Best Day Trips from Montréal: Quebec City and Mont-Tremblant
Nine day trips from Montréal compared: Quebec City, Magog, Mont-Orford, the Brome-Missisquoi wine route and Mont-Tremblant, with travel times where confirmed.
Mont-Tremblant and the wider Laurentians are the day trips the most guides name (13 of 17 guides read each). Quebec City and the Eastern Townships follow (12 each), then Ottawa (11). Parc Oméga, Oka, the Îles de Boucherville, the Montérégie orchards and a sugar shack in season come up less often. The picks below run in that order. Travel times and opening details come from the operators’ own pages, and where a page couldn’t be read the detail is left out. Each place has a page on the map.
Mont-Tremblant
Recommended by 13 of 17 guides read.
The resort’s own getting-here page has the driving directions from Montréal. Village de Mont-Tremblant is a pedestrian village at the foot of the slopes, so you park once and walk. Most guides pair it with hiking in summer and skiing in winter.
For a day on trails instead of in the village, Parc national du Mont-Tremblant is the option. It’s run by Sépaq, which sets its own fees and sector hours, so check Sépaq’s park page for the day you go.
If you’re going, the Mont-Tremblant day trip from Montréal has the drive, the bus and a plan.
The Laurentians
Recommended by 13 of 17 guides read.
The Laurentians are the string of lake and ski towns between the city and Tremblant, including Saint-Sauveur, Sainte-Adèle and Val-David. The Le P’tit Train du Nord linear park follows a former rail line and is the usual way to see the region by bike in summer or on skis in winter. Tourisme Laurentides has the route and access details.
Quebec City
Recommended by 12 of 17 guides read.
Vieux-Québec (Old Quebec) is the reason to go. VIA Rail’s Montréal to Québec page shows an average of 3 h 26 min over 270 km, with 34 departures a week. That makes it a long day, so leave early and keep the plan to a few stops.
La Citadelle de Québec is still an active military site. Its hours and admission page lists adults at $22, seniors and students at $20, ages 11 to 17 at $8, and under 11 free. Admission includes a 60-minute guided tour and the Royal 22e Régiment Museum. It’s open 10:00 to 17:30 from 1 September 2026 to 21 May 2027, and it closes on 25 December and 1 January.
A less common add-on, named by 2 of 17 guides, is the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency just outside the city. The Plains of Abraham sit next to the Citadelle for a walk between stops.
For the train, bus and drive compared, see the Québec City day trip from Montréal.
The Eastern Townships
Recommended by 12 of 17 guides read.
The Townships are the quiet option, with lakes, villages, vineyards and fall colour. Tourism Eastern Townships lists the intercity bus operators that serve the region, including Limocar, and a Nana nature shuttle that runs day trips from Montréal to some parks. Buses get you to the towns, and a car helps once you’re there.
- Magog and Lac Memphrémagog suits a lake day.
- Parc national du Mont-Orford is the hiking park, run by Sépaq.
- The Route des vins de Brome-Missisquoi is the vineyard drive, and each estate sets its own opening days.
- Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook turned up in 3 of 17 guides, so it’s a less common pick.
If you’re going, the Eastern Townships day trip from Montréal has the drive, the bus and a one-day route.
Ottawa
Recommended by 11 of 17 guides read.
Ottawa is the one trip that’s easy without a car. VIA Rail’s Montréal to Ottawa page gives an average of 2 h 4 min over 185 km, with 35 departures a week. The guides mostly send you to the museums and the canal, and Ottawa Tourism is the place to check what’s open on your date. Ottawa has no page on the map yet, so plan it from the station.
If you’re going, the Ottawa day trip from Montréal has the train, the bus and a one-day route.
Parc Oméga and Montebello
Recommended by 8 of 17 guides read.
Parc Oméga is a wildlife park at Montebello, on the Ottawa River side, with a driving route through the park. Its site wasn’t readable when this was checked, so look there for prices, hours and what you’ll see.
Oka
Recommended by 7 of 17 guides read.
Oka is a Sépaq park west of the city with a beach and easy trails. See Sépaq’s Oka page for fees and access before you go.
Îles de Boucherville
Recommended by 7 of 17 guides read.
The Îles de Boucherville are a Sépaq park on the river just east of the city, and the guides use them for cycling, kayaking and a short outing. Sépaq’s page has the fees and access.
The Montérégie
Recommended by 7 of 17 guides read.
The Montérégie is the farm and orchard country south and east of the city. Guides point to Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Saint-Bruno, cider houses and farmers’ markets. It suits a slow day with a stop at a producer, and each producer sets its own hours.
A sugar shack in season
Recommended by 5 of 17 guides read.
A cabane à sucre is a spring meal built around maple. The Sucrerie de la Montagne in Rigaud lists its sugaring-off season as February to April, with reservation and ticket purchase required. Treat it as a late-winter option.
Which to choose
- Mountains and trails, or a village to walk. Mont-Tremblant.
- Bike or ski along a former rail line. The Laurentians.
- Old streets and a fortress. Quebec City, and start early.
- Lakes and a slower day. The Eastern Townships.
- No car. Ottawa by train, or Quebec City by train.
- Animals. Parc Oméga.
- A beach close to the city. Oka.
Plan around what’s on
Pick the trip from the day you have, since seasonal sites like sugar shacks, vineyards and park sectors change by month. The events listings show what’s on in the city that week, and the map with your dates set helps you plan the evening you come back. If you haven’t picked a base yet, see where to stay in Montréal, and for conditions on your dates see Montréal weather by month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best day trips from Montréal?
Mont-Tremblant, the Laurentians, Quebec City, the Eastern Townships and Ottawa were named by the most guides.
Can you do a day trip from Montréal without a car?
Ottawa and Quebec City both have VIA Rail trains. The Eastern Townships have intercity buses, and a Nana shuttle serves some parks.
Is Quebec City too far for a day trip?
The average train takes 3 h 26 min each way, so it’s possible but long. Leave early and keep the day to Old Quebec and the Citadelle.
For things inside the city, see things to do in Montréal.
Sources: 17 guides in English and French, and 8 official pages
Guides in English
- Best day trips from MontrealTime Out Montréal
- 7 Awesome Day Trips from Montreal (2026 Guide)Nomadasaurus
- Best day trips from MontrealTravelling King
- 10 Great Day Trips From MontrealReader's Digest Canada
- Day trips from MontrealAn Adventurous World
- 9 Montreal day trips I'd choose over downtown any dayMTL Blog
- The 11 best day trips from MontrealTo Europe and Beyond
- Best Day Trips from Montreal, Canada (Top 12 Ideas)Zetsim
- 6 delightful day trips from MontréalLonely Planet
- Day trips from MontrealHolafly
- The best day trips from Canada's major citiesSonnet
Guides in French
- Voici 4 courtes escapades près de MontréalTourisme Montréal
- Que voir autour de MontréalOK Voyage
- Excursions depuis Montréal en 1 journéeVoyageurs Intrépides
- Les plus belles excursions d'un jour autour de MontréalLonely Planet France
- 11 escapades d'une journée à faire cet étéNoovo Moi
- Sortir aux alentours de Montréal : idées d'escapades pour un weekendPVT.fr
Official pages
- VIA Rail, Montréal to Québec by trainviarail.ca
- VIA Rail, Montréal to Ottawa by trainviarail.ca
- La Citadelle de Québec, hours and admissionlacitadelle.qc.ca
- Tremblant resort, getting heretremblant.ca
- Tourisme Laurentides, Le P'tit Train du Nordlaurentides.com
- Tourism Eastern Townships, practical informationeasterntownships.org
- Sucrerie de la Montagne, sugaring-off timesucreriedelamontagne.com
- Ottawa Tourismottawatourism.ca
Places in this guide
Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.
Parc national du Mont-Tremblant Photo: Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) 
La Citadelle de Québec Photo: Dennis Jarvis 
Plains of Abraham (Parc des Champs-de-Bataille) Photo: René Bélanger 
Parc national du Mont-Orford Photo: Stef-wiki / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) Find hotels in Montréal
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