Quebec overflows with historical and cultural attractions, along with family-friendly destinations. This short itinerary will take you from the big city of Montreal out to a couple of the province’s most charming towns.

1. Montreal

Starting Point • Entertainment, Food, History

Start your trip in the colorful capital of French-speaking Canada, Montreal, which offers a fascinating blend of North American informality with an unmistakable French touch, complete with cobbled streets and charming cafés and shops. Highlights include the old port area, Vieux-Port, not far from the gorgeous gothic-revival Notre-Dame Basilica. It’s also home to the oldest art museum in the country, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

2. Granby

Drive 50 miles, 58 minutes • Entertainment, Sports, Quirky

Head east to Granby, a quiet town known for its large, dirt-track Autodrome Granby and the annual Granby International antique car exhibition, touted as the largest of its kind in Canada. Visitors also come to the Granby Zoo, which showcases exotic animals and offers numerous educational talks. Other on-site activities include camel rides, an amusement park, a seasonal water park and even robotic dinosaur performances.

3. Sherbrooke

Drive 56 miles, 1 hour •  History, Outdoor Recreation, Quirky

Continue east to Sherbrooke, the last stop on your Quebecois sojourn. This charming city has the right combination of urban attractions and natural interludes. Popular attractions include Strøm Spa, with gorgeous hot outdoor pools open year-round and the local historical society, which traces back the area’s cultural history. For outdoors enthusiasts, Fatbikes offers special fat-tire bicycles that can be used to explore area trails throughout the year, even in the snow.