Teen-Tested, Parent-Approved: 10 Spring Break Vacation Ideas to Impress Even the Toughest Teens
Teens can be notoriously moody and hard-to-please. When my own kids were teenagers, vacationing with their boring parents (that would include me) wasn’t exactly on their list of favorite activities. What’s a parent to do? In the name of family togetherness, I tempted them with out-of-the-box vacation activities that were cool, even if I wasn’t. Here are my top 10 teen-approved spring break vacation ideas sure to impress even the toughest teen.
A Hotel Room That’s Anything But Ordinary
When I was a kid, a motel room with a color television and a bed that vibrated when you inserted a coin was my idea of luxury. My offspring are way more demanding. They like the hyper-themed rooms at The Curtis in Denver. Staying here is catnip for teen travelers who embrace a bold aesthetic; each of the 13 floors feature a pop-culture-inspired theme with interactive elements, curated art, and on-point games.
The hotel’s hyper-themed suites take it further, with one-of-a-kind rooms such as glitter-enhanced Party like a Rockstar.
An Animal Experience That Dives Deep
When I asked my now-young-adult children what their most memorable teen vacation was, they both agreed it was swimming with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii. We were staying at the OUTRIGGER Kona Beach Resort & Spa and booked the resort’s Night Manta Experience. Wearing loaner wetsuits and snorkel gear, we boarded a boat with other participants and crew, jumped in, and floated in the dark Pacific waters. Attracted by artificial light, dozens of gentle manta rays playfully brushed against us. Truly one for the bucket list.
Stay: You don’t need to stay at OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa to enjoy the Night Manta Experience but why wouldn’t you? It rolls out the red carpet for teens with swimming pools, waterslides, and activities that lean into Hawaiian culture such as ukulele lessons and lei-making workshops.
Live Music for the Win
Is there a teen who doesn’t love music? As my kids became adolescents, our taste diverged, yet music remained a bond that crossed our generational divide. Many live music festivals are family-friendly. One of our best spring vacations was to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, aka Jazz Fest. We listened to an eclectic variety of music together while soaking in the distinct spirit that defines New Orleans.
Stay: The Eliza Jane is an eye-catching example of transforming industrial structures into trendy hotels.
Spring Training Hits a Grand Slam
My daughter and I are big baseball fans. While we’ve not yet managed to see our own team’s pre-season in Port St. Lucie, Florida, we did go to Scottsdale one memorable March. This beautiful Arizona city in the Sonoran Desert is where the San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies train at two venues that sit just seven miles apart.
Tickets were much less expensive than during the regular season and the intimate setting allowed us to get up-close to the action.
Stay: The Phoenician’s pool complex has a home-run view of Camelback Mountain.
Getting Behind the Scenes
A great aquarium combines entertainment with an awareness of marine stewardship. Located in coastal Connecticut, Mystic Aquarium does both beautifully. Admission gives you access to educational exhibits and adorable animals, from Beluga Whales to penguins. If you’re traveling with a teen, take it to the next level and book one of the aquarium’s animal encounters.
I experienced the 30-minute Sea Lions Up Close with a trainer who was a conservation expert. A kiss from a California sea lion was the cherry on top.
Stay: Freshly-baked cookies are served each afternoon at the charming Whaler’s Inn.
Florida, but Trade Disney for Amelia Island
I know I’m an outlier but we’ve never been a Disney family. Our best Florida getaways have been to Amelia Island on the state’s Northeast Coast. It feels remote yet it’s only a 35-minute drive from the Jacksonville airport. Want the stuff memories are made of? Play a round of mini-golf and nibble saltwater taffy bought at a local sweet shop in laid-back Fernandina Beach.
Stay: The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island presents beachfront luxury that’s casual enough for teens who have sand between their toes. When my kids were little, they loved the pirate-themed bedtime tuck-in. As teens, they kayaked and took surf lessons on the property’s gorgeous beach.
Tiptoe Through the Flowers
Home to Legoland California, Carlsbad is a Southern California coastal town that looks dreamed up by the Beach Boys. It shines each spring, when the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch come alive. Starting in March and lasting for 10 weeks, 55 acres of blooming ranunculus—approximately 80 million flowers—explode with color. My kids are fans of the Wicked movie series and they think the fields resemble the film’s iconic tulip fields.
Stay: Beach Terrace is the only hotel in Carlsbad that’s directly on the sand.
Wow Them at Eagle Beach in Aruba
I know, going to the beach for spring break isn’t exactly original. However, choose the right beach and your teens may treat you like you’ve scored Taylor Swift tickets. With white sand, emerald water, and sports on land and sea, Aruba’s Eagle Beach was my children’s teenage dream. All beaches in Aruba are public, increasing the chance for cross-cultural connections; my kids often joined beach volleyball games with local teenagers, who all speak English in addition to Dutch and Papiamento, Aruba’s dialect.
Stay: Embassy Suites Aruba is a 10-minute walk from Eagle Beach. As a bonus, it’s across the street from a small, semi-secret beach. Teens can splash in the pools, feast at the complimentary buffet breakfast, and sip free mocktails at the nightly reception.
Get Cool in Helsinki
Finland consistently ranks as the happiest country on earth. Locals claim combining cold plunge with hot sauna is at the root of well-being. When we visited Helsinki one frigid winter, we dove into Finnish bathing culture. Going to the spa is a family affair, so expect to see lots of youngsters.
My family enjoyed a daring dip in the outdoor pool before heating up in the sauna at Allas Pool, a seaside bathing center in the heart of the city.
Stay: Back at our beautiful hotel, NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa, we continued the therapeutic effects of hot and cold with additional icy plunges and saunas at their oasis-like spa, USVA by Terhen.
Follow the Donut Trail in Butler County, Ohio
Butler County claims to have more mom-and-pop donut shops per capita than anywhere else in the Midwest. Food is my family’s love language; I wish I had known about the Butler County Donut Trail when my kids were teens.
Download a map and a donut passport or contact the donut concierge—I’m not kidding—who can customize your itinerary. Once you’ve had your passport stamped at a dozen participating donut shops, you’ll get an official t-shirt.
Stay: The Well House Hamilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton offers comfortable rooms in walkable Hamilton.
