> Family Vacations w Teens

Under-Five's

Passworld - Club Med feature for teens and tweens
Teens can be a picky and tricky age to please. Many resorts set up a "teen center" with videogames and hope for the best. Not Club Med (all-inclusive resort brand with outstanding kids' programs): several Club Med resorts have Passworld themed place to hang out, with cool activities; and Club Med Punta Cana also has "The Ramp", teens-only giant skateboard ramp with lounge underneath.

Top Things to do in New York with Teens
Now your kids are older, you can enjoy some urban pleasures with them: mix'n'match sightseeing, shopping, shows, fun restaurants. In NYC, it's exciting to be in a Great City with kids old enough to know it's a Great City. Movie tours, speedboat trips past the Statue of Liberty, a museum that brings history to life-- here are ten ideas for teen vacations.

Teen Vacations: Theme Parks
Theme parks can be a super choice for teen vacations. About's guide for Theme Parks covers parks of all kinds including waterparks, scary Halloween events, and other fun for teens. In Orlando, Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park has top thrill rides.

Teen Vacations: Snow Holidays
Ski resorts have plenty to please all ages: most teens will probably opt for snowboarding, but there's also skiing (including new-style skiing that's "cool"), cross-country skiing, tubing, etc. Most ski resorts have special programs for teens; Smugglers Notch in Vermont even has two teen centers.

Snowing / Boarding: Top Teen Programs and Teen Towns
Pretty much any ski mountain these days is sure to have cool programs for teens; but Kidznsnow.com -- the excellent snow vacations site-- picks some outstanding ones. See also Kidzsnow's picks for Top Teen Towns.

Volunteer Vacations
"Voluntourism" is a trend: many people want to "do some good" during vacation-time. Several organizations will set up "volunteer vacations" for families with older kids. In most cases, you'll be paying substantial amounts for your voluntourism; also, you may find that the real benefit will be the maturity and expanded horizons of your teen-- but that's a good thing, right?

Best Cruises with Teens
Cruisemates.com has a whole section on Cruises, for teens, with articles about what's new on different ships plus tips by teens who've cruised.

Outdoor Multisport Trips
"Family adventures" is a buzzword for multi-sport escorted tours in the great outdoors offered by a handful of companies. Stay at great places, eat well, all with no hassles on your part. High-end, but the benefits are many.

White Water Rafting
One word, for white water rafting: exciting! Pick the level of adrenalin your teen will want: rivers come in several Classes. Click above to see a company with trips in Utah, Colorado and Idaho, including multi-day family adventures; West Virginia is another great rafting spot.

Spelunking: Underground Wilderness
An introduction to exploring caves, with a state-by-state list of great places to enjoy caves. Could be cool for teens!