Fun for Teens in Europe
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.
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Getting Your Teen Ready for the Trip
My husband and I are taking our 13 year old son and 16 year old daughter to Europe this summer for their first time. It IS tough to compete with friends back home. After reading comments here about how teens most love to connect w/other European teens, I decided to volunteer w/our local chapter of AFS (American Field Service) that hosts local exchange students. Last weekend, we went to their mid-year orientation and met 16 teens from all over the world and heard their perceptions and experience of the U.S. Fascinating exposure for my teen and good-pre-Europe education. Also, as a mom, I'm not so cool to hang out w/on weekends these days, but I bet she'll be interested when I plan get-togethers w/some of these students. So I think it's going to keep us closer. And who knows? Maybe we'll visit some of these kids when we're in Europe next summer.
Chris <email>
Carlsbad, CA USA 02/05/2008
Website Made by Teen about Travels
I was in Italy as an exchange student in 2006, and since then I have been falling more in love with traveling. I'm happy to say that I'm still traveling, now an exchange student in Germany and have been back to Italy...all by the sweet young age of 19!
I have created a website tracking my journeys from Ireland, to Italy, to Spain, to Germany from this year and I think its a great way to inspire and pass on valuable travel information. Also if you have any teenage or young-adult daughters who are thinking about traveling, you can show them this website as well.
I would love your feedback as well.
http://thetravelbug.weebly.com
Buon voyage!
Raeann
Raeann <email>
Indianapolis, IN USA 11/08/2007
Central Europe
Just back from 2 weeks in Central Europe with our high school age kids. They really appreciated the Museum of Terror in Budapest, and had fun horseback riding and river rafting in Cesky Krumlov. The rafting stood out because it was one place we really met local Czechs at play, and the kids were struck by the feeling that these people actually enjoyed meeting Americans. Travelling by train was interesting for the kids, as there's a real mix of people.
Kathy
Seattle, WA USA 08/24/2007
fun for teens in Europe
Just got home from 2 weeks in Paris and London with a teen and pre-teen and I have to say they had a blast. My suggestion is to get your teens to make a list ahead of time of what's most important to them while there. For my pre-teen it was shopping in Paris, so we dedicated one whole day to nothing else. For my teen, it was immersing herself in Titanic history, so we made a day trip to Southampton to do that. Cater it to what their interests are, and research it ahead of time. Each of us came home having done what was most important to them, plus a little of what everyone else wanted.
Tracie
Tallahassee, FL USA 08/19/2007
Things to do in Paris for 18 year old
I am leaving in about two weeks with my parents to go to Paris. PLEASE let me know if you have any suggestions as to things for an 18 year old college freshman to do! Thanks for your help.
Steven <email>
Silverton, OR USA 08/08/2007
Soccer in Paris
Where's the best place to find a pick-up soccer (football) game in Paris?
John
Englewood, NJ USA 07/20/2007
Rotary exchange year
I spent my sr. year in Hungary, in a town near Szeged. It was so much fun! The rotary foundation in hungary organized several trips in and to countries near hungary:Debrecen, Venice, Prauge, Sopron, Kecskamet, Miskolc,ect. The best part, for me, on those trips was getting closer with the other exchange students. They become your extended family.
Josie <email>
Conneautville, PA USA 06/08/2007
I recently came back from a 3 week trip all around europe with school and one of the most fun things we did thats good for any adventrous teen and their parents is canyoning. Its an amazing experience that we did in Interlaken, Switzerland. Also, the tower of london is fun.
julie
montreal, canada 05/20/2007
Pueblo Ingles Teentown
Hey I was really excited to read about Teentown at Pueblo Ingles because i've done it too! I was there two summers ago and I am desperate to return! I am a 16 year old girl from Canada but at the time I was 14 and my Mum let me travel to Madrid for my first trip abroad on my own. I was picked up at the airport and then the fun started as soon as I met the group that I was going to spend a whole week with! I made great friends with three Spanish girls and all three have travelled to see me in Canada. I hope to go back to the teen camp next summer and if anybody out there would like to come too then email me. Catch ya later..
Melissa <email>
Vancouver, Canada 05/16/2007
Teen travel in Spain on a budget
Last year my daughter and I were looking for a special trip for the two of us in Spain. We wanted to trace back our Spanish roots and our budget was kind of tight. While doing our research we stumbled upon a place called Pueblo Ingles. We ended up traveling around Spain for two weeks on our own and then joined a group at this place where we helped Spanish people learn English. We had so much fun! Olivia went off to a little town called La Alberca and spent a whole week at camp with other teens from all over the world and Spain and she didn't have to pay a dime. I got some "grown up" time at a little town in the south called Cazorla.It was like a camp for adults in a quaint country hotel. We've met so many interesting people from all over... I'm going back this year to one of the other little towns Pueblo Ingles does their volunteer programs at, and Olivia is off to stay at one of her new Spanish friends' houses.
If you want to travel with your teen or feel adventurous enough to send her off on her own this could be a good idea.
Diane <email>
Marble Falls, Texas USA 05/14/2007
teens in Europe
Took our teens to Europe and we had a blast - went to London,Paris and Amsterdam, and rented a "barge" in France and explored some of the smaller towns by canal. Each family member got to pick a half day's worth of places to visit and things to do in each city -- sometimes a full day. I used familytravelforum.com for some ideas - that website has ideas geared for all ages and seem to have more suggestions for teens than some do. We also went to English movies with subtitles which the kids really liked.
Carol
San Francisco, CA USA 02/02/2007
riverside in Basel
Went caboodling around Europe this summer; favourite places by far were Switzerland, Italy and Croatia. Croatia=Europe's best kept secret. In Switzerland, my friend took my sister and I out to the riverside (she lives in Basel), where we were surprised to find a huge group of kids, sitting and talking and sharing a drink with friends. It was lots of fun, I often wish Canada was more like Europe!
afton
prince george, Canada 01/07/2007