Quebec City Attractions
 | Aquarium du Quebec Quebec, Canada Walruses, seals and polar bears are stars at this aquarium located in Sainte-Foy, about a 20-minute drive from downtown. These animals enjoy outdoor habitats, part of the aquarium's park-like setting of grassy lawns, flowers, picnic tables, a playground and eateries with water views. Kids ages 6 through 10 can climb ropes, walk on catwalks and gangplanks at the outdoor Adventure Circuit. Those 14 and older can sign-up to be an animal keeper for a day, assisting the staff with making meals, training and other activities. (Reserve ahead.) Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Battlefields National Park Quebec, Canada Every great city has a great park: Battlefields National Park is Quebec's. The park, located atop the Cape Diamond (Cap Diamant) cliffs stretches for 267 acres along the river. The site of the 1759 battle in which the British defeated the French, you can get a panoramic view of the river from the park. In winter enjoy cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Rentals are available in the park. In spring and summer, join the locals who stroll, bike, inline skate and picnic here. Summer also brings lawn concerts and other special events, including Pirates, Privateers and Freebooters (through October 11). At this museum exhibit, your buccaneers meet Captain Jack Rackham and his crew before you board a replica of his sloop to of learn life aboard a ship from navigation to punishments to primitive surgery. Kids can load a "gun," look for the enemy with telescopes and try to decipher secret messages. Hardy blokes can reach Brown Basin from the park by descending the Cap Blanc stairs -- all 416 of them. Otherwise, take a taxi to 615 Champlain Boulevard East. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Canyon Sainte-Anne Quebec, Canada Situated along the Beaupre coast, the canyon offers a day of moderate adventure in a woodland setting about 45 minutes from the city. The canyon's gem, a narrow waterfall, tumbles and twists nearly 243 feet over boulders. Walk above the falls on three suspension bridges, glide across them on a zip line, or walk across the falls and on the rocks. With Via Ferrata you are tethered to a cable while you scramble across boulders and walk on cables across the water. Kids as young as 10 can try the smaller version. In the Stone Stories area, geared to families with elementary-aged children, follow clues as you walk a woodland path dotted with sculptures. Whether or not you solve the puzzle, the forest walk is pleasant. The canyon is open May to mid-October. Via Ferrata is available daily from the end of June through August and weekends only in September and October. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Cirque du Soleil Quebec, Canada Cirque du Soleil dazzles crowds with its colorful blend of costumes, acrobatics and music just under the Dufferin-Montmorency highway overpass during summer months. Performed only in Quebec, this show, originally developed for the city's 400th birthday, has been continued each summer -- and will be for the next few years. Some seats are available by reservation; otherwise, just show up and stand for the hour-long, evening performances. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Image Mill Quebec, Canada The Image Mill, another legacy of the city's 400th birthday, is a sound and image show projected after dark onto the row of massive grain silos in Quebec's harbor. The creators, Robert Lepage and Ex Machina, a company, called the project an "architectural projection." The themed presentation follows centuries of Quebec's development from waterways to road building to rail development and to air travel. Come less for the history than for the extravagant presentation. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Montmorency Falls Quebec, Canada Situated in Beauport, about a 15-minute drive from downtown Quebec, these falls cascade 272 feet, making them about 99 feet higher than well-known Niagara Falls. Much narrower than the broad Niagara Falls, Montmorency, while less dramatic, is worth a visit, especially in the summer when the site hosts the International Fireworks Competition. Ride the cable car up, take in the view from the bridge and if you want, walk down the 487 steps. The park has easier trails. In winter, you can try ice climbing on the frozen falls or sled down the frozen bottom of the falls called Sugarloaf Hill. The site has a restaurant, so you can make an all-day visit out of this attraction. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Musee National des Beaux-Arts du Quebec Quebec, Canada Don't overlook this art museum, which anchors one end of Battlefields National Park. After Frisbee and strolls in park, we began our visit with fresh salads for lunch at the facility's cafe. There's also a restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, located just off the Great Hall, the structure that connects the museum's two buildings. A highlight is the permanent exhibit of noted Canadian artist Jean-Paul Riopelle. His three wall-sized frescoes, with bold designs and repetitive patterns, intrigue viewers. Ask your kids about the differences and similarities between this work and graffiti. The Brousseau Inuit Art Collection, in the Charles-Baillairge Pavilion, presents sculptures of birds, polar bears, oxen, some with human faces, and other items by well-known First Nations artists. A former prison, the building itself with its brick walls and barrel ceilings, is worth seeing, including the row of cells, narrow brick structures outside of gallery #10. Although the ground floor has a small art workshop area for kids, the computer programs are in French. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Musee de la Civilisation Quebec, Canada This eclectic museum offers much to see. Along with engaging traveling exhibits such as "Riff," about African music (through March 13, 2011), the facility's permanent galleries showcase aspects of Canadian culture. The Territories exhibit highlights the different geographical and cultural aspects of Canada's regions. We spent the most time at Encounter with the First Nations, admiring the huge birch bark canoe, cradleboards and woven baskets, as well as watching the film clips on nearby computers. Take young children to "Once Upon a Time" ("Il Etait Une Fois"), a two-room, hands-on play area geared to ages 3 through 10. In the mirrored first room kids try on costumes of elves, wolves, witches, bad guys and party princesses (Cinderella at the ball). In the next room, kids can walk on musical footsteps to a castle with spiral stairs or mount a "horse." Access to the room is by free, timed ticket obtained at the main information desk. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Old City Quebec, Canada Although the Old City, defined as the area within the fortifications, can be crowded and feel touristy, the place still has an allure. Postcard-pretty with narrow, cobblestone streets lined with centuries-old buildings brightened by flowerboxes, the Old City divides into an Upper Town (Haute-Ville), situated atop the Cape Diamond (Cap Diamant) cliffs and a Lower Town (Basse-Ville), strung along the waterfront. In the Upper Town stroll the Terrasse Dufferin, a wooden boardwalk behind the castle-like Chateau Frontenac. Overlooking the St. Lawrence River, the terrace attracts guitar-players, jugglers, dancers and other street performers. Nearby at the Place d'Armes, a small park, step into an open carriage for a horse-drawn ride around the old city, a particularly pleasing treat for young kids. To reach the oldest section of the historic area, the Lower Town, ride the funicular, an enclosed car that descends at a 45-degree angle or walk the Breakneck stairs (casse-cou), called that for their long-ago loose stones. The Royal Square (Place-Royale) features centuries-old stone buildings that rate amongst Vieux-Quebec's most appealing. At the Place-Royale Interpretation Centre (Centre d'interpretation de Place-Royale) learn about Champlain an early Quebec via a 3D film. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Samuel Champlain Walkway Quebec, Canada For Quebec's 400th birthday, the city government wanted to give the riverfront back to the locals so this 1.5-mile long, urban park stretching from the Cageux wharf to the Sillery coast was created. There are bike paths, green spaces, benches, outdoor sculpture and a tower for taking in the water views. The park, which connects to a path leading to the Old City, is a great place for cyclists and walkers. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Valcartier Village Vacances Quebec, Canada When your kids crave a break from museums and city streets, consider this mega-water park where everyone can cool off in summer and play in the snow in winter. Located in Valcartier, about 30 minutes from the city, this popular and often-crowded park features 35 waterslides, two lazy rivers, a wave pool, bucket dump, plus eateries and lounge chairs. Preschoolers can wiggle down a pint-sized slide and play in the water sprays at Cockadododle Farm (La Ferme CocoRico). Teens like to plunge down Everest, a 110-foot high waterslide and swirl through the Medieval-themed Dungeon City river ride. In winter, Everest morphs into a snow slide and you can also go snow rafting, sledding and skating at the park. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
Read more about Quebec City Resorts Read more about Quebec City Family Vacations
© Copyright 2012. The Independent Traveler, Inc.
All rights reserved. This file may be downloaded for personal
use only. Other copying or reproduction is expressly prohibited.
All rights reserved. This file may be downloaded for personal
use only. Other copying or reproduction is expressly prohibited.
- Independent Traveler independenttraveler.com
- Cruise Critic cruisecritic.com
-
FREE Family Travel Newsletter -
Family Travel Tips (10 New)
– Family Planning and Tips
Sure, free drinks and complimentary Wi-Fi rank high on the lists of most desirable hotel perks among travelers in general, but when it comes to visiting with kids in tow, which hotel amenities are most revered by families? From onsite airline check-in to in-room babysitting and kid concierges, con...
Favorite family biking locales in North America combine stunning scenery with a relatively easy grid of bike trails and uncongested backcountry roads. All of these locales offer exhilarating rides, guaranteed to inspire all ages to travel on two wheels. Many of the cities on the list, like San Anton...
1. Celebrate a Historic Anniversary. Boston's historic Fenway Park celebrates its 100th anniversary this year -- the perfect time to take in a ballgame while enjoying the history of America throughout the city. Give your school-aged children an up-close and personal history lesson by visiting some ...
The unofficial start to summer is nearly here, and this May 25 to 28 weekend is filled with enticing deals for families. Get out there and start your summer!
Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Escape to the Colorado mountains for a two-night Memorial Day Family Escape at the Broadmoor. ...
There are few rites of passage as exciting as taking a child on his or her first camping trip. Families bond while roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, making shadow animals on the tent wall, chasing after fireflies and inhaling fragrant whiffs of pine. Whether you are an experienced camper from pre-...
1. The National Mall
There's no question that the National Mall, the two-mile strip of wide-open green stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol and surrounded by Smithsonian museums and national monuments, is a must-see destination for kids. "The Mall," chock full of our nation'...
1. gogo Kidz Travelmate
If you're traveling with a child weighing less than 50 pounds, you won't want to leave home without this ingenious contraption that in seconds lets parents convert most car seats into a stroller. With the gogo Kidz Travelmate, there's no more lugging both a heavy car seat ...
On a recent ski vacation, my family of five traveled with five cellphones, three laptops, three iPads, two iPods and just for good measure, a GPS! Given the prevalence of electronic devices in our daily lives and our somewhat compulsive reliance upon them, taking a true vacation feels almost imposs...
The 1969 film, "If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium," depicted a funny, but sometimes all too true, look at a tour group of Americans traveling through Europe so quickly they barely knew where they were and what they were seeing.
Today, tour groups are quickly becoming an attractive option for ...
When you think of an all-inclusive vacation, your mind goes straight to the Caribbean, doesn't it? But you don't need to leave the country to get an all-in-one vacation -- resorts in the U.S. also provide all-inclusive getaways with accommodations, meals, and activities all packaged in one easy pric...