6 Reasons to See Québec City This Winter

With a favorable currency exchange rate for American travelers, Québec is an attractive destination, featuring many outdoor recreation options.

Consider Québec for a great winter getaway. Québec is affordable–the US dollar gets you about $1.34 in Canadian money. Québec is easy to get to—several airlines offer service. And the city’s inhabitants know how to enjoy the cold weather by tobogganing, ice canoeing, skating and cross-country skiing, all within the city. Après your sports activities, enjoy strolling Old Québec, a UNESCO world heritage site that’s Instagram-pretty in the snow. Whether searching for a different kind of cold weather vacation or fantasizing about relocating to Canada, experiencing Québec in winter is a good first step and a great plan.

Six Winter Highlights in Québec

1. Ride a toboggan. Zoom down the more than 100-year-old toboggan run at speeds up to 40 mph. The classic winter ride is located at Dufferin Terrace close to the iconic Château Frontenac hotel. A good choice: the combination ticket for a slide and a hot chocolate.

2. Paddle an ice canoe. When the St. Lawrence River freezes, locals go ice canoeing, a special Québec activity. On a guided outing, you row through the open patches and push the canoe through the frozen areas as you walk on the thick ice.

3. Go ice skating. Parc des Champs-de-Bataille (Battlefields Park), a prominent city park, is the site of the Plains of Abraham where the British and the French clashed in 1759. Fight for your balance as you practice your spins and toe loops at the park’s free ice rink.

4. Try cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. In the Parc des Champs-de-Bataille (Battlefields Park), you can also cross-country ski on more than 11 km of groomed trails. Walk through the park on snowshoes or stick to the groomed 3.8 km trail. Along the way, catch glimpses of the sparkling St. Lawrence River.

5. Learn to ice fish.  An outdoor winter activities park, Village Nordik at the Port of Québec lets visitors sample ice fishing in a heated igloo as well as ice skating and sledding. The Village operates from January 19 to March 17, 2017.

6. Enjoy the winter carnival. Québec hosts one of the largest annual winter carnivals. The street party features evening parades and plenty of daytime activities, including snow slides, sleigh rides, ice skating, admiring snow sculptures and cheering on the ice canoe racers. The Winter Carnival takes place from January 27 to February 12, 2017.

Where to Stay

Fairmont Le Château Frontenac

A grande dame and city icon, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, located inside the Old City wall, overlooks Dufferin Terrace and the St. Lawrence River. The property was named one of the top 10 hotels in Canada by Condé Nast Traveler Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards 2016.

For more information: Contact Québec City and Area.