Things to do and not to do while visiting Ville de Québec

Other than the obvious attractions in Vieux-Québec itself, do...

1) Visit l'île d'Orléans. Give yourself lots of time to discover the local produce, to look for art, to go antiquing, or whatever suits your taste. There is an amazing sculpture garden at the east end of the island (furthest from the bridge) next to the church. www.iledorleans.com

2) Visit at least one waterfall.

La Chute Montmorency which is closest to town is the most accessible. You have the choice of taking the cable car (for $6 one-way or $8 return) or walking up the steps. The fun of getting all wet near the base of the falls is entirely optional. Although it's one and a half times higher than Niagara Falls, it's obviously not one and a half times as impressive, so one should not expect too much, but it's fun nonetheless.

For a short (45 min) family stroll in the woods, Canyon Ste-Anne is more enjoyable. The fact that the trees are marked telling you what they are (e.g. eastern hemlock, yellow birch) can be quite educational. www.canyonste-anne.qc.ca

If you have more time, Les Sept Chutes nearby is another family friendly location offering more to explore. www.septchutes.com

Do not...

1) Get your left rear-view mirror busted by a passing vehicle while parallel parked on the right side of the street. This happened to me.

2) Have too high expectations if you have come from or have visited Europe before. Vieux-Québec is old and historic but not that old. This is North America after all. All the things about it being like Europe are true, but only to an extent. Remember that it's only 400 years old.

3) Be surprised that Québec is referred to as the national capital. The sign on the way into the city clearly states you are entering "la région de la capitale nationale". My first reaction was, "Isn't that the same thing they put on the sign on the way into Ottawa?" In fact, the sign on the way to Ottawa tells you that you are entering "la région de la capitale du Canada". A small but subtle difference indeed.

4) Be shocked that many establishments such as restaurants do not accept credit cards, or accept only certain credit cards. There appears to be a strong preference for vendors to collect payments in cash in Québec which would make it harder to keep track of revenues accurately I suppose.