Where do you go with older teens?

[timetochangethename]

Looking for ideas for older teens but not yet adult.

Currently on a European AI but so many younger families that teens seem a bit out of place.

Thinking about trying a villa next year, never done one as thought they'd be bored when younger plus the idea of cooking puts me off but maybe it's time.

We always do city breaks at Easter which we all enjoy but like to have a bit of a chance to chill out in the summer.

DD16 loves Greece, going to nice beaches, eating nice food, a bit of sightseeing and relaxing

We have a 17.5yr old & we do lots of city holidays. Right now we're in Paris & she has some friends with her & it's wonderful as they're old enough now to go off exploring by themselves & we're having a very chilled time.

We're thinking USA next year..

We have DD and DS who are very different, so it's getting difficult to please them both and us. They also want separate bedrooms and are at a difficult age where they wind each other up. Maybe it's standard social media but it seems everyone else has teen DC that happen to like doing the same things and get on amazingly well and are happy to share bedrooms!

I could have written @Neversaygoodbye post myself. Everyone else seems to have teen that get along well and would be happy to share rooms. We don't! I'm hoping as they get older they'll get closer. They are different sexes and realistically spend very little time together when at home. They go to different schools and have their own hobbies and friends so not overly keen on going off together to do things, we tend to do activities as a four on holiday.

One is into doing activities, the other would rather sit and read, listen to music on a beach type holiday. City breaks work well for us, and we have done a lot over the years, but my dh and I do feel we also need a longer more relaxing holiday as a break from work.

Mine loved Germany, drinking age is 16!

@timetochangethename this is exactly us. DD 18 introvert loves to read, DS 16 extrovert wants company & activities (he'll be happier when he can holiday with friends). We ended up with a weeks UK lodge break with own rooms. DH & I like a mix of activity & chilling - weather is hit & miss and I'd prefer a longer break away but it's ok.

@timetochangethename what city breaks would you recommend? Thinking of a long weekend later in the summer. Thanks.

We did a Nielsen quite a few years for the watersports, city breaks Easter/autumn half terms (obvious ones Rome, Paris, Berlin) and also U.K. . May half term somewhere like Mull (so much wildlife ... DD requested we repeated that the next year). Various walking hols in the U.K. as well (exmoor, Dartmoor, north wales).

We did some boating holidays when she was a bit younger (Norfolk broads, Caledonian canal) - didn't have time for those when she was a teen but she and her BF want to do them with us now so I think she'd have enjoyed them during that phase too.

So a mix, but always with something to do, just beach or pool would have bored us all.

Iceland with teens was awesome

We’re taking two 17 year old girls and one 18 year old lad to Lanzarote this year..we made sure it was a busy area with lots of choices as far as bars and restaurants. Close to the beach, loads of walking, boat trips, hiring bikes, playing snooker. Short transfer journey. Pool.

We have an almost 15yo only and we are going to Rhodes AI (not MW but still £££ 😪) in the hopes he makes some friends. We do still do some days out too. Waterpark, nearby town, etc

Another vote for a cruise. All included and often lots of teens. If you go Royal Caribbean or Celebrity in Europe then lots of other teens (American we found) who all just hang out together. You then have whole days out exploring and some days at sea. They have gyms and spas and lots of activities.

I won't go self catering villa. I don't want to cook and finding a place to eat is always stressful. I have also found that the line if Greece and Spain have become expensive to eat out m, charging €€ fir wine abs water and cover charges.

So either cruise or a week cultural/exploring then a week AI but 5* so you get activities such as water sports etc (sometimes you have to pay extra.

my 16 year old isn't really into beach holidays, sadly.
This year we're doing 5 days in Berlin, and a weekend in London. A few years back we NYC followed by the beach at Cape Cod. I think that would be great for teens, although it was budget-busting for us at even at pre-covid prices so won't be happening any time soon.

I figure we only have a couple of years of catering to her whims left, and then she can stay at home while we do what we like. I'm pretty confident the younger one will always like a beach holiday.

My two older teen DSs and I have just come back from Malta, where they spent the week learning to scuba dive. They had wanted an activity holiday and they absolutely loved it.

Interrailing round Europe! A mix of cities and culture for dd and wildlife and nature for ds!

We did Tenerife earlier in the year, we got a lovely hotel with self catering options and only did 5 days, partly because that allowed a more expensive hotel and partly because the kids just don’t want to spend lots of time with us and a short break meant everyone was happy. We’re going to a caravan park in wales in the summer, been going since they were little, although less frequently in the last 5 years, they love the familiarity and for just 4 nights we can afford to eat out or get takeout every night if we want. If the weather is good it’ll be beautiful.

Mine are 15&13 so only a few more summers of family holidays I think and then dh and I are likely to do longer trips again.

Another vote for a cruise or better still a cruise and stay or stay and cruise holiday.

We did two consecutive years at a Neilson with our DS when he was 16 & 17. He loved it, he's an only DC but very sociable and loved meeting up at the 'Teen Club' (although before we went he insisted he wouldn't like it ). It worked well for all of us. .. DH is very active and enjoyed all the sports and I am happy just swimming and sunbathing all day.

But I agree family holidays can be very difficult... even just my DH and I struggle to choose something we both enjoy.

We have done villa holidays the last few years. Older teen loved them, younger teen is very active and didn’t much love the ‘hanging out by the pool’ days.

We are going on a multi-location holiday this year with a short stint of beach and then various cities. I think it’ll be more fun for both of them. Not cheap, though!

Tui Magic Life hotels are great because they’ve got loads of activities on site but you can also just chill out. I’m not sure you’d get the separate rooms for them, though, but I haven’t looked so can’t be certain

This sounds like the ideal holiday for my lot. Where are you staying?

It’s Lara Barut: it’s costing a fortune but huge water park, ultra all inc and a swim up room for meeeee.

there’s also a cat house which I cannot wait for !

A Royal Caribbean cruise. Plan it within an inch of your life. An excursion in a different country every day. We usually do lots of research before we go and book with local independent tour guides before we go. But the cruise ships offer excursions too.
And on sea days you won’t be bored either. So many things to do.

Mark Warner had lots of teens on holiday with parents and younger siblings.

We did a villa last year but is was expensive and they didn't meet anyone to socialise with so hung around bickering.

This year we're currently in a very nice apartment in the Algarve. Apartment is lovely, complex is great with lots of green space in the middle and 3 pools so no fight for sunbeds. It's a 4 -7 Euro Uber to Quarteria or Vilamoura which have some suitably cheesy nightlife without it being full on party central. Kids both made friends round the pool in the first day and it's been very successful.

There’s two lovely beach clubs not far from you… BJ’s and the Bold Octopus.