Family holidays are supposed to create wonderful memories. But let’s be honest. Keeping everyone happy can sometimes feel like trying to organise a diplomatic summit. Mum wants to explore historic buildings. Dad wants to relax by the pool. Grandad wants to visit the local museum. The younger children want ice cream. And the teenagers? They would quite happily spend the entire holiday connected to Wi-Fi.
But there’s a surprisingly simple way to make family trips more enjoyable: Let your teenagers plan one day. Give them responsibility for choosing what the family does, within a reasonable budget and a few sensible boundaries. You might be surprised by what they come up with.
This idea works particularly well for multi-generational family holidays, too. When grandparents, parents, teenagers, and younger children are all travelling together, giving different generations some ownership of the itinerary can help everyone feel included. And your teenager’s idea of a perfect day might be far more interesting than you expect.
Have a gaming experience
If your teenager loves gaming, don’t automatically assume that holiday time has to mean switching off completely. Instead, turn their interest into an experience you can share.
Many cities have arcades, LAN gaming centres, esports arenas, retro gaming venues, and interactive gaming experiences. An esports arena can give teenagers a chance to experience competitive gaming in a completely different environment, while an old-fashioned arcade can be surprisingly entertaining for parents and grandparents too.
Even better, make it a family competition. Challenge each other to racing games, classic arcade machines, rhythm games, or multiplayer experiences. You might discover that Grandma is far more competitive than anyone realised.
Go hunting for hauntings
Teenagers who think traditional sightseeing is boring may have a very different opinion if you suggest hunting for haunted places. Let them research your destination and create their own spooky walking route. They might discover an old cemetery, historic hotel, theatre, battlefield, mansion, or other location associated with ghost stories and local legends.
This doesn’t have to mean believing every paranormal tale you hear. In fact, the combination of history and folklore can make the experience even more interesting. Encourage your teenager to investigate the stories, compare different versions of a legend, and decide for themselves what they think really happened.
For a multi-generational group, this can also be a great conversation starter. Different generations may have very different opinions about the stories of the past and the spirits of the present.
Take a ghost tour
If your family would rather leave the research to someone else, let your teenager choose a ghost tour. A good ghost tour combines history, storytelling, architecture, folklore, and a little bit of spooky fun. Instead of simply walking past historic buildings, you’ll hear the stories connected to them and perhaps a few tales of unexplained encounters along the way.
Look for a family-friendly ghost tour if younger children or older relatives are joining you. A walking tour with a knowledgeable guide can be a particularly good choice because everyone gets to explore the city together.
And if your teenager wants to be the one holding the map, choosing the tour, or researching the stories beforehand, even better. They’re not just being dragged along on a family activity; they’re helping create the experience.
Go on an action adventure
Maybe your teenager isn’t interested in history or ghosts at all. That’s fine. Let them choose something active instead. Ziplining, ATV riding, kayaking, paddleboarding, whitewater rafting, surfing, indoor climbing, mountain biking, pirate tours, and other adventure activities can transform an ordinary holiday into a genuine family adventure.
Obviously, you’ll need to consider age restrictions, physical abilities, safety requirements, and the comfort levels of other family members. But there are plenty of activities that can be adapted for different ages and abilities. And there’s something special about doing something slightly outside your comfort zone together.
Grandparents may not want to go ziplining, for example, but they might enjoy watching the rest of the family tackle the course before joining everyone for lunch. A teenager who chooses the activity gets to see their idea become part of the family’s shared memories.
Include the whole family
Family travel doesn’t have to mean finding an itinerary that everyone merely tolerates. Give your teenagers a little ownership and see what happens. The beauty of this approach goes beyond finding something your teenager enjoys. It can teach them responsibility, planning, budgeting, decision-making, and compromise. It also sends a powerful message: Their interests matter.
Their perfect day might involve gaming, ghosts, adrenaline, or something you’ve never even considered. You may not love every suggestion, and that’s part of the deal. Because years from now, your children probably won’t remember every museum you visited or every landmark you photographed.
But they’ll remember laughing together at the arcade. Getting slightly lost looking for a haunted building. Dad screaming on the zipline. Grandma beating everyone at a racing game. These are the moments that turn a family holiday into a family story.
