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Painted snowy highway at dusk with one car heading toward glowing villages and hills beyond Montreal
Road Trip

Top 10 Day Trips and Weekend Escapes from Montreal in December 2026

6 min read

December is when the city starts to feel small in the best way. The days are short, the snow is (hopefully) on its way, and every town within a few hours of Montreal lights up for the season. This list is for getting out: a German Christmas market in Old Quebec, the lights on Parliament Hill, a pioneer village glowing at night, ski hills, a spa by a river and a sugar shack serving holiday turkey.

We picked places we would happily drive to on a Saturday, then checked each one on its official page on November 8. For every pick you get a rough drive time from downtown and, where one exists, a way to get there without a car. Snow and ski plans depend on the weather, so check before you leave.

1 German Christmas Market, Quebec City

Painted Christmas market stalls glowing in a snowy old stone square at night, gloved hands holding steaming mugs

Old Quebec turns into a string of wooden kiosks for five weeks, spread over six sites: Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville and its gardens, Place d’Armes, rue Sainte-Anne, Place D’Youville and the back courtyard of Holy Trinity Cathedral. Go for a cup of Glühwein, a fresh pretzel and a slow walk between the squares as the lights come on. Entry is free. It is open Thursday to Sunday, plus a final push from December 21 to 23. Book a hotel and make it a weekend, or catch an early train and come home late.

When
Nov 19 to Dec 23, 2026. Thu to Sat 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sun 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Dec 20 until 9 p.m.), Dec 21 and 22 until 9 p.m., Dec 23 until 8 p.m.
Where
Six sites in Old Quebec, around Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville
Getting there
About 2 h 45 to 3 h by car (Highway 20). VIA Rail about 3 h 15 to 3 h 30; Orléans Express bus about 3 h.
Price
Free entry

Official website mnaq.ca

2 Ottawa weekend: Winter Lights and the Christmas Market at Lansdowne

Painted Gothic parliament building lit in coloured lights on a snowy night, small figures walking in front

Ottawa is close enough for a long day and easy enough for a weekend. Winter Lights Across Canada lights up Parliament Hill, museums and embassies along Confederation Boulevard every evening from December 7, 2026 to January 7, 2027. Pair it with the Ottawa Christmas Market on Aberdeen Plaza at Lansdowne in the Glebe: wooden vendor cabins, local goods, hot food and drinks, and live performances, with free entry. The December market dates are the 11th to 13th, the 18th to 20th, and New Year’s Eve. Take the train, walk the Hill after dark, and save Lansdowne for the next afternoon.

When
Winter Lights: every evening, Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 7, 2027. Market: Dec 11 to 13, 18 to 20 and Dec 31
Where
Parliament Hill and Confederation Boulevard; Aberdeen Plaza, Lansdowne
Getting there
About 2 h by car. VIA Rail about 2 h to Ottawa station.
Price
Market entry is free

Official website canada.ca

3 Alight at Night, Upper Canada Village

Painted 1800s village of wooden houses and a church covered in lights, a horse-drawn carriage on a snowy lane

A living-history village near Morrisburg, Ontario, covered in lights after dark. You walk past more than 40 historic buildings. Extras include a miniature toy train ($8, paid at the station) and horse-drawn carriage rides ($200 per carriage for up to four, booked ahead). Tickets are timed and must be bought online in advance, and the village warns that most nights sell out, so book before you pick a date. Dress for standing outside: it is a walking tour, and weather closures are posted on the village’s social media and emailed to ticket holders. Parking is free.

When
5 to 9 p.m. on Dec 3 to 6, 10 to 13, 17 to 23, and Dec 26, 2026 to Jan 2, 2027 (no dates Dec 24 and 25)
Where
13740 County Road 2, Morrisburg, Ontario
Getting there
About 1 h 30 to 1 h 45 by car
Price
Adults $18, seniors $17, students 13 to 17 $16, youth 5 to 12 $15, under 5 free, plus HST

Official website uppercanadavillage.com

4 Tremblant, early-season skiing

Painted gondola rising over a snowy mountain village at dawn, with tiny skiers on pink-lit slopes

Tremblant opens its 2026-27 season with an Opening Day event on Thursday, November 26, at the base of the Express Gondola, with music and first runs. By December, a day trip means leaving Montreal before sunrise, getting early laps in, and driving home in the dark. How many runs are open in December depends entirely on snow and cold, so check the resort’s mountain report the night before. The resort also lists more than 52 days of winter events, so look at its calendar before you go.

When
Season opening day Nov 26, 2026; December terrain depends on snow
Getting there
About 90 minutes (125 km) by car. Car-free: the resort lists a direct shuttle from Montréal-Trudeau airport.
Good to know
Weather-dependent. Check conditions before you drive.

Official website tremblant.ca

5 Strøm Nordic Spa, Saint-Sauveur

Painted steaming outdoor pool by a snowy river at dusk, with a lit footbridge and a glowing glass pavilion

Strøm’s Saint-Sauveur spa sits on both banks of the Rivière à Simon, and it is getting much bigger. Strøm says the expansion, which doubles capacity, begins in December 2026. It adds an indoor pavilion with a steam bath, cold bath, exfoliation room and Epsom salt flotation bath, plus a lazy-river-style thermal river. The exact opening day of the new section has not been posted, and Strøm calls late 2026 an estimate that may change. The current spa and its Nord restaurant stay open during the work, so the hot-cold-rest cycle in the snow is on either way.

Where
Saint-Sauveur, on the Rivière à Simon
Getting there
About 45 minutes by car
Good to know
New indoor pavilion: opening date to be confirmed. Regular expansion entry listed from $85 (Mon to Thu) to $110 (any day).

Official website stromspa.com

6 Baie-Saint-Paul Christmas Market

Painted village street with lit market kiosks and old wooden houses on a snowy evening, dark hills behind

This one is a weekend, not a day trip, and it is worth it. Le Festif! de Baie-Saint-Paul sets up lit kiosks along rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste, in the heart of the village, with local makers, shows and family activities. The December weekend runs Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Drive up Friday for the evening opening, take your time at the market on Saturday, and catch the Sunday morning hours before the long drive home. Pack warm boots: the kiosks are all outdoors.

When
Dec 4, 5 to 8 p.m.; Dec 5, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Dec 6, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (also Nov 27 to 29)
Where
Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Baie-Saint-Paul
Getting there
About 4 h by car to Charlevoix

Official website lefestif.ca

7 Village illuminé, Village Québécois d'Antan

Painted old farmhouses and a wooden church outlined in lights at night, a horse-drawn sleigh passing in snow

Drummondville’s heritage village of old Quebec houses opens in the evening for the holidays, with traditional dancing every 30 minutes from 5:30 p.m., live music at the chalet, and carols in the church from December 20 to 23. One thing to check: the English page lists “Saturdays, December 6 and 13”, but those dates are Sundays in 2026. The French page lists Saturdays December 5 and 12, which match the calendar, so we use those. Confirm with the village before you go. Ticket prices have not been posted yet.

When
5 to 10 p.m. on Sat Dec 5 and 12 (per the French page), then Dec 19 to 31, closed Dec 25
Where
Rue Montplaisir, Drummondville (ticket office at 1370)
Getting there
Under 1 h 30 by car
Price
To be confirmed; tickets go on sale Nov 19

Official website villagequebecois.com

8 Knowlton and the Brome-Missisquoi Christmas markets

Painted village shopfronts with glowing windows and wreaths on a snowy evening, a frozen lake in the distance

Brome-Missisquoi, in the Eastern Townships, runs nine village Christmas markets between November 28 and December 13, so you can stack two in one Saturday. In Lac-Brome (Knowlton is one of its seven villages), the Folie de minuit keeps merchants open from 5 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, December 12. Earlier that day, Frelighsburg and Abercorn run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Cowansville and Dunham are on that weekend too, and Bromont’s Festif runs December 5 and 6. Grab a coffee and a pastry in Knowlton, poke around an antique shop, then stay for the late-night lights.

When
Nine markets, Nov 28 to Dec 13, 2026. Lac-Brome Folie de minuit: Sat Dec 12, 5 p.m. to midnight
Where
Lac-Brome (Knowlton), Bromont, Cowansville, Dunham, Frelighsburg and other villages
Getting there
Knowlton is a little over 1 h by car

Official website tourismebrome-missisquoi.ca

9 Oka National Park, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing

Painted snowshoe trail through a pine forest toward a frozen lake in low winter sun, one small figure far ahead

A Sépaq national park about 45 minutes from downtown. In winter, the Sépaq park has cross-country ski, snowshoe, winter hiking and fat bike trails, plus snowshoe and ski rentals and a waxing room, so you can show up without gear. The snowshoe trails start from the Calvaire area. Trail openings depend on snow cover, and the 2026 winter opening dates had not been posted when we checked, so look at the Sépaq site before you leave. Bring a thermos and dress in layers.

Where
Oka, in the Laurentians
Getting there
About 45 minutes by car. Car-free: REM to Deux-Montagnes, then an exo bus (about 2 h from downtown; check exo for winter times).
Price
Adults $10.10 plus tax per day; 17 and under free
Good to know
Snow-dependent. Check trail conditions before you go.

Official website sepaq.com

10 Sucrerie de la Montagne, Rigaud

Painted log sugar shack in a snowy maple forest at dusk, chimney smoke and a horse-drawn sleigh outside

A traditional sugar shack in Rigaud that is open all year, not just in spring. The holiday feast is all-you-can-eat: barley soup, farm bread, meat pie, maple-glazed turkey, meatball stew, wood-fired beans, then sugar pie and pancakes. The horse-drawn shuttle and live music need minimum group sizes, so ask what applies to your booking. New Year’s Eve is a separate party from 8 p.m., with tickets online. The holiday page does not name the year, so confirm the menu and prices when you reserve.

Where
300 chemin Saint-Georges, Rigaud
Getting there
About 45 minutes by car
Price
Holiday meal: $59 (13+), $30 (7 to 12), $25 (3 to 6), taxes extra. New Year's Eve $97.35 (13+)
Good to know
Reserve by email or at 450-451-0831

Official website sucreriedelamontagne.com

Pack a thermos, top up the washer fluid, and check road conditions before you go. Know a December day trip we missed? Tell us, and we may add it next year.

Checked on November 8, 2026. Details can change, so confirm on the official page before you go.

Questions people ask

What are the best day trips from Montreal without a car in December?

Quebec City and Ottawa are the easiest. VIA Rail takes about 2 hours to Ottawa and roughly 3 hours 15 minutes to 3 hours 30 minutes to Quebec City, and Orléans Express buses also run to Quebec City in about 3 hours. For Tremblant, the resort lists a direct shuttle from Montréal-Trudeau airport.

Which Christmas markets near Montreal are worth a day trip in 2026?

The German Christmas Market in Old Quebec runs November 19 to December 23, 2026, with free entry. Ottawa's market at Lansdowne opens December 11 to 13, 18 to 20 and on the 31st. Brome-Missisquoi has nine village markets between November 28 and December 13, and Baie-Saint-Paul's runs December 4 to 6.

When does skiing start at Tremblant for the 2026-27 season?

Tremblant lists its Ski Season Opening Day for Thursday, November 26, 2026, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the base of the Express Gondola. How much terrain is open in December depends on snow and temperatures, so check the resort's mountain report before you drive up, about 90 minutes from Montreal.

Sources

Images are AI illustrations, not photos of the places or people featured.

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