Dreaming of a family road trip off the beaten path? We just spent 9 days in the Gaspé Peninsula with our three kids (Charlie, 8, Nicolas, 6, and Alaska, 4), and it was our very first time going further than Matane. We came home with our heads full of memories. These are different spots than what you usually see, and they're truly worth visiting as a family. Here's why, along with our full itinerary and every address you need to plan your own.
We set off from Parc du Massif du Sud on July 1st. Our first stop to stretch our legs: the lookout at Fromagerie des Basques, perfect for a picnic and for breaking up the drive into smaller chunks, especially with kids.
Our first real Gaspésie stop was Jardins de Doris. I'd been there with my mom years ago and had such fond memories of it, so I couldn't wait to share it with the kids. The little cottages, the stunning flowers, the trail, the giant pirate ship, the themed houses... and we even ran into the real Doris out gardening! We chatted with her for a few minutes — such a simple but memorable moment.
There are five of us, so we stayed in the little house right next to the inn: river view, balcony, two large bedrooms, and a sofa bed. We grilled hot dogs on the BBQ and had dinner outside at sunset. The kids even found a Uno deck and a chess set on site. A great start to the vacation.
The Projet Éole team welcomed us the next morning, just ten minutes from the inn. The site is home to a 110-metre vertical-axis wind turbine, the tallest of its kind in the world, and our guides took the time to answer all the kids' questions (and there were a lot!). We went up to the panoramic terrace overlooking the wind farm and the Chic-Chocs, toured the inside of the alternator to understand how a wind turbine works, and explored the permaculture garden set up on part of the site. A stop that captivated the kids just as much as us.
Next, we headed to Parc de la Gaspésie, with the Chic-Chocs as a backdrop the whole way — truly breathtaking. A quick sandwich stop in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts before continuing on.
At the Mont Lyall agate mine, we mined our own precious stones. It was hot, two open-pit sites awaited us, and everyone left with something beautiful in hand. An activity we highly recommend, especially since the drive there through the park is worth the detour on its own.
Since we were in the area, we made a quick stop at Chute Sainte-Anne, right off the road and perfect for stretching tired little legs, then headed to Lac-aux-Américains for a short 3.2 km walk with a view we'll never forget.
We spent the night at Camping Cap Aventure, on Cap-aux-Os beach. The next morning, we headed out kayaking in search of seals: two kayaks, one with two passengers, the other with three. Charlie lost his glasses in the water (oops, no big deal!), but we saw hundreds, maybe thousands of seals. Absolutely stunning. We wrapped up the morning with a swim at Cap-aux-Os.
A gourmet market bursting with fresh, local products, perfect for a quick lunch. We had sandwiches and a smoked salmon pizza, absolutely delicious, followed by homemade strawberry popsicles — kind of like a gourmet version of Mister Freeze.
A super cozy little apartment, with two lovely trails nearby, including the Pointe Verte trail with a view of Rocher Percé. The next morning's breakfast was fresh, flavourful, and packed with local products.
A relaxed morning at Thuya Spa, right at the hotel: once a week in summer, you can go as a family. A great way to unwind before what's next.
Next, we headed to Percé for a stop in front of the rock (still just as stunning), before making our way to our adventure stay at Folies Boréales: a treetop trail course, a reverse bungee jump, and a night in a bubble suspended in the forest. We dedicated a whole article to it since there's so much to tell — you can read it here: Folies Boréales in Percé: our family adventure stay in the Gaspé.
That evening, the outing with Croisière Cap Gaspé turned out to be my true favourite of the whole trip. Olivier, the owner, took the time to show the kids the different whale species, with brand new, colourful raincoats for the excursion. The zodiac ride, the adrenaline my kids love so much, and then a minke whale, porpoises, grey and harbour seals, almost all at once, under a sky that looked like a painting. A magical moment I'll never forget.
The next day, we headed back north, stopping at Parc Forillon for a trail and a waterfall, then at the Pointe-à-la-Renommée lighthouse, a stunning site full of history, for a short hike followed by a picnic. We continued along the coast, with photo stops at several lookouts, including Grande-Vallée, before spending the night in Mont-Saint-Pierre.
One last sweet stop: Le Sucre Glace, a gift shop with an artisan ice cream counter, right on the riverbank. The perfect sweet finish to this road trip.
Leaving the Gaspé, we treated ourselves to one last meal at the Riôtel Matane restaurant: a bit more upscale, with a river view at sunset. The detour for the scallops was well worth it — a lovely way to close the loop before heading back home.
* Approximate street number, to be confirmed before publishing.
Photographer, traveler, entrepreneur, content creator and mother, Lisa-Marie never miss an opportunity to go on an Adventure with her 3 kids and then share her discoveries with faventure community
@la_famille_faventure / 