Fun Places To Go On Vacation With Teenagers
One question I get asked a lot is where you go on vacation with teenagers for a fun family holiday. There are lots of things to consider before your next escape, and having family holidays are great if you can get it right. A family vacation can be a memorable time for everyone but especially the teenagers. Most teenagers enjoy spending time with their families and it is the perfect way to get closer as a family. However, finding fun places that teens want to go is not always easy.
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Fun Places To Go On Vacation With Teenagers
Going on vacation can be an exciting experience. Being able to take a break from school and work and just have fun without the usual routine is wonderful. However, going on vacation with teenagers can be more challenging than taking a break in isolation. Teenagers are just starting to become their own persons and you want to give them the best experiences possible to help them grow and mature. But sometimes this means going against your own personal desires for a vacation that doesn’t match yours but they’re more interested in what they’re interested in. This is where you must put yourself aside and remember that this is about your child’s – not yours – experiences.
As it is, it can be quite a task to get the adolescents in your clan excited about family vacations.
And then comes the pressure of getting the vacation right; ensuring there’s just the right amount of family time while also letting them have the freedom for their own kind of fun can be quite a tricky balance!
Agreed, your not-so-little ones are obviously not little anymore and the idea of a full-blown Lampoon vacation may not really be enticing to them.
However, adolescence is when the kids are at their most curious and active best and you’re in for a great travel buddy if you manage to excite them enough (pro tip — involve them in the decision making and give them sufficient time to bond and relax!).
But even pro tips apart, nothing short of magic could probably transform your teen into the ideal traveler overnight; however, taking them to the right spot sure can help make great headway in the process!
To give you a hand, here’s our list of the top vacation spots that have something for you and the teens alike.
Rock-and-roll emporiums, sporting venues and stadiums, pristine beaches for surfing, or hair-raising adventure parks — these vacation spots are teen-friendly hubs with a ton of teen-friendly activities, no matter where their interest lies!
Read on for some inspiration on family vacation ideas with teenagers and putting together a family vacay that every member of the family will cherish for a long time to come!
1. Honolulu, Hawaii
A beautiful spot that manages to strike the right balance between being a cosmopolitan city and a tropical paradise, Hawaii is a great spot to start off with if you’re wondering where to take a teenager on vacation!
21 Best Family Vacation Ideas With Teenagers
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There’s just enough teen-friendly city fun as well as outdoor delights in surrounding Oahu.
You could try family-friendly activities such as hiking, snorkeling, kayaking or half-day tours that cover Oahu’s key attractions (such as the Pearl Harbor Memorial), or just hit the famous Waikiki Beach; you can sip a mojito and work on your tan while the kids pump up the adrenaline with surfing lessons from the locals.
Better yet, take a page from the Hawaiian Royal Family and opt for an outrigger canoe surfing session instead!
Related: Best Places to Eat in Honolulu
2. Long Beach, California
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Truth be told, there’s very little margin for error when you pick a beach for family vacations with teenagers!
At California’s Long Beach, kids can have personal encounters with sand tiger sharks and catch up-close-and-personal views of sea lions, tropical fish and all the marine fauna at the Aquarium of the Pacific.
Another thing to do for some wholesome family fun is to sign up for one of the many Beach City Food Tours for the best of local fare; this one may just be a hit with the whole family because, after all, who doesn’t like food, right?
You could also visit the historic restored gardens and ranch house at Rancho Los Alamitos or enjoy a family Segway tour.
For a fun day-trip, considering going over to Catalina Island via a ferry cruise.
Los Angeles isn’t too far away from Long Beach, so once you’ve made the best of your beach vacation here, head over to LA for some more teen-friendly fun, including visits to Six Flags Magic Mountain and the awe-inspiring Universal Studios Hollywood!
3. Orlando, Florida
Home to some of the best family-friendly activities, Orlando is a no-brainer when it comes to fantastic family getaways that also have all the makings of a great teen vacation!
Sure, they’ve outgrown Mickey and Minnie, but the thrilling roller coaster rides here will likely more than make up for that!
Disney World Resort, SeaWorld and Universal’s Islands of Adventures are fun places to go for cool activities such as swimming with dolphins, parasailing and jet-skiing; alternatively, take an airboat ride through the Everglades for a fun family day trip.
It’s easy to dismiss Orlando as kid-friendly only, but the area is host to a range of teen-friendly activities; there are tons of spots the teens will dig, such as Gatorland to meet the ‘gators, Discovery Cove, K1 Speed for some crazy go-karting and iFly Orlando for the adrenaline-junkies!
Related: Places to Eat: Orlando, FL
Related: Orlando Resorts & Hotels for Families
4. Washington, DC
Home to some of the world’s best museums and most famous landmarks, Washington, DC, is brimming with great vacation spots and activities.
The guided Segway tours of the city will probably go down in all your books as one of the city’s most fun experiences and, of course, selfies are a must in front of the city’s many impressive monuments!
If you’re a family of museum buffs, Washington’s many museums are must-visits, such as the National Museum of Natural History, National Geographic Museum, the International Spy Museum (a great one for all the 007 aspirants out there), and the National Gallery of Art, to name a few.
If the adolescent of your clan has a media obsession, the Newseum is a must-visit, with its exhibits and interactive broadcasting studio.
The fashion-forward shops of Georgetown are a great spot to head to after the Newseum visit, while catching beautiful nighttime views of the city, after dark, from the illuminated Capital Wheel, is a great way to end the day.
Related: Restaurants: Washington DC
Related: Family Hotels in Washington DC
5. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach in South Carolina is a great spot — firstly, it’s a beach and secondly, it has a little something for every member of the family!
To enjoy a great outdoor shopping experience, head to Broadway at the Beach, or catch fantastic views of the city and an impressive light show at the extremely tall SkyWheel.
For all things fascinating, weird and sometimes downright creepy, head to Ripley’s Odditorium; reserving your tickets to skip the long lines is a great idea!
For some adrenaline-pumping, energy-burning activities for the kids, go-karting at the Broadway Grand Prix is a great idea, as is hitting one of the many water parks, especially if you’re traveling with a teenage son.
At the Wild Water and Wheels, you can chill on the lazy river while the young ‘un hits the speed slides!
Related: Myrtle Beach Resorts for Families
6. Cape Canaveral, Florida
Pretty similar to Orlando but with the extra science factor added in, Florida’s Space Coast is one of the best vacation spots for teens who take after Sheldon Cooper.
Catch a once-in-a-lifetime experience of watching a live rocket launch, take a tour of the Kennedy Space Center with the whole family or see the delights of Port Canaveral seated comfortably in a helicopter!
The beautiful shoreline is also a great spot to spend time at.
You can gear up at the super-famous Ron Jon Surf Shop and hit the lovely waves at Cocoa Beach where you might even get lucky enough to spot sea turtles and manatees.
You’re sure to work up an appetite after all the surfing, so gorge on some delicious fare in the many delicious eateries along the Cocoa Beach pier.
Related: All Inclusive Family Resorts in Florida
7. Gatlinburg, Tennessee
At Gatlinburg, it’s “good vibes only”; the place exudes a warm, friendly, relaxed air that makes it such a great vacation spot for families, with its exciting, lively range of restaurants that can satisfy a wide range of appetites, preferences and tastes!
Explore the 800 miles worth of hiking ground and beautiful trails at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; the park also has activities such as fly fishing and horseback riding.
Don’t forget to take a family photo at the area’s mossy waterfall or against the breathtaking views at the Clingmans Dome observation tower.
Even better, catch more incredible views from a helicopter; there are many great helicopter tours run by efficient operators that are a must-consider experience!
All in all, Gatlinburg offers a great combination of city life and outdoor adventure, making it a really great vacation spot for tweens, teens, parents, and everyone in between!
