Quebec City in Winter: Snow Tubing, Snowshoeing, Ice Canoeing and the Carnival
5 min read
Winter is a main season in Quebec City, not a quiet one. The Winter Carnival runs from February 5 to 14, 2027, according to the Carnaval de Québec website. The outdoor activities below start either in the city or within about an hour of it, and most of them come with age limits you should read before you book.
Snow tubing at Valcartier
Snow tubing at Village Vacances Valcartier is the easiest family option. It costs €29.30 and has 172 reviews. The listing places the resort 20 minutes from Quebec City and says it is open by day and by night, and the ticket lets you enter at any time during operating hours. Valcartier’s own site lists the Winter Playground opening on December 18, 2026.
Height limits apply. Valcartier lists the Avalanche area as open to everyone, 1 metre for the Tornado and snow rafting slides and 1.32 metres for the Himalaya slides. The listing says it is not suitable for pregnant women. What is included beyond entry, such as parking or clothing, is mixed up in the includes list, so check the booking page. If you want to see the ice hotel at the same resort, read the Hôtel de Glace guide.
Snowmobiling, snowshoeing and skiing
The guided snowmobile tour lasts 1.5 hours and costs €136.86. It starts at Saint-Jean on the Île d’Orléans, about an hour’s drive from Quebec City, says the listing. Drivers must be 18 or over with a licence, two people share a snowmobile unless you pay for both seats, and children under 9 and pregnant women cannot take part. The listing also excludes wheelchair users, people with back problems and people over 140 kg.
The snowshoe day trip to Jacques-Cartier National Park costs €107.68. The schedule on the listing has a 9 a.m. departure from Quebec City and a 4 p.m. return, with round-trip transport, equipment, park admission, lunch and a hot drink. It excludes children under 8 and people with mobility impairments. There is also a boreal forest snowshoe hike in the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve at Camp Mercier, a different area from the national park, priced at €107.68. It includes lunch and hot chocolate, transport from Old Quebec leaves at 9 a.m. from Place d’Armes, and it also excludes children under 8. For a first lesson on skis, the cross-country skiing introduction at Camp Mercier costs €107.68 and excludes children under 8.
On the river and in the city
The ice canoeing experience on the St. Lawrence costs €184.77 and has 83 reviews. Its listing describes 1.5 hours on the water and ice, with equipment, hot chocolate and a Nordic sauna afterwards. It starts at Boulevard Champlain, around a 15-minute drive from downtown. If the weather is poor or the minimum is not reached, the listing offers another date or a full refund. It excludes children under 12, and free cancellation ends 4 days ahead rather than 24 hours. A sunset version, the sunset ice canoe, costs €146.54 and has the same age limit.
The guided fat bike tour is a new listing at €107.68. It follows the frozen Old Port and the Bassin Louise to Domaine de Maizerets, where the description mentions hot chocolate and a snack. Groups are limited to 8.
| Activity | Starts from | Minimum age or limit on the listing | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snow tubing | Valcartier, 20 minutes away | Height limits by slide | €29.30 |
| Snowmobile tour | Île d’Orléans | 9 years; drivers 18 | €136.86 |
| Snowshoe day trip | Quebec City pickup | 8 years | €107.68 |
| Ice canoeing | Boulevard Champlain | 12 years | €184.77 |
| Fat bike tour | Rue Saint-Paul | Must be able to ride a bike | €107.68 |
All 12 winter offers start at €20.39 on the Quebec winter activities page.
Our verdict
Families with children should start with snow tubing, because Valcartier sets height limits by slide rather than an age minimum, while several other activities here exclude young children. For adults, ice canoeing is the most distinctive activity in the city itself. The snowshoe trips are full days with transport from the city; for snowmobiling you get yourself to the Île d’Orléans, about an hour’s drive each way, so plan half a day. For a quieter option, try a Nordic spa afterwards, and dress in layers for every one of these.
