Especially for Kids

If military sites are appealing to your children, take them to see the colorful ceremonies at La Citadelle: the changing of the guard and beating retreat.

To allow them to run off excess energy, head for Parc des Champs-de-Bataille (Battlefields Park, also called the Plains of Abraham), adjacent to the Citadelle. Acres of grassy lawn give kids room to roam and are perfect for a family picnic.

Children who have responded to Arthurian tales of fortresses and castles or to Harry Potter's adventures will delight in simply walking around this storybook city. Start at Terrasse Dufferin in Upper Town, where there are coin-operated telescopes, street entertainers, and ice-cream stands.

A few steps away, at Place d'Armes, is the Musée du Fort, at 10 rue Ste-Anne which is a kid-friendly presentation of the city's military history. Also at Place d'Armes is the top of Breakneck Stairs. Halfway down, across the road, are giant cannons ranged along the battlements on rue des Ramparts. The gun carriages are impervious to the assaults of small humans, so kids can scramble all over them at will. At the bottom of Breakneck Stairs, on the left, is a glass-blowing workshop, the Verrerie la Mailloche. It's somewhat less impervious to the assaults of small humans, but still kid-friendly: In the downstairs room, craftsmen give intriguing and informative glass-blowing demonstrations.

In Lower Town, at 86 rue Dalhousie, the terrific Musée de la Civilisation presents child-friendly exhibits as well as a shop and cafe.

When in doubt, though, head to the water. Montmorency Falls makes a terrific day trip for kids of all ages; it's just 10 minutes north of the city by car. On Wednesdays and Saturdays from late July to mid-August, the city hosts a grand fireworks competition, Les Grands Feux Loto-Québec, at the falls, during which international pyrotechnical teams presents their own programs.

Canyon Ste-Anne, about a 45-minute drive northeast, offers thrilling bridge walks over a rushing waterfall, which is particularly spectacular in spring when the snow begins to melt.

Village Vacances Valcartier (tel. 888/384-5524) in St-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, about 40 minutes northwest of the city, is a major manmade water and snow park. In summer, it boasts 35 slides, a huge wave pool, a faux Amazon River to go tubing down, and diving shows. In winter, the same facilities are put to use for snow rafting on inner tubes, trips down ice slides, and skating.

Québec City is also close to where whales come out to play each summer. To take a whale-watching cruise, go north about 207km (129 miles) along the St. Lawrence River into the Charlevoix region; boats leave from the towns of Baie Ste-Catherine and Tadoussac and typically spend 2 1/2 hours out with the giants. Buses from the city can take you up and back in a (long) day. Or, if you have a car, consider booking an overnight stay at Hôtel Tadoussac and get a package that includes a cruise.