travel from Chicago to Quebec with my 5 year old by car
Dec 29th, 2011, 07:36 AM
#2
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What time of year? It gets cold.
Deerfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, unless you want to save this for another trip.
Point Pelee National Park, if only for a couple of hours, in warm weather.
Niagara Falls, again if only for a couple of hours.
The Ontario Science Centre in east-end Toronto.
Downtown Kingston, by the harbour.
Watch ships go through the St. Lawrence Seaway locks in the Cornwall, Brockville area.
The train museum on the south shore, near Montreal.
The Insectarium in Montreal. Bring a magnifying glass.
A bagel store where he can see them being baked.
Wandering around old Monteal. There are horses.
The ferry across the St. Lawrence in Quebec City. The funicular railway and a walk on the boardway and a visit to the Chateau Frontenac Hotel, which looks like a castle.
From Montreal, on the return, to to Ottawa. The airplane museum but more important, the children's part of the Museum of Civilization.
There's more good stuff for a 5 year old, too.
BAK
Deerfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, unless you want to save this for another trip.
Point Pelee National Park, if only for a couple of hours, in warm weather.
Niagara Falls, again if only for a couple of hours.
The Ontario Science Centre in east-end Toronto.
Downtown Kingston, by the harbour.
Watch ships go through the St. Lawrence Seaway locks in the Cornwall, Brockville area.
The train museum on the south shore, near Montreal.
The Insectarium in Montreal. Bring a magnifying glass.
A bagel store where he can see them being baked.
Wandering around old Monteal. There are horses.
The ferry across the St. Lawrence in Quebec City. The funicular railway and a walk on the boardway and a visit to the Chateau Frontenac Hotel, which looks like a castle.
From Montreal, on the return, to to Ottawa. The airplane museum but more important, the children's part of the Museum of Civilization.
There's more good stuff for a 5 year old, too.
BAK
Dec 29th, 2011, 07:53 AM
#3
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What time of year are you going?
If it's summer and your little one likes beaches, you might cross the border at Port Huron/Sarnia and spend a couple of days in the Grand Bend/Pinery Provincial Park area.
Toronto is on route and is a clean, safe and very multicultural city with a number of big city things to do. Although coming from Chicago to another modern North American big city may not be terribly exciting for you. However, if you do stop here, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a marvelous museum with a large mix of exhibits, including a recent addition housing a spectacular dinosaur collection. Harbourfront offers boat tours and on summer weekends has music and cultural festivals and is near the CN Tower for spectacular views. The Toronto Zoo in the northeast outskirts of the city is very good and the Ontario Science Centre appeals to kids.
Montreal and Quebec have their historic architecture and European flavour which make them unique in North America. Quebec City's chief attraction is in fact the historic "Old Quebec" district, and although adults are usually charmed by the winding cobblestone streets and historic buildings now housing inns, restaurants and shops, it might have limited appeal for a 5 year old. Montreal, a much larger city, has a smaller historic "Old Montreal" district but otherwise offers more variety. Biodome is popular with kids.
In between Toronto and Montreal are the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence - boat cruises of roughly 1 to 3 hour duration are offered from a number of locations and these might be enjoyed by the whole family.
If it's summer and your little one likes beaches, you might cross the border at Port Huron/Sarnia and spend a couple of days in the Grand Bend/Pinery Provincial Park area.
Toronto is on route and is a clean, safe and very multicultural city with a number of big city things to do. Although coming from Chicago to another modern North American big city may not be terribly exciting for you. However, if you do stop here, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a marvelous museum with a large mix of exhibits, including a recent addition housing a spectacular dinosaur collection. Harbourfront offers boat tours and on summer weekends has music and cultural festivals and is near the CN Tower for spectacular views. The Toronto Zoo in the northeast outskirts of the city is very good and the Ontario Science Centre appeals to kids.
Montreal and Quebec have their historic architecture and European flavour which make them unique in North America. Quebec City's chief attraction is in fact the historic "Old Quebec" district, and although adults are usually charmed by the winding cobblestone streets and historic buildings now housing inns, restaurants and shops, it might have limited appeal for a 5 year old. Montreal, a much larger city, has a smaller historic "Old Montreal" district but otherwise offers more variety. Biodome is popular with kids.
In between Toronto and Montreal are the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence - boat cruises of roughly 1 to 3 hour duration are offered from a number of locations and these might be enjoyed by the whole family.
Jan 1st, 2012, 07:55 AM
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I've done daytrips through the Charlevoix region a few times so hopefully some of those with more knowledge and experience will post. However I have found it a very pretty region - and if you go that far I would suggest that you travel as far as Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park for excellent whale watching, perhaps staying in Tadoussac. There are boat tours (I might suggest investigating these and possibly even booking in advance), although it is sometimes possible to see whales from the shore.
The distances we're now talking about however are substantial and will involve quite a bit of time in the car. My spouse and I do trips like this over 2 week periods regularly, but we don't have little ones with us.
The distances we're now talking about however are substantial and will involve quite a bit of time in the car. My spouse and I do trips like this over 2 week periods regularly, but we don't have little ones with us.
