Camping near Bonaventure, Quebec
A sweet little city on the Gaspé Peninsula that offers outdoor attractions and plenty of amenities.
Popular camping styles for Bonaventure
Camping near Bonaventure guide
This small town where the Bonaventure River meets the Baie des Chaleurs offers a range of cultural and recreational activities, including the Quebec Acadian Museum, the Bioparc de la Gaspésie (a small zoo with an impressive collection of animals), a historic lighthouse, and lots of restaurants (including several specializing in Acadian cuisine). All around Bonaventure are amazing hikes to waterfalls and areas of great natural beauty to explore, and many private and municipal campgrounds dot the area. Bonaventure makes an excellent stop as part of your Gaspé Peninsula road trip itinerary.
Where to Go
Paspébiac
Close to Bonaventure is this small city that’s home to a National Historic Site of Canada—Banc de Pêche de Paspébiac, essentially a historic fishing center set on a sandbar, where you can visit the museum site, restaurant, and small gift shop. Paspébiac has a beach, and characters offering sportfishing trips. Each summer there’s a crab festival celebrating this tasty crustacean with eating, music, and a giant bingo game.
Miguasha National Park
Search out 380-million-year-old fossils at this unique national park that centers around a cliff and beach that tell prehistoric stories. You’ll see fish fossils all around you as you explore the site, or in the visitor center where the organized tours start. There’s a sweet cliff-top hike through this park, with signage explaining how the geography of the area was formed and why there are so many well-maintained fossils.
Gaspesie National Park
This spectacular park offers a chance to explore the vast Quebec wilderness and hike up the highest peaks in the Canadian Appalachians, viewing caribou herds, moose, and an array of other wildlife. In valleys are pristine lakes perfect for swimming, canoe or kayaking trips, or for casting a line to catch a plump inland salmon or two to cook over the campfire. You’ll find a full roster of Parks Canada-led activities on offer at this park, and campsites that range from the most basic backcountry sites to front-country camping with yurts and cabins.
When to Go
Like many of the towns and cities on the Gaspé Peninsula, tourism is the lifeblood of Bonaventure so visiting outside of the high season (June to October) you’ll find that many attractions and restaurants are closed. In July and August, the weather is glorious, but the town will be very busy (and the municipal campsite is likely to be booked out). Visiting in June or towards early fall will be much quieter but still offer everything you want to experience.
Know Before You Go
- French is the primary language spoken in Quebec, and although most tourism operators should speak English fluently, this isn’t always the case and it can be useful to have a translation app at the ready. Websites for attractions are often only in French.
- You’ll need a vehicle to get to Bonaventure and to explore outside of the town. Transit options are non-existent.
- Bonaventure has an electric vehicle charging station in town, a laundromat, and a host of other useful amenities that you may not find in other towns along this route.
- The town has rental locations for bikes, kayaks, and canoes.
