Fun for Teens in Europe: 2004
Summer is for hometown parties and hanging out with friends - payback for a year of hard study in school. But Mom and Dad want to go to Europe! How can a teen stuck in Europe with his family have fun? Try screaming on the "white knuckle rides" of Blackpool, England; mountain biking in the Alps, playing pool and darts in Irish pubs where minors are welcome to be part of the scene, etc. Share your favorite teen activities and sights in Europe.
fiestas!
If you are traveling in Spain one of the best things to do for fun is to go to a fiesta. I've been there twice, as a 16 year old and an 18 year old, and went to many fiestas with local friends there. The large fiestas are crazy sometimes but a lot of fun. I would suggest finding some smaller local fiestas as well to get a unique experience. The night portion of the fiestas usually starts around 11 or 12 at night and lasts into the morning. Great times and from my experience quite safe. Vive la vida!
Katrina
USA Fri 12/03/2004
Teens in London and Rome
We toured in London and Rome with four young men ages 14 to 27 in June '04, and it was a blast. They went to a Red Hot Chili Pepper concert in Hyde Park (unplanned), and just this month bought the CD from that concert! We picked a great play in Southwark in a theater with about 50 seats...In Rome we had an apartment just off the market square Campo di Fiori, and neighboring Piazza Navona was filming Oceans 12. Very cool. They loved Campo di Fiori and loved the food.One day they chose to go off on their own and we ran into them at the Pantheon, where my 14 year old son (without reading anything in a guidebook) noticed that one of the best things about the Pantheon was shafts of light inside.
Marguerite
Newark, DE USA Thu 09/30/2004
New Fun Stuff
Two new tips- while in Rome, take your teens/kids to the Time Elevator....its a kind of stationary ride that shows the history of Rome in 45 minutes....it was great, check them out online-
As well, the Famine Village in County Donegal Ireland was wonderful, and you get tea afterwards!!! I found it very informative and well done.....
Triston
San Francisco in Rome as I type
Triston
USA Sat 08/07/2004
teens in Europe
I am 18 years old and recently returned from 3 weeks in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, and France. I had the time of my life. I would reccommend travelling to Europe to everyone, no matter their age. Ireland has great people and night life, Wales has great castles, Scotland has to be the most gorgeous place on earth, no one could ever be bored in England. I ended my trip with 2 days in Paris. I am glad to have seen the Eiffel Tower and toured the Louvre, but I liked the UK and Ireland much more than France. The people in the UK were amazingly nice and helpful. My list of things to see/do are:
Jaunting cars (Killarney, Ireland),
Whitney
Salt Lake City, UT USA Fri 07/16/2004
Musee d'Orsay
Just recently, on a trip to Paris, I visted Musee d"Osay with my two daughters ages 16 and 12. Both of them appreciated the art (which is suprising because they brag about their strong hate for museums) including the sixteen year old, who enjoyed it until she fainted in the cafe and I, speaking a minimal amount of french, had to battle it out with a french fireman, spitting out rapidly the little tidbits of the language that I remembered from high school. Anyway, while she doenst remember the art anymore, the rest of us do, and my 12 year old daughter claims that it was amazing (which is saying quite alot). In Addition, now she has something to tell my sister about for the rest of her life (she can descride the exact situation quite vividly). Anyway, it should definetly be on everyone's must see list for a trip to Paris!
Seattle, WA USA Wed 07/14/2004
Good place for a break
Check out the Prater Amusement park in Vienna. It's a great place to spend an afternoon or evening when the kids/teens have decided they've had enough of museums and churches. My teen-aged granddaughters just loved it.
glm
Washington, DC USA Fri 07/02/2004
LONDON IS FUN
To go to alton tower and gioing to all the roller coaster
Gracia Maria Rivas Perez
San Salvador, none El Salvador Thu 06/17/2004
Shop
Our daughter liked shopping at H&M (Swedish inexpensive clothing chain, Hennes & Mauritz), and just browse in shops a bit. Normally, this is not what we do on vacation, but did it just for her. She is a runner and ran with her dad in Paris and Brugge. Not a bad experience. She has previously run in Italy (Venice and Sienna) and Germany. It does add a different view to a city when you run there. Otherwise, she just comes along with us to the museums, walking tours etc. In Paris she did like the Perfume and cosmetics shop, and the Peugot car shop all on Champs Elysses.
Greta Larsson
Milwaukee, WI USA Fri 04/23/2004
That's "My Town"
Two years ago we traveled to France England and a little bit of Italy with our two young teens. While they had a great time...many of the comments about doing too much were very true. Allow for "down" time. We liked just getting pastries and sodas and hanging out in the park or on a beach.
This year we return...with our now older teens...(now14 and 16). We have each had a say where we want to go. They both wanted more of Italy so with out any reluctance on my part Italy is where we will spend a bunch of time. We are hoping to get them even more involved by picking there "own" town and doing the pre- vacation research for the rest of us on "their" town. Good places to eat...fun things to do...famous people who lived there...cool walking tours...special events when we are there or perhaps a concert or bike race... whatever...but in their town they will be our tour directors...I can hardly wait for my town. so far they are all up for the fun....we'll see how it goes
Scott Mason
Ketchum, ID USA Wed 04/21/2004
Active fun in Switzerland and France
We spent a week in Switzerland with sons 15 and 17. We stayed in the International Scout Centre in Kandersteg. Scouts get a discount but everyone is welcome. We stayed in the chalet and had a small room for the four of us and the bathrooms were across the hall, but it was spotlessly clean. We took our turn cleaning the bathrooms one day, but it took about 30 minutes. The prices were similar to hostels, but the facility was nicer and the view of the river and mountains was breathtaking! You can book trips, tours and activities at a discount through the centre. Scouts from mostly Europe stay in the chalet and campsites. Our sons played cards with Scots, soccer with Swedes and Germans, frisbee with Swiss, joked with Finns, and traded patches with kids from all over. We could never have met this many Europeans in a hotel or even a hostel. We used it as a base for day trips all over Switzerland. The next week we toured auto maker museums in Germany (BMW, Mercedes, Porsche) and canoed in Vallon Pont d'Arc near Provence, France. There are river trips for all skill levels, complete with instructions in semi-English: "Zee one in zee front, 'ee is zee paddle. Zee one in zee back, 'ee is zee boss." We saw no other Americans in that part of France.
Laura
Gaithersburg, MD USA Sun 04/18/2004
Student Exchange
My first trip to Europe was when I was 16. I went with a group from my high school to a city called Bremen in northern Germany. So parents, why not let your kids go with their school? I stayed with a girl and her family, met kids my age, and had an excursion to the North Sea. Granted, some of the other students got into some mischief, but the more mature ones stayed out of trouble. I made some fond memories and my appreciation for my family grew from the whole experience. However I would only reccomend the school-sponsored trips for parents who trust their children.
Chelly
Fairbanks, AK USA Thu 03/25/2004
Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Just to add to my post a little further down about Blackpool.
It is well worth visiting the Pleasure Beach Amusement Park during the weekends in MARCH (approx. opening hours: noon - 8 or 9pm WEEKENDS ONLY / CLOSED MIDWEEK IN MARCH) when ALL DAY ride wristbands are just ?10 each! (Usually ?30 each)
And while in the North West of England you could also take a look at The Museum Of Science and Industry in Manchester. Check out the website at:
Gary Radice
Liverpool, UK Fri 03/05/2004