Planning Quebec City for Families

Families do best in Quebec City when the plan matches the child’s stamina. This page sorts outings by how long they take, with prices in Canadian dollars (CAD) and children’s rates where they apply. Sales tax of 14.975% is added to most tickets.

Under two hours

  • The funicular. The ride between Dufferin Terrace and Petit-Champlain costs 7 for adults one way, and children under 117 cm ride free. Payment is cash only at the station.
  • Dufferin Terrace. The boardwalk is free, and in winter it holds the Au 1884 ice slides, which cost about 5 per slide last winter.
  • A walk on the ramparts. The walls are free, with cannons and gates that children tend to enjoy.
  • Skating on land. The Place D’Youville rink and the Plains of Abraham ice ring are free, with rental about 10 plus tax at Place D’Youville.

Half a day

  • The Citadelle. The guided tour lasts 60 minutes outdoors. Children 10 and under are free, ages 11 to 17 pay 8, and a family of two adults and up to three children pays 50.
  • Musée de la civilisation. Ages 5 and under are free, ages 6 to 11 pay 6, ages 12 to 17 pay 10, and a family pays 58. It is closed on Mondays outside the summer.
  • Plains of Abraham Museum. Ages 5 to 12 went free from 19 June to 7 September 2026 and paid about 4.75 afterward, and the family ticket was 32.50.
  • Méga Parc. Inside the Galeries de la Capitale, with indoor rides and a skating trail billed as Canada’s longest indoor trail. General entry started at 7.99, plus rides.

A full day

  • Aquarium du Québec in Sainte-Foy. Polar bears, walruses, harbour seals, leopard sharks and touch tanks are the draws. Adults pay about 25 to 34 depending on residency, and the hours run 9:00 to 18:00 in summer.
  • Montmorency Falls. The bridge over the crest, the cable car and the staircase fill a morning. Access is per person, and adults pay about 13.90 in high season.
  • Village Vacances Valcartier. In winter, the snow play centre runs from 3 January to 21 March 2027, and Bora Parc, the indoor waterpark with about 14 slides, stays open all year.
  • Train de Charlevoix from Montmorency Falls, in season, if your children like trains. The day is long, with an 8:00 departure.

Ice hotel with children

The Hôtel de Glace visit is priced by height instead of age. A child under 1 m is free, and a child from 1 m to under 1.32 m pays about 29.99 online or 34.99 on site, before tax. Dates start from 26 December 2026 and depend on the weather. Dress children in extra layers for the cold.

Practical notes for parents

Cobbled lanes and steps are awkward for strollers, so a carrier is easier in Lower Town. In winter the steps ice over and children need boots with a good tread. Do not let children near the St. Lawrence shoreline, where the currents are strong. On RTC buses, up to three children aged 6 to 12 ride free with each paying adult.

Rainy-day backups

The two museums and Méga Parc handle bad weather.

Check ticket rules on the Citadelle site and the Valcartier page . Child-friendly tours are listed on GetYourGuide .

Read more: day trips from Quebec City and the 5-day itinerary .