Teenager taking photographs on a trip to the Arctic.

The Best Holidays with Teens and Grown-up Children

By Rhonda Carrier

It’s one of life’s ironies that many of us save those big, expensive, once-in-a-lifetime holidays for when our kids are old enough to appreciate – and remember – them. Most of us work on the assumption that older kids are also easier to travel with than, say, toddlers.

'Teens and young adults can get involved in Citizen Science projects such as NASA cloud research, seaweed biodiversity and studies into phytoplankton while seeing the epic landscapes of the Arctic or the Antarctic.'

And yes that’s true on a practical level. But mentally, it can be harder to travel with older kids, because they have their own minds, stronger wills and often also erratic hormones to contend with. And holidays, on which so much expectation is piled, can become a battleground during which many people decide they'd rather have stayed at home. Often they don't want to even go away with us any more, preferring to holiday with or even just hang out back home with friends.

Finding a holiday that has something to suit everyone at least part of the time can be key to holidays with teens or grown-up kids – some museum time that is not high on the agenda for one member of the family can always be 'purchased' by the promise of some cycling or a visit to a restaurant serving their favourite dish or cuisine.

From my experience, great things can also come of one-on-one holidays with separate kids – as they get older and transition into adulthood and increasingly independence, their social lives, sporting schedules and other commitments may make it hard for you all to get away as a family. Snatching some time on the calendar for just two of you to get away may be easier – and can result in some amazing bonding time with a child who is getting ready to fly the nest or who already has done.

We've picked some of our favourite holidays with teens and older kids – those aged anything from 15 and over.

An Expedition Cruise

From up-close looks at icebergs in Antarctica to giant tortoises spotting in the Galápagos, an adventure cruise can be a fantastic opportunity to see some of the world's most spectacular sights with older children. Our polar cruises with partners including HX Hurtigruten are brilliant with teens and young adults, who can get involved in Citizen Science projects such as NASA cloud research, seaweed biodiversity and studies into phytoplankton while seeing the epic landscapes of the Arctic or the Antarctic. See our feature Why An Antarctica Cruise Should Be On Your Bucket List with Teens.

Hiking the Andes

While our Peru family adventures can be tailor-made for children of any age, and while we can offer small-group trips for children aged from five, to hike the Inca Trail or the Quarry Trail, the minimum age is 15 years, making it perfect with an older child. Expect mind-blowing sights such as hordes of wild llamas, cliffside tombs and, at the end, the true wonder of the world that is Machu Picchu, with camping above the clouds en route – the stuff of dreams. See our feature on a Peru family adventure with our partner Intrepid.

Mexico

Dripping with history and culture including Aztec and Mayan ruins and colonial cities but also blessed with mountains, deserts, refreshing cenotes and blissful Caribbean beaches, Mexico family holidays can be many different things at once. We particularly recommend the Yucatan for its combination of beaches, cenotes, lost ruins and thrumming cities along the way, but Mexico City is a great add on, particularly for the Day of the Dead celebrations each November – our partner Intrepid has Dia de los Muertos themed trips for ages 15 and up and 18 and up. Ask us about combining two different Mexico adventure holidays for a true trip of a lifetime.

Japan

From manga to samurai works, futuristic cities and some of the world's most thrilling, offbeat shopping, Japan is catnip to teens and young adults, fizzing with colour, energy and a unique culture. We can curate you a Japan family holiday tailor-made to the needs of your crew or book you on a small-group family tour of Japan. See our feature on Tokyo and Osaka with teens for a flavour of what to expect in two of Japan's best cities with kids.

A Greek Island or Two

Greece family holidays are a classic choice, whether you pick a luxury Greek resort with lots of activities and scope for chilling out for teens and adults alike or try some island-hopping (perhaps a luxury version). Take inspiration in our writer Tracey Davies' features on a family holiday in Kos with a teen and on taking her grown-up twin daughters on a family holiday in Corfu.

A Morocco City, Desert and Coastal Break

There can be so much to a Morocco family holiday, it can be hard to know where to start, although hiking in the Atlas Mountains and exploring the Sahara are popular with many families, and we can offer you small-group Morocco family adventures that include these. Another suggestion and one that we can create for you is a multi-centre holiday combining a Marrakech city break with an Agafay Desert camp and lastly a kitesurfing, surfing, quad-biking and horse-riding break on the coast at Essaouira.

Bali

The most popular of the Indonesian islands may suffer from over-tourism in parts, but pick your place wisely – we can help – and it can be a wonderful place for a holiday with teens or young adults. They'll love the arty vibe of Ubud with its yoga centres, plant-food cafes, galleries, dancers, musicians and weavers, and its Monkey Forest Sanctuary, which you can combine with a stay at a luxury hotel in Nusa Dua with its water sports, or on Jimberan Bay. Hiking and cycling are also great things to do in Bali with kids.

A Big Train Journey

We all know that trains are more eco-friendly than planes, but an epic rail trip with younger kids might be all too much to contemplate. Save them for when they are older and pick from some truly mind-blowing journeys such as The Ghan from Australia’s south coast to Darwin in the Northern Territory, taking in 2,979km but only 14 stations over 2.5 days and including plenty of off-train tours and activities during stop-offs, including Aboriginal sacred sites, a desert park and canoeing. See more on this and trips in Canada and other exciting countries in our feature on the Top Family Rail Journeys Around the World.

A US Road Trip

From the Deep South to the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1), the USA – which celebrates the centenary of Route 66 in 2026 – is the world's best place for a road trips: a feast of classic motels and diners, spooky ghost towns and breathtaking scenery in natural parks. See our feature on Utah and Other Great US Road Trips with Kids, including the Florida Keys. Or ask us about organised adventure holidays in the USA.

Maldives

For some proper R&R on some of the world's most pristine beaches and in sleep spas, combined with some of the best marine life viewing in the world, Maldives family holidays tick the boxes for teens and young adults and well as parents. Among our favourite Maldives resorts with teens are the fun and funky Standard with its inflatable water park, or see the other Maldives resorts we particularly rate for their marine ecology initiatives.