Letting Teens Choose Our Family Getaways Leads to Exciting Adventures

Our passion for adventure didn’t wane when children entered our lives. My husband and I, both wanderlust-driven explorers, often indulged in hikes, camping, and uncovering lesser-known travel spots across the globe. From extensive backpacking trips throughout the U.S. and India, our origin, to an unforgettable, unplugged honeymoon RV road trip in New Zealand, we thrived on spontaneous journeys.

With the arrival of our children, our escapades continued with fervor. Vivid images still linger of trekking through remote areas of Glacier National Park, our son snugly secured in a BabyBjörn, while our daughter enjoyed a Kelty carrier ride. Fast forward a decade, our teenagers began expressing their travel preferences, influenced largely by the books they read or movies they viewed.

We introduced a novel way to choose our family adventures: letting our teens propose travel spots by placing them in a bowl. Each suggested destination is drawn and evaluated for feasibility in terms of timing and budget before a final decision is made. If one child's choice is selected, the other steps into the role of planning the itinerary, creating a sense of shared responsibility and excitement. In the rare event that both suggestions are unviable, we continue drawing until a suitable option materializes.

Noteworthy Expeditions

The practice of letting our teens guide our family journeys has directed us towards remarkable and sometimes unpredictable experiences. One such adventure took us to the captivating Great Barrier Reef. Both children, avid and skilled swimmers, had dreamed of a summer spent admiring ocean wonders and learning to surf, leading them to choose Australia.

Amidst our travels to vibrant cities like Sydney and Melbourne, the highlight was undoubtedly navigating the rich marine tapestry of the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkeling unveiled an array of underwater life, including reef sharks and clownfish. Free diving, however, offered an unparalleled connection to the ocean as the kids, abandoning their snorkeling gear, swam amidst the serene schools of fish, a memory they treasure and often reminisce.

Wadi Rum’s Timeless Beauty

Another bend on our journey occurred when my daughter, then fifteen, chose Jordan, inspired by the cinematic worlds of 'The Martian' and 'Indiana Jones.' Our time there, enriched by the pink grandeur of Petra’s Treasury and the otherworldly sensation of the Dead Sea, reached its zenith amidst the tranquility of a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum.

In this boundless desert landscape, time seemed to halt. Evening brought an explosion of golden hues across the dunes, matched only by the star-clad skies that emerged at night. Our guide, a native Bedouin, introduced us to the mesmerizing practice of celestial navigation, riveting our children with stories about using the planets as waypoints, etching an indelible connection between the ancient and the modern.

Conquering Villarica's Heights

Our active lifestyle ensures every trip includes at least one exhilarating pursuit. In Chile, chosen by our fifteen-year-old son, and planned by our daughter, who was nineteen, we set our sights on climbing Villarica, one of the continent’s most active volcanoes. The 9,340-foot ascent promised magnificent vistas over the Andes, tempered by the challenge of traversing icy slopes demanding crampons and ice axes, under the guidance of an experienced leader.

Reaching the summit was a test of endurance rewarded with breathtaking scenes of the molten crater. On particularly active days, even masks were necessary to shield against volcanic gases. The ten-minute window to admire the fiery heart of Villarica was fleeting yet unforgettable.

Drawing our next adventure from the bowl continues to be a beloved family ritual, one that does more than nurture a thirst for travel in our teens. It instills a readiness to meet the unforeseen with openness and curiosity—a philosophy applicable in both journeying and life itself.