Travel for teens isn’t always easy to plan. With spring break approaching and the lazy days of summer beginning to get into focus, you are probably already imagining your days filled with waking up past 7 am, going to the beach, or working a bit with that cute boy or girl you have a crush on to score a relationship and some much needed cash.
But when the thought of just another summer hanging around town doesn’t excite you too much, here are 4 options for a teen tour you might want to take that will not only wake up the adventurer in you but might be a nice boost to your college resume as well.
Are you an adrenaline junkie? Does the idea of traveling around North America and going to theme parks all day everyday make you want to jump off your coach right now? Then if so, Thrill Coasters is the tour for you. With this year’s tours hitting the American South in July and parts of the Northeast, Ohio, and Canada in August, there will be plenty of opportunities to ride your favorite coasters again and again without a nagging parent who says once is enough.
American Trails West (ATW):
With a company that has been around for over 50 years, you can assume that by now ATW is a well-oiled machine when it comes to curating trips to challenge the soul and excite the mind in the American West (and Canada, Hawaii, Alaska and Europe). With 9 tours running over a series of 2-5 weeks, there are bound to be plenty of options to hit that spot you have always dreamed of be it hiking Yellowstone National Park, at an authentic luau in Hawaii, or discovering the history and culture of Western Europe.
If the idea of discovering your career passions or getting a head start on college sounds like more of your thing, then the Summer Discovery program might just be the right place for you. With programs from coast to coast and with a few options in between, having the chance to learn from top professors in your field of interest at Penn, Johns Hopkins, Michigan and UCLA, to name just a few schools, will not only make you super prepared to take on that tough AP class you signed up for in September but will give you a glimpse of what college life is like for when you attend. But don’t think that taking a Summer Discovery course means that it is all work and no play, you will get a chance to enjoy the local culture, food and sports teams of wherever you are staying with your newfound classmates and friends for a summer you will never forget.
Global Leadership Adventures (GLA):
If combining a bit of world travel, a pinch of international culture and a touch of volunteering looks more like your ideal summer then GLA summer teen tours are the perfect match. The range of possibilities on a GLA tour are endless as you could be spending your summer helping to conserve Thai elephants or volunteering with Mayan children in Guatemala by day and taking in archaeological ruins in the afternoon . With programs ranging around the world from 10 to 21 days, you have the opportunity if you want to double up on programs and spend time in two completely different places all in one summer. No matter where you go on a GLA program, you will have a lot of food for thought to chew on once you get back to your hometown.
A teen travel tour doesn’t have to be your only option this summer, but it can certainly fit into your schedule and give you a break from the summer monotony!
Contributed by Matt Zonis
