On a June afternoon last summer, my three children skipped along sun-dappled cobblestone streets of Quebec City, pausing to admire the hand-carved wooden toys at a colorful artisan stall outside the 19th-century Cathedrale de la Sainte-Trinite (Cathedral of the Holy Trinity).
They had spent the morning practicing their French while ordering croissants at Le Petit Dep, a cozy cafe in the heart of Old Quebec, and now we climbed ancient steps to the nearly 3-mile stretch of ramparts encircling Old Town. Peering over the stone walls at a bird's-eye view of the only fortified city in North America north of Mexico, my children (5-year-old twins and an 8-year-old) were delighted.
As we followed the path to the sweeping Plains of Abraham, located just outside the walls, we met a spectacular sight: panoramic views of the copper turrets of the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac -- said to be the most photographed hotel in the world -- rising dramatically above the St. Lawrence River.
"A castle!" my 5-year-old daughter whispered, clearly smitten.
That sense of wonder defined our first international trip as a family. And the best part? We never boarded a long-haul flight or battled jet lag. Quebec City delivers the Old World charm of Europe with an ease, accessibility and price point that makes it ideal for families.
Here's why Quebec City is one of the most magical European-style getaways you can take with kids.
The iconic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, as seen from Dufferin Terrace. Photo Credit: Linnea Bailey
Easy, affordable and international
My husband and I love Europe, so when I'd previously imagined traveling internationally with our kids, I'd assumed it would mean crossing an ocean. Yet here we were, in a destination as beautiful as any in Europe, and it was a quick 3.5-hour direct flight from our home in South Florida.
The flights were affordable, too: We flew into Quebec City's international airport via Air Transat, paying far less than a comparable trip to France. (Another plus for Quebec City: It pairs beautifully with Montreal, and travelers can travel between the two via a three-hour regional Via Rail train.)
The author’s children on a bench on Rue du Cul-de-Sac, a quaint street with rounded buildings and umbrellas strung above in summertime. Photo Credit: Linnea Bailey
Quebec City welcomed 4.5 million visitors in 2025, and it ranked third among major Canadian destinations for hotel occupancy, ahead of both Montreal and Ottawa. Last year, for the 10th year in a row, it has also topped Travel + Leisure's annual list of readers' favorite cities in Canada. It's also become a popular year-round cruise destination, with ships that include Ponant's Commandant Charcot, Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady and Celebrity's Silhouette calling on its historical port.
Since Quebec City is highly walkable, we skipped renting a car and booked a family suite at the Hotel Palace Royal, located just outside the walls of Old Quebec. There, our kids enjoyed splashing in the hotel's indoor tropical courtyard pool, and we ate a hearty daily breakfast of crepes, cassolettes and maple-glazed ham in the on-site restaurant.
Families who adore the narrow streets, colonial architecture and rich cultural heritage found in smaller French towns will love Quebec City. With a well-preserved upper and lower town, steep roofs and historical buildings spanning centuries, the city's legendary Petit Champlain district is often compared to medieval, pedestrian-only streets in Europe. Add a French-speaking population, cafe culture and a dramatic clifftop location overlooking the river, and you have the magic that is Quebec City.
Rue Sous-le-Fort is lined with historical stone buildings and terminates at the base of the Old Quebec funicular. Photo Credit: Linnea Bailey
Storybook setting
Originally inhabited by First Nations people, Quebec City was founded in 1608 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, besieged five times and finally conquered by the British in 1759. It was first the capital of New France, then the capital of British North America. Today, Old Quebec is a Unesco World Heritage Site and considered the heart of French culture in North America.
To my children, walking through the city felt as if we'd stepped into the pages of a fairy tale. We explored every street in Old Quebec, and each was filled with its own surprises.
Just behind Rue Saint-Paul, we wandered onto Rue Sous-le-Cap: a quiet, narrow lane with wooden bridges passing above that once linked residents' workshops to their homes.
The view from a hike in Parc National de la Jacques-Cartier, located in one of Quebec’s glacial valleys. Photo Credit: Linnea Bailey
We tried artisanal goat's milk ice cream and maple taffy in Quartier Petit Champlain, and the kids were especially charmed by Rue du Cul-de-Sac, a curved nook framed by rounded buildings, decorative umbrellas and majestic views of the aforementioned Chateau Frontenac perched high above it.
We scaled Cap Diamant via the glass-paneled funicular that links the lower and upper towns, crossed the St. Lawrence River on a scenic ferry crossing to Levis and listened to accordion music at twilight in the picturesque Place Royale, home to North America's oldest stone church.
In the upper town, we strolled along the grand Dufferin Terrace, toured the magnificent Chateau Frontenac and ventured beyond the fortified walls into the bohemian neighborhood of Faubourg Saint-Jean-Baptiste. There, we lingered over dinner at Le Hobbit and shared wood-fired Neapolitan pies at Nina Pizza.
Encore!
Locals also told me that Quebec City has a high rate of "boomerang" travelers who immediately plan a return trip. This certainly proved true for us: I booked a return October getaway before we'd even unpacked from June, and our family has been counting down the days until we return.
My children have just one request: this time, we're staying in the castle.