Holiday season 2022 : Things to do in January in Quebec

Bye-Bye 2021!

We are ready to get on with January 2022 activities. And there’s plenty to choose from regarding activities in Quebec , as we’ve already proven over the past month. We invite you not to deprive yourself and to treat yourself. That’s what credit card points are for!

Fasten your hats, and let’s go!

Don’t you think that Quebec City knows how to showcase its activities? Would you like to see what it has prepared for January 2022 ?

First, we head for the Plains of Abraham, a playground with a breathtaking view of our beautiful river:

• Cross-country skiing (14 km with different levels of difficulty), snowshoeing (4 km), skating, sliding, walking (6.7 km).
• The beautiful Jardin Jeanne-d’Arc, which has recently been lit up, is also ideal for evening walks. Not a complicated activity at all. It’s funny to note that when the temperature is below normal, the lighting turns blue while above normal it turns red. But the story doesn’t say what happens when the weather shows seasonal normals. You can tell me.
• Then, a stop at one of the twenty or so “warm stations” set up here and there in the city’s neighbourhoods. I love these spaces that include a few chairs and logs around a fireplace. Bring your coffee, let’s talk.

• No excuses. If you have never seen the Ice Hotel in Val-Cartier, January invites you to do so. For a visit or to sleep there, the activity is unique in Quebec, even in America.
• And if you would rather take advantage of a hotel promotion to stay in the capital, that’s fine. The Best Western chain is offering one that runs until March.

• Do you have good cardio and want to maintain it? A climbing skins activity is now offered in the magnificent Montmorency boreal forest. It ends with a ski run at Stoneham resort in the Laurentian Park.
• If you are into adrenaline, you could also climb the waterfalls of the same name, which turn into a wall of ice in January. You can register for the activity or the introductory course by contacting the Manoir Montmorency. You can also discover the beauty of the Montmorency Falls Park by cable car, on foot or on snowshoes.

True to form, Montreal is a sight to behold.

• Now in its 12th year, Luminothérapie is once again taking up residence in the Quartier des Spectacles. Many activities have already started and will take place over a period of three months. Light trail, sound and light shows, dance.
• Take advantage of this opportunity to go skating near the Ferris wheel in the port of Old Montreal. Whether it’s on the refrigerated rink already open or the natural rink when conditions are optimal, you’ll love the atmosphere. No, January 2022 will not be sad and grey.
• For the night owls who are not afraid of the January cold, Igloo Fest is back this year with its “coldest dance floor in the world” activity, its igloo village and its après-ski parties. It should be great!

Do you know the Laval en blanc festival? Free activities for all in January 2022, such as ice fishing, fireworks, skating, and snow sculptures. Come on, let’s go out with the family.

To finish up in the area, I’ll let you in on a well-kept secret: the Ecomuseum Zoo in Ste-Anne de Bellevue. Located 30 minutes from downtown Montreal, you can meet Quebec wildlife inhabitants: red fox, gray wolf, snowy owl and others.

And you know what? The “Sunday at the Museum” activity is free on the first Sunday of the month. See you then, on January 2nd 2022! Book your tickets!

We invite you to discover Mount Gleason located in Warwick in the Bois-Francs region of Quebec. Very family oriented, this business offers several activities including skiing and its school, snowboarding, snowshoeing, alpine hiking, cross-country skiing and hiking trails. And that’s not to mention the tube slides!

Here they are:

• Tubes, TGV and CYCLONE
• Mini-corridor for the little ones (under 3 years old)
• Magic carpet lift
• Family zone with outdoor fireplace

We are going there for the Rikki Fest which will take place on January 29th and 30th 2022.

First of all for its ice canoe challenge, but also for the following activities: the dancing bus that moves through the streets of Rimouski, the kiters’ show! and the winter camping in the downtown area. Yes, you read that right. We have awesome ideas in Quebec.

Beginning on January 29th, 2022 for a period of two weeks, the St-Côme en glace Festival showcases numerous and magnificent ice sculptures that can be visited along Principale Street.

Many activities are added such as sliding, traditional music, shows and so on. An annual event for over 20,000 visitors.

While ice fishing can be practiced on most of Quebec ‘s lakes, and by the way, we have more than 500,000 of them, the activity in a small cabin on the Fjord is not commonplace.

At Okwari, the Fjord, we fish for groundfish or smelt. In the Ha-Ha Bay, every January we can find these ephemeral villages considered as one of the largest ice fishing sites in the world. Who is coming?

Did you know? That you can fly in a hot-air balloon in summer and winter? Yes, yes, in January.

The Magie de l’air company offers different packages from its base in St-Mathias-sur-le-Richelieu. The activity takes place very early in the morning or at the end of the day and lasts on average one hour. Of course, this does not include the preparation time and time when the champagne is poured.

Are we celebrating 2022?

In the forest or along the Loup River, miles of trails allow us to enjoy beautiful walks or cross-country skiing across bridges and footbridges.

We are in St-Paulin at the Baluchon Eco-Villégiature. The site offers many other activities such as horse-drawn carriage rides, horseback riding and dog sledding. That’s Quebec in January.

Go to Jacques-Cartier Park in Sherbrooke! To experience the Sparks activity, designed by Moment Factory. Until January 9th .

You will be entrusted with the mission of lighting up the city with the Sparks gang. Sound and light show, play area, campfires. Everything is free and you can book your time slot here.

We’re heading to the Village Beauceron in St-Prosper for a special skating session at the illuminated skate night. The event will take place on Saturday, January 15th from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

I love the fact that the family package is for parents and their children, regardless of the number of children.

This outing can also be accompanied by a visit to the manor with an explanatory video. It provides information on the lifestyle of the inhabitants in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Just an idea, Let’s say you had budgeted for a trip outside Canada. And that you just cancelled.

Would you be willing to try a January getaway that’s off the beaten path? Like taking a flight to Sept-Îles, who knows… with your Aeroplan or AIR MILES points, before boarding the Tshiuetin train?

You then descend to Schefferville where the northern lights may be waiting for you.

The railway is owned and operated by indigenous communities. The train journey takes at least 12 hours, depending on the number of stops. Because along the way, the train stops wherever it is flagged. An activity that takes us out of our comfort zone. To find out more, click here.

Shall we go winter biking in Gatineau Park? This activity is really popular throughout Quebec. Nearly 50 kilometres of easy to difficult trails will be shared with snowshoers when the snow comes in January 2022 . The condition of the trails can be checked here.

Otherwise, the Sentier du Petit Pingouin, a beautiful 5 km long winding skating rink located on the Touraine Golf Club grounds. Only 15 minutes from the city of Gatineau.

I leave you with this dozen of links listed by Québec Vacances to go slide inQuebec.

Then these for the other activities like skiing and snowboarding. You know, if you don’t see yourself traveling as much as you’d like, why not take on new activities or increase the frequency with that budget or those points? The important thing is to enjoy yourself.

Mont-Tremblant in the Laurentians has been voted the best ski center not only in Quebec but on the east coast of North America. It has 100 trails of which 22 are easy, 31 are difficult and 49 are for experts.

Mont Sainte-Anne, in the Quebec City area, offers 71 trails for all levels of skiers. In addition, 200 km of cross-country ski trails are available. You could even use your Marriott Bonvoy points to stay at the Delta Hotels Mont Sainte-Anne Marriott, Resort and Convention Centre.

Le Massif de Charlevoix. Here’s the ski resort with the most Instagrammable photos of all, thanks to the unrivalled view of the river. In addition, the site offers a toboggan activity… at night. The lighting? Your headlamp!

The vitality of its nightlife is also well established.

Bromont: A beautiful resort renowned for its hundred or so runs day and night and its impressive ski school (1000 lessons a day!). It is in fact the largest lighted ski area in America. Still. Shall we go there in January?

Mont Orford: Another Eastern Townships resort offering a wide range of sliding activities in addition to skiing or one of its three snow parks for snowboarders.

Sommet Saint-Sauveur: 2 slopes, 43 trails for all levels of skier. Some are reserved for the school slope and many are open in the evening, as are snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, tubing and sledding.

Owls Head: Like Le Massif de Charlevoix, this resort is known for its breathtaking views overlooking Lake Memphremagog. It has about 50 trails, meets the needs of different levels of skiers and is ranked 5th in Quebec for the highest vertical drop. Which places precede it? Charlevoix, Tremblant, Saint-Anne and in 4th place, Orford.

Stoneham: Affordable, close to Quebec City, Stoneham has 3 snow parks and over 40 ski trails, one of which is 3 km long. We particularly appreciate its hotel infrastructure at the foot of the slopes.

But why suggest mainly outdoor activities for January 2022?

Well first of all, because we still have to be vigilant about you know what.

But also because according to a recent research conducted by Aventure Écotourisme Québec, in collaboration with Événements Attractions Québec and SEGMA Recherche, we learned that:

• the phenomenon Quebecers turning to the province’s wildlife since the beginning of the pandemic seems to be there to stay. We want more.
• At the top of the list are the following activities: mountain hiking (54% of respondents) and sliding in different ways (46% of respondents).
• Skating, cross-country or mountain skiing and dog sledding follow.

So there’s no question of stopping this momentum towards health!

We wish you beautiful discoveries, red cheeks and plenty of fresh air.