Successful holidays with older teens...where and how?

[gerbo]

We have 2 teens, 15 and 18. Since they were tiny we have had brilliant Eurocamp holidays, very relaxed, caravans, pool, beach, bbqs.

We widened our net the last couple of years with mini 'road trips' around France/Germany - 2 City stops (culture/walking round old towns) followed by a campsite to fulfil pool/beach needs!

We are a bit lost as to what to do next year.

We aren't hotel people particularly (like tge independence of airbnb or camping) and like a balance of seeing things and chilling. Happy to drive or fly.

We have 1 holiday per year, normally on a budget too - eating out maybe twice per holiday, etc.

Has anyone had any breaks which they think have gone well with older teens? We ate open minded for next year. Thanks in advance.

We did Lake Garda when ds was 16 and he said it was the best holiday ever! We stayed in an air b and b in a mobile home seconds from the lake and took trips out, swam, ate pizza and it was a good balance for us all. We flew into Venice and hired a car. There was lots to see and do and also time to swim.

Ours were water babies from the word go and so always enjoyed beach holidays with warm sea and sundry water-sports thrown in. They were happy to come with us even in their 20s - if we were paying!

Thanks both. We've been to Lake Garda and loved it. How was hiring a car?

I took my teens interrailing this year, we had a brilliant time. Did a mix of cities, mountains and beach time.

OrangePippa how did that work practically? One rucksack each? Book accomodation ahead? Eating on the move, just ad hoc each day?

Did you hace a route planned? Book trains ahead? Did they get fed up of cities and want beach?
Details would be gratefully received.

Last year we got the train to Innsbruck (Home-London-Amsterdam-Innsbruck). Spent the weekend in Amsterdam. Were meant to get the sleeper train to Innsbruck on the Monday night, but it was cancelled; travelled the next day instead. From Innsbruck we picked up a hire car and drove to Zell Am Zee for a week. Returned the hire car, train to Vienna, flew home. Exhausting, challenging, great learning experience for all.

DC were 13 and 16. We all loved Vienna far more than we thought we would. One rucsack each.

USA road trips! So much choice and all amazing!

Following for ideas - you have similar budget to us…

Inter railing is a great shout - teens can help plan the route etc.

Universal Orlando Resort was fab for us Kids were 17 and 21. Also Barbados a couple of years earlier.

@gerbo really easy from Venice airport and it was not far. We only pottered about really and we went in June so the roads not too busy.

I would go to Iceland. Completely different to anywhere else and such a variety of different things to do and see.

We did the following last year and my teens loved it…
stayed in Monaco 2 nights then train to Italy, 2 nights each in Genoa/Rome then 5 nights near Sorrento and chilled plus did Vesuvius and Pompei.
good mix of sight seeing and beach.
stayed in airbnbs…the one in Monaco was on a boat, was amazing!

We have done Iceland with a 16yo and they loved it. Also did some touring/adventure holidays across the American West, China (though not sure I'd do that nowadays), Croatia and Greek islands.

Expensive but our three holidays to States were a massive hit with late teen kids … Florida, California and New York/DC/Philly

i went to Jordan with mine when they were about that age. Diving/snorkelling in the Red Sea, a few nights camping in the desert, couple of days in Amman, Jerash, Dead Sea, and, of course, Petra. We rode camels for one journey, went horse riding, did some hiking, and hired a car for a few days exploring.

Ours are the same age. Best holiday ever was Costa Rica, but also bloody expensive. Otherwise, we find mountains tick all the boxes best. DH and I get to do some hiking - because the kids are happy to walk as long as it's exciting walking with rocks and views. DS2 gets to do something a bit adventurous like white water rafting. It's not too hot, so I'm happy. But hot enough for swimming (we splashed out on a villa with a pool this year, but other times we've done river/lake swimming). Also a bit of sightseeing and pottering around, with nice food and wine (mix of meals out and cooking). Very successful trips in this vein have been French Alps, French Pyrénées and Slovenia. None of them too expensive - found houses to rent on Airbnb or other sites, and either hired car or drove there.

@BamberGirl that sounds brilliant, did you organise it yourself or through a travel agent?

Road trips - their favourite was to France and Spain, two nights in each places, into Le Havre and the long ferry back from Santander.

Overnight ferry to Amsterdam? Biking through the city and onto the windmills followed by camping in the countryside?

We usually holiday in the French alps. Google Serre Poncon. Kids love it - 18 yo DS went there with his mates post A levels. It’s not an expensive area and there are loads of things to do. Interesting towns (Briancon), forts (Mont Dauphin), biking hiking, lake activities…

Our best ones with older teens
Cape verde
Southern Germany
Italian Lakes
Mexico
Cadiz

We look at flights when the airlines have their sales and see what's good value as a starting point (searching everywhere on comparison site) This was for DIY trips and made further flung options affordable.
We did Mauritious with a beachfront Airbnb very reasonably last year and also USA road trips previously which work well for teens. We got lucky with cheap flights to Costa Rica one year which was amazing however have not seen much that's a great price recently.
Interailing was my other thought or somewhere like Morrocca or Iceland although food and car hire expensive in iceland.

Wow, some amazing ideas. Thanks all.

We love our simple camping holidays but I feel we may need a change. We are limited by budget though - !!!

I will show this list to my husband and we will contemplate.

It feels different now, like we only have so many family hols left, so I want to make the most of them.

I wish I could suggest USA but right now with DT around, I'm reluctant to give him my very hard earned cash....

I interrailed in my youth, but find it hard to imagine it not being extortionate, eating out twice/3 times a day with a v hungry 16 year old, and winging the accomodation.....but it sounds like a great adventure. Could anyone tell me more about the practicalities of this choice?

Again,thanks all.......

We got back from a ten day interailing trip yesterday - night train Paris to Nice. Then local train for Monaco visit and overnight in Menton. Night in Genoa, few hours to see Leaning Tower of Pisa then two fab nights in Airbnb apartment in Rome. Five days in gorgeous hotel on amalfi coast (inc pompeii but too hot!!). Flight home from Naples. All booked ourselves and with younger DC (9 and 13). Big backpacks for us and small ones for kids and all wanted to keep going for longer. Fabulous and sure would be amazing with older kids. Trains so comfortable and reliable in Europe.