Summer is a glorious time to visit Québec province in Canada. Admittedly, I have visited one (1) time only but I stand by my statement! Mainly because I am not a fan of winter so by default, summer it is. Here’s my case for why you, too, should visit Québec in summer.

We got a mix of weather—including rain—but the temperatures were comfortable and the nice days were so nice. What I really loved (besides the francophone aspect) was the wide range of things to do in Québec, from Montréal to Québec City. I was bowled over by the many outdoor activities I hadn’t really thought about, along with the city vibes. 

Without further ado! Here are 22 things to do in Québec, Canada, in summer. I’m only including things we actually did, and this list is by no means exhaustive. 

22 things to do in Québec in summer

Montréal

Montréal is the second-largest francophone city in the world, bested only by Paris. Although its neighbor Québec City has more of a reputation for charm, Montréal has a charisma all her own. Summer is festival season in the city, and if you’re lucky enough to catch a sunny day, spend as much of it outside as you can.  

1. Hike up Mount Royal 

Mount Royal peaks at 764 feet above sea level, making it less of a mountain and more of an imposing hill overseeing the city of Montréal. In fact, the city’s original name was Ville-Marie, but was renamed in the 18th century because of the mountain (Mount Royal → Mont réal → Montréal 🤯). 

We walked straight from our hotel, past the charming buildings of McGill University, and right up the trail to the Kondiaronk Belvedere lookout point. It was steep going, but the views were spectacular. If you’re feeling sporty, continue along one of the many trails. We did the 1.5 mile summit loop, which was perfect, but if you’re more ambitious try the 5.3 mile Mount Royal Park loop. 

2. Have a beer at Brasserie Dieu du Ciel

This comfortable, friendly brewery is in Mile End, a laid-back, artsy neighborhood easy to reach by metro. We took refuge during a rainy afternoon for a couple of beers and were glad we did. If you’re looking for a bite to eat, it’s also near two of the city’s most renowned bagel shops: St-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel. 

3. Pretend you’re in Europe at Square Saint-Louis

I saw a photo of a row of Victorian mansions with colorful roofs and knew I had to track them down. It wasn’t hard; they flank the pretty, European-style Square Saint-Louis, just off of the Sherbrooke Metro line. Bonus: it’s two stops away from Dieu du Ciel, and around the corner from the famous Schwartz’s Deli. Well-known Québécois artists and poets have lived in these houses, which felt fitting. 

4. Get lost in the underground city on a rainy day

Look, I hope it doesn’t rain on your trip to Montréal. But if it does, all is not lost. Head underground to the city tunnels to stay dry while you sip on a coffee, duck into bookstores, and grab a bite to eat. 

The underground city allegedly links 20 miles of metro stations and shopping plazas throughout Montréal, but signage is sparse, and navigating the tunnels is confusing. It’s also suspiciously quiet on Sunday morning, with many shops closed and some doors locked, which may be why we weren’t able to get very far.

Is it claustrophobic? Yep. Is it confusing? Most definitely. Is it super-fun? Well…not really. But it did help us pass a few hours on during a torrential downpour. 

5. Gaze upon The Ring

The Ring dominates Place Ville-Marie, in the city’s downtown. It’s 90 feet in diameter and made of over 50,000 pounds of stainless steel. 

This sculpture is supposed to represent the connection between the people of Montréal, the international community, and the vibrant downtown. 

Sure. 

It’s kind of odd but certainly attention-grabbing; we had a view of it from our hotel room at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, so I developed a soft spot for it after two nights. 

6. Walk around Old Town 

Montréal old town is busy, but worth a visit. I don’t know what it’s like in winter, but this part of Québec in summer is very reminiscent of a European city. But if you want to eat dinner at any of its appealing restaurants, do yourself a favor and make a reservation! We stopped into three different places only to be turned away. 

St. Lawrence River & Chemin du Roy

It takes about three hours to drive between Montréal and Québec City, and the road takes you along the St. Lawrence River. If you travel on the river’s north side, you’ll follow the Chemin du Roy, the King’s Road, a heritage tourist route. The south side takes you through national parks, cideries, and fromageries. How to choose? Do what we did: drove along the south from Montréal to Québec City, then returned along the north. We flew in and out of Montréal because there were no direct flights between Atlanta and QC.

Also! This is the region where you can dust off your French. Like in the cities, most people we encountered spoke English, but French came in more handy here.

7. Get poutine from Chez Paul in Magog

No frills, fast service, inexpensive, and satisfying? Count me in. This was our first poutine of the trip, and we got the traditional with gravy and cheese curds. A delicious post-hike treat from Cantine Chez Paul. 

8. Take a photo with the Oh Ma Gog sign

I love when a town has a sense of humor, and this sign made me giggle. You can find it in the small park on Rue Principale near samourai ramen izakaya. Oh ma gog!  

9. Eat cheese and drink sparkling cider at Abbey de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac

We followed the brown signs to Saint Benedict Abbey on a whim and were pleased with our choice. The Abbey itself is a beautiful building in a serene setting, and the award-winning cheese and cider is made onsite. Head to the shop in the lower level to grab a couple of cheeses and a sparkling cider for an impromptu summer picnic at the tables outside. One thing to note — there were no crackers for sale so we were just eating hunks of cheese. Never a bad thing, imo. 

10. Hike in Mount Orford National Park

I wanted a hike with a view, so we chose Mont-Chauve via the Ruisseau-David Trail. It was tough going for 5.7 miles, not so much because of the gradual incline but more to do with the muddy, rocky path underfoot. We also misconstrued how long it would take, and didn’t bring water with us. Don’t be like us. Québec in summer can be rainy, and it can be hot—you’ll be thirsty.  

It’s $10 per person to enter the park, and you can pay online before you arrive or use the QR code at the trailhead. No one stopped us to check that we’d paid, but I’m a type A Virgo eldest daughter so I like to do the right thing. 

11. Get the buffalo poutine at Microbrasserie Locomotiv in Berthierville 

For poutine number two we branched out to a more experimental flavor while watching the US vs Australia World Cup match at Microbrasserie Locomotiv on our last night in Canada. When I tell you the buffalo poutine really hit, I’m not exaggerating. The crunchy buffalo fried chicken bites on top really clinched it for me. 

Québec City

Québec City has been my white whale since eighth grade, when a bunch of students from my French class went on a trip but I for some reason did not. Well call me Ishmael because I finally made it, 30-ish years later. Yes, it caters to tourists and parts of the Old Town have a Disney-ish vibe, but if you don’t let that bother you you’ll have a great time. But! Be forewarned—this is a hilly city. Come with buns of jello, leave with buns of steel.

12. Cozy dinner at Chez Temporel

There’s no getting around it, Québec City’s old town is a touristy place. The restaurants were crawling with people and without a reservation you’re likely to stay hungry—unless you know about Chez Temporel. It’s a cozy little bistro that manages to fly under the radar while being smack dab in the middle of old town. The menu is simple but nicely presented; I had the salmon and we got the maple syrup pie and creme brulee for dessert.

13. Combine your love of cats and craft beer at Noctem

A cat-themed brewery? Say less. 

We first saw Noctem’s cat-covered beer cans at a supermarket in Magog, and I was thrilled to learn that the brewery itself was based in Québec City, our next stop. It’s outside of old town but the St-Roch location is still within walking distance. To my great joy, all of the beers had cat-related names and tasted good. My only complaint is that the interior didn’t feature enough cats. 

14. Stroll Dufferin Terrace

Dufferin Terrace is a wooden boardwalk that goes past Le Chateau Frontenac, the enormous castle hotel that towers over the city. It’s not very long and has nice views of the St. Lawrence River plus plenty of photo opps with that impressive chateau. Here is one place where I concede that Québec in summer may not be as stunning as in winter; this probably looks pretty awesome in the snow.

15. Continue along the Governors Promenade

The Governors Promenade is marked as a hike on Google Maps so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it’s almost a continuation of Dufferin Terrace. When you reach the end of the terrace, follow the steps up to continue on the promenade. It’s a pleasant boardwalk through the trees along the city walls, and brings you out at the top of the Plains of Abraham.  

16. Gawk at the city mural

I love a trompe l’œil and I love a mural so this was my first stop in Québec City. Painted in 1999 by 12 different artists, it shows a mix of historical and modern figures in a realistic-ish portrayal of the city. I was tickled by the visual transition of winter to summer that trickles from the top of the fresco to the bottom. La Fresque des Québécois is on Rue Notre-Dame between Rue du Porche and Rue de la Place. 

17. Catch some shade on Umbrella Alley

OK, so it’s not an original idea to cover a pedestrian street with rows of umbrellas. But it still delights visitors, myself included, so if you’re into that kind of thing get yourself to Rue du Cul-de-Sac for a short walk in the shade of the umbrellas. According to Google Maps, the umbrellas are only out during the summer so get it while it’s hot! 

18. Stand at the corner of Rue Notre-Dame and Rue Sous-le-Fort for maximum Euro vibes

This is the heart of old town, so if you don’t like crowds you should skip this one. Standing here reminded me of being in Paris looking at the Sacre Coeur from the streets of Montmartre.

19. Drive the Île d’Orléans

If you google this island, you’ll see phrases like ‘historical jewel’ and ‘birthplace of French America,’ so my curiosity was piqued. We weren’t planning to visit, but when faced with a rainy day and fresh out of ideas we hopped in the car for a 15-minute drive to the island. 

It was lovely, dotted with fromageries, wineries, pick-your-own fruit farms, and nice-looking buildings. I admit we only got out of the car once, so I could take a photo of a red-roofed church by the sea, but I certainly see the appeal of making a real day of it. 

20. Be wowed by the Chute Montmorency

It makes me so happy that the French word for waterfall is ‘chute.’ Maybe not quite as good as Slovenia’s ‘slap,’ but pretty close. Chute Montmorency is 83 meters tall, a surprising 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls! It’s a bit of a destination and you’ll have to pay an entry fee of $13.60 per adult to get up close. Once in, you can choose add-ons like the cable car and zipline. 

Or, you can just rubberneck at it from the car on the way to Île d’Orléans, like we did. I won’t insult you by including the photo I took through the windscreen, but trust me when I say it’s an impressive chute. If you visit this part of Québec in summer do yourself a favor and stop by.

21. Exit the city gates

If you’re staying in the old town, get out of it, at least for a few hours! Follow Rue St. Jean out of town, past the city gates, and keep on going for five minutes to reach the Saint Jean Baptiste neighborhood. There are tons of restaurants, cafes, and shops to keep you entertained for an afternoon. 

And don’t forget

22. Grab yourself a coffee from Tim Horton’s 

Did you even go to Canada if you didn’t stop at Tim Horton’s? I know they have locations in the US but still! It felt like a requirement. We swung by on the way back to the airport; I didn’t think the coffee was especially memorable but I did like the cup it came in.