TOP TRIPS to Take with Your PRETEENS & TEENS

By Lola Augustine Brown

Travelling with older kids allows parents to plan epic adventures that will enrich their lives and our own. Here are top trips that’ll blow their minds.

GO ON SAFARI IN SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa

Visiting Kruger National Park in South Africa offers close-up experiences with some of the world’s rarest and most impressive animals, from lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest to more than 500 species of birds. Though you can safari at any age, safety restrictions mean that once your children are 12, they can do almost anything an adult can, including walking safaris (with a qualified guide, of course).

TREK VOLCANOES IN HAWAII

Hawaii Volcanoes

The thrilling geography of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park allows you to trek with your kids past smoking active volcanoes where you’ll see lava form new land. You can scale volcanic craters, hike through lush rainforest, and immerse yourselves in the legends of this majestic landscape. There are incredible beaches to play on once the hiking is done, and plenty of rich cultural experiences where you can learn and engage with Hawaiian traditions.

BIKING AROUND THE NETHERLANDS

Group cycling

Freewheel past tulip fields exploding with colour, historic windmills and villages, explore vibrant Amsterdam and more when you plan a cycling trip around the Netherlands. Ask your travel agents about bike and barge tours, where you bike through the day and are rocked gently to sleep on a canal barge. The Netherlands’ flat terrain and safe biking culture (everybody bikes there) means this is an easy and active trip to do together.

LEARN TO DIVE IN BELIZE

Belize Barrier Reef

The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest reef in the Northern Hemisphere, and the second-largest reef in the world. It offers superb, calm diving areas perfect for learners and beginners. Many schools based on beautiful Ambergris Caye offer excellent, safe, and fairly-priced tuition for ages 10 and up, so you and your kids can get PADI certified. Expect to swim with nurse sharks, turtles, and all manner of tropical marine among bright corals on this still-healthy reef.

EXPLORE PARIS

Tourists in Paris

From classic attractions such as the Louvre and Eiffel Tower to more unique (and super cool) ones like the skull-lined Paris Catacombs and Paris Sewer Museum, as well as countless places to eat amazing food, hang out at sidewalk cafés, and window-shop at posh boutiques, Paris is a dream destination for many preteens and teens. Whatever your child loves most, you’ll be able to create a Paris itinerary that thrills them. Bonus: They get to practise the French they’ve learned at school.

DRIVE THE CALIFORNIA COAST

California Coast

The Pacific Coast Highway serves up an amazing itinerary set amongst dramatic coastlines, towering mountains, and exciting Californian cities with all their varied attractions. Start in San Francisco and drive all the way down to San Diego – your kids will love stopping at surf beaches in Santa Cruz, visiting charming San Luis Obispo, checking out celebrity culture in Los Angeles, and soaking up the sun the whole way. Every stop has a host of attractions from aquariums and zoos to museums and even a castle.