Holidays with Teenagers

Bring all those school geography lessons to life with family holidays across Europe. If you’re looking for inspiration, Portugal is one of the best teenage holiday destinations Europe has to offer. Think exhilarating jeep safaris along the rocky Algarve coast, and a 63-metre high cable car ride in Porto. 

If your teens are young urban explorers, city breaks to Paris, Rome, or Prague are sure to satisfy the urge for metropolitan discovery. If they’re happier chilling out on the beach, you’ll find no shortage of soft sands in coastal hotspots. Try Spain’s famous Costa del Sol or Egypt’s Sharm el Sheikh resort. 

Holidays for teenagers don’t have to mean hopping over to the continent. We offer some great local options for family holidays with teenagers, from the Channel Islands to Northern Ireland. With a 20-minute taxi from Belfast, your teens could be whizzing down Ireland’s first alpine coaster at 25mph. 

If Scotland’s more your thing, how about a visit to Glasgow’s McLennan Arch? It’s one of the most Insta-worthy sites in the city, so posing for pics is a must. Or what about Inverness, where it’s a quick 25-minute drive down the road to Loch Ness and the mysteries that lie beneath. 

If your teens want to experience a different culture, think Jersey. It’s closer to France than England, so there’s a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ about it. Bike-loving teens will enjoy getting out on the huge network of 15mph ‘green lanes’; one of the best ways to see the island.

Remember the days when the kids would want to hold your hand, or be carried everywhere? Well now that they’re teens, they’ll want a little more independence. No teenager on holiday wants to spend every waking moment with mum and dad, so it’s a good idea to find ways to give them some space.

A hotel with a ‘teen zone’ is a really easy way to do this. They can join in with activities, or just hang out with kids their own age, and you’ll rest easy knowing they’re safe nearby. Resort-style hotels are great, too, with pools, shops, and entertainment all on-site so they won’t need to venture off alone. 

Keep your eyes peeled for family suites, too. Even single parent families will appreciate having a little more room to spread out in. You can enjoy your own space, and have a little more privacy.