—brings nature lovers from all over throughout the year. You can hike up King Mountain on a challenging trail that takes you 300 meters (980 feet) above the Ottawa Valley, explore Lusk Cave, go camping, view the Luskville Falls, or swim at one of the six beaches here (there are also 50 lakes). In winter, the cross-country skiing trails cover approximately 200 km (125 miles) of the park. From June to mid-October, you can use the park's south entrance on Taché Boulevard; stop at the reception center for visitor information.

After a complete C$38.4 million metamorphosis, the Insectarium, reopened in 2022, now houses more than 3,000 plants of 150 different varieties and approximately 175 species of insects—including up to 80 species of butterflies flitting about any one time. The reconfigured spaces, inspired by real insect habitats, feature chambers, nests, vegetation, galleries, and soil. Immersive educational experiences aim to replicate life as seen and felt by an insect. For instance, the ground vibrates and ultraviolet visual effects mimic a bug’s vision. In this way, visitors are encouraged to move around the way an insect would, by, say, having to squeeze through tunnels or hold on to vertical rods meant to imitate blades of grass. With the new Insectarium, the first of its kind in North America, the hope is that this more intimate experience will lead visitors to rethink our relationships with bugs. The revitalized venue also includes exhibits and a children's activities room.

Things are buzzing at this workshop and store devoted to bees and honey. An exhibit explains every aspect of honey production, and you can taste honey and honey ice creams, chocolates, and snacks made by bees that have fed on different kinds of flowers, including clover and blueberry. It's a 10-minute drive east of Montmorency Falls.

Every year, it seems, this amusement park, at the eastern end of Île Ste-Hélène, adds some new and monstrous way to scare the living daylights (and maybe even your lunch) out of you. Vipère, a free-fly roller coaster, lifts you 107 feet up and subjects you to unexpected drops, vertical free falls, and 360-degree somersaults. Chaos is a single loop that takes you forward, backward, and upside down while sitting face-to-face with other riders. Titan, a giant swaying pendulum will have you—or the kids—soaring and spinning 148 feet above the park, traveling at speeds up to 70 mph. Demon, an extreme, high-speed ride, twists you, twirls you, and turns you upside down, then douses you with water jets. The park also aims to terrify with such stomach-turning champions as Endör, the Goliath, the Vampire, Monstre, and Vol Ultime. For the less daring, there are Ferris wheels, boat rides, and kiddie rides.  The popular International Fireworks Competition is held here on Thursdays and Sundays in late June and July.

Mont-Royal's single body of water, actually a reclaimed bog, is a great place for kids (and parents) to float model boats or rent a rowboat in the summertime (See  www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/en/rowboats-and-outdoor-games for rowboat, mölkky, spikeball, and cornhole game rentals). In winter, the lake's frozen surface attracts whole families of skaters, and nearby there's a groomed slope where kids of all ages can ride inner tubes. The glass-fronted Beaver Lake Pavilion is a pleasant bistro that serves lunch and dinner. Skate, snowshoe, and cross-country-ski rentals are available downstairs.

The canal is all about leisure—biking, rollerblading, strolling along the water, and picnicking—but it wasn't always so. Built in 1825 to get boats and cargo around the treacherous Lachine Rapids, it quickly became a magnet for all sorts of industries. But when the St. Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, allowing large cargo ships to sail straight from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes without stopping in Montréal, the canal closed to navigation and became an illicit dumping ground for old cars and the bodies of victims of underworld killings. The area around it degenerated into an industrial slum.

A federal agency rescued the site in 1978, planting lawns and trees along the old canal, transforming it into a long, narrow park, or parc linéaire. Some of the abandoned canneries, sugar refineries, and steelworks have since been converted into desirable residential and commercial condominiums. The bicycle path is the first link in the more than 97 km (60 miles) of bike trails that make up the Pôle des Rapides ( 514/364–4490).

Two permanent exhibits at the Lachine Canal Visitor Services Centre, at the western end of the canal, explain its history and construction. The center also has a shop and lookout terrace.

Slides, a giant wave pool, a wading pool, and snack bars will all keep the kids occupied here. The river rafting attracts an older, braver crowd; the nine-minute ride follows the natural contours of steep hills. On the tandem slides, plumes of water flow through figure-eight tubes and make for a great time. But if you'd rather stay dry, take an adventure through the trees on the zip line or enjoy a fast ride with the Viking Alpine Coaster.