Planes, Trains, Automobiles & Carriage

We’ve been back from our family vacation in Toronto/Quebec for 3 weeks now.  I’ve been meaning to share this post a lot sooner but things got in the way.  But, it’s better late than never and here’s a recap of how we got to Quebec through planes, trains, automobiles, and a carriage.

Both hubby and I love to travel.  As a matter of fact, we met while cruising the Mediterranean Sea.  While dating and after we got married, we visited Greece, Italy, France, Spain, China, Vietnam, Turkey, and Croatia.  Since having the twins we had to put the brakes on our love for travel.  If you have kids, you know exactly what I’m talking about.  If you don’t, I think you know what I’m talking about.

Since having the twins, we do our best to take vacations twice a year: one with them and the other would just be the two of us.  We live in Los Angeles but hubby’s family is in Toronto so we make an effort to visit his family at least once a year.  This year, in addition to seeing his family we decided to venture out to visit Quebec City, which is 6-7 hours away from his hometown.  

Instead of driving 6 hours we decided to experience the modern day of the Orient Express.  I’ve never been on a long train ride and nor have the twins.  Besides, they love trains so it would be the perfect opportunity for them to experience.

Day 1

Two days after we arrived at my in-law’s home we woke up at crack of dawn to catch a bus that would take us to the subway station so that we can get to the train station to board the train.  We boarded the train at 9:30 am in Toronto, stopped in Montreal for 2 hours, and then arrived in Old Quebec City at 8:30pm.  

The B&B was closing at 9pm but there was no taxi cabs that would seat up to 5 passengers in sight.  Uber didn’t offer that option either.

So, thanks to our B&B a mini van showed up 20 minutes later to pick us at from the train station.

Did I mention that it was raining and windy that morning (weather.com did not see that one coming)!? We were also hungry and tired, but we had to check in first before the B&B closes to avoid being hotelless (it’s a word now).  

Stopped by a few shops but they were all closed by 9pm with the exception of 2.  We bought some sweat jackets to keep us warm.  

Then we had the most terrible dinner…EVER. It was bad, really really bad.  I had firsthand experience of what eating canned clams in smashed linguine, meatless meatballs spaghetti in canned sauce, and gravy on rack of lamb was like.  The anorexic eggplant parmigiana was offensive too.  They asked, we answered, “your food was terrible”.  They gave us booze to soothe our taste buds…that didn’t work because no booze can cure bad food!

Not coming back to this pricey restaurant…EVER!

No sightseeing that night because we were tired and went to bed hangry.

Day 2

The rain wouldn’t stop raining.  With our oversize sweat jackets blocking the gusty winds, we trudged through the rainy streets to hunt for rain ponchos.  

Thanks to the rain ponchos we were able to walk to meander around amazing little shops in really old buildings and enjoyed some ice cream and coffee to calm our nerves.

After lunch, we decided to hop on a carriage to do some sight seeing since the rain didn’t want to stop.  After 40 minutes of ride through this beautiful quaint town our spirits were lifted.

The rain then stopped and we happily walked through the town and accidentally ended up at the Music Festival up the street.  Then walked back because no kids were allowed due to booze being served.  No complaints…really enjoyed the nice walk together.

Dinner was great and we went to sleep happy!

Day 3

Woke up at 6 and left our B&B at 6:30 to catch an 8 o’clock train.  Yes, that also took all day and we did the automobile, train, subway, and bus to get home.  The twins were very tired but they were a trooper and really enjoyed the train rides.  

Although it took planes, trains, automobiles, and a carriage for us to visit Quebec in such a short period of time, we managed to enjoy ourselves and made memories despite the rain and gusty winds. 

If you are looking for a long weekend getaway, I highly recommend Old Quebec City.  It’s a beautiful, charming place with so much history and character.

Sleep

There are so many quaint B&B’s but we chose Manoir de la Terrasee because they are centrally located at the crossroads of Quebec City’s best restaurants, activities and attractions.  Also, they are only steps away from Château Frontenac in the heart of Old Quebec.

Eat

If you are in Quebec City you have to dine at Aux Anciens Canadians, an authentic Quebec cuisine featuring regional produce.  Built in 1675, the oldest house in Quebec and has been transformed into a restaurant.  The restaurant has five dining rooms and decorated with antiques and collectors’ items.  You won’t be disappointed.

Restaurant 1640 is another great restaurant that you have to try.  Look for the red roof restaurant that is right across from Château Frontenac.

For coffee breaks, stop by Cafe La Maison Smith, great cappuccino, macarons and excellent service.

Fun

Do the carriage ride ($95 CAD for 40 minutes) if you want to hit every street and corner of Old Quebec City.  You will instantly feel you are being transported back in time.

Visit Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica-Cathedral, it was truly breathtaking.  Then head over to the boardwalk with lots of old canons by the St. Lawrence river to take in the views.

Given the weather, we weren’t able to visit as many places as we had hoped.  Next time, we will double check the weather and stay longer so that we can fully immerse ourselves in the Québécois culture.