It is a common knowledge, especially to parents, that pleasing a teenager is no easy feat. When it comes to traveling, teenagers can make or break the trip. Sure, they may show enthusiasm for the trip, but the activities that they may want to do may not be what the rest of the family wants. To make the trip pleasant for your teens, make sure to include them in the planning stage. Include their inputs in planning the itinerary. If you can hardly get a word or two from your teens about the activities that they would like to do during the trip, here are some ideas for a family vacation with teens:
1. Take the family on a cruise
The good thing about cruises is that everyone can be in the same place but do different things. You won’t have to worry about safety measures, because cruise ships must pass specific safety standards to keep operating. You can be certain that your active teens can get back to their cabins on time and at the same time allow them to roam around freely and do anything they like doing. There are many cruise ships to choose from. The top-rated ones include Disney Fantasy, MSC Divina, and Anthem of the Seas. Most cruise ships have game rooms, sports area, movie rooms, and swimming pools, which would keep your teens occupied and entertained. WiFi is everywhere, too, so your teens can still get connected with their friends back home.
2. Let your teens learn how to surf
Almost all teenagers now spend the majority of their time surfing the web. Vacations are a good opportunity for them to try new things, like surfing for real. You can take the whole family to Australia for some beach time. You can lounge on the beach and enjoy the sun while reading a book and sipping a cold drink. The little kids can swim and make sand castles. You can enroll the teens for a couple of hours of surfing lessons. Surfing is popular in Australia, so you can easily book surfing lessons. Your teens will have a day dancing with the waves along with locals and other tourists.
3. Go camping or glamping
Nothing compares to a quiet night under the clear sky and a billion stars. Pack up your tent and head off to the nicest camping site in your area. Gather the entire family around the campfire, roast some marshmallows and hot dogs, and have some hot chocolate. You can encourage everyone to have their gadgets switched off, so everyone can just talk and reconnect. Share your own fun childhood memories with your children so you can bond better. You can also try glamorous camping or glamping. There are a lot of popular glamping sites that offers luxurious vacation amenities such as hot tub, swimming pools, and gourmet meals.
4. Get an all-access pass to a theme park
Whether its Disneyland, Universal Studios, or Ocean Park, it is hard not to appreciate theme parks. Sure, your teens may no longer appreciate merry-go-arounds, but a theme park has a lot of cool and thrill rides that they will be excited to try. You can invite one or two of their friends to tag along, so they will surely have a good time. An all-day pass is more economical as well, and would give your teens liberty to choose the adventures they would like to experience or shows that they would prefer to watch.
5. Reconnect with nature and go hiking
Put on your hiking gears and disconnect from the social media world. Make it a monthly or even weekly routine for the whole family. This will make everyone develop a healthier lifestyle. You can make it educational as well. You may encounter plants and animals that they may have only seen online or in books. While hiking, you can discuss their new sightings with them. To enjoy your hiking trip, make sure everyone wears proper clothes and comfortable shoes. Pack enough water to stay hydrated, and do not forget to pack snacks. A hungry teen is not a good companion in any situation.
6. Have some snow fun
If you have outdoorsy teens, you will not have a hard time looking for vacation ideas that they will enjoy and look forward to. During wintertime, you can head off to national parks that offer multiple activities on the ice. If you live in the U.S, Alaska is a great choice. In Alaska, you will never run out of outdoorsy activities and adventures for adrenaline junkie teens. You can go hiking, skiing, and snowboarding. In the summertime, biking, camping, kayaking, and fishing are some of the activities you can do. If you need a break from all the outdoorsy adventures, you can head to the Alaska Aviation Museum or Alaska Native Heritage Center and learn more about Alaska’s history and culture. Adults and teens traveling together will surely find something to be interested in during the trip.
7. Spend a week in the African Desert
Africa is a must-visit for everyone. There are so many things to do and so many places to see. Masai Mara Safari offers comfortable camp accommodations your teens won’t complain about. During the daytime, you can ride horses and camels. Giraffes and zebras roam around the safari, and you will get a sighting of them every time. It would be a great opportunity to see these big animals outside the cages of the zoo. There are other resorts that offer ATV rides and guided tours as well so you will get to explore the safari more.
8. See temples and elephants
Asia is a great place to visit. If you would like to narrow down your choices, head over to Thailand and introduce your teenagers to the Thai culture and cuisine. Chiang Mai has an elephant reserve that allows you to trek along the riverbanks with the elephants. These lovely creatures are playful and friendly. You will get to pet them and feed them while spending a day with them. You can visit other cities and visit temples and museums, too. If you would like to have some beach time, Phuket is a popular destination in Thailand. It has beautiful beaches and luxury hotels and restaurants which are perfect for a relaxing getaway. Do not miss the opportunity to try the best and authentic pad thai while you are in the country.
9. Tour the teens around a big city
Big city tours inspire teens to dream bigger dreams. Take your teens on a weekend trip to a big city such as New York. The best way to get oriented with the city on your first trip is to hop on a tour bus. This way, you will get to see the places on your list and you will know where to go later on. New York is full of must-see places. Museums and public libraries are good places to explore with teens. Of course, the studios of big TV networks are also available for visitors. Your teenagers will be excited to see their favorite celebrities. Make sure to check in advance the scheduled shows in Broadway during you visit. Watching a play together is a great way to bond with your teenagers. Before leaving New York, make sure to drop by Central Park. You can hop on a horse-drawn carriage and tour around the park. The ice skating rink during winter turns into a magical wonder with all the twinkling Christmas lights in the background. This is a perfect selfie background for your teens’ social media photos.
10. Have a wonderful day in waterparks
No one is too old for waterslides. They are fun and exciting. Water activities under the sun always put moody teenagers in a good mood. If you can find one that has huge aquariums where they can watch and observe fish and dolphin displays, that would be a huge plus. This would be a perfect opportunity for them to learn about marine biology. Always make sure to remind your teens to wear sunscreen all day long and to stay hydrated always. Other essentials that you need to pack for a waterpark trip would be cute swimwear and giant floaties. Floaties do not only make swimming more enjoyable, but they are also great props for your teens’ photos. For them to listen to their jam while swimming or sunbathing, pack your HD speakers as well. You can encourage creativity during the trip by making your teens vlog about it. Creating travel vlogs is one of the popular hobbies of today’s generation. By vlogging, your teens can learn to organize their thoughts properly, learn the art of cinematography, and even learn to edit videos all by themselves. These skills are useful in today’s world. Creating videos and documentaries could even help your teens get admitted into their dream colleges and universities. YouTube is also a good avenue to monetize these vlogs. Content creation is one of the highest paid jobs in today’s freelancing world.
