Best Day Trips from Montreal
Set on an island in the Saint Lawrence River, Montréal is the largest city in the Québec province of Canada. The city was named after Mount Royal, which is a triple-peaked hill located in the very centre of the city.
Montréal is a diverse city, a true crossroad of the European and North American cultures! Prepare to explore neighbourhoods with charming, cobblestoned alleyways, filled with markets and quirky boutiques, restaurants and atmospheric cafés.
Wander around Montréal’s vast parks and enjoy the greenery, and if you are curious to know more about the city’s history and cultural heritage, check out some of the local museums.
It’s also a great base for tours and excursions! Follow our guide for the best day trips from Montreal Canada.
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Day Trip from Montreal to Quebec City
A popular getaway from Montréal is a day trip to Quebec City. You can start your explorations at the Vieux-Québec (the historic district of Old Québec), which was added onto the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
If you are interested to know more about the French heritage in the region, check out the Musée l’Amérique Francophone.
The museum celebrates the French culture and its influence, and it is located within the Séminaire de Québec that also housed the first university in Canada. Next to the museum, you will also find the most important Catholic cathedral of the region, the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec.
We are sure you are going to like the Saint-Roch neighbourhood; it is where students, creatives and young professionals meet. Check out the area for a happy hour glass of wine or taste some of the locally brewed beer!
Maybe you liked it so much that you do not want to go home? You can easily walk to the neighbouring district of Limoilou where Third Avenue is a fun place to go out at night.
From Montréal you can reach Quebec City by train or bus (bus travel time: 3 hours 15 minutes, train travel time: 3 hours 35 minutes). Bus ticket fares start at 30 USD for a one-way journey, whereas train ticket fares range from 50 – 110 USD.
Day Trip from Montreal to Quebec City
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Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal
If you want to make your Quebec City getaway experience for your nostrils and taste buds, we highly recommend a small-group Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal. You can book the tour online and let your guides take you on a gourmet journey!
You can expect to be picked up in Montréal, and from there you will travel “the wine route” of Brome-Missisquoi, discovering wineries along the way.
You can book the small-group Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal for either a full or just half day, depending on your time schedule. Depending on the requested length of your tour, you will stop at either 2 (half-day) or 5 (full-day) wineries.
Entry fees to the wineries are included in the tour price, so all you have to do is enjoy, taste the wines (some wineries will do a special food-pairing too) and listen to stories, facts and anecdotes from the winemakers and winery owners.
Regardless of whether you booked your small-group Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal for the full or just half a day, you will make a stop at Vignoble et Cidrerie Coteau Rougemont, one of the biggest cider and wine producers in Quebec.
Enjoy the wine tasting and the beautiful scenery surrounding the winery. If you want to bring home gourmet souvenirs, we encourage you to so some shopping at the wineries too!
Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal
Day trip to Eastern Townships from Montreal
“The Eastern Townships” is a common name for the agricultural region located just 1 hour away from Montréal. It is a great spot for day trips as well as longer lakeside vacations where visitors can pursue various outdoor activities.
The Eastern Townships region is also very popular for gastronomy tours! Look for cheese tasting tours or check out special orchard tours. Autumn (apple season in Canada) is the best time for orchard explorations as well as… photography tours!
Eastern Townships’ landscape that consists of cornfields, fruit gardens and dairy farms looks absolutely stunning in fall when the tree leaves start turning reddish.
In the Eastern Townships, you will also find many charming inns and modern lodges with exquisite SPA facilities.
If you are longing for a relaxing getaway from the urban bustle of Montréal City, we highly recommend booking a short wellness holiday in the Eastern Townships, but even a one day trip to Eastern Townships from Montreal will help you get more headspace and offer a nice break from the city’s busy vibe.
Day Trip from Montreal to Domaine Labranche
If you want to take your Canadian gastro-explorations even further, we recommend a visit to Domaine Labranche. The site merges a winery, maple sugar business and a cider mill.
The story of Domaine Labranche starts with the Desgroseilliers family and its eight generations who passionately devoted time to agricultural work in Quebec’s Roussillon region.
With time, the agricultural activities diversified and the Desgroseilliers started sharing their fruitful labour with a broader public.
In the 1920s the family tapped into maple syrup production which has brought fame (and income!) to the Labranche sugar shack.
Visit Domaine Labranche to learn more about the agricultural activity in the region, but also to savour on excellent dishes, going through carefully curated tasting menus. The menu is always subject to change during the season, as it depends on the harvest.
Domaine Labranche is a perfect day-trip destination for travelling families too! Special menus for children and toddlers are available, and if your young ones are bubbling with extra energy, you can send them to the outdoor children’s playset or show them around the mini-farm.
There is a free walking trail around the sugar bush, the vineyard and orchard that you can explore. You can also pay extra for a special guided tour around Domaine Labranche or venture out to self-pick pumpkins and apples.
Day Trip from Montreal to Mont Tremblant
Located about 90 minutes drive north of Montréal, Mont Tremblant is a true tourist-magnet. It is an excellent ski destination with two famous mountains: Mont Blanc and Mont Tremblant itself (the highest peak in the Laurentian Mountains).
Book a Mont Tremblant private day tour from Montreal or get there by direct bus from Montréal.
In the summer months, Mont Tremblant attracts cycling enthusiasts, and there are also plenty of opportunities for horseback riding. For families with children, we recommend day camping activities.
Also, if you are looking for active day trips from Montreal Canada, Mont Tremblant in the Laurentians is the right pick! Take a look online at Mont Tremblant’s vibrant event calendar too – there are music, wellness and sports happenings throughout the year (many of the public concerts are free of charge).
Popular in Mont Tremblant is the tranquil pedestrian village, filled with small shops, restaurants as well as lodges and resorts.
In winter, it is a great place to stay (if you are thinking to extend your Mont Tremblant day trip), as the village gives winter sports enthusiasts easy access to the ski hills.
Close to the pedestrian village, you will also find Mont Tremblant’s Beach and Tennis Club, and make sure to check out Mont Tremblant’s exquisite dining scene; Italian, French and Asian cuisine – it is all there for you to enjoy!
Day Trip from Montreal to Mont Tremblant
Laurentian Mountains Day Trip From Montreal
A visit to Mont Tremblant is just one of the possible excursions in the Laurentian Mountains region. Tour providers offer different trips around the Laurentians, and you can be sure to find a Laurentian Mountains Day Trip from Montreal that matches your interests and fitness level.
If you are not into winter sports, book a full-day tour around the Laurentian Mountains area, with planned stops at local villages (like the little town of Saint-Sauveur or the village of St-Agathe-des-Monts).
Where you can walk around the charming alleyways and hunt for souvenirs, exploring small local boutiques that sell handicrafts, clothing and jewellery.
The Laurentian Mountains region is also known for its many picturesque lakes like Lac des Sables or Lac St-Joseph.
Depending on your time schedule, the lakes can be a brief photo-stop on your tour around the Laurentians, or you can look into camping opportunities (possibly staying in the Laurentian Mountains region overnight).
Especially if you are travelling with children, you might be interested in exploring the beach of Saint-Joseph Lake, as it offers a splendid family campground with spacious campsites overlooking the lake.
If you choose to camp, do not worry about ending up in the complete wilderness. The campsite is modern and equipped with all the necessary facilities. There is on-site security too.
Laurentian Mountains Day Trip From Montreal
St. Lawrence River Cruise from Montréal
You can explore the city of Montreal on foot, but you can also join a fun cruise that will show you the city from a unique perspective.
During a guided cruise on St. Lawrence River, you can enjoy the views of Montréal’s impressive skyline and learn about the city history from your local guides. The guides will tell you all about the founding of the city and its French cultural heritage.
Apart from the city’s picturesque shoreline, during the cruise, you will also pass famous city sights like the Old Port of Montréal and the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.
Also known as Pont Jacques-Cartier, the bridge is an iconic building structure in the landscape of the Greater Montréal, most famous for its architectural ornaments on the four bridge columns, the shape of which resembles the French Eiffel Tower.
At night, the bridge gets illuminated with LED lights; as the sun begins to set, the bridge is brought to (night)life with blinking lights and vibrant animations.
St. Lawrence River Cruise is especially recommended for photography enthusiasts who want to see Montréal from a new angle.
Onboard, you will also find a snack bar offering food and drinks. Enjoy the refreshments on one of the ship’s sunny decks (note that snacks are not included in the cruise price).
St. Lawrence River Cruise from Montréal
Day Trip from Montreal to Montmorency Falls
One of the most famous Quebec City attractions that is also a great destination for day trips from Montréal is the Montmorency Falls (in French also known as Parc de la chute Montmorency).
83 meters high, Montmorency Falls beats the Niagara Falls by 30 metres, so remember to pack your camera for the Montmorency Falls Day Trip from Montreal!
Montmorency Falls is a year-round destination; in spring and summer season you can hike the nature trails, explore the waterfalls or enjoy a picnic under the open sky (try some freshly baked croissants and the local Québec cheese).
Autumn is also a great season for Montmorency Falls explorations; as the leaves begin to change colour, the park looks stunning and calm, and especially photography enthusiast will enjoy the views!
If you want to connect with nature on your day trips from Montreal winter in Montmorency Falls will amaze you!
Prepare to enter a white wonderland; the park is covered in snow, and you can admire the ice formations around the waterfalls. You cannot do any hiking in winter, but try ice canyoning or snowshoeing!
Take the cable car up to Montmorency Falls and walk back down, and if you want to add some activity to your day trip, you can walk the nearly 500 steps up to the cliffside on top of the waterfalls.
Day Trip from Montreal to Montmorency Falls
- Quebec City and Montmorency Falls Day Trip from Montreal
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Active Day Trip from Montreal: Montreal Bike Tour
Montréal is a city perfect for biking, and if you want to explore the city in an active, engaging way, we suggest joining a guided Montréal bike tour.
Your two-wheeled Montréal explorations will start around the Mount Royal Park, not far from the famous Mount Royal in the city centre. Follow your guide down Montréal’s longest protected bike path, towards the Old Montréal.
Bike down the cobblestone alleys, admiring the modern and historical architecture. During this part of your tour, you might feel as if you were exploring a European town!
To make sure that you see all the famous spots in Montréal, your cycling route will continue along the St. Lawrence River, down to the Old Port of Montréal.
From there, you will head back to the Mount Royal neighbourhood. Along the way, you can ask your guide questions about Montréal’s cultural heritage and its history, and you can be sure to hear many interesting stories and local anecdotes.
If you are looking for a Montreal half day trip, we highly recommend joining the bike tour around the city. Also, if it is your first time visiting Montréal, going on a cycling tour will help you get a sense of direction and create an overview of the city for future explorations.
Active Day Trip from Montreal: Montreal Bike Tour
Day Trip from Montreal to Wildlife Parc Omega and Montebello Lodge
Are you looking for a first-hand, authentic experience of the pristine Canadian nature? Do you want to take a closer look at Canada’s amazing fauna?
Wildlife Park Omega, located only 2 hours by car from downtown Montréal, is a must-see attraction. The drive to Wildlife Parc Omega and Montebello Lodge is a very scenic route too; prepare for incredible sights even before you reach the vast park grounds.
Parc Omega is a safari park, a pristine natural reserve in the heart of Canada. Apart from being a home to countless animal species, it also offers lakes, valleys, meadows and rocky hills. Close to the park, you will find the Montebello Lodge, also known as Le Chateau Montebello.
With its 211 rooms and suites, it is the largest log cabin in the world; you can explore the lodge and the resort grounds where you will find hiking paths and skiing trails.
If you are thinking about the best season for Wildlife Parc Omega and Montebello Lodge day trips from Montreal winter is actually a great time to explore the park and the adjacent lodge!
You will see the park grounds and the many animals with snowy “coats” – a charming and unique sight. You can then continue to the Montebello Lodge for a delicious meal at one of the on-site restaurants.
Day Trip from Montreal to Wildlife Parc Omega and Montebello Lodge
Recommended Day Trips from Montreal
- Small-Group Quebec Wine Tour from Montreal
- Ice Wine, Craft Beer & Ice Cider Tour from Montreal
- Canadian Tulip Festival-Ottawa May08 – May18 ’20, private day tour from Montreal
- Laurentian Mountains Day Trip From Montreal
- Full-Day Whale Watching Cruise from Montreal
- rent a jeep Rubicon and drive through Quebec’s adrenaline rush muddy trails
- Montreal ZOO, private half day tour
- Quebec City & Ice Hotel VIP Day Trip
- Ottawa Private Day Tour from Montreal
- Quebec Ice Fishing VIP Day Tour
Read more:
- Best areas to stay in Montreal
- 48 hours in Montreal – A 2 day Itinerary
- 3 Day Itinerary for Montreal
- 10 Cool Things to do in Montreal
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