Your teenagers are distinct creatures and different than your toddlers, whom you can easily persuade to follow instructions or perform tasks for you. Teens are the risk-takers and surely the more experimental type. You have been a teenager yourself and highly likely, your teens will react relatively the same or extremely differently than how you reacted during your family excursions. Their hyper energetic attitude can be at its prime during outings and family trips. They are often the most spirited and possibly overly enthusiastic. So, they can either make or break the family trip. Venturing into a family vacation with teens comes with a mixture of caution and excitement.However, regardless of where you are heading to or where you are taking the family on your next vacation, it is important to consider the places and activities on your itinerary so not to kill the fun out of your teens, but also not dampen the mood of your younger kids.
Here are some good ideas to keep everyone going during your family vacation with teens.
1. Go on a Cruise
Teenagers aren’t children anymore, but they’re still not adults. You don’t want them spending time in clubs or night bars on vacation, but instead, take them with you on a cruise adventure. Cruises allow people from different places to come together and enjoy the trip.
This mean that they can mingle with other travelers and teens like them while on board the ship. Also, cruise ships have family-friend lounges and dance areas where the teens can spend time interacting with other guests. It’s a chance for them to take a peek at the grown-up life as well. Some of the best cruises include the ones that travel in Southeast Asia, the Mediterranean, or even the Caribbean.
2. Engage Them in Active and Sporty Vacations
Look back to the time when you were a teen. You’ve been there, and you exactly know that teens easily get bored if their energy is not burned properly. Going on a family vacations with teens can be an exciting time for everyone if you engage the “almost adults” with activities that will test their adrenaline.
If you are traveling to Europe, there are plenty of ski and snowboarding resorts you can take them to during winter. Summer in Bali or in Hawaii is a good chance for them to learn surfing. Sky diving or bungee jumping is something they might be interested in when you take them to New Zealand.
3. Visit Theme and Amusement Parks
Theme parks are basically for all ages, offering attractions that include themed sections, rides, and many others. It appeals to most kids but also do brings joy to teens who love the adventure.
Among the major international theme park players are Universal Studios and Disney Parks, which are ideal places to spend the family vacation with teens. So, whether you are in Paris or in Singapore, you will always find worldwide type, or small to medium-sized theme parks where the kids and teens can play around and have fun. The hair-raising rides like outdoor and indoor roller coasters are the ones the teens would love.
4. Check-in to an All-inclusive Resort
Teens nowadays can also be predictable, or maybe not. So, when preparing your family vacation with teens in the Caribbean or the Bahamas, you have to make sure that your itineraries are packed with fun-filled activities to keep everyone going. An all-inclusive resort or hotel is your best bet.
These types of resorts offer facilities and amenities like a playground, giant waterslide, swimming pool, kids’ club, teens’ program, kids’ buffet and a beachfront location, to name a few. Most of these resorts also accommodate large families, which mean you will have quality time with the family during your vacation when you need to.
5. Travel to a National Park
Like I said, teens are risk-takers, most of them love adventure and love the life in the great outdoors. They have the strong desire or impulse to travel and explore. A better way of doing this without compromising their safety, while at the same time letting the other family members enjoy the vacation is by visiting National Parks.
These parks offer adventurers and families activities like camping, biking, hiking, rappelling, and paddling. Two great choices within the United States are the Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Parks. Both parks are beautiful and explorable.
6. Explore the City and the Urban Life
While it is true that teens can sometimes be hard to please, but with the right places and the right timing, you can easily get their attention during your family vacations. One of the best places to really keep the teens going is by taking them to places brimming with action and activities.
Somewhere that is busy like urban places and metropolises is ideal. The world’s great urban hubs such as Manhattan, London, Hong Kong, or Singapore that offer teen-pleasing activities are some of the top choices. The teens can spend time wandering around the busy streets, watch street performers play music, eat local food at a restaurant, or simply enjoy the view of the skyline.
7. Get Sun-soaked on the Beach
While you are on a family vacation with teens, you want everyone to simply enjoy each other’s company, to unplug from their smartphones, and to have fun. But it can be challenging if your teens do not find anything interesting where you’re taking them to. So, the beaches are great picks. The white sand beaches of Phuket,
Bali, Mexico, or Palawan in the Philippines are some of your great options from the pool of choices. These places will keep your teens entertained with top-notch accommodations, remarkable restaurants, and fun attractions. Among the activities you can choose from that will keep them off of their smart phones for the day are parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, boating, sunset-watching, and many others.
