Best Teen Vacations

[grilgirl]

Here are my favorite vacations for teens - these are places I went with my parents that were really fun.

1. Europe - ok so it's expensive, but I think it's a waste of money to go with kids that are younger than 13 or 14. They don't appreciate the culture. They do appreciate things like the gelato and pizza in Italy and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London, but the great art was really beyond my little brother and he complained a lot. But I loved it and loved just walking around the streets and hearing people speak in different accents and languages.

2. River rafting. It's really fun, but make sure there are other teens on the trip or that you get to take a friend. You get to camp but usually other people (the outfitter that organizes the trip) set up the tent and do the cooking and cleaning up. Plus it's exciting and you get to swim in the river off and on.

3. The Beach - I love the beach but prefer an ocean beach so we can go body surfing or boogie boarding in the waves. Lakes are good too, but not as much fun.

4.Skiing/snowboarding - I know it's a winter sport but it's really fun and a great thing to do with siblings or parents in the winter. You can all ski separately and then get together again in the evening. And you can go sledding and stuff if you want.

5. Big exciting cities - like New York and LA. But do your research first to find out about some of the other interesting things to do besides the obvious.

[gregor]

We used to go back to the same cabin at the same lake year after year.When I became a teen my parents let me bring a friend, which made it so much more fun! I liked seeing the same families year after year but I was a shy teenager so having a friend made the vacation much much better! So parents, consider bringing a buddy along for a great vacation. That way, too, you can let them have a bit more freedom.

[CarolWeaver]

I went rafting as a teenager. Loved it!

[RedDot]

River rafting is great fun - once you've gotten soaked. After that, you don't worry about getting wet anymore and can concentrate on having fun.

[magnusiax]

River rafting is one of my most favorite travel adventures last year we had 9 rapids for newbie category and it was fun. We were lucky to have a good guide or else it would be boring.

[RedDot]

The newbie rapids are fun when you have young kids along. We've found that if the ride is too intense, the kids can't handle the adrenaline.

Much more fun to take a smoother ride and keep the excess adrenaline in check. As they get older, they want to include the fear factor.

We made the mistake of taking a young neice on an exciting adventure. To this day she refuses to river raft again.

[lauras]

From the parents point of view, here are my favorite teen vacations. Some depend on your child's interests, and they are based on having fun as a family as well as being able to go your separate ways:

Skiing/Snowboarding - my all time favorite, although it's unfortunately seasonal. The chairlift rides make for interesting conversations, the kids can go off by themselves or take a teen oriented lesson, and in the evening they are tired and willing to hang out in the condo and maybe play a board game with the old folks.

River rafting - only if it's just our family or if there are other teens on the trip. Not that successful when it's all adults or too many younger kids.

Big city - Plenty of cash needed for this type of vacation, but there is so much to do in a big city that everyone in the family can find something they really like. In fact, when we go to big cities, we rotate who gets to pick which activity, with one activity in the morning and one in the afternoon, so every other day you get to do exactly what you want and everyone has to go along with you. And now we rent apartments rather than hotel rooms so it makes it really easy.

Beach - they love hanging around in their bikinis and board sorts oogling the other teens, but I like to make sure there are plenty of activities with this type of vacation, like surfing lessons, kayaking, miniature golf, etc. This is not necessarily my favorite vacation but it's always a hit with the kids.

Foreign countries - helps them practice their foreign languages! And a place always seems more exotic if you can't speak the language.

Dude ranches - great for kids who like to ride - the better or bigger ranches often group teens together for rides and activities so they have a casual and focused way to get to know each other.

[Cuthbert]

Thanks for sharing!!

[margarita]

When I was a teenage, the sea was all I need. But now I prefer lakes and rivers with more trees and less sun)))

[SpencerBrown]

My family would always go up to "the cabin" every summer when I was younger. It was a cabin owned by my dad's boss so when we went up we'd work on it (lights, sheetrocking downstairs, etc.) for one day then play for a couple. It was really cool.

[soccer39]

I agree that outdoor-based vacations are usually the best for families, especially skiing and the beach. The other thing I always loved as a child was going to Disneyworld every other year. I have great memories from those trips.

[lauras]

One more idea that was great for us was a music festival. My son was in the high school jazz band and we went to the Monterey Jazz Festival a couple of years in a row. They have a big youth program on Sunday afternoon and the place is crawling with high school students (and college and junior high students). We went for the weekend and he really had a good time and expanded his interest in jazz and music in general. He is also into origami so now I'm looking for a big origami workshop or conference or something!

[jijaybajay]

Definitely cruising! Go with Disney Cruise!

[shawn_sg]

The water-based activities sound like a lot of fun! Just wondering if anyone gets insured by some travel policy before embarking on these activities?

[Edds]

Originally Posted by grilgirl

Here are my favorite vacations for teens - these are places I went with my parents that were really fun.

1. Europe - ok so it's expensive, but I think it's a waste of money to go with kids that are younger than 13 or 14. They don't appreciate the culture. They do appreciate things like the gelato and pizza in Italy and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London, but the great art was really beyond my little brother and he complained a lot. But I loved it and loved just walking around the streets and hearing people speak in different accents and languages.

2. River rafting. It's really fun, but make sure there are other teens on the trip or that you get to take a friend. You get to camp but usually other people (the outfitter that organizes the trip) set up the tent and do the cooking and cleaning up. Plus it's exciting and you get to swim in the river off and on.

3. The Beach - I love the beach but prefer an ocean beach so we can go body surfing or boogie boarding in the waves. Lakes are good too, but not as much fun.

4.Skiing/snowboarding - I know it's a winter sport but it's really fun and a great thing to do with siblings or parents in the winter. You can all ski separately and then get together again in the evening. And you can go sledding and stuff if you want.

5. Big exciting cities - like New York and LA. But do your research first to find out about some of the other interesting things to do besides the obvious.

Yes extreme activities are good, with a new kids!