Ariana Grande dilemma

I was an au pair abroad at 18 with a lot of responsibility for very young kids in an unfamiliar country. I certainly wasn't too young or inexperienced to cope. I'd be perfectly happy with a sensible 19 year old taking my teenager on an adventure like this.
But if you're not comfortable then you're not comfortable. End of.

You wouldn’t fly from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale in this instance. The parent(s) could drive them directly to the arena (if the 19 year old isn’t from the US or doesn’t drive). There would be no air travel involved, no working out how to get the arena from the airport and they wouldn’t be alone except inside the concert. I don’t see how this doesn’t solve the problem.

I'm no longer sure where the confusion is but there have been several statements on this thread that a 19 year old in the US is not an adult. That's just simply not true.

As for hotel rooms, there is no universal rule about adults 18 and over but not yet 21 being able to book a room. It is up to the hotels. Some allow 18, 19 and 20 year olds to book a room. Others require the person to be 21.

So you don't have to be over 21 to be considered the adult in a hotel booking in any US state? I think this is where the confusion is

19 is not an adult in America

How many times are we going to have to go over this on this thread?

I am all for the OP traveling with her daughter and niece, but the niece is an adult. Once again, the age of majority is 18 in every state, but three. And even in those three, 18-year-olds exercise most of the rights of adults. Certainly in Georgia where I grew up and in Florida where I live, I can assure you that 18 is the age of majority.

For what it's worth, the reason that the drinking age was raised to 21 across the United States was to address the issue of alcohol consumption and driving among younger drivers. Those laws don't have anything to do with whether or not someone is an adult.

There’s a big difference between a 19 YO taking local transport to a gig or even flying in the UK to a 19 YO travelling in America.

19 is not an adult in America and could cause issues in the airport, when the try and stay a hotel and so on.

As capable as this 19 YO may be, would they know how to handle the situation if they were pulled aside in the airport to questioned by armed security as to why two children are travelling together or when they were refused to stay at a hotel as two minors?

What a stupid statement!!! So you have to have to be old to know how to look after someone else???!!!! I would say a lot of 19 years old are a lot more sensible and streetwise than the grown ups as you seem to call them!!!

How does this solve the problem? It would still require an overnight stay. It would require either driving or flying to Fort Lauderdale then getting transportation to Sunrise, which is farther from the Ft. Lauderdale airport than the Atlanta venue is from the Atlanta airport.

Just sell the tickets and buy some for the Florida dates. Problem solved. Not sure why you got Atlanta in the first place.

I live in the States now and would more likely let my 15 year old travel with her 19 year old relative here than I would in the UK.

a considerable amount of hotels will not let you book a room unless 21.

Remarkable you do not know that. Not sure her niece marrying on the evening or being tried as an adult would be of much benefit to her in the event her flight cancelled.

No wonder so many kids are useless these days when parents won't even let them take a 2-hour flight alone.

Really? I genuinely cannot believe the amount of people who would feel it necessary to accompany them, no wonder we have a generation of young adults unable to fend for themselves. It's a short trip to a concert, they're 15 and 19 not 5 and 9 and should be perfectly capable ( some posters asking whether they'll find the stadium ?!?) - if they're not then then haven't been given an opportunity to grow and develop into capable young adults.

As I understand it, it's about being the parent of a 15-year-old who's undertaking an unfamiliar experience in an environment she doesn't know. This is a great thing for a 15-year-old to do.

As a parent, you have to think about what could go wrong and how you would handle it. There's ample opportunity for something to go wrong on this little expedition, and OP will be a two-hour flight away at best.

She isn't planning to attend the concert with the girls, she just wants to be nearby in case she's needed. This isn't saying she doesn't rust them OR that she anticipates disaster - merely that she's an experienced adult who takes her parental responsibilities seriously. It also turns out she knows Atlanta well, having lived there, so is likely to be able to smooth out any glitches the girls encounter.

I lived in Florida when I was 18, no parents, just friends I made there. I was perfectly ok travelling alone, I still say go with them. I also travelled alone at 15, I still say go with them.
Both are probably capable but I think to be extra safe, you should go. They don’t have to travel alone and you don’t have to helicopter them, but it’s better if you’re at least close by.

As long as your niece is sensible, I don’t see the issue with her taking your child alone. Equally I don’t think it’s OTT to want to travel with them as your child is only 15. Neither of you are wrong and if you would feel more comfortable going with them, I’d do that. Hope they have a great time.

I think several posters have confused the drinking age in the US with the age of majority. In every state but three, the age of majority is 18. And even in those states with higher ages (19 in Alabama and Nebraska; 21 in Mississippi), 18-year-olds can exercise most of the rights of adults.

The confidence with which you’re confusing the drinking age with the age of adulthood is honestly remarkable.

An 18-year-old in the US is legally an adult. They can vote, enlist, marry, sign contracts, and be prosecuted as an adult. They just can’t buy alcohol. The fact that you think access to a beer is what determines adulthood says far more about you than it does about US law.

Maybe spend less time explaining countries you clearly don’t understand and more time checking whether you’re actually correct first.

I would have no problem letting them go alone. Teens and young adults need these experiences where they can step up, feel trusted and come back feeling proud of themselves.

Ariana Grande is playing in Florida for a few nights just before her Atlanta date- could you not sell the existing tickets and swap to that? Then you could just drive them down there, it’s only a few hours from Orlando (near Ft Lauderdale).

For me it's the fact it's America and a different country. I would go for this reason.

The age of majority in Georgia (and in Florida) is 18. The drinking age is 21, but adulthood starts at 18. It's true that some hotels won't let someone under 21 book a room.

I still think the OP should go just to help with logistics which can be challenging in a city the size of Atlanta.

Is it a night time concert? I would probably say no in the event because 19 is an adult here - is not an adult in the US until 21. Often there are flight delays and cancellations. If they got stranded and had to stay in a hotel could she legally at 19 do so? Also do they know the city to navigate it at night? I work a lot in the US and there are a lot of issues with drugs in a lot of the big cities now - they look like zombies doubled over. Dallas was horrific. San Francisco too. Not done Atlanta though but heading there shortly. Whilst they are largely harmless in my experience, I wouldn’t leave two under 21 females together nighttime in a city in the US.

Atlanta’s absolutely fine, you’re talking rubbish. Doubt you’ve ever even been. It’s far from the most dangerous city in America for gods sake. They’re not going to East St Louis!