Thanksgiving flights home are always super expensive, so since I see my parents quite a lot and Thanksgiving is so close to Christmas, the last few years, I’ve gone on a trip during Thanksgiving with my friends instead of going home for the weekend. This year we mobilized a little late and flights were pricey, so we decided to do a roadtrip to Quebec City and Montreal since they are very drivable distances but also make you feel like you’re in Europe without having to fly to Europe! Check out adventures from my trip with my Delta Gamma sistas Margarita and Amy!
Sun Nov 24 – Drive to Quebec City
- ~8 hours from NYC, with a pit stop at Woodbury Commons for some quick outlet mall shopping!
Mon Nov 25 – Quebec City
Breakfast/Coffee –Cafe Saint-Henri
- Cute cafe in the very hip Saint Roch neighborhood (we didn’t have time, but walk around if you have time!)
- Great coffee
- Donuts (vegan-friendly!)
- Large waterfall ~15 min from Quebec City
- Zipline and some hikes are closed in the winter, but can still walk across the bridge over the waterfall
Île d’Orléans
- Island with lots of artisan shops
- Short drive over a bridge from Montmorency Falls, nice views of the falls
- Cassis Monna & Filles
- Award-winning cassis (blackcurrant liqueur)
- Cute farm with nice views. Restaurant/cafe are closed in the winter, but would be a really nice place to hang out/chill in the summer!
Ice Skating – Place d’Youville
- This was so fun and so magical, especially around Christmastime!
- The rink is really small, but very cute with Christmas decorations around
- Skate rentals for ~$10
- Great burgers and amazing poutine (including vegan-friendly poutine!)
Tue Nov 26 – Quebec City
Old Quebec
- Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
- Nice bar inside for drinks
- Quartier Petit-Champlain
- Red door from the Korean drama Goblin
- Super cute restaurant in Quartier Petit-Champlain with great brunch food
Plains of Abraham
- Park with nice surrounding views of the river
- Went for a run here – it was a little icy, but really nice views!
- Vegan restaurant with Asian-inspired dishes, great cocktails, and trendy ambiance
Wed Nov 27 – Montreal
Drive to Montreal (3 hours)
Lunch – Olive et Gourmando
- Very cute cafe with soups, sandwiches, and pastries
- Can be a bit of a wait, so put down your name and walk around the old town
Notre-Dame Basilica
- Amazing light show that happens every night, tickets $25
- Celine Dion got married here!
Dinner – LOV
- Very trendy and hip vegan restaurant with amazing food and cocktails
Thu Nov 28 – Montreal
Ski – Mont Tremblant
- Really cute town with restaurants, cafe, and apre-ski funsies
Dinner – Happy Lamb Hot Pot
- AYCE hot pot for $25 in Chinatown
Fri Nov 29 – Montreal
- Very cool boat docked in the Old Port that was turned into a spa
- Steaming outdoor hot tubs, saunas, and relaxation rooms with amazing views of the Montreal port, especially great during the winter when it’s cold outside but steamy in the pools
Lunch – Tommy Cafe
- Very cute cafe with a modest menu of avocado toast, sandwiches, etc. and great coffee
Dinner – Le Majestique
- Hip bar/restaurant with a $22 hot dog and massive wine bottles
- Cool ambiance, and lively clientele
Drinks/Dancing – Suwu
- Dancy bar with great music
Sat Nov 30 – Montreal
Lunch – KazaMaza
- Incredible Middle Eastern food
- Try ALL of the dips, lamb chops were also amazing
Jean Talon Market
- Farmers market with fresh fruits, vegetables
- If you plan on getting maple syrup or other things to bring home, get it here for the best price and quality!
- Bagel shop that’s open 24 hours and makes fresh bagels all day long
- Montreal bagels are sweet because they’re boiled in honey water and less dense than New York bagels
Sun Dec 1 – Drive back to New York
- Smoked pastrami sandwich for the road!
Drive ~6 hours back to NYC