These Quebec City winter activities combine the outdoors with adventure or relaxation, the perfect ways to spend your trip.
From relaxing in Nordic spas to snowshoeing through quiet forests, Quebec City offers a range of experiences for the most adventurous or casual of travelers.
Make the most of your winter trip to Quebec with these best winter activities in Quebec City. Let’s dive right in!
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Why Québec City Is One of the Best Winter Destinations in North America
The city doesn’t stop thriving just because the streets are covered in mounds of snow. It’s quite the opposite really. Quebec City is a lively winter destination from December to March, boasting a range of experiences for any type of traveler.
Fine dining? Got it. Winter sports? You betcha. Historic buildings? Loads. National park? Close by! Cultural? Absolutely. European-style Christmas markets? Every December!
It’s everything I want in a winter destination, and I’m not alone in that. So many people visit Quebec City just because it’s a wonderful winter destination where the cold naturally fits into daily life.
Quebec City Winter Activities at a Glance
Best for: Travelers who love outdoor adventure, snowy landscapes, and immersive winter experiences
What makes winter special here: Quebec City embraces winter with skating rinks, snow-covered parks, Nordic spas, and outdoor sports built right into everyday life.
Typical winter temperatures: Expect daytime highs around 20–30°F (-6 to -1°C), with colder mornings and evenings. Varies a bit month to month.
Snowfall: Heavy, frequent snowfall creates a true winter atmosphere, making activities like snowshoeing, skating, and sledding possible all season long.
Top winter activities: Ice skating, snowshoeing, ice canoeing, sledding, Nordic spa visits, and exploring snowy historic neighborhoods.
Where most activities happen: Old Quebec, Place d’Youville, the Plains of Abraham, and nearby Jacques-Cartier National Park.
Good for beginners: Yes. Many activities, including skating and snowshoeing, offer rentals and beginner-friendly trails.
Best time for winter activities: December through March, with January and February offering the best snow conditions.
Vibe: Active, cozy, winter wonderland.
Outdoor Sports – Winter Activities in Quebec City
Let’s dive into some of the core winter sports in Quebec City, one of the best reasons to visit!
Plains of Abraham
Not a sport, but the location for many! The Plains of Abraham is an expansive 98-hectare park area (historically a battlefield) filled with trails, activities, and historic sites.
This is the perfect winter playground to hang out at during your winter trip to Quebec City! Let me explain why.
Crosscounty Skiing
Enjoy over 14 km of ski trails, beginner to expert. There are a mix of classic and skate trails. Many of the trails overlook the icy St. Lawrence River. Free if you have your own skis, otherwise you can rent equipment from the Skaters’ chalet of the Skating Rink.
Rental pricing:
Adult: $24 / 2 hours or $32 / half-day
Children: $14 / 2 hours or $20 / half-day
Family (2 adults and 2 children): $45 / 2 hours
Ice Skating Ring
Right next to the Skaters’ Chalet, where you can rent a lot of winter sports equipment, you’ll find the lovely Ice Skating Ring at the Plains of Abraham.
This is another activity that is free if you have your own skates. Otherwise, equipment rentals are available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with a few holiday exceptions.
This is a really fun place to skate, especially if you’re used to skating in regular indoor or outdoor rinks. This one has a much more natural feel and is ring-shaped rather than a typical oval.
Rental pricing:
Skates for men, women, children: $9 / 2 hours
Family package (2 adults + 2 children): $26 / 2 hours
Skate Sharpening: $8
Support frame: $5 / 2 hours
Beginner kit (skates, helmet & support frame): $14
Sledding
Snow sliding, or sledding, is a popular pastime for families in Quebec City. Whether you have your own sled or want to rent a complimentary snow carpet, it’s all free of charge near the Plains of Abraham Museum.
If you need a snow carpet, you can rent one for free from the Plains of Abraham Museum. They are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The museum set up two designated areas for sledding. These two spots are maintained and safe, with both a kiddie slide and a bigger one. However, you’re also welcome to sled wherever you please, minding the trails that are only for skiing or walking, etc.
Snowshoeing
Take on the snowy terrain with confidence by renting snowshoes during your time at the Plains of Abraham. This park gets extremely snowy with tall mounds of snow, so if you plan to do any trail walking, snowshoes are a good idea.
You can ask about ideal snowshoe trails when you pick up your snowshoe rentals from the Skaters’ Chalet.
Rental pricing:
Adults: $12 / 2 hours or $35 / half-day
Children: $8 / 2 hours or $20 / half-day
Ice skating at Place d’Youville
One of the best places to ice skate in Quebec City is at the Place d’Youville, overlooking North America’s only remaining fortified city walls. It’s a charming spot in the middle of the city. They play music, have skate rentals, and an excellent zamboni.
The rink is open all day from 12 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m to 10 p.m. on the weekends.
Free if you have your own skates, otherwise you can rent from the chalet inside. Tip! Save your receipt and you can come and go throughout the day, returning and reusing skates.
Rental pricing:
Adults: $10
Children: $5
Family package (2 adults + 2 children): $25
Skate sharpening: $8
Ice canoeing on St. Lawrence River
One of the most unique Quebec City winter activities is ice canoeing on the St. Lawrence River. This historic sport dates back hundreds of years, when locals used canoes to cross the frozen river between Quebec City and Lévis during the winter months.
Today, visitors can take part in this tradition firsthand with guided excursions through companies like Canot à glace.
Ice canoeing is a mix of paddling and pushing your canoe across floating ice sheets. When the water is open, you row like a traditional canoe. When the canoe reaches ice, you hop partially out and use one leg to push the boat forward across the surface. This technique is called scootering and is what makes the experience so distinctive.
Most tours will last around 2-3 hours, including a break on the ice sheets. This is time to walk on the ice, have a snack, and enjoy some hot cocoa provided by the guides.
Afterward, you’ll have access to the sauna onsite. It’s a real treat!
Prices range from $150-185 CAD. The shorter tour is their Sunset Ice Canoe Experience, and the three hour tour is the traditional Ice canoeing tour.
AU 1884 Dufferin Terrace Toboggan Slide
Quebec City is also unique for its famous toboggan slide overlooking Old Quebec and the Château Frontenac.
The slide is open from mid-December until late March and offers a budget-friendly cultural activity for friends, couples, families, and solo travelers to slide down on a classic toboggan.
You can get 4 tickets for $15. Even if you’re just a group of two, I suggest taking the 4 for $15 deal because you’ll probably want to again.
Otherwise, tickets are $3.91 online or $4 at the Au 1884 kiosk inside the cafe.
To buy tickets, visit the Au 1884 cafe. They serve warm foods, coffees, and hot chocolate as well. Alternatively, you can secure tickets online.
You can see how to incorporate the toboggan slide into your 3-day Quebec City itinerary.
Winter Day Trips from Quebec City – Jacques-Cartier National Park
While there are plenty of Quebec City winter activities, sometimes you want to get just outside of the city into complete nature. If that’s the case, I suggest visiting the Jacques-Cartier National Park.
There are snowshoeing tours from Quebec City as well as crosscountry skiing excursions within the park.
This snowshoeing excursion offers a very memorable and typical Canadian winter experience. It’s perfect for anyone looking for an outdoorsy day trip that offers beautiful winter views, a quiet forest, light exercise, local culture, and free time to enjoy the Jacques-Cartier National Park at your own pace.
Tours include snowshoes, a guided tour, snacks, and lunch. You also have about an hour of free time after lunch. With that, you can walk trails, build a snowman, relax in the discovery centre, or go snowtubing (for free).
The tour is affordable for what you get out of it, ranging from $115 to $149 CAD a person.
You can book on GetYourGuide or Viator.
Nordic Spas & Warming Up After the Snow
Once you’ve had your fill of adventure, you can unwind and restore at one of the Nordic spas. The spas are one of my absolute favorite Quebec City winter activities. The combination of hot and cold is perfect for a winter’s day.
To visit one of the Nordic spas in Quebec City, bring a swimsuit and flip flops. Towels and robes are included, and you can purchase flip flops on site if needed.
Most visitors spend around three to four hours at the spa, though you can easily stay longer if you want a slower, more restorative spa day. It’s especially well suited for couples or solo travelers looking for a quiet, immersive winter experience.
Strøm Nordic Spa
If you’re after a classic Nordic spa experience in Quebec City, Strøm Nordic Spa is one of the most popular options. Located along the St. Lawrence River, the spa has beautiful waterfront views that feel especially magical in winter. Steam rising from the hot pools while snow falls around you is a quintessential Quebec winter experience.
The spa follows the traditional thermal cycle of hot, cold, and rest. You’ll move between outdoor hot baths, saunas, cold plunges, and relaxation areas designed to help your body recover from the cold.
You will also find a nice restaurant onsite, but be sure to make reservations either before you arrive or after you check-in to make sure you’re able to dine there during your visit.
It’s a peaceful, scenic place to unwind after a day of skating, snowshoeing, or exploring Old Quebec, and it’s ideal if you want a polished, well-designed spa experience near Plains of Abraham and Petit-Champlain.
Siberia Station Spa
For a quieter and more rustic spa experience, Siberia Station Spa offers up a peaceful retreat just outside the city in a wooded setting near the edge of Jacques-Cartier National Park. It’s about a 15-minute drive from Old Quebec. Uber or Lyft rides are available.
The spa features multiple saunas, a eucalyptus steam room, cold plunge pools, hot tubs, relaxation yurts, and even direct access to the river for a true Nordic cold dip. The atmosphere is calm and nature-focused, and the spacious layout means it rarely feels crowded. There’s also an on-site café for light meals, coffee, or cocktails between thermal cycles.
While not as polished as Strøm, I loved the rustic, woodsy feel of Siberia Station Spa. Both are excellent choices, so just decide which feels right for your trip to Quebec.
Is Quebec City worth visiting in winter?
Quebec City is perhaps more alive in winter than the shoulder seasons thanks to the charm of the snowy streets and all the winter activities the city has to offer. It’s absolutely worth visiting, especially if you like casual or more adventurous winter sports like ice skating, snowshoeing, and ice canoeing.
What makes Quebec City so special in the cold is how naturally winter fits into daily life. Locals gather at outdoor rinks, walk snowy streets with coffee in hand, speed down toboggan slides, and unwind between saunas and cold plunges.
And I mean, when it’s snowing for four months out of the year, what else are you going to do but embrace it?
Final Thoughts – Quebec City Winter Activities
If you’re looking for a destination that fully embraces the season, the range of Quebec City winter activities makes it one of the most immersive winter cities in North America. Here, winter isn’t something to escape from—it’s something to be part of. From skating under historic city walls to snowshoeing through quiet forests and warming up in Nordic spas, the season becomes part of the experience.
If you lean into the season, bundle up, and try a few of these experiences, you’ll start to see the magic for yourself.
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