Canada, North America
Quebec City in March
The ice hotel usually runs into March and sugar shacks open for maple season, but slush takes over the streets as the month goes on.
The straight answer
March is a quiet, good-value month to visit Quebec City. The ice hotel usually runs into March and sugar shacks open for maple season, but slush takes over the streets as the month goes on.
- Weather
- Cold and thawing, highs near 33F (1C)
- Crowds
- 2 of 5
- Prices
- 2 of 5
What March is like in Quebec City
March is cold and thawing, with highs near 33F (1C). Early in the month the city still looks like winter, and the ice hotel usually stays open. As the weeks pass, slush takes over the streets and the snow turns gray. Crowds are light, prices soften, and maple season begins as sugar shacks open for the year.
It suits budget travelers, food lovers keen on maple treats, and anyone who wants the ice hotel without Carnival crowds. It is a weaker pick for postcard snow scenes later in the month. For crisp winter, choose February; for warm walking weather, wait for June.
Make the most of March
What is especially good about Quebec City this month.
Sugar shack season
Maple sugar shacks open around March, serving hearty meals and maple taffy rolled on snow.
Last weeks of the ice hotel
Hotel de Glace usually runs into March, often with fewer visitors than in February.
Soft shoulder prices
Rooms inside the walls are easier to get and cheaper than in peak winter or summer.
What to pack for March
- Waterproof boots for slush
- A warm, water-resistant jacket
- Layers for changing temperatures
- Gloves and a hat
Our timing tip
Come in the first half of March for the best chance of clean snow and an open ice hotel, and book a sugar shack meal ahead on weekends.
Book Quebec City for March.
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- Hotels for March
Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Quebec CityOpens a hotel search for Quebec City in March, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
- Rentals on Vrbo
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Quebec CityWhole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
- Tours and tickets
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Quebec CityTimed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Quebec City for March. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Things to do in Quebec City
Old Quebec and the Fortifications
Walk the walls, then descend to Petit-Champlain by the Breakneck Stairs or the funicular. Early morning before cruise passengers arrive is best.
Chateau Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace
Often called the most photographed hotel in the world. The terrace boardwalk has river views year-round and a toboggan slide in winter.
Plains of Abraham
The 1759 battlefield is now the city's great park: festivals in summer, skiing and snowshoeing in winter.
Montmorency Falls
About 272 feet (83 m) high, roughly 100 feet taller than Niagara. Cable car, suspension bridge, and a frozen ice cone in winter.
Ile d'Orleans
A pastoral island of farms, orchards, and cideries. Summer and fall harvest are best; many producers close in winter.
Musee de la civilisation
The city's best museum, strong on Quebec and Indigenous history, and a good cold-day refuge.
Beat the crowds
- Walk Petit-Champlain and Place Royale before 10am or after 6pm: cruise ship passengers crowd the lower town midday from late summer through October.
- Stay inside the walls in the off-season, when rates drop; in July, the Saint-Roch and Montcalm neighborhoods offer better value a short walk away.
- For Carnival, visit on weekdays; weekend nights draw crowds from across the province.
- Book the Festival d'ete hotels as soon as festival dates are announced; Old Quebec's small hotels fill first.
Know before you go
- Old Quebec is fully open in winter: hotels, restaurants, and museums run year-round, and the city leans into the season rather than closing for it.
- Ile d'Orleans farm stands, cideries, and many rural attractions are seasonal, mostly open late spring through fall. Sugar shacks open in the maple season, roughly March and April.
- June 24 and July 1 are public holidays in Quebec. Some shops and services close; the celebrations themselves are free.
- The Montmorency Falls cable car and some trails run on a seasonal schedule; the site stays open in winter for views of the frozen falls.
Quebec City in March, quick answers
Is March a good time to visit Quebec City?
March is a quiet, good-value month to visit Quebec City. The ice hotel usually runs into March and sugar shacks open for maple season, but slush takes over the streets as the month goes on.
What is the weather like in Quebec City in March?
Cold and thawing, highs near 33F (1C).
Is Quebec City crowded in March?
March is one of the quieter months in Quebec City; most sights can be done without long waits.
Keep planning Quebec City.
The months either side, and the best one if this is not it.
Also at their best in March
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