Day Trips from Sherbrooke
The best excursions and trips you can do in a day
Full-Day Trips
Worth dedicating a whole day to explore.
North Hatley
40-80North Hatley sits on a perfect little bay of Lake Massawippi. The drive from Sherbrooke rolls through farmland before dropping to the lakeside. Galleries and cafes line the main street. Skip them. Walk the water instead, past grand old summer homes and the clear, quiet lake. Stay for lunch. Wander slowly. Leave.
Mont-Orford National Park
25-50Mont Orford Provincial Park sits closest to Sherbrooke and works year-round. Warm months bring trails ranging from easy lakeside loops around Mont Orford to tougher climbs. Rent canoes on Lac Stukely. Winter turns it into a cross-country and snowshoeing hub. The wildness surprises given the location.
Knowlton (Lac-Brome)
30-70Knowlton looks like New England misplaced in Quebec. Antique shops line the main street, plus a classic old inn and a general store with serious history. Less polished than North Hatley. More local. The Lac-Brome Museum covers regional history in a small space. Browse, then picnic by the lake.
Coaticook Gorge
35-60Coaticook centers on Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook and its suspension bridge, among the longest pedestrian spans in North America. The wobbly walk high above the river delivers. Forest trails drop to the riverbed. The town itself is small. Laiterie de Coaticook, the ice cream factory, demands a stop.
Magog and Lake Memphremagog
50-100Magog sits on massive Lake Memphremagog, busier and more tourist-facing than its neighbors. The waterfront park and promenade suit strolling. Sightseeing cruises leave from the marina. Restaurants and shops fill the town. It offers small-town amenities plus lake access with minimal driving from Sherbrooke.
Frelighsburg
25-50Frelighsburg hides in a valley with a gentle river, famous for apple orchards. Quebecois and New England architecture mix beautifully. A couple cafes, a general store, some art studios. That is all. That is the point. The atmosphere and surrounding countryside carry the visit.
Half-Day Options
Shorter excursions when time is limited.
Strøm Nordic Spa
60-100Strøm Spa sits right in Sherbrooke on Lac des Nations. Hot baths, cold plunges, saunas, fireside relaxation. The Nordic cycle works. A few hours here resets the system without leaving the city. Shoulder seasons and winter suit it best.
Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac
10-30Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, an active Benedictine monastery on Lake Memphremagog, offers Gregorian chant services and a shop selling the monks' apple cider and cheese. The modernist church building startles. The setting calms. A quiet, contemplative outing.
Parc du Bois-de-Bellevue
0-10Mont-Bellevue Park sits close to Sherbrooke for a quick nature hit. Wooded trails accommodate walking, running, and mountain biking. A small lake allows fishing with permit. Picnic space abounds. Locals use it to reach trees fast.
Day Trip Tips
Make the most of your excursions.
- ✓ A car unlocks nearly every day trip from Sherbrooke. Buses reach a couple towns. But schedules serve commuters, not visitors, and often strand you far from the main attraction.
- ✓ Visiting for fall foliage? Book everything early. Hotels, restaurants, spa slots. The Eastern Townships draw serious leaf-peeping crowds.
- ✓ Check the SEPAQ website before any park visit. Hours shift. Trails close. Some facilities shut down entirely outside peak summer.
- ✓ Village restaurants are scarce. Eat late in Sherbrooke. Explore. Then lunch early or late. This beats the crush at the few decent spots.
- ✓ Fill up in Sherbrooke. Stations exist in villages. Prices run higher. Hours are short. Don't risk it.
- ✓ Cell service dies in valleys and forests around Sherbrooke. Mont-Orford area is bad. Download offline maps. Bring paper too.
- ✓ Weather turns fast in the Sherbrooke hills. Sun means nothing. Pack layers. Bring rain gear for long hikes.
- ✓ Weekend traffic hits hard leaving Sherbrooke for the countryside. Summer and fall are worst. Autoroute 10 backs up. Plan around it.
Book These Day Trips
Top-rated excursions you can book now.
Sherbrooke: Nordic Spa Thermal Experience
Savor a refreshing and invigorating thermal experience at Strøm Nordic Spa in Sherbrooke. Uncover this oasis set on the shores of the Lac des Nations and take a moment to recharge, reset, and relax.
Need a base for your day trips?
Our accommodation guide helps you pick the best area to stay in Sherbrooke.
Where to Stay →Explore Activities in Sherbrooke
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Sherbrooke.
See All Sherbrooke Tours on ViatorReady to plan your trip to Sherbrooke?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.