10 Things to Do Near the Québec City Convention Centre

Are you planning to attend an in-person meeting at the Québec City Convention Centre? Here are some activities we suggest to combine business with pleasure during your next event in our safe meeting rooms. Located at the gates of Old Québec, the Convention Centre is just a stone’s throw from the main tourist attractions and a wide range of hotels and restaurants of all kinds.

Take a look at the Québec City Tourism’s website to take advantage of packages and deals on accommodation and activities, and make your next visit a family affair. Here are our suggestions of things to do when attending an event at the Québec City Convention Centre.

Devanture de l'hôtel Château Laurier en été.

1- Plan a staycation in a Québec City hotel

Do you have an upcoming meeting in Québec City on your agenda? What a perfect time to plan a getaway with an overnight stay, or two, in one of the 5 hotels near the Convention Centre. Québec City has a variety of more than 17,000 rooms, including fabulous boutique hotels and even the possibility of staying in a cultural and historical location. Use the opportunity to enjoy a gourmet experience at one of the city’s many restaurants.

2- Explore Québec’s history

Do you enjoy going for walks? Admiring public art? If so, then all you have to do is cross the street in front of the Convention Centre and explore the traces of the city’s past. You will encounter a series of works of art and monuments that have marked Québec City’s history along a unique circuit in the Parc de l’Amérique-Française on the site of the National Assembly.

3- Discover the charm Old Québec

Église et grandes maisons de Place Royale, avec des gens qui visitent. — Stéphane Audet

Have you thought about treating yourself to a private, guided walking tour of Old Québec with a local guide? Tours Voir Québec and Maple Leaf Guide Services can explore the neighbourhood with you and show you what is hidden behind its walls. The guides are passionate about culture and history, and will find things aligned to your interests.

4- Explore the Petit-Champlain district

It’s impossible to come to Québec City without visiting the Petit-Champlain district and La Place Royale. Take the Casse-Cou stairway or the funicular. This unforgettable sector in Old Québec will take you back 400 years. Take the opportunity to find a souvenir in the local artisan shops, stop for a bite in a neighbourhood restaurant or admire the gigantic Fresque des Québécois, a huge optical illusion mural that tells the story of Québec.

Quartier Petit-Champlain de soir, avec des gens mangeant sur les terrasses

Devanture du Musée des beaux arts du Québec.

5- Visit a museum

An outing to the magnificent Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec should be on your to-do list, especially if you’re an art lover. You will have an amazing time in this architectural gem. Or set aside some time to peruse an exhibition at the Musée de la civilisation, the popular Québec City museum located near the Port of Québec. The captivating exhibits illustrate historical and contemporary themes.

6- Taste your first ice cream of the season

The return of sunny days also marks the opening of dairy bars! Go to Rue Saint-Jean, next to the Convention Centre, to enjoy a delicious chocolate-dipped ice cream at Erico or a gelato from a variety of flavours at Tutto Gelato. Near Rue Cartier, you can satisfy your sweet tooth at Chocolats Favoris, a Québec institution.

Main tenant un cornet de crème glacée avec quelques garnitures à côté.

Deux personnes dans une piscine chaude du Strom Spa, avec de la neige et les arbres autour.

7- Relax in a spa with a view of the St. Lawrence River

Want to unwind after your meeting? Escape into nature…while still in the city! The Strøm Nordic Spa Old Québec offers an experience of total relaxation on the shores of the St. Lawrence River. Find out more! Several hotels and restaurants in Québec City have great deals with the Strøm Spa for a relaxing activity in an enchanting location.

8- Explore Québec’s culture with a concert or a show

Québec City has a vast cultural offering. Now that theatres are back in business, why not add music to your schedule? Located at Place D’Youville, the Palais Montcalm hosts wonderful concerts. This house of music has a world-class concert hall, the Salle Raoul-Jobin, which is among the best in the world because of its exceptional acoustics.

4 personnes de dos, sur le traversier Québec-Lévis qui regardent vers Québec. On voit bien le Château Frontenac.

9- Take in Québec City from the other shore

During your getaway in Petit-Champlain, use the opportunity to take the Québec-Lévis ferry! During your crossing, you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the historic character of Old Québec, Cap Diamant and the Fairmont Château Frontenac. The ferry is easily accessible and affordable!

10- Enjoy the outdoors on the Plains of Abraham

This one is free! Lace up your sneakers and go explore the Plains of Abraham, a huge urban park featuring a training track, asphalt roads, vast grassy areas, cliffside walking paths and variable height differences, not to mention the Cap-Blanc stairway with its 398 steps!