What to Do in Québec City in July

There’s an incredible lineup of over 4500 free, COVID-safe activities and installations happening throughout the city this summer.

Keep your eyes peeled! You never know when you might run into an art installation, pop-up show, or performance by musicians, circus artists, or magicians when you’re out for a walk. Québec City is getting festive this summer, so get out and enjoy all the fun neighbourhoods and their funky vibes!

Québec City is a great place to stroll around, snap shots, and have some good eats. But it’s also full of history and secrets that come to life with a local guide. A guided tour will leave you seeing the city in a whole new light. Of course, if history isn’t your thing, a food tour should manage to do the trick.

Hop on and off the fabulous Red Bus as you move from one Old Québec attraction to the next or see Québec City from the sky on a helitour for an enchanting once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Où tu vas quand tu dors en marchant…? is a theatrical happening that never fails to impress. This year’s show will be along the Saint-Charles River, with performance locations that are further apart and extended hours. Strolling through the Old Port, Limoilou, Saint-Roch, and Saint-Sauveur between June 24 and July 25, you’re sure to catch one or more of the five living tableaux.

Once again this year, Passages Insolites is taking over the city. Follow the 5 km walk from the Petit-Champlain to Parliament Hill to Saint-Sauveur to see 20 works that will spark your imagination and tickle your funny bone, dreamed up by contemporary artists from here and abroad.

And while you’re in Old Québec, don’t forget to look up to see the artworks hanging over your head. You’ll find a total of five strung up in front of City Hall, in Ruelle des Ursulines, on Grande Allée, in Rue Dauphine, and in the upper part of Rue Sainte-Famille

From July 1 to 25, the Hangout for this year’s singular edition of the Québec City Summer Festival (FEQ) is the place to be to enjoy that dearly missed festival vibe. Pick up a meal from a local restaurateur on Grande Allée to show you support and have a picnic with family or friends on the festival’s huge pop-up patio. While you’re there, check out VUES, a free outdoor art exhibition that takes you on a trip down FEQ’s memory lane.

Taking a boat tour on the St. Lawrence River is a summer vacation classic. Hoist your anchors for stunning views of the city, the river, and both shores on a guided tour with Croisières AML. Or, to feel at one with nature, head out on a zodiac with Excursions Maritimes Québec.

To explore the gorgeous Île d’Orléans, you can go kayaking during the day or at the sunset, or discover the island’s coves, currents, and maritime history aboard a zodiac with Croisières Orléans.

Québec City is in a Picasso frame of mind this summer! The Picasso. Figures exhibition is on display at Musée national des beaux-arts from June 12 to September 12 and the immersive Imagine Picasso exhibition is being presented at the Québec City Convention Centre from June 15 to September 6.

Over at Musée de la civilisation, there’s a fascinating Maya exhibition from May 20 to October 3.

Tickets to these blockbuster exhibitions go fast, so consider booking in advance online.

The natural landscapes in the Québec City area are as rich and varied as the culture. It’s like a giant playground made by Mother Nature. The trails lead up dramatic cliffs with sweeping views of the St. Lawrence, through glacial valleys, and into the heart of the boreal forest. From Jacques-Cartier National Park to Sentier des caps de Charlevoix to Vallée Bras-du-Nord, here are the best spots for a short or long hike.

If you want to stay cool this summer, there are plenty of options: waterslides, beaches, pools, and splashpads. With 30+ waterslides and attractions of all kinds, Village Vacances Valcartier is an aquatic paradise. All you have to do is book your visit in advance. For a day at the beach, try Baie de Beauport, which has new pop-up shops on the weekends for a boardwalk shopping experience.

Good to know: Swimming at Base de plein air Sainte-Foy is free all summer.

Everyone loves driving around Île d’Orléans, but have you ever taken the time to stop and enjoy the food? Try the vanilla and black currant soft-serve ice cream at Cassis Monna & filles, the Paillasson cheese at Fromages de l’isle d’Orléans, the craft beer at the Île d’Orléans microbrewery, the jam at Confiturerie Tigidou, or a sweet treat from Chocolaterie de l’Île d'Orléans. Yum!