One of the best ways to connect with your teens is through travel (Read: Why Traveling with Your Teen Will Be One of the Best Parenting Decisions You Ever Make). Whether for a family vacation, sports, a celebration or a school trip, travel can open their eyes and hearts to an entirely new world.
Getting out of the hustle of your everyday life can also allow you and your teen to slow down and have more meaningful conversations. A chunk of one-on-one time with your teen in a different environment makes space for all sorts of topics to come up.
Pro tip: Don’t bring an agenda. Exploring a new place and making decisions about how to use your time gives you plenty to talk about. If “important” topics happen to come up, that’s just an added bonus.
Seven Quick Tips for Traveling with Teens
Traveling with teens can be a rewarding and exciting experience but also challenging at times. Here are some tips to help make your trip with teens more enjoyable:
- Involve them in the planning: Whenever possible, allow your teens to help pick the destination or where to stay and pick a few activities. This will give them a sense of ownership over the trip and help to keep them engaged.
- Be flexible: Remember that your teen may not want to spend all their days at a museum or hiking a trail. They may not want to get up early each day or care about afternoon tea. Be flexible enough to meet some of their wants and desires while also reminding them that they should participate good-naturedly in what the rest of the family wants to do as well.
- Set expectations: Be clear about your expectations for behavior and rules while traveling, such as curfews, safety guidelines, and spending limits. Boundaries, even during vacation, are a great idea.
- Give them space: Teens need their independence, so give them some space to explore independently, whether it’s shopping, sightseeing, or simply hanging out. Let them hang out at the pool with some new friends or veg out in their hotel room even if the rest of the family is at the beach. Everyone needs some downtime and the opportunity to recharge in whatever way they need.
- Food first: Food is often a priority for teenagers, and being “hangry” can happen to the best of us. Even though they are older, don’t forget to pack snacks and include them in your meal plans. If you eat at a favorite family spot one night, let your teens pick lunch for the next day. .
- Let them use their tech skills: Teens are often glued to their phones, so use technology to your advantage. Allow them to use their devices for navigation, to research and plan activities, and to stay in touch with friends and family back home. See if they can download some podcasts for roadtrips, a fun playlist, or maybe even some audiobooks. (Related: Inspiring Audios – What Teens Need To Be Listening To In Today’s World)
- Lean into the unexpected: Traveling with teens, or in any instance in today’s world, can be unpredictable, so be prepared for the unexpected. Sometimes the best experiences come from unplanned moments.
Ten Must-Have Travel Accessories for Teens
One of the best things about traveling with teens is that you don’t need to carry all of their stuff, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some travel essentials that will make your lives easier.
We put together ten of our favorite teen-recommended products to help make your travel a little smoother!
Apple Airtags to Keep Track of and Find Important Items
Airtags are a great gift idea as they can help find lost items. Attach Airtags to luggage or other important items using holders. The Airtag easily connects to iPhone or iPad and will help track down the lost item. This little gadget can save your teen (and you) lots of stress and money. (Parent of teens pro tip: attaching these to keys and wallets can save you hours of time and from epic meltdowns.)
Inflatable Neck Pillow With Built-In Hoodie
Remember when your teen was little, sitting in the backseat, tired out from some adventure and headbobbing as you drove home? When your teen wants to take a quick snooze in the back of the car or on the plane, one of these inflatable neck pillows sure makes catching a nap more comfortable. The attached hood makes it extra cozy and can provide a little shade. Plus, this handy travel pillow collapses and folds for easy packing.
Foldable Jewelry Organizer
According to one of the teens we know, the ‘Fit isn’t complete without the right accessories. If your teen loves jewelry, this jewelry bag that can keep earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, and hair accessories organized and tangle-free is a life-saver. Jewelry is easy to lose in the nooks and crannies of larger bags. This simple and cute foldable bag will keep items protected and easy to access. The organizer folds compactly for packing and hangs up for convenient use.
Collapsible Water Bottle to Keep Teen Hydrated
Most teens don’t go anywhere without their water bottles, but sometimes getting through an airport with a bulky, metal container can be tough. This collapsible water bottle makes staying hydrated convenient while on the go! We like this one because it is sturdy and easy to drink from. It rolls up for easy packing and has a strap for attaching to a bag or backpack. This durable bottle can be used for hot or cold beverages and can go in the freezer – great for hot-weather adventures.
Portable Bluetooth Speaker for Tunes On-The-Go
Music is closely linked to our memories, so it only makes sense that your teen would want to bring their favorite music with them when they travel. This portable speaker has a convenient clip that makes attaching it to bags a nice option (which could also hold an Airtag). It has up to 10 hours of play and includes a noise-canceling speakerphone and wireless streaming. It also comes in several fun colors for some added personality.
Selfie Stick With Tripod to Capture the Memories
A good way to get your teen to enjoy a trip is to take them to a few Instagram-worthy destinations. Murals in cities, nature landscapes, and hotel balconies with cool backdrops are all teen favorites, making a good selfie stick or tripod a must. One of the best travel gifts on our list, this selfie stick expands out 40″ for group shots, has a tripod for setting up in the distance, and comes with a remote to activate the camera. It shrinks to 8 inches for easy packing. If you’re lucky they’ll send a few photos your way!
Mount to Attach Phone to Camera
If your teen will be traveling with a “real” camera and their phone this is a nifty little accessory that attaches to the two together. It allows the user to take photos and videos with both devices without digging for one or the other. Perfect for those wanting to document their travels in multiple ways.
Audible Subscription Makes the Most of Travel Time
Whether in the backseat of a car, traveling by train, while stuck in an airport, or whatever means of travel, there’s usually some time to fill. An audible subscription is a great gift that helps teens make the most of their time listening to audiobooks and podcasts.
Related: Twenty of the Best Audio Books For Teens (That Parents Will Enjoy Too!)
Passport Cover With Wallet
If your teen is traveling out of the country they will need to keep their passport handy and safe. This passport cover has a built-in passport wallet with spaces for cash, credit cards, and vaccination card. A convenient way to keep important things in one place. It comes in a variety of fun and classic colors.
Travel Planner and Journal
Of course, a lot of trip planning and documenting is done online these days, but there is something to be said for having a keepsake to hold in your hands. This journal has space for planning a trip, tracking expenses, and word translations, making it the perfect travel gift. It also has pages to jot down notes, attach photos, and write reviews. For added fun, there are stickers and a variety of cover colors. This journal provides a practical function and will become a keepsake down the road.
A few honorable-mention travel gifts for teens that your kids will like, but aren’t necessarily must-haves:
Maps International Scratch Off Map of the World Poster 17 x 22JBL Vibe Beam – True Wireless JBL Deep Bass Sound Earbuds, Bluetooth 5.2, Water & Dust Resistant, Hands-free call with VoiceAware, Up to 32 hours of battery life (White)
Cotton Sleep Eye Mask for Men Women, 100% Blocking Light Sleeping Mask for Side Sleeper, Soft Zero Pressure Cooling Blackout Eye Masks for Sleep, Eye Covers for Sleeping fits All Heads Adjustable
Relavel Hanging Toiletry Bag for Men and Women, Travel Toiletries Bag Water-resistant Large Makeup Cosmetic Organizer Storage, Shaving Dopp Kit Shower Bathroom Hygiene Bags, Carry-on Travel Essentials
Outlander 100% Waterproof Hiking Backpack Lightweight Packable Travel Daypack(Green)
Lululemon Athletica Everywhere Belt Bag Pastel Blue (PSLB)
iWALK Portable Charger 5500mAh Next-Gen Small Power Bank 22.5W Fast Charging Battery USB-C Portable Phone Charger for iPhone 17/16/15 17 Plus 17 Pro Max iPad, Samsung Galaxy S25 S24 S23 Android,Purple
iMangoo Compact Electronics Organizer Travel Case Shockproof – Travel Essential for Women Pouch Power Bank Charger Cable Accessories Storage Handbag Tech Bag Inner Size:6‘’(L)x3‘’(W)x1‘’(H) Rose Gold
BAGAIL Digital Luggage Scale, 110lbs Hanging Baggage Scale with Backlit LCD Display,Portable Suitcase Weighing Scale,Travel Luggage Weight Scale with Hook,Strong Straps for Travelers(Ash Silver/Temp
Anker (2Pack) USA to Europe International Plug Adapter, Travel Adapter, 15W Max with 2 AC, 2 USB-C Ports and 1 USB-A Port, Ideal for iPhone 15, iPad Air&More, Compact for Travel, Cruise (TUV Listed)
YAMIU Travel Shoe Bags Set of 4 Waterproof Nylon with Zipper for Men & Women, Black
There is no better gift than travel
We know that when it comes time for teens to travel without us, it can be stressful. We want so much for them to have the best time, but we also worry about their health and safety.
As responsible adults, many of us have power of attorney forms and health care directives set up with our spouses or other relatives, just in case. It is, in fact, a very grown-up thing to do.
If your child is over eighteen and lives or travels independently, you may want to consider some legal forms that can provide some peace of mind.
Related:Why These Legal Documents Are Important When Sending Your Teen To College
Are you in the thick of raising your tweens and teens? You may like this book by Whitney Fleming, the owner of Parenting Teens & Tweens: Loving Hard When They’re Hard to Love: Essays about Raising Teens in Today’s Complex, Chaotic World.
Parenting teens and tweens is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Here are a few posts other parents found helpful:
Why Traveling With Your Teen is One of the Best Decisions You’ll Ever Make
50+ Experience Gift Ideas for Teens that Won’t Make Them Roll Their Eyes
10 Brilliant Non Tech Gifts For Teens To Get Them Off Their Screens
* This post contains affiliate links where we earn a small commission for sales made from our website.
Leave a Comment