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Québec

Whale Tales: Adventures in Québec With Your Grandchild

Program No. 5455RJ
See feeding whales, visit giant sand dunes, embark on a marine safari and hear the story of local First Nations people as you explore the St. Lawrence River region with your grandchild.
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Start
GrandparentRegional StudiesAnimals & WildlifeAges 9 – 12
Length
7 days
Rating (5)
Activity Level
Starts at
3,099 / ADULT
2,099 / CHILD
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
7 days
6 nights
What's Included
15 meals ( 6B, 5L, 4D )
2 expert-led lectures
10 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
An experienced Group Leader
6 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m. There are 23 stairs from the hotel ground level entrance to the main lobby. A phone is available at ground level to request luggage assistance or access to the service elevator. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
4:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
Orientation: 7:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may be changed due to local conditions/circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible.
Activity Note
Walking and standing for approximately 3 hours during field trips. Getting on and off motorcoach; driving 30 miles to/from programming and the hotel during the day.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
At the hotel, we will learn about the environmental history of the St. Lawrence River and the impact humans have had on the ecological health of the river. We will then ride via motorcoach to the Quebec City Aquarium. Come and meet the 10,000 marine animals that inhabit the Aquarium: fish, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and sea mammals. Among them, polar bear, walruses, and seals will provide you with unique moments. Watch them when they're feeding or being trained. A fascinating experience for young and old alike!
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
After lunch we will visit the Huron-Wendat museum and Ekkiionestha National Longhouse with a guide specially trained in Indigenous history and culture. The museum, a national institution, preserves and promotes the heritage of the Huron-Wendat Nation. We will end our day back at the hotel.
Dinner:
On own.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer to Tadoussac in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving nearly 135 miles throughout the day, approximately 4 hours total riding time to Tadoussac. Walking up to 1 mile on roads and boardwalks.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Check out and depart for Tadoussac, we will arrive at the hotel before lunch.
Lunch:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
We will have an afternoon presentation by a local expert. This presentation will explore the rich history of Tadoussac, a village which began as a trading post between Indigenous peoples and early European explorers. We’ll engage with the interesting contrast between life then and now, and see how Tadoussac has evolved into a vibrant Northern Quebec community powered through tourism, education, municipal services, and marine research. After the presentation we will walk the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord behind the wharf with our Group Leader.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking 1.5 miles over 2 hours with periods of standing. Getting on and off a cruise boat and cruising about 40 miles over three hours on board a whale watching boat. Climbing up and down giant sand dunes.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will walk to the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (or CIMM, abbreviated from the original Quebec French) to hear about the role and activity of the Whale Research Station. We will discover the fascinating and mysterious world of the St-Lawrence whales with our museum specialists. Where can one see them? How to recognize them? The museum’s exhibitions, skeleton collection and reconstitutions of sea mammals, films and slideshows are not to be missed. We will listen to the underwater sounds of the Saguenay River; see spectacular images and reproductions of whales, and much more.
Lunch:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
We will embark on a whale watching safari with an experienced naturalist to see Fin, Minke, and Beluga whales, perhaps humpback and blue whales as well. The Gulf and Estuary of the St. Lawrence form a kingdom for whales. They are like an open-air laboratory for biologists fascinated by these giants. Since the beginning of the 1980s, the St. Lawrence has also become an incomparable destination for those wishing to attempt an encounter with whales. For it is here where the upwelling phenomena supplies vast clouds of krill and small fish that attract so many whales. Next, we’ll travel to the sand dunes where we can run, jump, roll, slide, and somersault down the sand dunes descending 200 feet to the shore. This is a highlight for the grandchildren.
Dinner:
On own.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Walking about 2 mile, approximately 4 hours with periods of standing. Getting on/off a bus; driving about 40 miles roundtrip, approximately 1 hour total driving time. Getting on/ off a zodiac. Cruising for 2.5 hours, approximately 40 miles on board a zodiac.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will embark on a second whale watching safari by zodiac to see Fin, Minke and Beluga whales, perhaps humpback and blue whales. The Estuary of the St. Lawrence forms a kingdom for whales. They are like an open air laboratory for biologists fascinated by these giants. Since the beginning of the 1980s, the St. Lawrence has also become an incomparable destination for those wishing to attempt an encounter with whales.
Lunch:
At the hotel.
Afternoon:
We'll board a school bus for a ride to Cap-de-Bon-Désir, an excellent place from which to admire the St. Lawrence Estuary and the many species of marine mammals, including minke, common and blue whales, belugas and many species of seals and seabirds. Next, we will visit the Marine Environment Discovery Centre and learn about the marine environment, tides, currents, fish and animals. This is also a wonderful spot to whale watch from the shore.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
Prepare for check-out and transfer to Quebec City in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 135 miles, approximately 4 hours riding time throughout the day. Walking approximately 1 mile for approximately 1.5 hours with periods of standing.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll check out of the hotel and board the motorcoach for Quebec City. Next, we will discover Charlevoix’s maritime tradition at the Maritime Museum located at the former Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive shipyard. The shipyard was dedicated to the building, repair and winter dry-docking of schooners until it closed in 1972. The Maritime Museum preserves and recounts the Charlevoix’s maritime history through tales of the schooners that once sailed the St. Lawrence and the building techniques unique to these magnificent ships. We will enjoy a magical moment on the shores of the mighty St. Lawrence, where centuries of history unfolded and learn, from a docent about the history of navigation and better understand the role of the navigation in the economic development of Quebec.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
We will continue our journey back to Quebec City arriving late-afternoon and we will check into the hotel. Next, we will have a guided tour of the Copper Art Museum, where we will explore and discover over 90 years of the Gilles family’s dedication to the art of repoussé (metal embossing). Walking though the museum we will see intricate copper art pieces, and learn how copper ore is turned into copper art. We will then join a hands-on copper repoussé workshop, where we will have the opportunity to create our own copper art creation.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant in Quebec City.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure tomorrow.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
The program concludes after breakfast. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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