Ideas for holiday with older teen boys 14 & 17? (Without insects or fish...)

[Jng1]

Older teen is spending a week away with friends early July but wants to come with us too (is quite home-loving, not particularly party-type boy!)

Younger teen has some general anxiety issues, especially to do with insects (won't sleep in a room with any kind of insect in!) and fish (won't swim/sail in sea). Strange and difficult, I know, but that's how it is. Ho hum. So that basically rules out far-flung places, jungle, safari etc and sailing/watersports holidays.

So we all want to go away, but can't agree where/what. DS2 is also quite vocal about what he DOESN'T want to do, so:

• no 'traipsing around French towns/markets' (we have done a lot of that over the years )
• no city break type weeks in UK (boring apparently)

DH & I really struggling to think of something for July/August which will
a) still be available
b) not send DS2 into a tizz
c) be fun as possibly a last family holiday for DS1

We're outdoorsy, but not particularly sporty. In winter we enjoy skiing. Thought of alpine/hiking holidays, but just seems a bit dull/ for retirees!

Any ideas/suggestions?

I think you would like Japan. Or Singapore.

Singapore is probably a bit easier because English is one of the main languages.

Never been to Iceland but would love to go and it would definitely be different

Do not even think of Scandinavia in summer if you have an insect-phobe among you. It is full of midges until mid-September.

It occurs to me that there's a lot, emotionally, riding on this, and teens can be erratic. So maybe what you could do is not plan a bit extravaganza but some shorter overnight or long weekend trips to places you know they'll enjoy.

And then, if you've got someone to watch them, you and your DH could go somewhere for a long weekend that you really want to go.