As our children grow older, we begin to realize how very limited our time with them is. Teenagers become more independent, growing into the young adults we have spent so many years shaping them to be. And that, my friends, is a good thing. There is little greater satisfaction as a parent than seeing your grown children live full, happy lives as adults with joyful families of their own.
But for those of us with teens still at home, how do we make the most of these fading years… or even months? My youngest son has been at the mercy of my wanderlust throughout his life. We have camped in the Ozarks, vacationed at Disney, visited Universal, explored Washington DC, drove all over Texas, played at Florida beaches, and trekked about Europe.
Today, I sat down with my 17-year-old to get his take on memorable travel.
For the sake of my readers, how would you describe yourself?
I feel like a country kid trapped in a suburb. I enjoy being outdoors, camping, and going places we traveled when I was a kid. I’ve always traveled, so I’m grateful for having been on so many vacations.
What are some of your life goals?
I want to live in a place where my closest neighbor is 5 miles away. Professionally, I want to be a firefighter. I like helping others. Fire Science is fascinating.
What kinds of things do you enjoy when it comes to travel?
I enjoy the outdoors. I like going to theme parks, but once I get tired, I want to be able to go back to the resort and chill. Time for rest is important to me, because as a teenager, I feel like a lot of my energy and enthusiasm are spent in the morning.
Mom’s Takeaway: Recognize the need for a balance between activity and rest. Plan time for relaxation – for adults, too! Teens need a LOT of sleep – they’re still growing. And no one wants a tired, cranky teenager on their hands!
I like amusement parks because I enjoy the adrenaline rush of rollercoasters and thrill rides. Having my brothers with me meant a lot to me when I was younger. Having someone in your own age range, even a friend, who can share the thrill, per se, makes the trip enjoyable because you have someone to share the rides with.
Mom’s Takeaway: When taking your teen to a theme park, be willing and able to ride with him or her, take friends or siblings along, or allow your teen to indulge in bonding with other kids. I personally get motion sickness easily, and I’ve always felt bad about not being able to ride the thrill rides with him – but there are options! It’s all about balance.
What kinds of experiences mean the most to you when we travel together?
The memories from our past travels mean a lot to me. When we go to a place we visited when I was a kid – remembering how I enjoyed that as a kid is special.
When we go places that relate to history, I love that. Being able to see something in front of you that you’ve only read about in books or seen in movies… it’s astonishing. Surprising. Awesome.
I’m a very social person, so I like to make friends. If my parents can’t ride a ride with me, I can find someone to bond with. Meeting other kids from other places with similar interests is cool.
Mom’s Takeaway: A legacy of travel can weave together wonderful memories for our children, and even if they seem cranky about it when they are younger, you’re building a foundation. They’ll appreciate it when they are older in ways they cannot even understand when they are young.
Look for opportunities to allow your teen to indulge in his or her interests. One of my son’s favorite things to do at Disney is to drive the motorboats around Seven Seas Lagoon from the Wilderness Campground dock – so that’s what we do! 🙂
So I hear you saying that having the freedom to be social with other kids your age – even while on vacation – is important to you?
Yes, but I can even do that with kids that aren’t my age. If we were at Disney, for example, finding people who are playing a game and asking if I can join them. Or at a pool in a resort, joining in with a group who look like they’re having a good time.
Mom’s Takeaway: Giving your teen time to go to the pool, the game room, or the basketball court by him/herself to find someone his age is a good thing. It gives your teen some breathing room so that they’ll appreciate your time together even more.
Bonus: It gives the adults some chill time, as well! Be sure there is balance – time for everyone to relax in their own preferred way while on your trip!
We have a number of trips planned in the next year: Disney, Europe, the Ozarks, and possibly a cruise. What are you most looking forward to and why?
The Ozarks, honestly, because it’s familiar. I’ve gone there almost every year of my life. That said, sometimes it’s good to space out trips to one place. If we were to go to a place I love every other week, it would get boring real quick. The thrill of going wouldn’t be there. Spacing out visits and allowing time between going allows that excitement to build back up and be more impactful when we travel.
And Disney?
For Disney, I’m looking forward to simply waking up at Disney. Waking up, going down to the food court, being in that Disney bubble, riding the shuttles to the parks… even waiting for the bus – it has its own charm. Doing those things we’ve done when we’ve gone before bring back those memories. The parks are important, too, though – if it’s planned correctly, you’re going to have a good trip. They thing that has made our trips good has been your good planning [awww!!]. It’s what makes the whole thing work. You’re not sitting in lines for four hours and then your day is over.
Side note: One year, we went to Disney but stayed in a really nice resort (REALLY nice) OFF property. But because we were so accustomed to the “Disney Bubble,” it just wasn’t the same. At the end of the week, he thanked me for the Spring Break vacation, but asked me to make sure that from then on, when we visited Disney, we stayed on property – and I agreed! While staying off property might work well for larger families and those who want to do more in Orlando than just the theme parks, personally, we will never go to Disney and not stay on property again!
How about Germany, Austria & Switzerland?
In Europe, I’m looking forward to the history – to seeing the places where everything happened. I’m a history buff.
Mom’s Takeaway: This goes back to indulging their passions. Vacation can become educational very quickly! There are so many awesome museums, historical sites, reenactments, libraries, tours and theaters that kids absolutely love. (I say that after 20 years as a teacher and having traveled both the United States and Europe with my students!)
Know what they love and run with it. My kiddo loves history, so I’m planning a surprise trip to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans – he will absolutely love seeing the M4 Sherman Tank! Shhh! Don’t tell him!
What has been your favorite vacation we have taken? What did you enjoy about it?
(long thought….) Honestly? Going to the beaches in Florida was pretty cool. Probably because my brother was there. We went to visit him when he was at Eglin Air Force Base in his AIT, and you took me to the beach. I was swimming in the ocean, and when I looked up, I saw his red hair and knew it was him there, standing on the sand. It’s just another tribute to planning, really… you surprised me. It made me feel happy because I hadn’t seen my brother in about a year.
Mom’s Takeaway: Now that my older two boys are out on their own, it’s still my role to help make travel happen for us. As they are growing into their careers, they still appreciate it when I arrange hotels, visits, and travel for us. And I love doing it! It is too easy, as our children grow into adults, to simply miss them. Continue to invite them along on travel adventures, and your family will continue to grow closer and make memories throughout the years.
This fall, I have reserved suites at one of our favorite Ozarks resorts, and I’ve invited our oldest and his wife, who are in Texas and within driving distance, to join us. We visited our middle son and his wife in SoCal last January, and we’re hoping they can get time off to come home for Christmas. My next hope is a family cruise!
If you could go anywhere and do anything, travel-wise, what would it be?
Colorado. I want to go skiing. I’ve never done it before. And my friend Cameron used to live there – he says it’s pretty cool.
Mom’s Takeaway: When your kid tells you where he’d like to go, try to make it happen – even if it’s just a quick Southwest Airlines weekend sale!
Thinking about our travel experiences, when we’re traveling with you, as a teen, and me/us/with grandparents, as adults, where do you find value in a vacation?
It helps when the adults take risks and step out of their own comfort zones to do things that kids enjoy, too. Sometimes it’s going to go wrong… it can be a jackpot or learning experience. That’s part of it. But when you hit that jackpot, you’re having a good time, the kid’s having a good time – everyone is happy. Sometimes you can’t make everyone happy, but try to make sure it’s balanced and everyone gets time for what they enjoy.
Mom’s Takeaway: This one hits hard. He loves thrill rides. I get motion sickness. I just ordered Motion Sickness Patches and SeaBands – So when we go to Disney here in a couple of months and I get on Mission: Space for the first time ever, he’s going to know that I tried, at the very least!
It goes back to balance – you want to share the fun together, and at times, everyone needs to get out of his or her own comfort zone – teens and adults alike! That’s how we find out that we enjoy new things (as well as what won’t work – but at least we try!). My dad isn’t a “tour” kind of guy, but this summer, he and my mom and joining us on the Keys to the Kingdom tour at the Magic Kingdom, and my teen is pretty excited that grandpa is coming along! – I’ll let you know how it goes!
What piece of advice would you give parents of teenagers who are looking to create memorable experiences with their kids while they can?
All vacation is really just a “show”… it can either be a circus or a Broadway production. It’s up the parent to decide what it’s going to be. if it can be orchestrated effectively, it’ll be a heck of a good time.
Are you ready to create memories for your teenagers or children?
Call or Text Kimberly at (816) 866-8883 or Email Kimberly@NextAdventureVacations.com to begin planning your next trip!
