Quebec City Scavenger Hunt and City Highlights Walking Tour

Old Quebec turns sightseeing into a game. This app-led walk gives you a lively way to see major sights, solve clues, and keep younger members of your group interested. I especially like the freedom to pause and restart whenever you wish, and the way the photo challenges and questions turn ordinary sightseeing into something active. At $15.90 per person, it is also a low-cost choice for families and friends.

The main catch is practical: you need a phone with mobile data to play. One couple paid for two people, but one person could not participate because his phone had no data. You also get an English-language experience only, and the route does not include every major Quebec City sight, such as the Citadel or Plains of Abraham.

Quick reasons to consider this Quebec City walk

• You control the pace: Pause for lunch, coffee, photos, or a longer look at a church or square, then continue when ready.
• The route mixes famous and easy-to-miss sights: You visit the Champlain Monument, Petit-Champlain, Place Royale, and large public murals.
• The app gives you more than directions: You find locations, answer questions based on signs and images, and complete creative photo tasks.
• It works well for families: Children and teens can take charge of navigation and earn points as they go.
• The experience is private: Only your own group participates, with no guide or strangers setting the pace.
• The average time is one to two hours: You can make it a brisk introduction or stretch it with pauses.

What this $15.90 experience actually is

This is not a traditional walking tour led by a person. After booking, you receive an access code for the Explorial app. You download the app, go to the Monument Samuel-De Champlain, and begin the game there.

The app sends you toward selected sights with clues and a map. At each location, you answer questions tied to what you can see around you. Look closely at signs, images, and public artwork, because the information you need is often right in front of you.

You also get photo challenges. These ask you to create playful snapshots, then award points when you complete them. That small competitive element changes the mood. Instead of simply following a guide through Old Quebec, you and your group have a reason to stop, look, discuss, and laugh.

The tour takes about two hours, though the experience is not limited to a fixed time window. You can stop and start at your own pace. The published operating hours run from midnight to 11:30 p.m. daily during the available period, April 23, 2022 through December 10, 2026. The useful point is flexibility, not the unusual late-night time shown in the schedule.

Starting at the Samuel-De Champlain Monument

The meeting point is the Monument Samuel-De Champlain on Escalier Frontenac in Quebec City. This gives you an immediate Old Quebec setting and places you near several important sights.

The opening task helps you get moving without a formal check-in or a guide gathering the group. You follow the app’s directions, find the first location, and begin solving. For adults, that is simple. For children, handing over the map and clue work can make them feel like the leaders of the expedition.

The starting point also gives you a useful introduction to the city’s historic core. You are not just walking from one random checkpoint to another. The route connects places linked to Quebec City’s public spaces, early settlement, art, and identity.

Bring a charged phone. More important, make sure the phone has mobile data. The app depends on your device, and the experience can fail for someone in your group if that person cannot access the game.

Stop 1: Monument Samuel-De Champlain

The Samuel-De Champlain Monument is both your starting point and your first chance to settle into the game. The tasks here ask you to observe rather than simply listen, which is one of the better features of an app-based tour.

You may need to inspect the monument or nearby information to answer a question. The point is not to memorize a long lecture. You discover details by looking at the place itself, then use the answer to move ahead.

I like this format for groups with mixed interests. One person can read the clue, another can check the map, and someone else can inspect the surroundings. A traditional guide may give you more background, but this game gives everyone a small job.

Stop 2: Parc de la Chute-Montmorency

Parc de la Chute-Montmorency appears among the named stops. That name may surprise you because Montmorency Falls is outside the compact old town area, while the rest of the listed route centers on Old Quebec.

The supplied tour information does not explain whether this stop means a visit to the waterfall park itself or an app task connected with the location name. You should check the route inside the app before booking if seeing Montmorency Falls is important to your plans.

That uncertainty is worth noting because the tour is otherwise easy to understand. It starts and ends at the Samuel-De Champlain Monument, and the remaining stops form a clear Old Quebec sightseeing path. Do not treat this activity as a substitute for a separate trip to the falls unless the app confirms that connection.

Stop 3: Quartier Petit-Champlain

Petit-Champlain is one of the most rewarding parts of this walk. The quarter has a strong sense of place, with streets and buildings that make the route feel distinct from a standard city-center stroll.

Here, the scavenger hunt gives you a reason to slow down and look around. You might normally hurry through an attractive lane while taking a few photos. The questions ask you to notice details, and the map keeps the group focused on the next point.

This is also where the family angle makes sense. Younger participants can search for visual clues while adults help with answers. The activity keeps the walk from becoming a simple march between landmarks.

The trade-off is that the app cannot adjust its explanation to your interests. A human guide could answer follow-up questions about architecture, local life, or the quarter’s past. With this tour, you get short tasks and whatever information the app provides.

Stop 4: Fresque du Petit-Champlain

The Fresque du Petit-Champlain adds public art to the route. Large murals reward a closer look, and they work especially well for this type of activity because the answers can be tied to visible images and details.

This stop also shows why the tour is more than a basic directions app. You are not only being told where to go. You are asked to study a place and respond to it. The photo challenges fit naturally here too, since the mural provides a strong backdrop for creative group pictures.

Keep your group together while completing photo tasks. A playful picture may take a few tries, and it is easy for one person to rush ahead while everyone else is working on the challenge.

Stop 5: Place Royale

Place Royale gives the route another major public square and a change of mood from Petit-Champlain. It is a useful stop for understanding how Quebec City’s historic center is organized around open spaces as well as narrow streets.

The question format encourages you to inspect the square, surrounding signs, and visible details. You can learn in small pieces instead of listening to one long explanation at the start.

This makes the activity a good first look at Quebec City. You get a broad sense of the old quarter, then you can return later to the places that deserve more time. I would not use the game as your only source of historical context, but I would use it to decide where you want to linger afterward.

Stop 6: La Fresque des Quebecois

La Fresque des Quebecois is another public mural and a fitting final stop. Like the Fresque du Petit-Champlain, it gives you something concrete to inspect and photograph.

The two mural stops help balance the route. You see famous public spaces, then pause for visual details and creative tasks. That variety keeps the walk from feeling like six versions of the same monument question.

Once you finish, you return to the starting point. Ending where you began makes the activity easier to fit into a day of sightseeing. You are not left trying to find a distant end point or work out a complicated ride back.

Why families and teens tend to enjoy it

The strongest feature is the way the game gives children and teens control. Families can divide into teams, let the younger members navigate, or work together to collect points.

One group used two young teens on one team while the parents formed separate teams. That setup gives the activity a friendly contest without requiring a large organized group.

Another family completed the walk with children aged 10, 13, and 13. The children acted as guides and navigators, and the activity kept them involved without creating an overly long walk. That is useful information if your family tends to lose interest during standard sightseeing.

The route also works for friends. You can compare scores, compete over photo tasks, and make the walk feel like a shared challenge. If everyone in your group wants a quiet, guide-led explanation, this may feel too game-like. If you want conversation and movement, it should fit well.

What you gain, and what you give up, without a guide

The lack of a guide is the central choice here.

You gain privacy. This is a private activity for your own group, so you do not need to keep up with strangers or listen to questions from another party. You can stop when someone wants a snack, take a family photo, or pause because the weather has turned wet.

You also gain control. The app does not force you to complete the route in one uninterrupted block, and the experience is not limited in time. That makes it easier to fit around other Quebec City plans.

You give up live interpretation. Nobody is there to explain a confusing detail, change the route, or add a personal story. The app’s questions and tasks provide structure, but you should not expect the depth or flexibility of a private local guide.

The English-only format matters too. If your group needs another language, this is not the right match based on the available details.

Price, timing, and phone planning

At $15.90 per person, the cost is modest for a two-hour activity in a major historic city. A family of four pays $63.60 before any applicable taxes or fees, so the total is still meaningful, but the price compares well with many guided sightseeing options.

The value comes from the combination of sightseeing and entertainment. You are paying for a route through key parts of Old Quebec, an app with map support, questions, and photo tasks, plus the freedom to use it privately. You are not paying for a human guide’s commentary.

Plan for roughly one to two hours. The average time is not a strict limit, since you can pause and take breaks. If rain arrives, you can move quickly or stop and continue later. One group had to rush because of wet weather and felt it would have been better at a slower pace.

Before you leave, complete these simple checks:

• Download the Explorial app.
• Enter the access code you receive after purchase.
• Confirm that your phone has mobile data.
• Charge the phone fully.
• Make sure every paying participant who wants to play can access the app.
• Start at the Samuel-De Champlain Monument.

The activity is near public transportation, and service animals are allowed. Most people can participate, though the experience requires walking between outdoor sights and using a phone throughout.

When to choose this over a standard walking tour

Choose this scavenger hunt if you want your group to set the pace. It is especially suited to families with school-age children or teens, friends who enjoy light competition, and couples who prefer private sightseeing over a scheduled group.

It is also useful early in a Quebec City visit. The route touches Petit-Champlain, Place Royale, the Champlain Monument, and two large murals, giving you a solid orientation to the old quarter. You can then return to your favorite areas with more time.

Choose a traditional walking tour instead if your main goal is detailed historical explanation. This experience teaches through observation and short questions, not through a long narrative from a local guide.

You should also think about weather. The route is outdoors, and the game is harder to enjoy if you are hurrying through rain. The flexible format helps, but it does not remove the need for suitable conditions.

Should you book the Quebec City scavenger hunt?

I would book it for a family or small private group that wants to see Old Quebec without committing to a fixed guide schedule. The high rating of 4.6 out of 5, with 93 percent recommending it, matches the experience’s clearest strengths: fun tasks, flexible timing, and strong appeal for children and teens.

I would skip it if you lack mobile data, want another language, or expect a full historical tour with a guide. Before paying, confirm what the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency stop means, especially if Montmorency Falls is a must-see.

For the right group, this is a smart $15.90 introduction to Quebec City: active, private, easy to pause, and much less likely to produce the familiar family complaint of Are we done yet?

FAQ

How long does the Quebec City scavenger hunt take?

The activity lasts about one to two hours on average. It is not limited to a fixed time, so you can pause, take breaks, and continue at your own pace.

Where does the activity start?

It starts at the Monument Samuel-De Champlain on Escalier Frontenac in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.

Where does the activity end?

The activity ends back at the starting point, the Monument Samuel-De Champlain.

What language is offered?

The experience is offered in English.

Do I need mobile data to play?

Yes. The app requires phone access, and mobile data is needed to participate. Make sure each person who plans to play can use the app on their phone.

Is this a private activity?

Yes. Only your own group participates, rather than joining a larger public tour.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted.