Amble and Roam Travel

December 2024 | four nights three days

WRITTEN AUG 22, 2026

Our Itinerary at a Glance

Keep reading to find the full story below.  

December 19 | Dinner In Quebec City

• Arrive to Quebec City in the evening
• Transfer and check in to our hotel
• Dinner at La Buche

December 20 | Toboggan Slide and Christmas Market

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Petite Champlain and Place Royale 
• Funicular du Vieux-Quebec to Dufferin Terrace
• Au 1884 Toboggan sled
• Lunch at La Korrigane 
• Dinner in the Christmas market
• Au 1884 Toboggan night sledding

December 21 | Dog Sledding and Christmas Market

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Passion Husky Dog Sledding
• Snack at Cafe Maison Smith
• Place d’Youville Ice Skating
• Dinner at Nina Pizza Napolitane St. Jean-Baptiste

December 22 | Ice Skating, Toboggan Sled, Christmas Market

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Plains of Abraham Ice Skating
• Lunch at La Souche Microbrasserie 
• Souvenir shopping
• Christmas market events

December 23 

• Return home in time for Christmas

Christmas in Quebec 

A couple years ago, we decided that we wanted to take a festive Christmas vacation.  

There were mixed opinions in our family about whether or not we actually wanted to be away on Christmas day.  One child was vehemently opposed to the idea and the other was enthusiastically on board.

Ultimately, we compromised. We would find a wintry North American city that felt festive and special, but we would come home before Christmas Eve.

We chose Quebec City, Canada.   

As tempting as it is to plan a big European Christmas market trip, there is something pretty wonderful about being able to fly a few hours to Quebec City, deal with only a one-hour time difference from home, and still feel as though you have landed somewhere completely different.

And in December, Quebec City really does feel a bit magical.

December 19 | Arriving in Quebec City

Our total flight time from Nashville was approximately three and a half to four hours in the air, with a layover in Toronto.  After landing in Quebec, we requested an Uber and headed straight to our hotel in Old Quebec City.

Driving into Old Quebec after dark definitely set the scene for a festive weekend.  The streets were twinkling with Christmas lights and a light dusting of snow covered the historic homes that lined the way.

French is the primary language in Quebec, which along with the historic architecture of the old city, contributed to the illusion that we had just landed overseas.

Where we stayed

We stayed at The Castel d’Amerique Francaise, a small bed and breakfast within about a 5 minute walk to the center of Old Quebec.  

It was full of character while just quirky enough to make it memorable.

The entrance was a small staircase through a large double door directly off a narrow sidestreet.  Upon entering, guests were asked to remove their snowy shoes and place them on a rack in the hallway.  The owner provided slippers, if desired.

Immediately to the right was a small communal dining room with a few round tables and stacks of vintage, mismatched plates and mugs on shelves above the serving area.  

Our family still talks about breakfast here.  

It was simple but delicious, and it had the feeling of waking up and eating in your grandmother’s kitchen.  

Each morning, we had yogurt, a homemade fruit bread or coffee cake, cheeses, boiled eggs, and toast with several homemade jams and butters.  There was a station in the hallway for clearing plates when you were finished.  

To us, this felt comfortable and homey.  If you prefer a more formal hotel experience with full-service breakfast, this probably isn’t the right place for you.  But for our family, it was exactly right.

Each evening, when we returned to warm up, the kids loved walking down to the dining room to make themselves a mug of hot chocolate before bed.

We booked a room with two queen beds and a good-sized bathroom.  The room was comfortable, clean, and had everything we needed as our home base in Quebec City.

If you are looking for something more traditional or luxurious, there are several beautiful options within Old Quebec, including:

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac – The iconic hotel that towers above Old Quebec and the St. Lawrence River.  Even if you don’t stay here, it is worth visiting or stopping for a meal.

Auberge Saint Antoine – A beautiful luxury hotel with a strong sense of place and a focus on sustainable tourism.

Le Germain Hotel Quebec – A beautiful hotel in a restored historic building with a focus on sustainability.

A Late Dinner on our first night

Knowing that we would be arriving later than usual after a day of travel, we planned ahead and made a reservation at Restaurant La Buche – close to our hotel.  

La Buche serves traditional Quebec cuisine and the atmosphere feels like a rustic sugar shack or lodge. The dining room is small and cozy.

You’ll notice the website and menu are primarily in French, but English descriptions are included under each dish.

This ended up being the nicest – and most adventurous – meal of the weekend for our kids, who were 10 and 12 years old at the time.  

We ordered several dishes to share so that everyone could sample foods Quebec is known for: Poutine (french fries with cheese curds and gravy), Meat Pie, and Foie Gras.  And of course, we finished with Maple Syrup Pie for dessert.

A note about the weather

If you are considering a December trip to Quebec, go prepared for winter.

Temperatures can be very cold, ranging from single digits into the 20’s Farenheit, and snow is certainly possible.  But mid-December weather can be a little bit of a gamble.

During our visit, we had snowy cold days that felt perfect for the activities we had planned.  The following week, however, a warm spell brought rain and caused some activities to close temporarily until colder weather returned.

That is something to keep in mind when deciding between a Christmas season trip and a January or February visit.

December 20 | A Day of Sledding and Christmas Festivities

Each day started at a slow pace.  

We slept in a little, enjoyed breakfast at the hotel, and then took our time getting bundled up before heading outside.

Necessary Winter Gear

One of the reasons this trip was so much fun, was that we were properly dressed for the conditions.  

Fortunately, we had accumulated a good stash of winter gear during our Iceland adventure the year before.  The kids had outgrown their coats, so we needed to replace those, but otherwise we were stocked with waterproof insulated gloves, boots, snow pants, wool socks, hats, and scarves.

This is not the trip to underestimate the importance of good winter clothing.   

Make sure your boots have good traction, or bring some crampons.  Some of the sidewalks and side streets can get icy – and Quebec City is quite hilly.

This may seem like amateur advice to anyone who lives in a cold climate, but it was not common knowledge to us after living our entire lives in the Southern US.

Our kids were also at a fantastic age for this trip. I can only imagine the exhaustion of trying to coordinate bathroom breaks with multiple layers of clothing had they been much younger.

I tip my hat to all of you who tackle big winter adventures during that stage of parenting.

Exploring Old Quebec and the Toboggan

Our first task of the day was procuring espressos and hot chocolates to carry along on our walk.  

We descended the famous “breakneck stairs” towards Petit Champlain and nearby Place Royale.  

Petite Champlain is an adorable historic district filled with shops, cobblestone streets, and charming buildings at the bottom of the stairs and the funicular.  Near to Place Royale is a historic square marking where Quebec City was first established as a settlement in the 1600’s.  

We ducked into Le Petit Dep and found exactly what we needed to keep warm while exploring.

We window shopped, explored the streets and squares, and our daughter enjoyed her first “tire d’erable sur la neige” – maple taffy on snow.

If you’ve never tried it, maple taffy is a wonderful winter treat.  Boiling maple syrup is poured onto fresh snow, where it quickly begins to solidify.  You then roll it onto a stick and eat it like a lollipop.

It is very very sweet.

We found another maple taffy stand near Le Chateau Frontenac, so keep an eye out as you explore.

After walking Petit-Champlain, we rode the Funicular ( Funiculaire du Vieux-Quebec ) back up to the Dufferin Terrace.  

We were ready for the main event: the Au 1884 toboggan slide.  

When we stepped off the funicular, we found ourselves on the wide Dufferin Terrace boardwalk, with Le Chateau Frontenac on one side and a breathtaking overlook of the St. Lawrence River on the other.  

We stopped at the small ticket area, bought our tickets, grabbed one sled for our family of 4, and made our way towards the steps.

The toboggan slide is a simple wooden structure with two lanes.  The sleds have an authentic vintage appearance, complete with quilted red cushions, and each sled can carry 4 people.  

We had an absolute blast.

We rode multiple times during our short stay – sometimes all 4 of us together and sometimes splitting into boys versus girls for a race.  

It’s a fast ride, and the sled picks up some serious speed on the way down.  

And the nighttime rides are even better.

The view of the city, Le Chateau Frontenac, and the river – with the Christmas lights glowing against a snowy backdrop – was one of my favorite memories of the trip.

The line can get long, but we found that stopping by at different times throughout the day helped us catch shorter waits.  The line winds alongside the slide, so even waiting in line is entertaining as you watch the sleds race past. 

Lunch and the Christmas Market

Having a few cafe and lunch stops throughout the day was key to keeping everyone warm and happy.

On this day, we took a short uber ride to La Korrigane Brasserie Artisanale for our lunch.  It is a comfortable, casual spot serving fish and chips, burgers, poutine, salads, and a small kids menu.

After lunch, we bundled back up and headed out to explore the German Christmas market.  

The market was much more expansive than I expected with multiple sections spread throughout the city.  It was also incredibly well organized.  Maps and schedules are easy to find online and through the market’s app.  

There were activities happening throughout the day:  puppet shows, family game tents, arts and crafts, musical performances, parades, and Santa visits.  

Each section of the market also had food and drinks along with fire pits where visitors could warm up.  

Our favorites were gnocchi, currywurst and all of the hot drinks such as hot chocolate, apple cider and gluhwein.  

But one of our favorite discoveries was completely unexpected.  

We found the Ravensburger game tent.  

It was a heated tent with tables and chairs and shelves of board games.  Many of the games and instructions were in French, but the staff was amazing and helpful as we tried to translate and figure things out.  

We visited that tent every chance we got.

After a full day, we couldn’t resist one more visit to Dufferin Terrace for a nighttime ride.  

A couple more sled runs, a walk back to the hotel, and we were ready to warm up and settle in for the night.

December 21 | Ice Skating and Dog Sledding

Easy Morning followed by Dog Sledding

We took our time getting ready and having breakfast that morning.  

We had big plans for the day.

The kids had been particularly excited about dog sledding, while I was a little more hesitant.  

If we were going to do it, I wanted to make sure we chose a company where the dogs were treated exceptionally well and genuinely loved and cared for.  

I spent a lot of time researching before our trip and ultimately chose Passion Husky.  

I read countless reviews praising the staff for their care of the dogs and then spent time reading through their website. Their focus on the social, physical, and mental well-being of the dogs was exactly what I was hoping for.

We were fortunate to have snowy weather at the time of our visit because dog sledding is, of course, very weather dependent.  

Passion Husky offers a few time slots each day.  

The easiest way to get to the farm and back is by rental car.  If you choose to take an uber or taxi, be sure to arrange a round-trip in advance.  Getting a ride to the farm is much easier than finding one from the farm after your experience.

From the moment we arrived, the staff was so welcoming and clearly in tune with what their dogs needed.  

The dogs were in beautiful condition, playful, and social.  We paired up with a staff member and a team of dogs, and the dogs were beyond excited to get started.  

Our sled took us on a beautiful snowy path through the woods.  

We enjoyed hearing about the dogs’ distinct personalities and watching how they trusted and responded to their driver.  The ride went by quickly and each of us had an opportunity to drive the sled for a short time.  

But the best part came after the ride.

We were encouraged to spend time with the dogs, and they were incredibly sweet. The highlight was going into the yard with all of the puppies.  

They were full of energy and ready to play.  

We were warned to keep a close eye on our gloves and hats, and sure enough, those mischievous puppies tried every chance they got to steal our accessories and turn it into a fun game of chase.  

I left feeling happy with our choice. 

I am glad we found a place that treated their dogs like family, and thankful for the experience that we had that day.

Back to the City for Ice Skating

After returning to Quebec City we stopped at Cafe La Maison Smith before heading back outside.  

There are several locations around the city and they offer pastries, sandwiches on baguettes, and an extensive coffee menu.

By this point, we were figuring out our routine – bundle up, explore, find a warm place for a snack and drink, and then bundle up again. 

After our snack, we walked to Place D’Youville for ice skating.  

This outdoor rink sits next to the Alpine Village section of the Christmas market and is framed by the historic gates of Old Quebec.  

Admission is free and there is a small indoor area next to the rink that provides skate rentals and an area to change into them.  

The kids skated while we watched and grabbed hot drinks from the surrounding market stalls.

It can get busy, but that did not take away from the experience.  Eventually, we had to drag the kids away with the promise that we could skate again the next day.

Pizza Dinner

After a full day of sledding and skating, we were ready for something easy.  

We walked just a few minutes down the street to Nina Pizza Neopolitaine St-Jean-Baptiste.  

I recommend making reservations in advance.  We didn’t, but fortunately we were able to snag four seats at the bar.  

The Neopolitan-style pizza is baked in a wood fire oven, and it really hit the spot.  

We turned in early, played some games in our room, and rested up for our final day.

December 22 | More Ice Skating, Markets, and Souvenir Shopping

We had intentionally left our final day completely open.  

After a couple days of exploring, we knew exactly what we wanted to do again.  We also wanted to find a few small gifts and souvenirs to take home for Christmas. 

The list was simple:
More ice skating.

Another ride on the toboggan.

A little souvenir shopping.

Instead of Place d’Youville, we made our way to the Plains of Abraham.  

This was actually my favorite skating experience of the trip.  

It was less crowded and much more spacious.  Rather than a traditional rink, this is more of a track through a park.  

The ice was a little rougher than a traditional rink, but it was still easy to skate, and the setting made it feel completely different from the previous day’s experience. 

Admission was free here as well, and there was a small heated chalet where we could rent skates and change.  

We could’ve stayed all afternoon. 

After skating, we took an uber to La Souche Microbrasserie (Limoilou) for lunch.  

It is a casual brewpub serving burgers, wraps, poutines, fish and chips, pizza, and salads.  It was a relaxed family meal and a nice break from the excitement around the Christmas market.

The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent exactly as we had hoped – going back to our favorite places.  

We rode the toboggan again.

We wandered through the market.

We found souvenirs.

We listened to a rock band performing Christmas carols while dressed in full Krampus costumes.

We watched puppet shows.

And, of course, we made a final visit to the Ravensburger game tent.

For dinner, we each picked something from the market stalls – gnocchi and currywurst were the winners – and ate as we walked back to the hotel to pack.

What I Would Do Again

Looking back on our trip to Quebec City, there are a few things I am especially glad we did.

Book the bed and breakfast

It was so pleasant to wake up each morning and ease into the day before heading outside to brave the cold.

Invest in the heavy winter gear

Secondhand clothing websites were my trick for finding waterproof down coats for the kids, and we were so grateful to have the heavy coats.  Good winter gear made the difference between “this is miserable” and “this is so much fun”.

Go sledding with Passion Husky

Admittedly, I spent a lot of time worrying over this activity choice.  I was so happy with the people at Passion Husky and the care they showed for their dogs.

Choose some restaurants away from the center of city

Although slightly less convenient, it was nice to escape the crowds around the market for a couple quiet relaxed meals.

Make the final day a free day

There was so much we wanted to revisit from our first couple days in Quebec City.  Leaving our last day open allowed us to return to our favorite spots without watching the clock.

Farewell Quebec

Our family remembers this trip so fondly.  

It was the perfect long weekend to put us in the Christmas spirit.  

Yes, it takes a little pre planning – and some mental preparation to step outside into the cold each day – but the payoff was so rewarding.  

I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Revisiting our Quebec trip meant bringing out our photos and remembering all the fun we had.  

Almost immediately, we started talking about how much we would all like to go back.  

That conversation evolved into something more concrete.  

We are now booked to visit Montreal during our winter break this year.  

So, stay tuned. After the holidays I’ll be sharing our next Canadian winter adventure.

Until then, Quebec City remains one of those trips we will be talking about for years to come.  

And those are the best kind of trips.

Thinking of planning your own winter vacation?

As always, if you’re dreaming of snowy weather, holiday festivities, beautiful places, and a little room to amble and roam, send me a message.  I’d be happy to help you plan it.