Quebec City & Montreal Travel

Leonard – Class of 2023 | Santa Rosa, CA

It was a fabulous trip to a culturally and historically rich place. We saw many fascinating sites, and had many interesting conversations as we got to know each other. Being with a such great group of people makes the trip so much more enjoyable. And our guide Ian, is a treasure. His values and care come through loud and clear as he explained the history and culture of Quebec.

— Review left July 21, 2025

Carol – Class of 2024 | Jupiter, FL

I wanted to know these cities better and that happened.

— Review left June 26, 2025

This participant did not give a star rating.

Florence – Class of 2013 | Oakland, CA

We thoroughly enjoyed our Montreal and Quebec trip. The tour guide and individual guides were so very good! We learned a lot and the format with the whisperers made everything understandable. The 3 course French meals that Road Scholar provided were very good and I really liked being able to have lunch in Chateau Frontenac. We loved the organist experience in Notre Dame and the fiddlers. The hotels were conveniently located. I did have a couple of complains, however. The airfare was exorbitantly expensive. I wished that I had chosen my own airfare. I thought that I would get some kind of group discount with RS but the $1250 pp airfare was way out of line of what I later discovered on my own. Also, I didn't see the accommodations listed very clearly. When I asked for the phone number of the AC hotel in Montreal, I was given the one in downtown and when we arrived a day early we went to the wrong hotel!! This could easily have been avoided with the right information. Fortunately the other hotel was within walking distance and I discovered the discrepancy before the taxi left us off at 8 PM at the wrong hotel. It could have been much worse. I appreciate your policy of no tipping. We also travel with OAT quite often and they have a hidden cost of tipping the guides, which adds on quite a bit to the cost of the trip. All in all, I would highly recommend this trip to friends and having perfect weather was the icing on the cake!

— Review left June 22, 2025

Reply from Road Scholar

Dear Florence, We're thrilled to hear you had a wonderful time in Quebec with us and appreciate your feedback! Our Travel Team may not be able to offer a group discount, but strives to provide the most direct and cost-effective flights possible, ensuring they fit your program requirements. They also offer complimentary ground transportation on your program's start and end dates, 24/7 assistance in case of air travel emergencies, and more. We apologize for the hotel name change and contact information confusion. Our team has reviewed and updated all materials to guarantee accuracy moving forward. We can’t wait to see where your next adventure takes you. Sincerely, Road Scholar

This participant did not give a star rating.

Diane – Class of 2022 | Algonquin, IL

SPECTACULAR program that covers the history and people of our neighbors to the NORTH

— Review left June 10, 2025

Kathleen – Class of 2024 | Santa Monica, CA

FABULOUS! .....except weather in Montreal ;) PS. not your fault!

— Review left December 27, 2024

Faith – Class of 2016 | Vancouver, Canada

The combination of the Fall colors with the immersion into the French Canadian culture and history of the area was perfect. As a Canadian, it was a good review of all the events that were the beginning of my country.

— Review left October 29, 2024

Martha – Class of 2018 | Ada, OK

This was a great program and Julie made it easy for us to adapt to another culture. The speakers were fabulous!

— Review left October 22, 2024

David – Class of 2024 | Palo Alto, CA

Learn a lot about Canadian history while having enough time to visit places of particular interest to you and at your own pace. Every single encounter with any Canadian in any capacity was 100% gracious, fun...even when we were stammering our few, poorly pronounced French words!

— Review left October 16, 2024

Shirley – Class of 2019 | Sioux Falls, SD

5 Stars!!! This was an exceptionally well-organized program and Julie, our Group Leader was so fantastic. This was my first visit to Québec and we lucked out with great weather (little to no rain the entire visit). The Fall colors were so lovely to see. I achieved my goal to practice speaking French every day and learned a lot about Québec. Our visit happened to be during the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend which was a treat in some ways but we didn't get to visit Montmorency Falls because of big crowds and traffic congestion. But, I appreciate our group leader's decision to bag the visit so we could do other things on our itinerary that were more unique to the area. Thanks to the wonderful experience with Road Scholar, I'm sure I'll be back to Québec again and I will see the falls another time.

— Review left October 15, 2024

David – Class of 2019 | Sioux Falls, SD

This is the tour for you if you want a blend of guided and self-exploration. If you want to be handheld and managed all the time or have trouble with mobility, skip this one.

— Review left October 15, 2024

Kathy – Class of 2018 | Manhattan Beach, CA

Wonderful food iin two beautiful French Canadian cities with such interesting history. The hotels were very nice, the locations were great. And everybody on the tour was pleasant and punctual and easy to be around.

— Review left October 12, 2024

Richard – Class of 2003 | Gold River, CA

It is so much more fun and easy to be able to go to wonderful places and have all of the details taken care of so you can enjoy without the hassle. Loved every minute!

— Review left October 1, 2024

This participant did not give a star rating.

Loraine – Class of 2024 | Edina, MN

thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history and culture of our northern neighbor. Great guides and well organized.

— Review left October 1, 2024

Lisa – Class of 2005 | Kansas City, MO

There is much to learn and enjoy on this trip. Take your walking shoes.

— Review left September 15, 2024

Gail – Class of 2024 | Weaverville, CA

Our first time on a tour. Hard to imagine other tours doing any better than this!

— Review left September 11, 2024

Shelley – Class of 2024 | Pittsburgh, PA

Road Scholar is a great way to immerse yourself in the history and culture of an area, enjoying touring at a level of activity that fits your lifestyle.

— Review left September 10, 2024

Toni – Class of 2018 | Tustin, CA

The program is an excellent introduction to two great Quebec cities. We learned so much about Canadian government, history, and culture and the importance of French language and heritage. A highlight for lovers of fine cuisine, art, and architecture. Plenty of time for personal exploration.

— Review left August 30, 2024

Richard – Class of 2019 | Cincinnati, OH

This is an excellent program with excellent guides and instructors. "Independent" means that participants are on their own for about half of each day and evening, but with plenty of suggested activities supplied in the written program materials and by the guides. One receives an excellent immersion into the multiple facets of Quebec history and culture in a hands-on format. Highly recommended!

— Review left July 29, 2024

Russell – Class of 2024 | Catonsville, MD

This program gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of the life and culture of French Canada. I loved the experience and learned a lot from it.

— Review left July 18, 2024

This participant did not give a star rating.

Mary Ann – Class of 2016 | Gilbertsville, PA

A five star trip. We just returned from this wonderful excursion to Montreal and Quebec City. We really do not have one negative comment to make. Ian Beaulieu was our tour leader. He was friendly and kind, informative, organized, and ready to take on any issues that came up with our fellow group members. We all felt that we were treated like family. The daily guest tour guides were extremely informative, while being friendly and always sharing a sense of humor. The planned dinners and lunches were always good, and Ian was ready to give us great suggestions when we went off on our own. Since this was labeled an independent tour, we had plenty of free time, but we were never at a loss of what to do. We were provided many vouchers for visiting museums and points of interest. It is important that anyone considering this trip be aware that there is a good amount of walking and time on your feet. There is time to relax, but there is only one bus excursion. The rest of the time is spent around the cities. I appreciated being located in each city for 4 nights. It was more enjoyable not being on the road every day and being able to take in the sights and surroundings in more depth. Another plus of this trip and other Road Scholar trips is meeting the nicest people. If Montreal and Quebec City are places you might want to visit. I would definitely recommend that you consider this program.

— Review left July 16, 2024

This participant did not give a star rating.

Donald – Class of 2016 | Gilbertsville, PA

Well planned introduction to the culture of French Quebec lead by a knowledgeable group leader with a nice sized group of people of similar interests. The tours of each city introduced us to a variety of neighborhoods and their unique character. Excellent.

— Review left July 16, 2024

Pam – Class of 2024 | Kennewick, WA

This was our first Road Scholar trip and we loved it. We usually travel on our own, so we were attracted to this trip that gave us a chance to try Road Scholars while having some time to ourselves. We enjoyed the group we traveled with, and the guides and instructors were excellent. We liked the group meals, but also enjoyed finding and trying restaurants on our own. A special highlight was the "Bury Your Dead" tour of Quebec City, since reading the Louise Penny books was one of the things that attracted us to visiting this part of the world.

— Review left June 17, 2024

Diane – Class of 2024 | Medford, NJ

The Independent Montreal and Quebec City program was our first trip with Road Scholar for myself and my husband. The trip exceeded my expectations. Ian, our Group Leader was knowledgeable, organized, pleasant, funny and a wealth of information on restaurants, museums and places to see. Our local tour guides including Ronny, Claire, Michel, in Montreal and Marie in Quebec City were excellent in their knowledge and understanding of their cities. Our fellow travelers were all lovely - I felt like they were my friends by the end of the trip. I miss them already! I can't wait to go on another Road Scholar trip!

— Review left June 12, 2024

Paul – Class of 2024 | Medford, NJ

We thoroughly enjoyed this trip. Time flew too quickly. There was a good balance between organized time and free time. The leader and instructors were wonderful. The trip inspires us to want to return to Montreal and Quebec City

— Review left June 12, 2024

Walter – Class of 2023 | Round Lake, NY

Old Montreal and Quebec City far exceeded my expectations. I am an architect, and it was exciting to see the beautiful French and English period architecture that has been carefully cared for and preserved.

— Review left June 11, 2024

This participant did not give a star rating.

Mary Jo – Class of 2007 | Oak Park, IL

We had a wonderful time. All the guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. Our tour leader, Julie Belanger worked very hard to keep us moving and interested. The meals, especially the lunch at Chateau Frontenac, were of excellent quality. We didn't expect to enjoy the demonstration of Quebecoise music as much as we did. I'm actually looking for a jig puppet to purchase. They had them in Montreal I was told. The one black mark that soured the trip for us was the extra day included on our airfare. This went unnoticed until I tried to check in. In the pursuit of some repayment for our extra day at the hotel, we were unsuccessful. I was told that I indicated I was possibly interested in staying an extra day. That's how the airfare was booked. I never saw the 1/5/24 email and wonder if I would have realized it included an extra day. We are very dissatisfied with the way this was handled. Maybe travelers should have to indicate their approval of the flight arrangements. I actually was surprised and relieved to learn in one of my phone calls that I had booked the airfare through Road Scholar. I thought everything was fine. Ha. I've learned my lesson. Mary Jo Tozzi

— Review left June 7, 2024

Kathy – Class of 2018 | Aurora, OR

Wonderful adventure in Montreal and Quebec City!!!! So much beauty and history. The foods are fabulous and the people friendly and welcoming. I highly recommend this trip!

— Review left June 4, 2024

Margaret – Class of 2017 | Centennial, CO

A very thorough and enjoyable tour of Montreal and Quebec City. Lots of walking and steps, but well worth it.

— Review left October 18, 2023

Joan – Class of 2023 | Salinas, CA

Fabulous trip. Loved the independent nature, which allowed plenty of time to explore on our own. Trip leader, Ian, was very helpful with suggestions and recommendations.

— Review left October 14, 2023

Terry – Class of 2023 | Ballwin, MO

The Montreal and Quebec City program was filled with fascinating history, excellent museums, beautiful architecture, delicious food, and, in general, was a relaxing, fun filled experience. Ian was an exceptional group leader, and managed to balance the perfect amount of activity with free time.

— Review left October 9, 2023

Ann – Class of 2016 | Oakland, CA

This program was very interesting and well-run, and we had beautiful weather (Sept. 24 to Oct. 2). The leaves were just starting to turn color. Our guides were terrific: Andree in Montreal and Marie in Quebec City. All the guided walks were very good. The included meals were fantastic. Both hotels were nice, quiet, and in good locations. In case you are debating whether you want to take an "independent" version of the trip, I'll say that the free time gave us a very important opportunity to rest or take long walks, to poke around in stores, to try different restaurants, and take all the time we wanted in museums. There's plenty to see and do in these two cities!

— Review left October 7, 2023

Angela – Class of 2005 | St George, UT

Excellent program with inspirational leaders. I learned so much about Canada; the language, the heritage, the country. I have been enriched by attending this program...and I went to places and listened to locals that love, love, love their occupations and their country, Americans need to take note!

— Review left September 8, 2023

Cynthia – Class of 2023 | Indianapolis, IN

This was our first trip with Road Scholar and I couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. Each of the guides brought a unique and interesting perspective to the history of these cities. The daily tours provided just enough information to be informative but not overwhelming. We appreciated having free time to explore at our own pace and our trip leader provided great guidance on areas to explore that we might not have found on our own. We highly recommend this trip.

— Review left September 6, 2023

Jean – Class of 2013 | Stone Mountain, GA

Very enjoyable, excellent group leader, comfortable and convenient hotels. Big negative was no breakfast vouchers for Quebec hotel. Other RS groups at same hotel had such vouchers.

— Review left August 31, 2023

Reply from Road Scholar

Dear Jean, Thank you for your feedback. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your time! With this being an Independent City Discovery program there are more meals on your own. Breakfasts are not usually included for the Quebec portion of the program since the hotel is centrally located giving you more opportunity to explore the local cafes on your own. Sincerely, Road Scholar

Bonnye – Class of 2023 | Fullerton, CA

Thank you Road Scholar for an amazing first experience. You exceed my expectations in every way! What stands out the most were the program guides. Through their immense knowledge about the history and culture of the cities we visited, I learned so much and had fun doing it! Looking forward to my next adventure.

— Review left August 31, 2023

Paula – Class of 2016 | Gadsden, AL

This was a great trip that featured outstanding sights, delicious food, informative local guides, friendly traveling companions, amazing experiences, and a top notch leader. A great guide can make the difference between a good trip and an amazing journey. Ian led us on an amazing journey from Montreal to Quebec City. I was on my first solo trip, but I was never alone. It was easy to connect with the other solo travelers but also with the couples. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. If you’re on the fence about a solo adventure, hop down and sign up.

— Review left August 24, 2023

Steve – Class of 2005 | Williamsville, NY

Excellent program with a near perfect mix of group activities and free time. You will learn a great deal about the history and changes in these great cities, from their founding to immigration to modernization. Comfortable convenient accommodations.

— Review left August 22, 2023

Patricia – Class of 2023 | Lees Summit, MO

I have just returned from Road Scholar's independent study in Montreal and Quebec and I highly recommend it! This was my first Road Scholar trip and I couldn't be more pleased. Every aspect of the program was excellent and I loved the independent time for personal exploration.

— Review left August 20, 2023

Sally – Class of 2014 | Hilton Head Island, SC

Really enjoyed this tour. Ian was a great director, helpful with any questions and free time suggestions. This was a nice blend of activities and offered flexibility for participate to use their time as they wanted. Also enjoyed the train ride from Montreal to Quebec City. Accommodations and group meals were quite nice.

— Review left August 20, 2023

Eileen – Class of 2019 | Mesa, AZ

If you want to feel the unique French experience but do not want to venture outside North America, I strongly recommend Independent Quebec City and Montreal. Great learning experience with enough time to explore at your own pace. Quebecers are very friendly, helpful and kind. You cannot go wrong with this tour!

— Review left July 18, 2023

Joe – Class of 2023 | Corona, CA

Road Scholar is an excellent tour to learn the culture and history of new places in a well organized and not stress envinronment

— Review left July 18, 2023

Kathryn – Class of 2019 | Huntsville, AL

If you can get Ian for a Group Leader be sure to go! He's so much fun.

— Review left June 29, 2023

Mary – Class of 2020 | Richfield, MN

This was an excellent trip. The perfect balance of RS led tours and independent exploration. The local guides were so smart and interesting. I learned so much about both cities and their history that was new to me. Our RS leader, Ian, was just the best. He was fun, interesting, knowledgable and always available to help when needed. He made the trip exceptional. There was a lot of walking - more than I expected but everyone did fine and I am of the mind that you see so much more walking that on a bus or in a car. A 5 star trip. RS scores again. Mary Mahre - Richfield, MN. USA

— Review left June 19, 2023

Stephen | Hendersonville, NC

Excellent program to two places you will want to visit. Good blend of guided and free time. Vey enjoyable.

— Review left June 14, 2023

Mary – Class of 2013 | Pensacola, FL

I thoroughly enjoyed this program.

— Review left October 10, 2022

Victoria – Class of 2018 | Wesley Chapel, FL

This was an extraordinary trip - just the right amount of group learning experiences with individual time. Ian, was phenominal!!! Montreal and Quebec City were beautiful and easy to get around. The added book tour was really fun.

— Review left September 14, 2022

Beverly – Class of 2019 | Walnut Creek, CA

Independent Quebec City and Montreal: People, Places, Culture. If you are not quite ready to travel to Europe but loved all things French, this is the trip for you. Excellent itinerary, with plenty of time for exploring on your own. All the guides are local and enthusiastic about their cities. I learned a lot and it was the perfect post-Covid adventure for me, after three years of minimal travel. Good value for the money. Excellent meals. I felt like I was living like a local in both cities.

— Review left September 13, 2022

Rosemary – Class of 2008 | Cornwall On Hudson, NY

The Montreal and Quebec tour was so enjoyable with the right mix of guided activities and independent exploring. Our main guide Andree was outstanding, professional, fun, warm and welcoming . The local guide were experts and enthusiastic about sharing the local treasures. I recommend highly.

— Review left August 31, 2022

Jack – Class of 2017 | Saint Paul, MN

This was a fun, informative and interesting trip. It went by so fast that I can hardly believe it. I would recommend it to any US citizen who wants to visit a foreign country but does not want to travel overseas (for whatever reason).

— Review left August 17, 2022

This participant did not give a star rating.

Iris – Class of 2008 | Chicago, IL

Loved the trip.

— Review left August 14, 2022

This participant did not give a star rating.

Royal – Class of 2018 | Crystal Lake, IL

My recent Road Scholar trip to Montreal and Quebec City was great. It was an “independent” trip with a great deal of free time to explore your own interests. Our group was especially open and welcoming, and most of the time, and often decided to go to the same places on our free time. Our group leaders (one in each city) gave us a real understanding of the people and the places, guided us through the key sites, and taught us to use the Metro and the bus system for our independent exploring. Four days in each city was enough time to see a great deal, but definitely not everything there is to see. I go to Ontario often, and now plan to add Quebec to my future visits. Each day we were joined by local experts, typically for a morning excursion. The local experts and our group leaders were knowledgeable and had tremendous enthusiasm for sharing their cities and their culture with us. Most afternoons and evenings we were free to roam. The food was excellent everywhere, and these very old cities have preserved their sense of their own history -- it's all around you in the architecture and streets. The cliche is to say it's like being in France, and it's true. Rather than recount a list of events, I'll mention two (and let you check out the rest in the trip itinerary on the website). In Montreal, it has to be the visit to Notre Dame Basilica Cathedral and the demonstration by the master organist there. In Quebec City, it was the traditional music demonstration with two fantastic local musicians. They got the whole group involved in the music and we all had fun. I want to say a special thank you to Lise and Andree for sharing their cities with us.

— Review left June 15, 2022

Karen – Class of 2017 | Cincinnati, OH

I've been on two Road Scholar Independent trips and I loved them both. They were a great way to meet new people and see a new place, but they also allowed time to explore on my own.

— Review left June 1, 2022

Linda – Class of 2016 | Bourbonnais, IL

Learning about Montreal and Quebec were great fun--have your walking shoes. The history is fascinating, the architecture makes you feel like you are in a European city, and the food was amazing! The opportunity to meet interesting fellow travelers and the wonderful guides and lecturers make RS my favorite way to travel.

— Review left September 25, 2019

Lucille – Class of 2018 | Stevensville, MI

I loved this trip! Sylvie Nadeau was an amazing facilitator!!!! She was always helpful, cheerful and organized. I learned so much about Canadian history while enjoying the beauty of Quebec. I have always wanted to visit Quebec, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

— Review left September 9, 2019

Thelma – Class of 2017 | Lawrence, KS

If you love European charm, but don't want to take the trip "across the pond," then Quebec City is the place for you! It was lovely, and we had lots of time to explore since most of your afternoons and evenings are on your own. The group trips were very informative, especially the visit to the Governor General's residence in the Citadel in Quebec City. There are also loads of things to see and do in Montreal. The local guides were wonderful! Seeing the demonstration of the organ in Notre Dame was a surprising highlight. The organist has been there for 45 years and is very charming and informative.

— Review left July 12, 2019

Jennifer – Class of 2017 | Renton, WA

Our trip to Montreal and Quebec was informative and fascinating. I learned so much about history and current affairs while there that I didn't know. Meeting with the organist at Montreal's Basilica of Notre Dame was an absolute highlight. I highly recommend going to Aura there at least one night -- there's nothing like it anywhere else!

— Review left July 11, 2019

Jacqueline – Class of 2003 | Spartanburg, SC

This program delivers just what it says - culture and history of the area. Also has a few surprises that make the trip memorable. If you love walking and eating fantastic food this tour is for you. Also, read the suggested novel (one of the surprises)!

— Review left July 10, 2019

This participant did not give a star rating.

Kathryn – Class of 2018 | Wilmington, DE

The link that was sent to me in e-mail to enter my review did not work: https://evaluations.roadscholar.org/account/prog_eval_requestasp?Id=1-I3BS82 I hope that entering this review satisfies the e-mail sending routine! We enjoyed this independent program to Montreal and Quebec City very much. I like the arrangement of tours and information in the morning, with afternoons free for our own explorations. Really loved having the bus/rail pass in Montreal! I wish we could have trekked up the Montmorency Falls, but perhaps this is part of another program. And we got some rain in Quebec City, but you can't control the weather. Highlights of the program were the organ recital in the Notre Dame Basilica, the Armand Gamache tour, the chamber music recital, and our own independent afternoon visit to Mont Royale. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone able to keep walking! One (minor) quibble. I'm the one who registered us for the program, made travel arrangements through Road Scholar, etc., but when we checked into the hotels, the rooms were always being held under my husband's name. Why not my name?

— Review left July 7, 2019

Lindy – Class of 2017 | Spokane, WA

This is the third time I have submitted an evaluation of my most recent tour. The website is great. The mailings are WAAAAAY too many.

— Review left June 16, 2019

Betty – Class of 2019 | Bel Air, MD

The Let's Go Montreal and Quebec City was an awesome experience! Our guide, Julie, was terrific, and the tour was well-organized, including a great variety of educational and food experiences, as well as free time. Met some wonderful fellow travelers and shared a great experience together!

— Review left June 12, 2019

Rosamond – Class of 2014 | Denver, CO

Travel with an open mind and be prepared to be happily surprised by the experiences you did not expect. Make a quiet but determined effort to talk separately with each person in the group. Sometimes it's hard if one is shy, but others welcome hearing a stranger use their name and listen to their story or what's on their mind.

— Review left May 27, 2019

Independent Québec City and Montréal: People, Places, Culture

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