Teen Travel Tips

Have you ever been so excited about a trip and told your teens the incredible news – only to hear groans and sighs in response? My parents – and most parents – have been there. As teens, we often see family travel as a burden: You want to take me to a random location that has terrible WiFi and force me to spend “quality family time” away from my friends? It doesn’t sound like a great pitch to me. Here are some ways to get your teens excited before a trip:

Your teens after you’ve read these tips!

Teen Travel Tip #1 | Plan The Trip With Them

One way to get teens excited about a trip is to plan the trip with them. I think it’s really exciting to start with nothing but a location and to end with an actual trip that you get to experience. Plus, if you let your kids pick an activity or location to visit, they will have something to look forward to. You can also give them a variety of things to do and tell them to pick their top three – this way it is a collaborative decision, instead of them just having to follow you on a trip you planned. You may think you know what they’ll enjoy, but it is always better to let them choose.

Teen Travel Tip #2 | Research + History

Whether it be borrowing books from the library or learning a few phrases in another language, teaching kids about the place you are travelling to is crucial. Research can be as simple as a Google search, looking up the location on Instagram or reading up on some travel blogs ;) This research can help you plan your trip, as well as help your teen realize the value of the location you are visiting. Similarly, you can cater the history they learn to their personal interests. If you have a teen athlete, tell them about the popular sports and teams in the place you are going to. If your teen is a film buff, show them a movie made in that area of the world. Personalize the process and your teen will be receptive!

Teen Travel Tip #3 | Don’t Just Tell, Show

You can talk a lot about how cool a trip will be, but it can be difficult for teens to picture. Any kind of visual representation that shows the place you’re visiting and what you will be doing is beneficial. Pictures from the tourism board of that location (most will have an Instagram account) or YouTube videos from people who have travelled there are incredibly useful!

I hope these three teen travel tips will help you get your teens excited about your next family trip! Do you have any other teen travel tips? Let me know below!

(Need more help planning your next family trip? Check out: https://globetrottingmama.com/5-tips-family-vacation-summer/)