Costa Rica Family Vacations
Teenage years can be difficult as many of us remember and traveling can put strains on the most solid friendships and relationship so taking a family vacation with teenagers may seem like a headache that won’t be worth the trouble. But, with the right kind of vacation, and the right kind of destination a family vacation that includes teenagers can be a great experience and one that leaves everyone closer to each other with fond memories to share for years to come.
A couple things to keep in mind while traveling with teens is that many teenagers say “no” to just about any idea, that is until they’re in the swing of things so don’t get discouraged when making vacation plans. If you want to include your teenager in the planning of the trip, realize that something they say no to in the planning stages may end up being one of their favorite parts of the trip, they just don’t know it yet.
Another thing to keep in mind when planning your family vacation is that teens love privacy. Make sure and book an extra room for you teenager, or teenagers, so they can get some alone time and you can as well. Having personal space and the freedom to take some time apart can make all the difference in the world. Renting a house with multiple rooms is a great way to ensure that there is plenty of family time while still allowing for personal down time. This is important if things start to get tense and everyone just needs to space to cool off. Some resorts offer teen packages, allowing teens to socialize with other teens, which helps teens who may be missing bonding time with their friends while on vacation.
Also, bear in mind that teens love to sleep in. Having separate rooms allows for different sleeping schedules, so if you want to get up early and do some adult only activities while the teenagers sleep late, everyone is happy. Plus, teens can stay up late talking to friends back home, while the parental units call it an early night.
Planning a variety of activities is important, but remember to leave room for spontaneity as well. Some ideal teen friendly destinations include Croatia, Italy, Thailand, Peru, Mexico and Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a top choice for teen vacations as the country provides so many different activities that anyone can enjoy. Staying by the beach is always a hit and the amount of activities that can be done as a family are almost endless. Surfing lessons, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, boat tours, whale and dolphin watching, snorkeling, and scuba diving are all events that teens and parents can both participate in and there’s usually something for everyone to do, even if it just means lounging on the beach and getting a great tan.
Other activities that teens love are hiking, horseback riding, exploring national parks and volcanoes, seeing wildlife like monkeys, toucans, sloths, and crocodiles, and swimming in and around waterfalls. All throughout the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, you can find these and other activities that will make any teen happy to be on a family vacation.
While the teenage years can be challenging, family vacations don’t have to be. Plan a family vacation with your teenagers and explore all that Costa Rica has to offer and you’ll find that you and your teen have more in common than you may have thought.
