Mirrored image of the Colosseum (in sunglasses)…
Traveling with your teenage kids is lots of fun! It’s also a great time to connect. With some good planning, you can create fantastic family memories. Read these travel tips and learn some ways that you can make that quality time away together, enjoyable for everyone!
- Involve them in the planning process
- Alternate big cities with smaller towns
- Choose museums wisely and plan out what you want to see in advance (and don’t plan on staying all day!)
- Learn fun facts about sites that you can share when visiting (interesting history, movies filmed…)
- Plan fun activities
- Take some downtime (or a midday sun break if it is hot)
- Take a bike tour in the city or countryside (check out electric bikes tours)
- Plan out meals/restaurants in advance, as well as coffee/drink and sweet treats (you ARE on vacation after all!)
- Teens will appreciate you letting them drink a coffee, and maybe a little wine or beer if they are of age in the country you are visiting
- Go swimming at beaches, lakes, rivers, etc. and take a GoPro
- Travel with a Drone if the country allows it (check before you travel)
- Set out to take creative photos and share everyone’s best at the end of the day
- Take action photo bursts of them jumping into water, etc.
- Encourage them to make a video
- Audiobooks- we like Audible through Amazon
- A ball is fun at any age
- Visit parks and take a seat for a while
- Consider sitting atop a double-decker bus to get an overview of a big city
- Free city walking tours (Be ready to abandon if it is boring!)
- Find accommodations with activities such as ping pong, bocce, tennis…
- Pack some cards and play some games
- Look for wildlife (or count cats in Athens!)
- Know when to splurge on a tour guide (make SURE they speak English clearly and are entertaining)
- Know when to get up and out early (plan an enticing breakfast or coffee/hot chocolate first)- if it is hot, crowded, or you are driving to another destination
- Picnic! Plan in advance where to shop and where to sit
- If you need a midday break, enjoy a long leisurely lunch at a local restaurant
- Plan a small amount of shopping time, if your kids want to buy something
- Street performers in the evening are free entertainment for the whole family
- Bring a laptop (domestic travel) with cables that attach to a TV for family movie nights (plan out before you leave home)
- Track your steps on your iPhone and in big cities try to top your biggest day (can also make an incentive for when you hit a certain number)
- Watch a live local sport, live local music or see a play or show (depending on interests)
- Go on adventures and stay active
- Be patient and put your fun hat on!
