Ten Teen Activities for Family Travel Times

It can be especially challenging to find activities that teens will enjoy while on family vacations so here are the top ten teen activities to make family travel more bearable. These family travel tips will come in handy for when teens are on their own or with other family members.

To make activities fun for teens as well as entertaining for the rest of the family keep in mind that there are plenty of things that appeal to all ages such as adventure vacations where a variety of activities are offered such as ATV tours, fishing trips, horseback riding, paintball, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and yoga classes such as those featured on the "Adventures in West Virginia" website.

The Tyler Place Family Resort in Highgate Springs, Vermont offers multiple teen activities that will make family travel fun including Bungee jumping, indoor and outdoor pools, camp outs, DJ Karaoke, basketball and volleyball, mountain bike trips, a lake trampoline and slide, windsurfing and water-skiing and a fireplace teen lounge.

One important thing to keep in mind is that most teens will prefer to have special time with peer while on vacation mixed in with family times so look for vacation spots that offer activities that are geared for teens that allow for a little independence and fun that is not at the cost of safety. Things to look for are "teen-only lounges", high-tech games or game tables and sporting activity areas like archery ranges, basketball courts, batting cages, climbing walls, and teen centers. Many upscale hotels and resorts have these activities set aside for the 13 to 19 age group.

Look for flexibility between scheduled events and relaxing leisure time activities such as those found at poolside. Teens typically thrive on knowing that although independence is at hand, there is a balance achieved by the appearance of a daily activity schedule with classes or organized events lined up for them to participate in.

An informal survey among a family of teens resulted in a list of favorite family vacation destinations for future trips that included the Disney Cruise Line, visiting big cities that offer plenty in the way of Broadway entertainment such as New York, and sport vacations that involve activities like mountain climbing, whitewater rafting, or skydiving.

Ten Activities Appealing to Teens

Theme parks

Ski vacations

Unusual museums

Sporting activities

All-inclusive resorts or hotels that cater to teens

Cruise lines

Any new experience such as snorkeling, deep sea fishing or learning an ancient art form or dance

Spending time in a foreign country

Taking in culture such as theatre, music (opera, bluegrass band, symphony etc.), art museums

Visiting historical places where they can experience what life was like in past eras

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Sources:

Adventures in West Virginia http://www.class-vi.com/adventures.cfm

Tyler Place Family Resort http://www.tylerplace.com/teen-vacation-programs-13-14-15-years.php