Post-GCSE holiday next summer with two teens - need ideas pls!

[maranella]

Next summer we want to do a big holiday with our two boys (16 and 13). We're very aware that we won't get many more holidays with older DC, so we want to do something cool, but budget is not limitless.

I was thinking Costa Rica, as I think the mixture of adventure and wildlife would appeal to everyone and they've both said they want to go, but I'm worried it's going to be too hot and humid and we all hate being sweaty. Hot during the day is okay, but humid is not great for any of us.

Our best holiday ever was three weeks driving around California, which had something for everyone (cities, nature, wildlife, great weather, cool shops, great food), so if anyone has any brilliant ideas of a similar type I'd love to hear them.

No one is interested in a safari. We're not keen on cruises either. We like to do our own thing really and not to be stuck with loads of other tourists, which is why neither of those appeal. We've never been to Asia and are open to that, but we don't really want to be sweaty there either! TIA

well if budget is huge, I’d say Japan or Vietnam or Canada (Rockies/Vancouver/Calgary Stampede combo).

But with my carbon-careful hat on, I’d say you couldn’t go wrong with a trip the Austrian Alps if you like active holidays. Fly to Munich and stay for a night to explore, hire a car then head to Mayrhofen/Zell am See. You can go ice-caving, ski on a glacier, summer toboggan, zip wires, hike/bike, lake swimming. Then I’d do several days around Salzburg.

Weather wise you might get rain showers but rest of the time the air is great and weather is hot and fabulous.

maybe it won’t tick your boxes but don’t overlook it, could be really cost effective

Sorry to jump on the thread but @PotKettel I've been looking at Austria but was worried about the weather - is it normally warm but the odd shower here and there?

@maranella when DD was 16 we had a great trip to Boston, New York and Washington. So much to see and do. Maybe that's also worth a look if you fancy going back to America?

You could go to Australia. It's cooler during our summer. Do a stopover on the way.

I’d second Japan. We went with teen DCs and it was fab. So safe - they could go off to see things they were interested in when we were in Tokyo. And it’s so different from anywhere else.

Inter rail round Europe- night trains are returning. Lots of different temperatures, you arrive in the centre of a city and while you can plan a route meticulously you can also change plans and hop on a train to somewhere else

We are going to the US this year with DD after GCSE, Fly to Boston, sightseeing for 3 days and a couple of days surrounding areas and then 5 nights in Rhodes Island for a break before 4 nights in NY.

Asia - most will be rain season, still lots to do though.

West Canada was also something we looked at and also Hawaii with San Franciso as a combo.

If you want sporty/active then the Austria idea sounds good.

It’s very hot and humid in Japan in the summer, @maranella . It’s an amazing destination but not in June/July!

We took ours to Peru. We went with Families Worldwide and it’s a great summer destination. What a huge shame you don’t fancy a safari. Our DC lived them. You could look at South Africa though. There should be whales at Hernanus if you go later in the holidays. The garden route would not be too hot. You could end with Kruger! Namibia is also a good varied choice.

We also like Alaska, West Canada and I think the Yukon could be fun. Do you like bears and whales? Lastly, look at Iceland. If you want to go this summer, prices are already high.

Definitely put your thoughts into a West Coast Canada road trip. Fly into Vancouver with a trip over to Tofino on Vancouver Island. Absolutely stunning place where you can go whale-watching and bear-watching. We stayed here and it was truly mind-blowing!

tofinovr.com/properties/eagle-view-house/

Then onto Whistler before heading up to the Rockies to Jasper/Lake Louise/Banff before flying back from Calgary.

Thanks very much for all the ideas!

• The US is a country we visit often and know well, so we'd like to do something different. DH and I have also been to Alaska.
• Canada too similar to the US and DH and I have been several times.
• Japan REALLY appeals, although I'm worried it will be hot and humid. I'll do some research, but this is definitely the kind of thing I'm thinking of. @Houseplantmad I'd love to hear where you went with your teens and where they particularly enjoyed.
• DH's been to Peru, so I don't think he'd want to go back.
• Australia is somewhere we'd love to take the DC - we have friends there and the wildlife and landscape definitely appeals. We'd definitely stop over, but the distance still puts us off a bit. It's a possibility though.
• Austria and/or interrailing - not 'special' enough. We've travelled a lot in Europe, skied in Austria several times, and the thought of lugging bags on and off trains for 2-3 weeks in summer temps doesn't appeal.

Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand tour was a great hit with my teen. Also took my mum and DH and all of us loved the mix of culture, sights, unesco and food

@maranella how about India? India is supposed to be amazing! Maybe combine with Sri Lanka?

@maranella
DH doesn’t want to go back to Peru? What about the rest of you? We took ours as teens and if was brilliant.

What about other places in South America? As long as you don’t go too far south, our summer is great. Ecuador and Brazil would be fine. Also look at New Zealand. Japan will be horribly hot and humid. Remember the Olympic Games! Far better to go in Easter holidays.

As you have travelled so much, finding a special treat for you seems rather difficult, especially as you don’t want a safari.

@maranella it was hot and humid. It was bearable apart from in Kyoto when it got up to 40° and it was hard to be out and about in that heat.

We did 6 days in Tokyo, then 2 in Hiroshima via bullet train, Kurashiki, Koyasan (which the kids particularly loved as it was so different - we stayed in a Buddhist temple), Kyoto and then Hayama on the coast for some R and R. I don’t think there was anything the kids didn’t enjoy. It’s just so amazing and so different from anything we’re used to.

Vancouver island is amazing, go sea kayaking and exploring. I wouldn't dismiss a cruise either, think of it as transportation for a road trip, you wake up each day in a new place - choose a line including soft drinks so no surprises from the youngsters!

As you have travelled so much, finding a special treat for you seems rather difficult, especially as you don’t want a safari.

We're really not that well travelled. We've travelled a lot in Europe and N. America, but we've barely set foot in Asia or Africa and while DH has been to four countries in S. America I've only been to one.

As for safaris - the thought of having to get up early every day just to sit in jeep, driving around for hours, is not my idea of a good time, but if it was a trip with say one or two days of safari, mixed in with other interesting or adventurous things, then that might work. I do really liked the look of Namibia and Botswana as destinations with lots to do, good safety, etc.

Did you go in the summer @AnythingConsidered and was very hot and humid? That's a trip we would love to do, but I'd always assumed that, as with many Asian destinations, Christmas or Easter would work better.

Cruises - I get seasick and we really don't want to cooped up in a floating tin can with thousands of other tourists.

What about Norway all the way up to the midnight sun?

@maranella South Africa combined with 2/3 day safari
or Tanzania & Zanzibar short safari in Tanzania?

We opt for the US because of the weather everywhere else.

We wanted to do something this year as it's a big birthday for me and GCSE for DD, otherwise we would have moved it to Easter 2024 and would have done Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam instead.

Friends did Australia last August, they met friends in Sydney but then did 10 days Queensland. Yes, a long trip but if you can stretch to 3 weeks you can add a layover with 2 days rest in Singapore for example.

Iceland?

I would do Australia - Cairns for snorkelling and rainforest, Darwin for national parks, hiking, one of the cities for r and r.

South Africa has loads to do. We flew to Cape Town for a couple of nights, flew to Port Elizabeth - hired cars, went on safari for a few days, then drive beck along the garden route staying in plettenburg bay - did zip wires through the forest, swam with seals, elephants, big cat sanctuary, snake place, then carried on to the caves and did a meerkat safari, then back to the airport. Was there 2 weeks or just over. Could have easily done 3 weeks.

When my kids are that age I want to take them to Costa Rica too!

Pre-kids we did a tour of Cuba which was absolutely fascinating, though I don't actually think the place is that beautiful. You could def hire a car and do your own thing. A bit of Spanish helps a lot. We then beached out in a tacky all inclusive for a few days, not our scene but was nice post-tour.

However both will likely be very hot and humid that time of year (all year most likely). That said a friend recently took her much younger kids to Costa Rica and had an amazing time in the jungle.

New Zealand? Biking, wineries, lots of adventure sports, rafting etc I think it would be great

what about something liking climbing Kilimanjaro (about 5-6 days) and then off to Zanzibar.

Namibia is awesome

Botswano

Nepal (you can do a trek) Kathmandu is really fun place

We're taking our teens to Canada and US this year - Vancouver and Yellowstone national park/Universal studios. A lot for everyone there and not too hot. We hate humidity too.