New York City 2 hrs

Miami 4.5 hrs

Philadelphia 3 hrs

Boston 1.5 hrs

Los Angeles 7 hrs

Chicago 3 hrs

Dallas-Fort Worth 4.5 hrs

San Francisco 7 hrs

Île d'Orléans: Firmly resistant to change, the people of the Île have succeeded in keeping their home a peaceful, rural farming community - there wasn't even a bridge leading to it until 1935! Today you can drive or boat over, and even trek across the ice in winter. The island's long isolation is evident in the villages that remain much as they were during the days of the French regime, with families that trace their roots to the original settlers of 1636. There are six tiny communities, each centered around a church, and one coastal road that encircles the island with only a couple more bisecting it. Residents are working to reduce even that minor road traffic by converting one street to a bicycle lane. Visit a sugar shack, pick strawberries and apples, share the shore with a flock of snow geese, or take a soothing stroll through the quiet villages.

Quartier Petit-Champlain: At the bottom of the cliffs that plunge from the Terrasse Dufferin to thebanks of the St. Lawrence lies the Basse-Ville, the Lower Town. In 1608, Quebec founder Samuel de Champlain built his fortified home here, after which this section of town quickly became a very busy small port village with trading posts and elegant residences. Today, as a result of extensive renovations, Quartier Petit-Champlain is a quaint little riverside village. In its lively narrow streets, pedestrians can browse unique shops, dine in lovely cafés and outdoor patios, and enjoy street performers. In summer, the riverfront neighborhood hosts plays and variety shows. The Quartier Petit-Champlain has consistently received the highest tourism award for excellence!

Plaines d'Abraham: Nestled between Quebec City and the St Lawrence River, The Battlefields Park, better known as the Plains of Abraham, is one of the world's most historic parks. The site of many clashes between the French and British in their struggle for the territory, the Plains were the scene of the 1759 battle to the death between Wolfe and Montcalm that changed the course of North American history. Present-day activities on the Plains are more agreeable, including fairs, concerts, shows, summer and winter reacreational sports,picnics, horse shows, and more!

Quebec City Ski Areas: Within an hour of the city are 3 of the finest ski resorts in eastern North America: Mont-Sainte-Anne, Stoneham, and Le Massif. With the Carte Blanche Tri-Area Pass, you're at liberty to ski and snowboard between the 3 areas. Snow conditions are near perfect, with over 260 inches of natural snow each year, and an impressive 6,000 feet of vertical drop. In all, these resorts represent a 4,500-acre mountain playground with a grand total of 137 ski and snowboard trails catering to all levels.

Mont-Sainte-Anne: This international-caliber resort boasts 63 ski trails spread across 3 mountainsides, with 10 FIS certified trails for internationalcompetitions, which the resort regularly hosts. With a large snowpark, complete with learning half pipe, and one of Canada's most acclaimed ski and snowboard academies, Mont-Sainte-Anne is one of the most celebrated ski resorts in Quebec.

Stoneham: Just 20 minutes from Quebec City, Stoneham is not only easily accessible, but is also home to the famous 418 Snowpark. Snuggled in the heart of a horseshoe-shaped valley protected from winds, Stoneham offers skiers the choice of 32 trails on 4 mountains with a variety of terrain ensuring skiers of all levels are challenged and entertained.

Le Massif: East of Quebec City, with breathtaking views of the province, is the National Ski Training Center and Canada's highest vertical drop east of the Rockies. The 42 exhilarating trails of Le Massif can be accessed directly from the top or from the base of the mountains, and an impressive natural snowfall guarantees near perfect skiing conditions.

Quebec City is a small, relatively flat village perched high on a cliff above the St. Lawrence River. Contained within fortified city walls, the streets are narrow and the buildings are closely-spaced. There is plenty of open green space, mostly in parks and city squares. One of the oldest sections of the city is at the bottom of the cliff along the riverbank. The citadel and its adjacent plain occupy a higher grassy plateau on the northern edge of town.

All four seasons make a fair showing, but spring and fall tend to be shorter and cooler than in the northern US. Summer brings a fair share of brief heat waves, mostly in July and August, but even then nights cool off. Winter always brings a heavy blanket of snow from November to March, which makes for excellent skiing in the Laurentians, Estrie, and Charlevoix.

Spring average 46°-50°

Summer average 72°-76°

Fall average 47°-52°

Winter average 18°-25°

If you can bear the winter cold, then it's safe to say that anytime is a good time because each season has its own appeal and events in Quebec. Winter and summer festivals are equally popular, and the warmth of the July sun is matched by the beauty of the December's snow and holiday decorations blanketing the ancient buildings. Autumn foliage and spring blossoms fill the city and countryside with as many nature-watchers as colored leaves and delicate scents. Still, the majority of visitors come during the warmer months of May through September, the Christmas and New Year holidays, and during the Winter Carnival and Summer Festival.

Historic North American City: Quebec City is one of the most historic cities in North America, founded in 1608 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain. The city's old European charm is evident throughout the narrow winding streets, imposing citadel, and castle-like Fairmont Château Frontenac. Museums, exquisite restaurants, romantic settings, gorgeous scenery, and eclectic shops and boutiques, are all enveloped in a laissez-faire ambiance and slow, soothing pace.

Skiing: Quebec City can be a great base for skiing at the 3 mountain resorts of Carte Blanche. You get the best of both worlds: the buzz and culture of the city, and the thrills of speeding down the slopes. Combined, the mountains of Carte Blanche (Mont-Sainte-Anne, Stoneham, and Le Massif) have 137 trails, the highest vertical drop east of the Canadian Rockies, 10 FIS certified trails for international competitions, an impressive snowpark equipped with a learning half pipe, and the National Ski Training Centre.

Tour Old Quebec City: Board a trolley and take in the serene beauty of the oldest French settlement in North America. As you wind through the narrow streets of this small village, a professional guide acquaints you with the main historic and intriguing sights, and regales you with lore and legend. The only walled city north of Mexico is full of a history and culture unique to North America.

Fortifications of Québec: This impressive, nearly 3 mile-long rampart encircling the old city was declared a national historical monument in 1957. A path leading visitors along the walls and through the gates is dotted with informative panels. Highlights include the Artillery Park National Historic Site and the Citadel.

Citadelle: Located high atop cap Diamant, the Citadel constitutes the eastern flank of Québec's fortifications, inspiring romantic writers to call it the "Gibraltar of America." Its star-shaped floor plan is characteristic of Vauban fortifications. The continued presence, since 1920, of the Royal 22e Regiment at the Citadelle makes it the largest fortified structure still occupied by troops in North America. A popular event is the Changing of the Guard.

Dine-Around: There are so many excellent restaurants in this ancient city that you'd need an "all-eating, all-the-time" vacation just to get to them. Or, you could join a "dine-around" and have every course from cocktails to dessert at several of the best restaurants including La Gambrinus, Le Vendome, and L'Asturil!

Fairmont Château Frontenac and Terrasse Dufferin: Don't worry about how to find them! The imposing tower of the Frontenac dominates the skyline of the Old City, with the Terrasse at its base. This world-renowned hotel looks like a medieval castle and has hosted royalty and world leaders. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were honored guests, as well as Churchill and Roosevelt, who had the place entirely to themselves for the World War II summit. The ground and lower levels are filled with boutiques and casual cafés. A fine restaurant faces the river, boardwalk, and town square. An oak-paneled bar with a fireplace and a long, wide row of windows overlooks the Terrasse Dufferin and the St. Lawrence.

Beaupré Coast: This coastland of beautiful (beau) meadows (prés) runs the length of a long strip of fertile land that stretches from the river to the Laurentians. In spring and autumn thousands of snow geese take a rest on their migration to and from their breeding grounds on the Cap Tourmente. The Basilica of Sainte Anne-de-Beaupré is a magnificent cathedral built on the site of an original chapel credited with savings countless lives of wrecked and stranded sailors. Further south on the coast, the striking Montmorency Falls are 100 feet higher than Niagara.

Charlevoix: As the Laurentians descend toward the St Lawrence Bay, the land turns to stark contrasts of wooded hills quenched by narrow riverbeds, and rolling meadows ending abruptly at harsh cliffs. Where the Saguenay and St. Lawrence rivers converge, 6 species of whales can be seen from boat and shore. In 1988, Charlevoix was named a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, the only one in the world to include human settlement.

Rue du Trésor: Owing its name to the building where French settlers used to pay their dues to the Royal Treasury, this picturesque alley now bustles with the activity of numerous artists displaying water-colors, prints, paintings, and other artistic creations. The quaint open-air gallery, off rue Sainte Anne, was founded in the 60s by enterprising fine arts students and has become a renowned attraction.

Musée de la Civilisation: Located along the river, a few steps from the Old Port of Quebec, this museum features exhibits that link the past, the present, and the future. It presentsa new and dynamic vision on the human experience, focusing on civilizations from this region as well as from farther afield. It is the most important ethnographic and historical collection in Québec.

The restaurants of Quebec City are as provincial as the city itself, with bistros and the occasional Italian trattoria presenting the majority of your dining options. In addition to traditional fare, there are Canadian specialties cooked up in nearly every kitchen to add variety to your meal. Wild game is popular, with venison, rabbit, duck, quail, goose, and caribou featured on many menus. Curiously, seafood makes just a minor appearance in this waterfront city. Many restaurants offer complete fixed-price lunches and lighter "snack" meals to accommodate differing budgets and activity schedules. Regardless of where you choose to dine, be it a sidewalk café on a busy square, a modern riverside restaurant, or an intimate 18th-century home, you will find that the enchanting ambiance is the best "side-dish" available - free of charge!

Gourmet

Le Paris is a busy modern restaurant set in an historic building. The chef serves a gregarious crowd that's always eager for the tasty French dishes, specializing in traditional fare artistically presented, such as escargots au Pernod and steak tartare. An excellent wine selection accommodating the most modest to the most carefree of budgets is also available. 590, Grande Allée

Yuzu: This cutting edge restaurant is bravely reinventing Japanese cuisine. The food is astonishingly good, hugely creative, and full of tantalizing flavors and textures. A selection of intriguingly unique oyster shooters, cocktails of alcohol, oysters, and spices, make for an unusual but nonetheless excellent way to start a social evening. It may be difficult to decide what to have, and you will likely be drawn back just to try what ever it was you didn't have the first time. Menu items include organic pork chop with scallop stew and truffles, pan fried skate wing served on its cartilage, and oven baked black bass served on strips of braised lamb shoulder. Reservations are highly recommended to censure you get a table. 438 rue de L'Eglise

Highly Recommended

Aux Anciens Canadiens has an enviable setting along the main cobblestone road, with the city gates to the east and the Statue of Champlain overlooking the river to the west. The white walls and red roof of this oldest of homes, built in 1677, stand out among the gray granite and slate of the buildings that surround it. Waiters dress in colonial costume and wooden bas-reliefs of regional genre scenes are carved into the walls. The cuisine includes flawlessly prepared recipes from the early days of New France. Caribou and maple syrup, for example, are prominent in many dishes. 34, rue Saint Louis

Initiale: Excellent French and French-Canadian fare is served in a palatial setting at Initiale, one of Quebec City's most acclaimed restaurants. Subdued lighting and a muffled noise level help guests concentrate on the food and company. Entrees from the ever-changing menu include beef filet from the Eumatimi's farm, red deer meat with mushrooms and turnips, and grilled salmon from Fundy's Bay with fried green asparagus. You may have to splash out for a meal here, but afterwards you'll agree it was well worth it. 54 rue St-Pierre

Local Flair

Buffet de l'Antiquaire is the most modest resident on Antiques Row, with exposed brick and stone wall decor sufficing for the no-nonsense locals. When all the other cafés are closed, you can count on the Buffet for native Québecois cooking like pea soup and poutine. Sunday breakfasts are a favorite, and even if you're not hungry, late-night drinks or afternoon cocktails are always available at the full bar. 95, rue Saint-Paul

Laurie Raphaël: The best gourmet food is often the most innovative, and although many entrees found on the Laurie Raphaël menu may at first sound rather conventional, the select blend of spices and ornate presentation make evident the fact that this is one of Quebec City's most illustrious dining venues. Slight Asian touches and a concern for healthy sauces and exotic combinations can be found on entrees such as Côte Nord scallops from Mingan Island roasted lightly in sea salt and simmered in vegetable juice with Québec chanterelles, roasted piglet from Québec in natural pan juice with fall vegetables, and young pigeon from Bellechasse flavored with long pepper and chicoutai berries. Reservations are recommended for the city's most accomplished kitchen. 117 rue Dalhousie

Romantic

Le Saint-Amour greets you with a lace-curtained front room and potted greenery that leads into a covered terrace lit by candles and Victorian gas fixtures. On warm nights, the roof is drawn back and replaced by a canopy of stars. In a city celebrated for its ability to enchant, this is easily the most romantic dinner setting of all. Delicious meals like herb-crusted rack of lamb or saffron-touched fillet of pike garnished with seafood niblets is followed by desserts as sweet as your beloved! 48, rue Sainte Ursule

Entrecôte Saint-Jean Restaurant: Repeatedly described as intimate, the Entrecôte Saint-Jean Restaurant has three dining areas, the most romantic of which is the private lounge. The menu is admittedly limited, but you and you loved one will enjoy an evening of gazing into each other's eyes and sampling entrees such as mustard seed & chicken salad with Boston lettuce, Croque-Monsieur garnished with ham and Gruyere cheese, and Auvergnate salad on Boston lettuce with hard boiled eggs, onions, walnuts and apples. The house specialty is a sirloin steak dripping in house sauce and served with potatoes and walnut salad. 1011 rue St-Jean

For such a tiny city, Vieux Quebec has surprisingly lively nights, mostly centered around the cafés and clubs of rue St Jean, avenue Cartier, and the Grand Allée where the music and chat often linger until 3am. There is also an impressive array of cultural entertainment, headed by the renowned Quebec Symphony Orchestra and several small theater companies. Indoor concerts, plays, and other shows are steadily presented from September through May, and in summer the productions move to outdoor stages. Arts and entertainment listings in English are found in the Québec Chronicle-Telegraph.

Chez Dagobert: Quebec City's favorite disco is a three-story club that hosts DJs and live bands (mostly rock). A large dance floor, several bars, TV screens for sports, and video games occupy the upstairs. The crowd is a mix of street chic college students and a sleeker, older Gen X crowd.

Bar Chez Son Pere: Québecois folksingers often get their start here with roof-raising performances that draw in big crowds for sing-and-clap-alongs!

Saint Alexandre Pub: Spacious and chic, this British-style pub is free of tourist trappings and laden with polished mahogany, exposed brick, and a working fireplace. The bar is stocked with 40 single malt scotches and more than 200 beers (24 of them on tap), and a kitchen serving hearty meals. Jazz musicians perform weekly.

Vogue/Sherlock Holmes: A double-decker nightspot, fun and lively but calmer than a disco. The cool and casual dance hall, Vogue, is upstairs and a pub/restaurant with a pool table and dartboard sets the downstairs scene. The crowd is a hip mix of students and Gen Xers.

Grand Théâtre de Québec: Two halls, one of which has the largest stage in Canada, host classical music concerts, opera, dance, and theatrical productions. When resident companies are on tour, the show goes on with visiting conductors, orchestras, and dance companies.

Aviatic Club: A local favorite since 1945, the aviation theme is particularly interesting given that it's located in front of the city train station. Thai to Tex-Mex food is on the menu, along with local and imported beers. The owners of the club also run the adjacent Pavillon, a casual Italian restaurant with pool tables.

Kiosque Edwin-Bélanger: Summer rings in a 10-week music season centered around the bandstand at the edge of the Battlefields Park. From mid-June to late August, operas, chorales, classical recitals, jazz, pop, and blues entertain a milling, picnicking audience!

D'Orsay: Where the grown-ups go. Most of the clientele at this friendly pub/bistro is well settled in the 30- to 40-something age group, and engaging conversation flows easily. A DJ keeps the small dance floor busy and in summer a folksinger croons on the terrace. Drinks, music, dancing, and a full menu of international dishes round out the night.

Carnaval D'Hiver: Bonhomme, a merry red-capped snowman, ushers in the festivities on a dog sled, and for the next 10 days the regal city of Quebec turns into an icy playground. Dog sleds race along the Grand Allée, a high, giant ice toboggan zooms you down the Terrasse Dufferin, canoe racers push through ice flows, ice sculptors create intricate works, and an ice palace glows along the walls of the Old City. February

Festival de Théâtre des Amériques: Contemporary artists from across the Americas screen their often cutting-edge work for two weeks at theaters throughout the city. Late-May to early-June

St. Jean Baptiste Day: This event honoring the patron saint of French Canadians is an unofficial national holiday celebrated with more enthusiasm than any other. A famous parade and boisterous festivities mark the occasion.

Festival d'Ete International: This summer festival is the largest cultural event in the francophone world, with more than 250 events showcasing theater, music and dance by over 600 performers from 20 regions, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Ten days and nights of free performances include jazz, folk, dance, and folklore troupes. July

Les Medievales de Québec: Knights, troubadours, and ladies-in-waiting stream into this ancient city to recreate the days when knights jousted to defend a lady's honor, minstrels sang tales of glories past, and wizards advised kings. Come in costume if you're bold enough - many do! August, Odd-Numbered Years

Fall Foliage: Nature puts on this show, and most everyone agrees it's the best one of all. Technicolor forests dazzle "leaf peepers" who stroll through the city parks and along the rural lanes of the Île d'Orléans, while more intrepid peepers take a chairlift ride up the Laurentians for a bird's-eye view. This being harvest season, farmers host "pick your own fruits and berries" days, welcoming you into their fields to fill a basket or two! September

Dress as you would in any cosmopolitan city, but keep in mind that you are rather far north and temperature are probably cooler than you are used to for corresponding seasons in the US. Spring, fall, and even summer nights often call for a light sweater or coat and in the winter, a full ensemble of heavy coat, scarf, gloves, hat, boots, and very warm socks are required. Over all, "nice casual" is norm, and comfortable shoes are a necessity in this pedestrian city.

We strongly advise that you confirm the following information and regard this only as a basic guide.

Tax Refund: The GST (Goods & Services Tax) is reimbursable upon departure, but you must keep your receipts. Simply pick up a copy of the Tax Refund Application for Visitors at any Customs Office and most tourism centers, duty-free shops, and some hotels. The form is short and easy to fill out and along with your receipts, is all you need to be reimbursed on the spot as you exit the country.

French is the regional language, but most people in the hospitality industry speak English.

Quebec's electrical current is 110volts/60 cycles, the same as the US. There is no need for an adapter or transformer.

We strongly advise that you confirm the following information and regard this only as a basic guide.

Entry: A photo ID (such as a passport) is required to enter Canada, as is proof of US citizenship (passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate). Visas are not required.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative: Effective January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including US citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to US citizens traveling to or returning directly from a US territory. US citizens returning directly from a US territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. US territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Canadian Customs: Visitors may enter Canada with personal effects duty-free provided that they declare them to the customs officials upon arrival and that the goods are not subject to restrictions. Persons aged 16 and over are authorized to take 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, and 2.2 pounds of smoking tobacco. Persons 18 and over may take 40 ounces of duty-free alcoholic beverages.

Cultural Property: Canada has restrictions to ensure that objects of historical, cultural, artistic, or scientific significance remain in Canada. If you wish to take objects that are more than 50 years old (or made by a person who is no longer living) out of the country - artifacts, fossils, fine art, decorative art, rare books, or archival materials - you may require an export permit and you must check with the Movable Cultural Property Program, 15 Eddy Street, 3rd Floor, Room 13, Hull, Quebec, Canada K1A 0M5, phone 819-997-7761, fax 819-997-7757.

US Customs: US residents returning from Canada after a visit of 48 hours or more may return with $800 worth of duty-free articles for personal or household use. Up to 100 cigars (non-Cuban), 32 ounces of alcoholic beverages (travelers over 21), and 200 cigarettes per person may be included.

US Consulate: 2 Terrasse Dufferin, PO Box 939, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada G1R 4N5, phone 418-692-2095 or 800-529-4410

Tourisme Quebec: 12, rue Sainte-Anne, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, phone: 877-BONJOUR toll free

Chicago: Two Prudential Plaza, Suite 2400, 180 North Stetson Avenue, Chicago, IL 60601, phone 312-616-1860, fax 312-616-1877

Dallas: 750 North St Paul Street, Suite 1700, Dallas, TX 75201, phone 214-922-9806, fax 214-969-6935

Los Angeles: 550 South Hope Street, 9th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071-2627, phone 213-346-2780, fax 213-346-2767

Minneapolis: 6458 City West Parkway, Suite 100, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, phone 612-943-3990, fax 612-941-0327

Washington DC: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC, 20001, phone 202-682-7705, fax 202-682-7721