My son just turned 15, and I’ve realized we’ve entered a completely different stage of family travel. When my boys were 7 or even 10, so much of our vacation planning revolved around keeping them happy. If they were happy, as a single mom, I was happy. It may not be how everyone operates, but it worked for me.
Was there a pool? Would they be bored at dinner? How long could I reasonably expect them to wander around a market or explore a neighbourhood that interested me before someone had had enough?
Traveling with a 15-year-old is different.
Yes, I still plan trips around things I know my teenager will love. Even more now then when my boys were little. When they were little it was all about where my interests took us and we would find kid-friendly things to do in any part of the world. Now, I am looking for trips they genuinely enjoy. For my son, that’s sports, surfing, skiing, great food and, if I offered him a ticket tomorrow, a return trip to Japan for anime and everything he wants to eat.
But at 15, he’s also more patient when I want to do something I love. I think that’s what makes 15 such a great age to travel. You aren’t just taking your child on a family vacation anymore. You’re starting to travel with another person who has his own interests and opinions, but who is also old enough to understand that everyone gets to enjoy the trip.
After traveling extensively with my boys since they were little, these are the trips I think are particularly well suited to 15-year-olds, including destinations we’ve already loved in the early teen years and places I’d happily take my newly minted 15-year-old next.
Tampa, Florida: For the Sports-Loving 15-Year-Old
Tampa was one of the biggest hits with my son when he was 14, and I would recommend it in a second for a 15-year-old who loves sports.
We originally planned our trip around a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game, but because we visited in March, we were also able to catch the Toronto Blue Jays playing the New York Yankees during spring training. As Canadians, there was something pretty great about watching both baseball and hockey while wearing shorts.
What I liked about Tampa was that there was plenty to do beyond sports. We spent time around the waterfront, explored Ybor City, went go-karting, got out on the water and ate really well.
At this age, I find that having one thing my teen is genuinely excited about gives me a starting point for the entire trip. In Tampa, that was sports. I could then build a three-day city break around the games that included plenty of things I wanted to experience too.
Why I like Tampa at 15: Build the trip around a professional sports game and add food, outdoor activities and a little exploring around it. The city was walkable, felt safe and had great food.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: For a Sports Weekend
Pittsburgh is another city I would put high on the list for a sports-loving 15-year-old, especially if you can time your visit to catch more than one team.
We traveled to Pittsburgh to see Sidney Crosby play with the Pittsburgh Penguins and timed our trip with the Pittsburgh Pirates home opener in April. Having two completely different sporting events in one weekend made the trip feel like it was built specifically for my son, while giving us plenty of time to explore the city in between.
This is one of the things I love about traveling with teens. You don’t necessarily need to choose a destination that screams “family vacation.” Pick something they already love and use it as the anchor for a city break. If Mattias was suggesting a must do beyond the sports, it would be a trip on the Burgh Bus. He loved the comedy!
Why I like Pittsburgh at 15: It’s an easy destination to build around NHL, MLB or NFL games, particularly for a teenager who would rather go to a game than another tourist attraction. The city is compact and walkable from the hotel to the games!
Jordan: For a Big Adventure
Jordan has been one of my favorite countries in the world for years, and it is a destination that I tell anyone to go to, anytime! It is on the top of my best trips for teens list!
This isn’t a vacation built around teen attractions. Instead, you get experiences that a 15-year-old is old enough to really participate in and appreciate. You can hike through Petra, sleep in the desert in Wadi Rum, float in the Dead Sea, wander the streets of Amman and eat your way through foods that might be completely different from what you have at home.
I also think 15 is a great age for the cultural side of Jordan. One of the biggest changes I’ve noticed as my kids have become teenagers is their willingness to actually listen to a good guide and ask questions about the places we visit. Travel starts conversations about history, religion, culture and how people live in other parts of the world that simply didn’t happen in the same way when they were little. While some things they have no interest in, if you can find something that piques their interest, its gold!
And if your 15-year-old loves food, spend some time in Amman. Get away from the hotel buffet, eat where locals eat and make food part of the experience. I designed Amman Food Tours (my female led tour in Jordan) with families in mind! There is so much great food to try in Jordan, do not let it intimidate you! Another great thing to add while in Amman is a cooking class! Teens are capable (and hungry). I find they enjoy the experience a lot more than when they were younger and were not too sure about the food they were eating.
Why I like Jordan at 15: It’s adventurous enough to keep teenagers engaged, but they’re also old enough to start appreciating the culture and stories behind what they’re seeing. They can sit for boring drives without complaint (usually) and are capable of long hiking days.
El Salvador: For Surfing, Volcanoes and Adventure
If your 15-year-old would choose an active vacation over sightseeing, consider El Salvador.
There is surfing, volcano hiking, great food and plenty of opportunities to be outside. You can take a surf lesson, hike to the top of a volcano and even spend an afternoon flying down El Salvador’s famous rainbow slide.
Tourism in El Salvador is still developing, which was actually part of what I enjoyed about visiting. It doesn’t feel like a vacation where every experience has been packaged specifically for families.
A little Spanish was necessary during our trip, and I would recommend doing some planning before you arrive, rather than expecting the same tourism infrastructure you might find in more established Central American destinations.
Why I like El Salvador at 15: Teens are old enough for the physical adventures, and the trip feels adventurous without needing a theme park or resort to entertain them. There is a little chaos thrown in trying to communicate in Spanish but if you enjoy the challenge, El Salvador is for you!
Tofino, British Columbia: Nature and Surfing in Canada
If I were planning a Canadian trip specifically for a 15-year-old, Tofino would be near the top of my list.
Surfing is the obvious draw with teens. There are several beaches around Tofino where you can take lessons, rent gear and get into the Pacific, even if no one in your family has surfed before.
But what makes Tofino work for me is that surfing doesn’t have to be the whole vacation. There are beaches, hikes and plenty of opportunities to get outside, while Tofino also has a food scene that makes the trip interesting for the adults.
This is another example of the balance I am starting to appreciate with a 15-year-old. He can spend part of the day doing something he thinks is amazing, while the entire vacation doesn’t have to revolve around entertaining him.
Why I like Tofino at 15: Surfing gives the teen a reason to be excited about the destination, while hiking, beaches, nature and great food make it a trip everyone can enjoy.
Whistler, British Columbia: When They’re Finally Ready for the Mountain
I have taken my kids skiing since they were little, but I think there is a good argument for waiting until the teen years before splurging on a mountain lift ticket in Whistler.
Whistler lift tickets are expensive. When you’re paying those prices for a younger child who tires quickly, wants to stop constantly or isn’t capable of skiing much of the mountain, it can be hard to feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.
At 15, that does not happen. If your teen is already a confident skier or snowboarder, they’re finally big enough, strong enough and skilled enough to really take advantage of a mountain like Whistler. You can spend the day exploring terrain together rather than spending most of it on the beginner runs.
And Whistler Village gives you plenty to do once the lifts close, whether your teen’s priority is finding something good to eat or collapsing at the hotel pool after a full day on the mountain.
Why I like Whistler at 15: If they’re already strong skiers or snowboarders, this is the age when paying for a major ski destination can finally feel worth it.
Mexico: For a Little Resort and a Lot of Adventure
By 15, I don’t think a family vacation has to be either an all-inclusive resort or an adventure trip. Mexico is somewhere I’d happily combine the two. Spend a couple of days at an all-inclusive where your teen can swim, eat whenever they want and do absolutely nothing. Then leave the resort and explore.
Depending on where you go in Mexico, that might mean snorkeling, cenotes, exploring a city, visiting ruins, taking a food tour or getting out into nature. This kind of trip also recognizes something important about traveling with teenagers: sometimes they really do want to lie around a resort and eat. That doesn’t mean the entire family has to spend seven days doing it.
A few memorable Mexico experiences for our family have been swimming with Whale Sharks in La Paz, Hiking to see the Monarchs in Michaocan, and a biking food tour in Mexico City.
Why I like Mexico at 15: You can give them the downtime they want while still building some adventure and culture into the trip.
Tokyo, Japan: For Food, Anime and a Teen’s Own Interests
Japan is somewhere my son would happily return to, particularly for the food and anime. I think that’s an important lesson when planning a trip with a 15-year-old. You don’t have to decide what teenagers should find interesting. Pay attention to what they’re already interested in.
For an anime-loving teenager, Tokyo isn’t a destination where you need to manufacture enthusiasm. Let them help plan time around the neighborhoods, shops, food, and experiences they already know about, and then add the things you want to see.
Food is another huge part of the appeal. At this age, going out to eat can be an activity rather than something you have to squeeze in between kid-friendly attractions. Some of our favorite meals have been at convenience stores. It became a daily ritutal for at least one meal (or a snack!)
Why I like Tokyo at 15: Teens can have enough independence and opinions to help shape the itinerary around their own interests, which makes the trip feel like theirs too. Give them the Google Map and let them navigate!
Take a Cruise: For a Taste of Independence
A cruise can be a great fit for a 15-year-old, but I would choose the ship carefully.
For a 15-year-old, I would look for a ship that gives them some independence. Celebrity Cruises can be a good option for families who want a more upscale experience without everything feeling designed for little kids. If your teenager wants waterslides, teen clubs, sports courts and a long list of onboard activities, I would look at one of the larger family-focused ships instead.
The appeal at this age is that teens don’t need to be attached to you all day. On the right ship, they can get food, meet other teens or go do something independently and meet you later for dinner.
That gives them a little freedom while you get something that starts to resemble a vacation too. This is the kind of trip that having a friend, sibling or cousin makes the trip much more enjoyable!
Why I like cruising at 15: It offers teenagers a controlled amount of independence without parents having to worry about them navigating an unfamiliar city alone.
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Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.