Quebec City vs Seattle

Quebec City

Quebec City has one of the most dramatic seasonal ranges of any major North American city — winters are genuinely cold and snowy (average January high -8°C), summers are warm and sunny (July average 26°C). Spring and fall are short but beautiful. The city fully embraces winter rather than retreating from it.

Seattle

Seattle has a temperate oceanic climate — mild year-round with a pronounced wet season from October through April. Summers are dry, sunny, and cool. The famous rain is usually a fine drizzle ("Seattle mist") rather than downpours. Snow at sea level is rare.

Quebec City

Old Town Quebec City is extremely walkable — most major sites within the walls are within 15 minutes on foot. The funicular connects Upper and Lower Town. The wider city is served by RTC buses; a car is useful for day trips to Île d'Orléans or Charlevoix.

Walkability: High within Old Town. The Upper Town plateau is flat and very walkable. Lower Town is flat along the waterfront. The connection between them involves steep stairs or the funicular.

Seattle

Seattle transit is run by Sound Transit (regional) and King County Metro (buses, streetcar, water taxi). Light rail, buses, streetcars, and Washington State Ferries form a useful network. An ORCA card works across all systems. Driving downtown is painful — traffic is consistently ranked among America's worst.

Walkability: Downtown, Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, and Seattle Center are all walkable — but prepare for steep hills. Capitol Hill, Ballard, and Fremont are each walkable neighborhoods, but you'll want transit between them. The Link light rail plus walking will cover most of what you want to see.