Best vacation for 12 year old boy

The best vacation for 12 year old boy can differ from person to person. If your son loves adventure get him a trip with National Geographic Kids. They’ll be exploring natural wonders. From catching crocodiles in the Congo to doing a face painting workshop in China, your child will leave feeling like a kid again.

A 12 year old boy wishes to have the best vacation he could afford. He’s heard of all of his favorite celebrities getting great vacations and he wants that too! However, you’ve also bought him lots of computers, which can be expensive. Do you have any ideas or advice for us?

Have you ever looked for a vacation for a child of your and you have come upon a decision of choosing the location, dates and the activities. This generation has become more focused on family and socialization than ever before. The ideal scenery for your younger children’s vacations should be something that will keep them contented throughout the visit, but also leave them with fond memories as they take pictures to share when they get back home.

The best vacation for a 12-year-old boy is one that involves lots of outdoor activities, like hiking, biking and playing sports.

If your son is still young enough to be protected by his parents, then make sure he gets plenty of rest during his trip. If you have any concerns about your son’s safety, be sure to keep him near you at all times.

If your son is old enough to travel independently, then consider taking him on an international adventure. It can be hard to find good family vacations that are affordable and fun at the same time. But if you’re willing to drive through Europe or plan a safari in Africa for two weeks straight, there’s no reason why your trip shouldn’t be amazing!

If your 12-year-old son is looking for the best vacation, we have some suggestions.

First, make sure you choose a place that has plenty of activities for him to enjoy. Look for places that offer water sports, like sailing or surfing. You could also try renting a car and driving around the area to explore new places.

When it comes to activities at the resort, look for outdoor pools or other water features. You can even look into having him join a local club, such as a swim team at his school.

If you do decide on an indoor facility, make sure it has all the amenities your son will need: a movie theater with popcorn machines, arcade games with prizes, and even food courts with pizza ovens!

Lastly, make sure he’s comfortable with the other guests around him—especially if they’re younger than him—so that he doesn’t feel out of place.

Keystone Resort, Colorado

Vacation Spots Keystone Resort Colorado
COURTESY KEYSTONE RESORT/BOB WINSETT

Snow-tubing in shorts? Sign us up! This mountaintop paradise about 90 miles west of the Denver airport, brings the white stuff from its mountain peaks to its high-altitude tubing trails (for kids 42 inches and up) all summer. The temps average 70°F, but there’s still plenty of snow for sledding. Rooms are a lot cheaper than in ski season and adventures like biking clinics, fly-fishing, and white-water rafting abound. Summer rates are usually a fraction of the peak-season prices.

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Tanque Verde Ranch, Tucson, Arizona

Vacation Spots Tanque Verde Ranch Tucson Arizona
COURTESY OF TANQUE VERDE RANCH

If you’re searching for an all- inclusive with a drop-off camp your tweens will look forward to, put this dude ranch, on your bucket list. “My four kids, ages 7 to 12, couldn’t believe how much time they got with the horses—riding, grooming, feeding, and even helping to bathe them,” says Amber Marmian, founder of the blog Global Munchkins. “The wranglers are also excellent at matching the horse with the child.” While the kids are happy, you can ride plus enjoy tennis, mountain biking, hiking, and fishing. Rates start at about $4,000 for a six-night stay for two adults and two kids ages 4 to 11, including all meals, the kids’ club, and most activities.

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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Vacation Spots Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado
COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Take a family camping trip to a new level at this popular national park. The largest of five campgrounds, Moraine Park, is surrounded by a pine forest; it’s just a few miles west of the Beaver Meadows entrance on the park’s east side. “Your family will likely see elk and deer,” says public-affairs officer Kyle Patterson. The campground offers 244 sites, and can accommodate RVs up to 40 feet long. Electric outlets and solar shower stalls are available in the bathrooms (pick up a 5-gallon bag for water on amazon.com). Campers gather in the amphitheater for nighttime ranger activities. In fact, Rocky Mountain’s Junior Ranger program for 6- to 12-year-olds is one of the most extensive of the national-park system, offering opportunities to earn a pin plus astronomy and firefighting badges. Camping reservations are accepted six months in advance. Got a fourth-grader? Your whole family can enter any national park for free all year long. Print out a pass at everykidinapark.gov.

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Dubai

Burj Al Arab in Dubai
MELISSA BYKOFSKY

The largest city of the United Arab Emirates has a mix of history and glamour, making it an ideal vacation for the whole family. Walk through the shopping souks of Old Dubai and visit the Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort to learn the history of the government, architecture, business, and agriculture of the city. Head to La Mer (a public beach and shopping destination) for a day full of sun, sand, and the Arabian Sea. Then head into the desert for a dune-driving adventure with dinner at a Bedouin-style camp. Spend your visit at Jumeirah Al Naseem, a beach-front resort that offers unlimited access to Wild Wadi Waterpark.

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London

Vacation Spots London Ferris Wheel
COURTESY OF VISIT BRITAIN

Your family’s first trip across the pond will be more affordable this summer thanks to a good exchange rate. Check out the iconic London activities like double-decker bus rides, the changing of the guard, The London Eye, and Kensington Palace. You can find discounts on attraction using a London Pass. Add a few free museums to the list: The British Museum (game-design workshops plus Egyptian artifacts), Natural History Museum (for your dinosaur fan), and Tate Modern (create digital drawings). Tour Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and when they impress their English Lit teacher in a few years, you’ll thank us. See a show at The Globe (Hamlet and As You Like It are among those playing this summer) or on the West End—even full-price tickets to The Lion King, Matilda, Wicked, and Aladdin, cost far less in London than in New York City.

Stay at a hotel in a great location. Near the London Eye and Big Ben, the newly renovated London Marriott Hotel County Hall is one of just a handful of city hotels with a pool; kids under age 12 eat for free in the restaurant. If you’re looking for a smaller, boutique hotel, try the Montague on the Gardens located near the British Museum. It Kids Go Free package includes free dining for children under age 12, plus there are all kinds of thoughtful amenities for little ones ranging from baby monitors to loaner board games.

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Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Vacation Spots Jackson Hole Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park
COURTESY OF NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Ease your reluctant adventurers into a national-park trip by spending the first night or two in this Wild West town. They won’t be able to resist lasso games, mechanical-bull rides, and sheep chasing (yep, that’s a thing) at the Jackson Hole Rodeo. White-water rafting down the Snake River with Mad River Boat Trips (ages 6 and up) will also help them forget about the YouTube videos they’re missing.

From Jackson Hole, drive about 125 miles to Yellowstone, where the earth is oozing, bubbling, or bursting along practically every hiking trail. “If that doesn’t motivate kids to forget about how long they’re walking, the animals will,” says Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, the family-vacations expert at About.com. “My kids were so excited when they saw elk, bison, prairie dogs, eagles, and even vultures.” Her family stayed at the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel; other options include four reservation-only campgrounds and the Fishing Bridge RV park near the Yellowstone River. The park offers about 340 sites with full hookups for electricity, water, and sewer for hard-sided RVs up to 40 feet long.

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The Plantation on Crystal River, Florida

Vacation Spots The Plantation on Crystal River Florida
COURTESY OF CRYSTAL RIVER PRESERVE STATE PARK

What’s cooler than snorkeling? Snorkeling alongside manatees. About 90 miles northwest of Orlando, this resort offers a three-hour family trip to Kings Bay, where West Indian manatees hang out all year long. Kids must wear the loaner wet suit (available in size 6 and up) to take part. Stay awhile so you’ll have enough time for other resort activities like kayaking and fishing and to explore Crystal River Preserve State Park.

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Turtle Bay Resort, North Shore, Hawaii

Vacation Spots Turtle Bay Resort Pool Area North Shore Hawaii
COURTESY OF TURTLE BAY RESORT

For wannabe surfers: The three-hour Keiki Waterman Adventure at this family-friendly resorton Oahu, gives 7- to 14-year-olds a chance to try tandem surfing, outrigger canoeing, and stand-uppaddle boarding with help from pros. They’ll head to Kawela Bay, a quiet area of the resort where Pirates of the Caribbean and The Hunger Games were filmed. Use your kid-free time for mountain biking, golfing, or hanging by the pool. When you’re all back together, drive to Matsumoto Shave Ice and then do it all again the next day. The nearby Polynesian Cultural Center offers an amazing luau plus stand-up paddle-boarding and ukulele lessons.

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TradeWinds Island Resorts, St. Pete Beach, Florida

Vacation Spots TradeWinds Island Resorts St. Pete Beach Florida
COURTESY OF TRADEWINDS ISLAND RESORTS

A floating water park in the Gulf of Mexico sounds like a kids’ fantasy, but it’s the real deal. The giant inflatables are about 60 feet from shore and contain a climbing wall, trampoline, balance beam, and side-by-side slides. Your kid can slide right into the warm gulf waters! Children need to be at least 40 inches tall to enter the floating park (they swim out) and 46 inches to go in without an adult. “The resort supplies life jackets—and lifeguards make sure the kids are wearing them—so I felt good letting my kids, ages 7, 11, and 12, play while I watched from the beach,” says Marisa Langford, who blogs at Adventures of TampaMama. Pack lots of sunscreen because a 200-foot inflatable water slide on the beach, stand-up paddle boarding, two ocean-side heated activity pools, and kayaking will keep your mini thrill seeker active for the entire trip.

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Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas

Vacation Spots Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas Mayan Temple
COURTESY OF ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND

Your big kid won’t find anything lame about playing in the water at this Caribbean paradise. The massive Mayan Temple houses five wild water slides—two of which send swimmers (48 inches and up) through a clear acrylic tunnel that’s submerged in a shark-filled lagoon. The other slides are perfect for riding with besties, sibs, or even you. “My 10-year-old liked racing her dad on the Mayan Temple’s Challenger Slide—at the bottom, riders can check the time clocks so there’s no doubt about who won,” says Lisa Goodmurphy, founder of the blog Gone With the Family.

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