How to Pack Warmly for Quebec City in Winter
- Maria DiCicco
- 4 days ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
Having just returned from a magical American Thanksgiving in Quebec's snowy winter wonderland, I'm sharing some first hand tips below for what to pack for the whole family for Quebec City in winter.
From November on, expect cold temps dropping well into the negative numbers (in Celsius) and hovering around the freezing point for the duration of winter. But don't let that stop you - Quebec City is full of fun activities for the winter weather from ice skating and snowshoeing to dog sledding, toboggan rides and so much more.
The only question is - how do you pack warmly?
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In this article discover:
What to Pack for Women for Quebec City in Winter
We have a saying in my house - "If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy". If mom is cold, the whole day could be shot. Set the tone for the family and pack the proper gear for your time in Quebec City in winter.
This includes proper outerwear, multiple layers, and an entire tote bag dedicated to corralling everyone's loose items when you go indoors. Some favorite products to consider packing are:
Top must-haves for winter for women include:
Hand Warmers
One small pouch lasts 10 hours or more, and can keep cold hands hot all day long. Pack enough for one per person per day. Get them here.
Layers, Layers, Layers
Your base layer
Top: An air wicking long sleeve top
Bottom: thermal bottoms or joggers
Layer 2
Top: A sweater or vest (think fleece or down)
Bottom: fleece lined pants or waterproof snow pants
I layered two pairs of pants on several days of my trip to Quebec in November. It may feel silly at first, but you'll thank yourself later. That said - don't bring skin tight jeans - you need room to layer.
Layer 3
A down jacket or thick knee-length sweater. Make sure that this layer is comfortable for shopping indoors. You may be darting from the car to the mall in this and you won't want to carry your heavy outer coat!
Layer 4
A waterproof, insulated overcoat with a hood. The longer your jacket is, the more comfortable you will be. Below is an example of me and my mother on a snow day!
A Catch-all Tote for Gloves, Hats and Scarves
This puffy tote from Bagsmart comes in multiple colors and matches your puffer jacket vibes. Stash all your winter essentials for Quebec in here and keep the missing items to a minimum when you sit down to a cafe for lunch.
Burt's Bees Vanilla Maple Lip Balm
This particular limited edition flavor is perfect for Quebec! I got the four pack before my trip, which includes Chai, Pumpkin Spice and Pomegranate too.
A Tip for Dressing Up
If you want to dress up at all, consider a sweater dress or a lightweight blouse that you can cover with a nice sweater. Optionally, a basic black top with one of your scarves as a shawl can be a very simple and lovely look!
Pair your fancier tops with fleece lined dress pants and an optional thermal layer underneath.
For more specifics like types of scarves and boots, keep reading - the whole family needs to be bundled up the same!
Slippers for Everyone
Don't forget to pack slippers for your hotel room or apartment stays. Cold floors feel even colder with damp socks from a day out.
If you do forget, Canadians pride themselves on their moccasins, so try to pick up a souvenir pair while you are there!
Pro Tip: pack two pairs of socks per day, per person. You'll want to swap out those damp socks before going out again for dinner!
What to Pack for Kids for Quebec City in Winter
If there is one thing I can guarantee, it is that your kids will be touching snow, eating snow, throwing snow, and laying in snow about every second of every day. At least my kid did on our recent visit. We're from Florida so snow is a hot commodity!
That said, everything for your child needs to be waterproof, unless you want them to freeze all day, and never let them leave the car or hotel without gloves and a hat.
Top must-haves for winter for kids include:
Hat and Mitten Clips
Kids can barely keep track of their stuffed animals and toys, let alone gloves and hats. These handy mitten clips attach around the neck, at the sleeve, or wherever you deem fit so as to not lose a glove or two in your daily travels.
Warm, Waterproof Gloves
Pack several pairs of waterproof gloves - skip the skimpy cotton ones. My daughter prefers mittens because she struggles with getting her little fingers into the finger holes!
A Neck Gaiter or Oversized Blanket Scarf
A kid's neck gaiter is a good option if your child gets frustrated with constantly wrapping and tying up a scarf. Scarves can be a great option though for versatility, especially if they are large shawl style scarves. Once indoors, they can wrap themselves up in it like a blanket at the dinner table. I got my daughter a rainbow colored one, and she loves it!
Snow Pants
My six year old daughter loves to dress up, but after the first day of wearing just a dress and tights around town she quickly realized that her Florida winter wear wasn't going to cut it in the cold white north. Skip the tights, skip the skimpy leggings and focus on thick lined pants or jeans plus a snow pants outer layer.
You may be tempted to buy the cute bib overall style, but with so many layers, kids will quickly get frustrated trying to get them down for the bathroom.
Insulated Waterproof Boots
This goes for everyone - find the best boots you can and don't mind the price. Cold feet are the worst. I recommend a boot your child can get on and off themselves, with a pull cord to tighten.
These boots are a good option, or we found a great pair with velcro siding that made getting them on even easier. Purchase a size or two larger than they normally wear to accommodate for socks and future seasons as they grow.
A Hat That Covers Their Ears and Tiny Faces
Kids need to protect those little innocent faces and a good fleece lined hat with ear flaps is the best way to go. Simple and cute!
Tip: make sure the hat fits with a hood pulled over it. When it is snowing, this will keep the hat dry. I also found out the hard way that one of the hats I packed was too small for my little one's head this way, it kept slipping off!
What to Pack for Men for Quebec City in Winter
I don't know if it's all men, or just the men in my family, but they always act like the cold doesn't get to them. Bundle up anyway!
Top must-haves for winter for men include:
A hat that covers the ears
A lined hat (fleece lined is a good choice) OR a cabbie hat with ear flaps. They may look like a duck hunter but they'll be warm! At a minimum, men should have a hood! You'll be outside a lot visiting Quebec's Christmas markets, ice skating, whatever - and you'll need it!
A warm scarf that can cover the neck and face
Optionally, a neck gaiter is a good take for men who don't want to fuss with scarves.
Windproof, Waterproof Pants
Once jeans get wet, you're donezo. Stay warm with fleece lined jeans for dry days and waterproof pants on snowy days.
Insulated Waterproof Boots
Leather sounds attractive, but my dad kept saying he needed to double up his socks. Go for a more tactical boot with a good grip for icy and slippery hills. There will be snow on the ground, so be sure they can get wet and keep your feet warm.
Heavy Duty Thermal Socks
Cold feet can make or break your vacation. Choose a good set of thermal socks and pack wisely!
A Puffer Vest
My dad loved his puffy down vest and wore it every day as his second layer over an air wicking long sleeve top. It's a great look for men who can overheat easily. My mother also wore a vest as her second layer and they both looked great and stayed warm!
Tips for Getting the Gear You Need
You can actually rent winter weather gear in Quebec, but why lose out on an opportunity to purchase inexpensive and long-lasting winter wear you can use for many seasons to come?
I recommend stocking up on essentials prior to your arrival, and then once you arrive there are two really cheap ways to get the fillers you may need:
Walmart
There are many of them scattered around Quebec. There you can purchase outerwear, heavy duty snow boots, and even ice skates! Many of the ice skating rinks are free to access with your own skates, or you can always rent.
Dollarama
Another Quebec stable, this dollar store doesn't seem to go over $5 CAD for anything in it. We purchased multiple scarves, waterproof gloves for the whole family, hats, and even thermal underwear. This stop is a must for little odds and ends, and they have an excellent selection of Christmas decor, crafts and toys!
Shopping Malls
Galeries de la Capitale is a great mall for warming up your bones, and there is a Dollarama there. Find numerous stores selling long puffer jackets for as little as $30 US and plenty of holiday cheer if you visit from November to the New Year.
Laurier mall is another local option for browsing shops, and there is a Walmart on site for filling in the gaps.
Lastly, Luggage
Be sure to bring luggage you can rely on. LEVEL8 is a great brand to consider for this type of adventure, where you can rely on their line of quality luggage with great wheels. Dragging bags across snow and ice - on hills - is not fun. Keep it simple and go for a good brand you can trust!
Items Mentioned in this Article: The Packing List for Quebec City in WinterWomenKidsKid's Boots (Option 2, Velcro) Men |
I know you pride yourself for traveling with only carry-ons... were you able to get all these winter items into carry-ons for the plane or did you have to check bags for this adventure?