Family itinerary in Quebec in July: tips for finalizing the last leg after Parc du Bic
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Original post
CY
Hi there, We’re heading to Quebec from July 7 to 21 with our two kids (ages 5 and 7) and my wife, and we’re putting together an itinerary while keeping some flexibility (though much less than we’d hoped, since we’re realizing accommodations are already filling up fast!). Below is our draft plan—pretty far along since we’ve booked 9 out of 14 nights—but it’s definitely not perfect. We’d love some advice on what to do after Parc du Bic (3 nights to improvise) before heading back to Parc Omega, where we’ve booked a tipi :-) It seems clear that a 3-day Gaspésie loop isn’t doable (too bad about Percé and Parc Forillon, but I think we’re already covering a lot of ground with this route!). But what about the option of driving up to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts to spend a day in Parc de la Gaspésie before the (long) drive back, and still enjoying part of the coastal road, which looks stunning? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

3 nights in Montreal (booked) Day 1 to 3 – July 7 to 9: Montreal

2 nights near Lac Saint-Charles, 20 min from Quebec City (booked) Day 4 – July 10: Montreal → Montmorency Falls → Quebec City (~3h drive) Day 5 – July 11: Quebec City

2 nights in the Saguenay region (booked) Day 6 – July 12: Quebec City → Baie-Saint-Paul → Canopée Lit (Saguenay), 20 min from Tadoussac Day 7 – July 13: Day in Tadoussac/Les Bergeronnes for a whale-watching excursion, then back toward the Saguenay Fjord for the evening and overnight stay

1 night in Parc du Bic (booked)

Day 8 – July 14: Ferry from Les Escoumins (2 PM) → Trois-Pistoles → Parc du Bic

3 nights to improvise—is it even feasible to go without reservations in July for a family of 4? Day 9 – July 15: Hikes/activities in Parc du Bic – overnight near Cap-Chat/Sainte-Anne-des-Monts??? Other ideas? Day 10 – July 16: Parc de la Gaspésie? Day 11 – July 17: More hikes? Then drive back toward the Mont-Joli area?

1 night at Parc Omega (booked)

Day 12 – July 18: Long drive back from Mont-Joli? Maybe via Kamouraska for a meal break, then overnight at Parc Omega

2 nights near Montreal or surrounding area

Day 13 – July 19: Visit Parc Omega, then a relaxed drive back via scenic routes to Montreal or nearby

Day 14 – July 20: Last day and night in Montreal or the suburbs, fun activities with the kids

Day 15 – July 21: Flight home in the evening
LE Lescaribous Globetrotter ·
Hi, In my opinion, on the evening of July 15th, you spend another night at Parc du Bic after spending part of the day visiting it!! The next day, July 16th, take a relaxed little leg of the journey, meandering along Route 132 toward Montmagny (stopping in Notre-Dame-du-Portage, Kamouraska, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, etc.). Spend the night in Montmagny, for example. Then (July 17th), continue west via the Chemin du Roy (north shore of the St. Lawrence River) to Trois-Rivières—overnight in Trois-Rivières. Finally, one last "short leg" (by the end of the road trip, those short hops will probably be appreciated!) to reach Parc Omega.

Here’s a suggestion—there’ll surely be others from fellow VFers ;-)

happy planning
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
CY Cyrdec ·
Thanks so much Lescaribous! It’s actually a great idea to not go farther than the Bas-Saint-Laurent, even if it wasn’t the original plan. That really helps with the decision-making, which isn’t always easy from a distance!

On the other hand, the second night at Parc du Bic is off the table—we got a little lucky with one last spot available on July 14th, but everything around that date is fully booked!

As for my question about not booking (or waiting until the last minute) for the 3 unplanned nights—is that doable at this time of year? Are there any "homemade"-style options in the villages? Thanks! !
FA Familibô ·
Hello, Option 1: stay longer around Bic. Near Bic Park, we stayed at the Rimouski Motel by the river, which was really nice and only 20 minutes from the park. (We hadn’t managed to get a spot to sleep in the park.) In Rimouski, we visited the Onondaga submarine and climbed to the top of the lighthouse—interesting for both adults and kids. We loved Bic Park so much that I think we could’ve spent 2 days there. Gaspésie Park impressed us less, and I think it’s a bit too far for you. Closer by, there’s Chute à Philomène near Lac au Saumon (we liked it, but it was on our way—maybe not worth going out of your way for) and the caves of La Rédemption for a bit of spelunking.

Option 2 To build on the itinerary suggested by Lescaribous (who knows the area better than I do), there’s Mauricie Park near Trois-Rivières, which we also loved. It adds an hour’s detour on the route from Bic to Omega, and it would remove the smaller stops they suggested.

I found that in summer, it was harder not to book in advance, but we were a group of 6. With 4, it might be easier.
CY Cyrdec ·
Thanks Familibô !

We’ll think about all this during May, and I think we’ll end up booking something a few weeks before departure—at least one of the 3 remaining nights, maybe near Rimouski after Parc du Bic! And I’m noting that Parc de la Gaspésie deserves some thought about whether to skip it in favor of more time at Parc du Bic or the surrounding area. Open to other suggestions, of course!
LE Lescaribous Globetrotter ·
Hi, Heading over to Rimouski (as suggested by Familibô) is a great idea. That way, if you ever feel like extending your visit to Bic, you won’t be far! And as Familibô mentioned, Rimouski is lovely (with beautiful sunsets over the river ;-))

I’ll admit, my "quick hops" to get to Parc Oméga weren’t really satisfying me , but the idea of stopping at Parc de la Mauricie (thanks Familibô 😉) isn’t bad at all.

The other option (though it makes for a long driving day) is to push on to St-Jovite and enjoy Parc du Mont-Tremblant (with a possible canoe trip). In that case, you’d stay 2 nights in St-Jovite (to "recover" from the long leg of the trip!). And from St-Jovite to Parc Oméga, it’s roughly a 1-hour drive!

Just in case: a really nice motel in St-Jovite (with a small private beach): Hotel-Motel Le Boisé du Lac - Mont Tremblant - Official website

And for the canoe trip in Parc du Tremblant: Mont-Tremblant National Park - National Parks - Sépaq (good to check if it’s doable with kids, but I think you can rent a canoe and place the kids between the two parents).

Happy planning!
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)
CY Cyrdec ·
Thanks Lescaribous for the suggestion of Mont Tremblant—we really didn’t "pick" it for our route. It *is* a bit of a detour, but hey, why not the canoe idea if we haven’t done any in the Saguenay! We’re still thinking it over...
LE Lescaribous Globetrotter ·
hi, Going through Tremblant will let you avoid driving through Montreal on the way to Parc Omega. Of course, if you don’t stop at Mont-Tremblant Park, it’s a bit of a detour. 😛
"Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer" (Baudelaire)

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