Quebec Road Trip Itinerary | July 11-16, 2026

Maps & directions

Open Google Maps for the driving legs and key places. Scenic-route notes are still in the itinerary because maps may default to faster roads.

July 11

Aurora to Kingston

Direct evening drive to Hochelaga Inn.

Driving directions Open in Maps

July 12

1000 Islands Parkway

Kingston to Montreal with Gananoque, Landon Bay, Rockport, and the tower as waypoints.

Driving directions Boat dock map

July 13

Montreal city day

Useful pins for brunch, Mont Royal, Old Montreal, Jean-Talon, and dinner.

Walking route Market map

July 14

Chemin du Roy

Route 138 toward Québec City with Trois-Rivières and riverside village stops.

Driving directions Hotel map

July 15

Île d'Orléans and Route 362

Falls, island loop, Charlevoix villages, Baie-Saint-Paul, and La Malbaie.

Driving directions Hotel map

July 16

La Malbaie to Aurora

Long return route with practical lunch options in Trois-Rivières or Montreal.

Driving directions Cap-à-l'Aigle map

Route at a glance

Use this as the quick scan: where you sleep, which road matters, and what each day is for.

Night 1 Kingston Late arrival at Hochelaga Inn after the evening drive from Aurora.

Day 2 1000 Islands Stay off the 401. Use Hwy 2 and the Parkway for river stops and a Gananoque Boat Cruise.

Nights 2-3 Montreal Old Port evenings, Plateau brunch, Mont Royal, Vieux-Montréal, and Jean-Talon provisions.

Night 4 Quebec City Take Chemin du Roy, arrive for golden hour in Vieux-Québec, stay at Hotel Le Priori.

Night 5 Charlevoix Montmorency, Île d'Orléans, Route 362, Baie-Saint-Paul, then Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu.

Daily itinerary

Detailed stops, drive notes, stay details, and reservation cues for each travel day.

Saturday July 11 11 Aurora to Kingston

~3 hrs

A quiet first night on Lake Ontario

Depart Aurora in the evening, take Hwy 404 S to Hwy 401 E, and aim to arrive in Kingston around 9-10 PM.

Driving directions Open in Maps

Drive

Keep this leg simple: direct route, late check-in, rest for the river-road day ahead.

Alternatives

Booked hotel is Hochelaga Inn; keep The Frontenac Club as a nearby backup only if plans change.

Stay Hochelaga Inn

24 Sydenham St, Kingston, ON K7L 3G9

hochelagainn.com

Sunday July 12 12 Kingston to Montreal

3.5-4 hrs + stops

The Parkway day

Breakfast on the Kingston waterfront, then take Hwy 2 East and the 1000 Islands Parkway. Do not take the 401 for this stretch.

Driving directions Tower map

Gananoque Boat Cruise

Book ahead with the 1000 Islands Boat Line for the signature view from the water.

Landon Bay Centre

Short hike with panoramic river and island views inside Thousand Islands National Park.

Brown's Bay Beach

Use as the swim stop if the day is warm and timing is relaxed.

Rockport and Hill Island

Lunch on a riverside patio, then consider the 1000 Islands Tower for the archipelago view.

Optional detour

Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg if you want a 1.5-hour living-history stop.

Evening

Arrive in Montreal early evening and stroll the Old Port for dinner.

Stay, nights 2-3 Hotel William Gray

421 Rue Saint-Vincent, Vieux-Montréal, Montréal, QC

hotelwilliamgray.com

Monday July 13 13 Full day Montreal

City day

Plateau, mountain, old city, market

Keep this day walkable and food-focused: brunch, Mont Royal, Vieux-Montréal, then provisions for the road.

Walking route Old Montreal map

Brunch

Café Olimpico or Lawrence in Le Plateau.

Mont Royal Park

Hike to Kondiaronk Belvedere for the classic city lookout.

Vieux-Montréal

Notre-Dame Basilica, Rue Saint-Paul, and Place d'Armes.

Marché Jean-Talon

Pick up local cheeses, charcuterie, jams, and road picnic supplies.

Dinner

Reserve Joe Beef or Liverpool House ahead of time.

Festival check

Check whether Just for Laughs is running; it is typically a mid-July event.

Stay Hotel William Gray

Second night in Vieux-Montréal

hotelwilliamgray.com

Tuesday July 14 14 Montreal to Quebec City

~3 hrs + stops

Chemin du Roy instead of Hwy 40

Take Route 138 on the north shore, the historic Chemin du Roy, for riverside villages and a slower arrival into Québec City.

Driving directions Trois-Rivières map

Trois-Rivières

Halfway stop for Old Town wandering and lunch on a terrace.

Batiscan or Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade

Quiet riverside village stop for a walk and stretch.

Golden hour

Arrive late afternoon and walk Vieux-Québec before dinner.

Dinner

Choose Rue Saint-Louis or Grande Allée for the evening meal.

Stay Hotel Le Priori

15 Rue du Sault-au-Matelot, Québec City, QC

hotellepriori.com

Wednesday July 15 15 Quebec City to La Malbaie

2.5-3 hrs + stops

Falls, island farms, and Route 362

Start at Montmorency Falls, loop Île d'Orléans, then use Route 362 into Charlevoix. This road choice is the point of the day.

Driving directions Falls map

Montmorency Falls

Fifteen minutes from Old Québec; use the suspension bridge or cable car.

Île d'Orléans

Drive the 67 km island loop for strawberries, maple products, wines, and Chocolaterie de l'Île d'Orléans.

Les Éboulements

Hilltop village with wide St. Lawrence views.

Saint-Irénée

Beautiful bay and a good moment to check Domaine Forget summer concerts.

Baie-Saint-Paul

Art capital of Charlevoix: galleries, coffee, and local restaurants.

Evening

Dinner at Le Charlevoix dining room, then walk the Manoir cliff terrace.

Stay Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu

181 Rue Richelieu, La Malbaie, QC

fairmont.com/manoir-richelieu

Ask for the Summer Fun Package: up to 25% off plus $100/day activity credit, valid June 1-Sept 21, 2026.

Thursday July 16 16 La Malbaie to Aurora

~6.5 hrs

The long return

Start early after breakfast at Le Manoir and treat this as a direct drive with one practical lunch stop.

Driving directions Lunch map

Optional quick stop

Cap-à-l'Aigle village before leaving the La Malbaie area.

Route

Rte 138 W through Québec City, Hwy 40 W, Hwy 15 S, Hwy 401 W, then Hwy 400/404 N to Aurora.

Lunch

Stop in Trois-Rivières or Montreal depending on timing.

Arrival

Aim for Aurora around 6-7 PM.

Bookings summary

Reserve lodging first, then the boat cruise and any Domaine Forget concert that fits the Route 362 afternoon.

July 11

Hochelaga Inn

Kingston. Booked for Jul 11-12 at 24 Sydenham St.

Book direct

July 12-13

Hotel William Gray

Vieux-Montréal. Alternative: Hôtel Nelligan.

Book direct

July 14

Hotel Le Priori

Historic Québec City stay with exposed stone, fireplaces, and soaker tubs.

Book direct

July 15

Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu

La Malbaie cliffside resort. Ask for the Summer Fun Package when booking direct.

Book direct

Activity

Gananoque Boat Cruise

Book the 1000 Islands Boat Line a few weeks ahead.

Cruise options

Activity

Domaine Forget

Check the Saint-Irénée summer concert schedule before finalizing the July 15 timing.

Concert schedule

Weather expectations

Historical averages only. Check the official forecast around July 1 at weather.gc.ca.

Kingston

About 25°C

Long daylight, around 10.7 hours of sunshine, and occasional brief afternoon storms. Sunset about 8:45 PM.

Montreal

About 26°C

Warm, bright, and peak festival season, with brief storm risk.

Quebec City

About 24°C

Pleasant summer weather with a slightly higher rain chance than Montreal.

Charlevoix

About 22-23°C

Often the clearest and most scenic leg, with cooler evenings near the river.

Key tips

Small decisions that keep this route scenic instead of just efficient.

Book now

Mid-July is peak season

Lock accommodations as early as possible, especially Old Montréal, Vieux-Québec, and La Malbaie.

Road choice

Route 362 matters

For the Charlevoix leg, take Route 362 rather than Hwy 138 where possible.

Fuel

Gas up in Baie-Saint-Paul

Do this before heading deeper into Charlevoix or onward to La Malbaie.

Language

A little French helps

A few greetings and polite phrases go a long way in Québec City and Charlevoix.

Layers

Bring a light jacket

Even warm days can turn cool by the St. Lawrence in Québec City and Charlevoix.

Daylight

Use the long evenings

Mid-July gives about 15+ hours of daylight, useful for flexible stops and late golden-hour walks.