As our sons become adults, the dynamic of our relationship shifts. Phone calls become a lifeline, keeping us connected amidst busy schedules. Free from daily interruptions, a mother-son adventure is more than just a getaway, it’s an investment in our relationship. Being away from our usual surroundings, my son and I were both learners and explorers in the beautiful setting of Québec City.
We agreed on Québec City because it is a destination that perfectly blends European charm, vibrant city life, outdoor activities, incredible food and friendly people. And it doesn’t require a transatlantic flight.
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It wasn’t just about seeing the sights, though that was certainly part of the fun. The real magic happened in the unexpected conversations that flowed naturally. Instead of the usual “How was work today?” Our talks ranged from the culture and history around us to family dynamics and even politics.
Friends often ask me how I “got” my son to travel with me now that he is grown. Simple… I asked! I honestly didn’t realize that it is a bit unconventional to travel with an adult son;; but now that I think about it, it does seem so much more common for mothers to travel with their daughters. The dynamics between a mother and son are unique, and I want to know him more as an individual, not only as my son.
Dario and his dad did a trip together to Italy and he loved that trip too, for different reasons. They both like golf and sports. They did guy stuff. I don’t golf or love sports so Dario and I focused on cultural activities and food in Québec City, which worked great. We ate a meal at ARVI that we are still talking about – it’s an open kitchen concept where chefs are also servers and each course is presented by the chef who created it, along with a wine pairing. We ate beaver tail, coffee and croissants, deliciously prepared local fare at Le Vivoir and sampled bison tartare at the Wendake owned La Traite.
Read More: Tips from me and from my son for planning a mother-son getaway.
Charming Québec City
We stayed at Le Monastère des Augustines, a wellness retreat and mindfulness center in the heart of Québec City that Dario added to his list of favorite hotels. (You can read our full review of this incredible place.)
We walked all over the city, stopping at the Citadel, Parliament and the famous Fairmont Le Chateâu Frontenac. And the good news is that Dario said he would definitely travel with me again – 1X/year. I’ll take it.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Québec City is even a great spot to visit in the winter. Just be sure to dress the part!
Dario said the driving factors for him agreeing to take a trip with me were (in his order, I promise!)
- Quality time
- Low/no cost
- Could be without parents one day.
Four days is the sweet spot for our trips. And it was plenty of time to get acquainted with Québec City. Scheduling time together takes effort and flexibility on both parts. My “kids” are grown and lead busy lives. So do I for that matter. We found that 4 days is long enough to break free from the daily grind, yet short enough to avoid complicated logistics (hello, work schedules!).
His list of benefits of a trip with mom only:
- Creates newness – new conversations with Mom from the experience of exploring a new area.
- Forced to be together the whole time. No running off to watch TV or go out with a friend.
- Creates a great memory. It’s time you will never get back.
- Got to see Mom at work because she is a travel writer who will write about the trip. He said it felt like a “Bring Your Son to Work” trip.
His list of challenges of taking a trip with mom only:
- Can’t do all the stuff he would normally do when he travels, i.e., party, talk to girls.
- Sharing a room.
- Patience. He had to control his tolerance level for things he found annoying. He would not name them so I choose to believe there his list is short.
Before we booked our flights, we made some ground rules for our trip. We agreed that we would share a room, choose up to two activities to do together that we felt were important to us, allow independent time, ask and not assume.
So, if you’re considering asking your adult son to join you on a trip, I say go for it – even if it takes a while to coordinate schedules. The experiences you’ll share and the conversations you’ll have will be more than worth it. It’s a chance to see each other in a new light, to learn and grow together, and to create memories that will last a lifetime.
Click here for our Québec City Itinerary and our rankings (mine are in green, Dario’s are in blue).
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