If you’ve read my post about Québec City, then you know how I instantly fell in love with its unique mix of European and North American charm on my recent visit. So when I had the opportunity to head back to this region with HI Canada, I jumped at the chance. This time though, I was able to explore Ottawa, Montréal, La Malbaie, Saint-Anne-Des-Monts in addition to Québec City, plus so many little places in between over the span of 7 days. This road trip opened up my eyes to the incredible beauty of this entire region and made me realize just how underrated Québec Province really is. If you’re looking for one of the most scenic road trips in North America full of beautiful landscapes, plenty of adventure, incredible local food and craft beer – all for a reasonable price – then a Québec Province road trip is definitely for you!

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Québec Province Road Trip Stop #1: Ottawa & Gatineau Park

We started the road trip in Ottawa, and although it’s not actually in Québec, it was a great place to start our journey as it’s right on the border. We had the opportunity to get to know Canada’s capital a little better and even had the chance to experience hands down the most unique accommodations I’ve ever spent a night in! More on that below!

Where to Stay in Ottawa:

HI Ottawa Jail Hostel

Ever wondered what it would be like to sleep in a jail cell from the 1800s?! Well, you actually can at HI Ottawa Jail… This jail turned hostel has converted jail cells into individual rooms that you can rent by the night. Each jail cell displays the name of a prisoner that once occupied that room, their date of imprisonment, and the crime they committed.

They also have helpful signage all over the building explaining the interesting facts and history of the jail which I thought was a really cool way to learn on your own. It’s crazy to think that a place that once was the last place you’d want to end up is now a destination travelers seek out to experience! As a solo traveler in my late 20s, I was happy to have my own private room/cell as it offered the privacy I needed but also connected me to other travelers staying there. FUN FACT: They designed the jail to maximize every single noise so the guards could hear what was going on back in the day before surveillance cameras, phones or walk-e talk-es.

That meant you could hear every little sound, like steps up and down the hallway and jail doors shutting. Creepy, yes, but also pretty cool if you ask me. I never thought I’d spend a night in jail but I’ll tell you, it was weirdly cozy and one of the most peaceful nights of sleep I’ve ever had! (Ghosts? Paranormal activity? We’ll never know!)

What to Do in Ottawa:

Go On a Tour of HI Ottawa Jail

After my weirdly peaceful nights sleep in my jail cell, we went on a tour of the 150-year-old former jail led by Jeremy, our very knowledgeable tour guide. He explained the very interesting but scary and also sad history of the jail and what the prisoners endured here, even for small crimes committed. Details remain intact from the 1800s like hooks and chains, doors, solitary confinement & death row cells, and even the beams where executions were held.

Overall, I found the tour to be more interesting than scary until I went back upstairs to the death row cells and the gallows by myself to take some photos and was so incredibly freaked out! So note to self: don’t visit haunted places alone… Anyways, this is a very unique part of Ottawa’s history. I also really liked how Jeremy related everything to the present day and how corrections in Canada have come a long way since the closing of this jail but still have a long way to go.

When the tour was over, we were invited out to the courtyard for a BBQ where other travelers from the hostel were enjoying some food and conversation. They’ve really turned this terrace into a beautiful event space – they even hold wedding receptions here!

Eat a Beaver Tail

Apparently, you haven’t been to Ottawa unless you’ve eaten a Beaver Tail. No, not the animal, but these fried-dough-like desserts certainly are the shape and size of a beaver tail, that’s for sure!

I still dream about these sweet treats but am actually happy they aren’t anywhere near me as I think it wouldn’t be so great for my health (or my waistline).

Enjoy Seasonal Fare at Town

This intimate bistro is a great place to grab a meal in downtown Ottawa. They serve up seasonal, modern fare sourced with local ingredients and also have a great wine list! I’d recommend making a reservation in advance as this hotspot fills up fast!

Take a Hike Through Gatineau Park to Pink Lake

After our tour of HI Ottawa Jail, we headed out of Ontario and crossed the St. Lawrence over to Québec. We headed into Gatineau Park to check out the fall foliage and it did not disappoint. You can take a loop hike around Pink Lake which takes approximately an hour and a half (if you like to stop and take a lot of pictures like me!)

Pink lake is actually green, funny enough, and is a meromictic lake – one of 36 meromictic lakes in the entire world, in fact! If you’re wondering what the heck a meromictic lake is, no worries, I got you. Lakes are typically warmed by the sun and mixed by the wind, but water layers in a meromictic lake do not intermix.

Why that’s cool is because of the lack of mixing between layers creates radically different environments for organisms to live in – meaning things that can live on the top layer can’t live on the bottom layer. Pretty awesome that we got to see one of so few in the world.

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Québec Province Road Trip Stop #2: Montréal

A little over 2 hours later from Gatineau Park we landed in Montréal where we explored for 2 full days! I am so happy we had the chance to spend some extra time here, as I have only been one time previously and it was over 10 years ago! My memory of that trip is a bit fuzzy, so I was well overdue for another visit. Over two days, we basically ate, drank and shopped our way through the city, and I loved every moment.

Where to Stay in Montréal:

HI Montréal

Located just a block from Lucien-Allier metro station with trains going straight to Old Town Montréal and the rest of downtown, HI Montréal is the perfect home base while exploring MTL.

I loved how it was tucked down a residential street, but also really close to all of the action of the city. The hostel itself is so cute & clean and seems like it was recently renovated as it feels so new. I stayed in an ensuite double room and absolutely loved it! I appreciated the minimalist design and the clever use of space by hiding the bathroom and shower into what looked like sliding doors for a closet.

It was the most perfect room for a solo traveler like me who is looking for privacy & space but the social perks that a hostel provides. On the basement level of HI Montréal, you will find their homey cafe-bistro which turns into a lively bar at night serving up local brews and is always full of travelers from around the world.

What to Do in Montréal:

Take a Bike Tour Through St Henri

My favorite way to explore any city is by cycling around, so when I saw this on the itinerary I was beyond excited. Gabrielle of HI Montréal took us on a bike tour through St Henri, an up-and-coming neighborhood in the southern part of Montréal whose popularity is on the rise with its modern industrial chic vibes.

My favorite part was stopping at Parc de Dieppe to take in the beautiful views of Montréal from a different perspective. Some other highlights were visiting Atwater Market, a market teeming with local produce, cheese vendors, and food stalls.

Here you will find Satay Brothers, a Southeast Asian street food style food stall that is sure to warm you up on a cold Quebec day! I went for the famed “Laksa Lemak” and it was ridiculously good. The bike tour lasted for a couple hours and was an amazing way to see an off-the-beaten-track part of Montréal. Make sure to speak with the front desk at HI Montréal to set up your tour.

Explore Mile End

Probably one of my favorite activities of the entire time spent in Montréal was exploring the Mile End! I am such a sucker for street art and this neighborhood was simply covered in it. A favorite was a very unique Bob Marley mural by @stikki_peaches.

I’m also a massive sucker for thrift stores and vintage shops. FUN FACT: I’ve been shopping in thrift stores since I was little and it’s truly my favorite way to shop. I have found some of my favorite things in my wardrobe in thrift/consignment shops and I always feel like the items found while second-hand shopping tells a story & have more character!!!

There are so many funky stores in this neighborhood, I could spend a week weeding through all of them! Also, make sure to stop by the uber cool and uber pink Pastel Rita for an artisanal coffee & a treat.

I went for an oatmeal milk latte and it’s going down as one of the top three lattes I’ve ever had in my life (yes, I’m a latte snob). Once you have your coffee, don’t miss out on hand-rolled wood-fired bagels from Fairmount Bagel. They’re famous for a reason.

Enjoy the Many Cafes, Restaurants, & Cocktail Bars

Take a stroll down St. Laurent Boulevard, one of the main arteries of the city, to find some of the trendiest bars & cafes in the area. For a casual-chic atmosphere with funky & eclectic decor definitely, head to Darling. For romantic speak-easy date night vibes, head to Big in Japan.

There is literally no sign for this cocktail bar, so when Google Maps takes you to a random, unmarked black door, you know you’ve arrived. For some really interesting international bites and yummy local wine, head to Bar Suzanne. Another stand-out dining experience located closer to the heart of downtown Montréal was found at Cafe Parvis.

Enchanting is the word I’d use to describe this cafe, from the hundreds of hanging plants cascading down from the ceiling to the massive marble columns, to the rustic-chic look of paint peeling off of the walls – this place stole my heart. Add on the fact that they serve mouth-watering pizzas and inventive craft cocktails and this place is a home run.

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Québec Province Road Trip Stop #3: Charlevoix, Tadoussac & La Malbaie

After 2 days in Montréal, we took off bright and early for a 5-hour drive to our next top: Charlevoix. This region is known as a gastronomic hub of Québec, so you better believe I was excited to visit! The Charlevoix Flavor Trail features a distinguished list of over 40 local growers, producers, and restaurateurs that pride themselves in producing fresh-as-can-be local food direct from the region. We stopped at a little cafe in a quaint Charlevoix town and was blown away by the spinach & cheese quiche and tomato cream soup. I know it sounds so simple, but I can’t even describe how insane the flavors were! In this region, we also went whale watching and enjoyed some local craft beers and live music. More on that below.

Where to Stay in La Malbaie

HI La Malbaie

When making your way through the Charlevoix region, you simply have to stay at HI La Malbaie. Owned and operated by super passionate and long-time traveler David, you are sure to be welcomed with a big smile and open arms!

He opened the hotel after many years of traveling and it’s his goal to provide an at-home-feel to any traveler that walks through his door. If you’re a dog person like me, you will be overjoyed to be welcomed by a pair of huskies that live for cuddles. (I was basically in heaven.) The hostel is located right on the coast of the St. Lawrence and offers incredible views of the bay. I honestly couldn’t believe we weren’t ocean front; I had to keep reminding myself that it was a river, not the ocean!

My room had a massive bay window facing the St Lawrence where I was treated to spectacular views of the rising sun over the bay. Make sure to request the “Romantic Suite” in order to witness this epic sunrise from your own room (it is hands down the best room in the hostel)!

What to Do in La Malbaie

Go Whale Watching with Tadoussac Autrement

Before arriving at HI La Malbaie, we headed to the small riverside village of Tadoussac to go on a whale watch. Being from the Northeast of the States, I have been on my fair share of whale watches, but never on such a small boat!

Tadoussac Autrement takes their guests out on a 12-person boat that features 1st class-style airplane seats and a heating system! Captain Florent led us through the beautiful fjords of the Saint Lawrence and we even got so lucky as to see multiple whales along the journey!

This was definitely a highlight of my trip to Canada, and I would highly recommend booking your trip with Tadoussac Autrement. They are the ONLY small, family-run business left in the area, and all the bigger companies are trying to force them out!! Support small business and book a trip with them 🙂

Dinner & Live Music at HI La Malbaie

After a long day of travel and adventuring, we were all so excited to arrive a HI La Malbaie. Besides being a hostel, they are THE hot spot in town not just for hostel go-ers but locals looking for good food, good beer, good music, and altogether good time. Let me tell you, this is not your average hostel food. They pride themselves in using not just locally sourced ingredients but ingredients from that distinguished list of 40 growers in Charlevoix.

On the menu, you will find an incredible selection of local meats & cheese, delicious burgers, poutine (of course) and so much more. They even bake their own bread! Honestly, have you ever heard of a hostel that bakes their own bread? Besides all of the gastronomic delights, you’ll also find a vibrant live music scene that people come from far & wide to enjoy.

During the summer months they often have live bands every single night of the week, but still have live music every weekend during the winter months. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the live music with a flight of any one of their 14 local microbrews on tap in hand.

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Québec Province Road Trip Stop #4: Ste-Anne-Des-Monts & Bic National Park

From La Malbaie we headed north on an 8-hour journey towards Ste-Anne-Des-Monts which will easily go down as one of the most scenic drives I’ve ever been on. I swear at times it seemed like I was looking at a watercolor painting – it was just so beautiful that it didn’t seem real! Along this journey, we took the ferry across the St Lawrence which provided another opportunity for admiring the beautiful landscape of the area from yet another perspective.

Where to Stay in Ste-Anne-Des-Monts:

HI St-Anne-Des-Monts, Sea Shack

This was probably my favorite place we stayed during our 7-day road trip. Set on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, Sea Shack is a unique hostel offering beachfront log cabin style accommodations as well as shared rooms, yurts, and camping.

We stayed in a beachfront chalet (named Le Festif) that boasted sweeping views of the St. Lawrence River (which very much looks like the ocean as I’ve mentioned before!) Our cozy loft-style cabin came equipped with a private bathroom and ensuite kitchen and dining room which was the perfect place to cook up a delicious brunch while enjoying those beautiful views.

They also have a main lodge which is where you can check in, use their kitchen, curl up on a couch with a good book, or meet travelers from all over. Just make sure to call 1.866.963.2999 to reserve your spot, as they don’t take reservations online!

What to Do in Ste-Anne-Des-Monts:

Go For a Nature Walk at Bic National Park

Before arriving at Sea Shack, we stopped off at Bic National Park for a picnic and a leisurely nature walk. On our way into the park, we made a quick stop at Bai du Ha! Ha!

(Yes, that is literally the official spelling of this bay) to take in the gorgeous views of the landscape. Honestly stunning doesn’t even begin to describe the landscape of headlands, bays, coves, and mountains found within this national park.

We proceeded to drive to the Bic National Park Visitor Center where we feasted on some local snacks and scanned the bay for cute harbor seals. We then made our way along both sandy and rocky capes of the park where we saw tons of seabirds, spotted some deer, and admired the fall foliage.    

Go SUPping!

Although fall/winter may not be the most ideal time to go stand up paddle boarding in the icy waters of Northern Québec, we were pretty bundled up in wetsuit gear and decided to give it a go anyways!

It’s definitely a fun way to get up close and personal with the beautiful marine life of the St. Lawrence estuary and also provides the opportunity to see the coastline from the sea! Just don’t fall in because it’s cooolllddddd.

I know this because I fell in, and it was cold. Talk to the front desk staff at Sea Shack to set up your SUPping tour.

Let Loose at Sea Shack’s Oceanside Tiki Bar

HI Ste-Anne-Des-Monts, Sea Shack may seem like a seaside, peaceful oasis by day, but by night it transforms into quite the party scene! Tiki Bar is known to throw a great party and is always hosting live bands and DJs to keep the party going into the wee hours of the night.

Party-goers can raid the costume rack & prop trunk provided by the hostel so they can dance the night away in the crazy outfit of their choosing. After we finished our beer and headed back to our chalet, we could still hear the music bumping, so make sure to bring earplugs!

Enjoy Some Local Craft Beer

Are you starting to see a theme here? As you can see, we really enjoyed our fair share of local beers on this trip, but I am never one to turn down a good hand-crafted brew! If you don’t feel like cooking your own meal at the hostel during your visit or maybe just need a change of scenery, head down the street from Sea Shack to Microbrasserie Le Malbord. It’s mainly bar food like nachos and burgers, but their vegetarian chili is really excellent and their craft beer is very good.

On our way out of Ste-Anne-Des-Monts about an hour down the coast back towards Québec City we stopped in a little town called Matane for lunch & craft beer at La Fabrique microbrewery. They have an awesome selection of Québecois-style seafood and pub-style fare and a ton of house-made beers to choose from. Make sure to factor in time for a brewery tour if you’re interested in learning how your beer is made right on site.

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Québec Province Road Trip Stop #5: Québec City

After a yummy lunch and a delicious beer, we hopped back in the car for a 4-hour drive back down the coast towards Québec City. I had just been for the first time a couple months earlier but was excited to go back. Unfortunately, we didn’t have too much time to spend here, but I still got to try a new restaurant and see a new place, so I was happy!

Where to Stay in Québec City:

HI Québec

HI Quebec hostel is in a perfectly central location, just around the corner from the famous Le Château Frontenac in the heart of the Old Québec, but also a short walk to some of the other neighborhoods like Saint-Roch and Saint-Jean-Baptiste.

It’s located on quaint cobblestone street alongside heritage buildings that are some of the oldest in all of North America. Aside from its close proximity to so many bars, cafes, and shops, it also has its own hostel bar and also offers free walking tours and day trips to Montmorency Falls.

What to Do in Québec City:

Feast at Albacore

Opening earlier this year, this trendy eatery is a new addition to the city and treats its patrons to unique flavors from the sea.

The open kitchen, white brick walls and black & white accents throughout the dining areas (especially the gigantic albacore tuna painted on the wall behind the bar) give this place a hip minimalist look that I really liked. We were feeling fancy and went for oysters and champagne and I was a happy girl.

Check Out the Famous “Umbrella Street” in Petit Quartier Champlain

If you read my Québec City blog post before, you know how much I loved the ever-so-quaint Petit Quartier Champlain. We woke up early on our last day on the trip to find the street covered in umbrellas for a fun photo op.

I had tried to find this on my last visit and failed, so I was super happy to have come across it this go around! After you go down the main set of stairs, walk straight down the main alleyway until you see another set of cobblestone stairs on your left. Down those stairs and to the left is where you will find the “Umbrella Street.”

 

✨For my full list of recommendations don’t miss my Ultimate Weekend Guide to Québec City here!!!✨

 

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A Little bit about Hostelling International Canada

I had the best time exploring Québec Province on this epic road trip and loved getting to know the HI Canada hostel network better. HI Canada is a not-for-profit, member-based organization that is part of the world’s largest hostel network made up of 3,300 hostels in 64 countries. Fifty-four of those hostels are in Canada, from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

Their mission is to build a community of conscious travelers who share a greater understanding of people, places & cultures. From sleeping in a converted jail cell to a minimalist boutique hotel style room, to log cabins on the beach, they truly have an experience for everyone!

***Thank you to Nasir of Shut Up & Go, Red Romina, and Little Miss Ottawa for taking a lot of the above photos of me & for being such awesome travel buddies!

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Disclaimer: I received an all-expenses-paid press trip with HI Canada in exchange for my opinions, but all opinions are my own. I only recommend places that I love!

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Wander On,

Wanderluluu xx