Gaspésie – Quebec’s Best-Kept Summer Secret

🌊 Gaspésie – Quebec’s Best-Kept Summer Secret 📍 Location: Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec (yes, it’s in QC, not the Maritimes!) 🚗 Drive from Montreal: ~1,000 km (10-12hrs via Route 132) 🌡️ Summer Weather: 15-25°C (cooler than Montreal’s sweatbox vibes) 🌟 Why It’s a 5★ Destination ✅ Whales Everywhere – Humpbacks, minkes, fin whales (June-Sept). ✅ No Crowds – Banff’s beauty, 1% of the tourists. ✅ Coastal Drives – Route 132 = Quebec’s Pacific Coast Highway. 🐋 Top 3 Must-Dos 1️⃣ Forillon National Park – Hike cliffs, spot seals, kayak with whales. 2️⃣ Percé Rock & Bonaventure Island – Boat tours to 300,000+ puffins/gannets. 3️⃣ Sainte-Anne-des-Monts – Chic-Choc Mountains meet Atlantic waves. 🍽️ Local Flavors 🦞 Le Brise-Bise (Percé): Lobster poutine + ocean views. 🍁 Cabane à Sucre de l’Érable: Maple taffy on snow (yes, even in summer!). 🏡 Where to Stay ✔ Riotel Percé – Wake up to Percé Rock outside your window. ✔ Gîte du Mont-Albert – Forest lodge with hot tubs under the stars. ⚠️ Reality Check ⛽ Gas Stations: Fill up in Gaspé Town (eastern stretches are remote). 📶 Cell Service: Patchy past Grande-Vallée (download maps!). 🏆 Why It Beats Banff "Gaspé is where Quebecers escape Quebec—cool breezes, no traffic, and whales that breach like they’re paid to perform." #Gaspesie #QuebecRoadTrip #HiddenCanada #WhaleWatching