Travel specialist Nelson says one of her most formative experiences was going to a nightclub in Mombasa, Kenya, at the age of 18, accompanied only by a twentysomething colleague of her mother’s. Devan, 14, says that comparing notes with locals is his favorite part of traveling—and “of life, in general.”
“In Egypt, I met lots of people who live all over the Middle East and tell a different story than that told by the news—about traditions and values. I’ve also met teenagers from Afghanistan who managed to succeed academically in a war-torn environment,” he says.
Multi-generational travel expert Kathy Sudeikis, of Acendas Travel, agrees: “Expect that kids will separate.” She suggests giving an itinerant teen a hotel business card that they can use to get back home if the phone dies. “What they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives is getting loose for long enough to make friends at a local festival,” she adds.
Don’t Underestimate. Or Over-Schedule
Good news for adults: Kids don’t consider traditional sightseeing as boring as you might expect. “People sometimes forget that teenagers enjoy a lot of the same things as adults,” Trent says. Museums work especially well when they have docents who specialize in teen tours or offer interactive twists such as scavenger hunts—amenities that are becoming increasingly common.
Even better are active experiences, such as learning to surf. Among the most memorable activities for teen adviser Josie were an overnight on an iceberg in Antarctica and swimming with sharks in Bora Bora, in French Polynesia. Others recollected catamaran rides in Thailand and seeing orangutans in Borneo.
But scheduling can be a fine art, as teens value flexibility and spontaneity. “They want to move fast and squeeze a lot into every day,” says Sudeikis. “Misunderstanding their pace is a very common pitfall.”
More specifically, don’t assume that the day is done after dinner. “We don’t want to sit in a room with our phones, we want to explore the area,” says Sierra, a 15-year-old from Washington whose passport includes stamps from 42 countries. Turn to guided night hikes, ice cream shops, or local music venues to keep young adults entertained after dark.
Teens Really Are the Future
TCS isn’t the only company that’s thinking more about teens than millennials. Sudeikis applauded cruise line Holland America for catering to its core demographic—grandparents—by offering teen-oriented programming and shore excursions. “Grandparents are paying now, which means they have to aim at kids,” she explains.
Thompson Family Adventures, a Watertown, Mass.-based travel outfit, is also catering to young globetrotters with itineraries that are specifically designed to let “teens play hard and share an adventure with their parents.” In Costa Rica, for instance, guides tap into sustainability and environmental issues while bouncing between such high-adrenaline activities as whitewater rafting and canyoning.
The TCS advisory panel won’t be working full-time. Cline, Nelson, and the team will refer to the panel’s guidelines when planning family trips, keeping members on call for specific inquiries throughout the year. Ultimately, Cline says her mission for family travelers is simple: “If the teenagers are happy, everyone’s happy.”