Changed
Changed
Travel with teens can mean walking the fine line between making meaningful lifelong memories and the eye-rolling Olympics. Fear not – choose the right destination and you’ll go from herding cats to high-fiving travel buddies. From adrenaline to anime, we’ve rounded up the top teen-tested travel spots to make sure the next family getaway is 100% family bonding and 0% wanting to get away.
Tokyo, Japan
Japan is flying high as Brisbane Airport’s fastest growing international destination – and for good reason. Tokyo is the ultimate playground for teens who are into anime, gaming, or aesthetic vibes (yes, that would be all of them). Whether you’re slurping ramen in a themed-café and renting a pup to walk through Yoyogi Park or staying in a robot hotel and levelling up skills at the retro-fuelled Mikado Takadanobaba Arcade, boredom doesn’t stand a chance.
Make sure not to skip the big-ticket thrills! Tokyo Disneyland and the Ghibli Museum are well worth the short ride out of the main city. Japan’s transport is so efficient, it practically teleports you – spotless, speedy, and surprisingly easy to navigate, even with a moody co-pilot in tow. Not that there isn’t enough to do within Tokyo’s mashup of futurism and fantasy if you don’t have time to daytrip! Teens? Entertained. Parents? Winning.
Singapore
This pint-sized powerhouse of a country is basically a theme park in disguise, where every corner comes with a twist, a turn, or a splash of adventure. Kick things off below sea level and dive into your holiday at Adventure Cove and the S.E.A. Aquarium. Then dry off and dial up the blockbuster magic at Universal Studios Singapore, or the curiosity at the Insta-worthy ArtScience Museum.
Need to satisfy the adventure cravings while you’re in town? Sentosa is your springboard. Think ziplines, luge rides, and waterslides that’ll have teens riding high. Though the activities may seem a little extreme (in the best way), Singapore’s super safe streets and seamless public transport ensure parents can breathe easy while teens go full adventure mode and explore at their own adrenaline-fuelled pace. Still need more convincing to put Singapore on the travel itinerary? Read our top reasons to visit Singapore and you’ll be booking a flight before you make it to the end.
Los Angeles, USA
Lights, camera, action-packed holiday in Los Angeles! If your teen speaks fluently in movie quotes and lives life by the bible of trending TikToks, LA is their Hollywood happily-ever-after. Find your favourite stars along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, go behind the scenes (literally) on a Warner Bros Studio Tour, or buckle up for heart-racing excitement at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Is your teen taking stereotypes to the next level with a skater phase? Cruise down to Venice Beach Skate Park or roll on over to the retro Santa Monica Pier for some seriously iconic sessions paired with seriously snappable views.
Queenstown, New Zealand
Boredom takes a bungy jump at Queenstown; the adrenaline capital where even the views are heart-pounding. Queenstown is a scenic rollercoaster of adventure, from Shotover Jet river rides to the Mario Kart-esque Skyline Luge. And if your teen is brave enough, they can tick off the Queenstown rite of passage with a bungy jump off the original Kawarau Bridge location. Feel free to watch from a safe distance with phone recording and coffee in hand if free-falling isn’t your idea of a fun day out.
Booking for winter? It’s snow joke how good the slopes are. The Remarkables and Coronet Peak serve up epic runs for skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels, complete with plenty of hot choccy stop opportunities.
Bali, Indonesia
Looking for a destination that dishes up both chill and thrill? Bali’s got the vibe check covered. Teens can start the day surfing, exploring the Waterbom water park, and sliding down waterfalls, before cooling off with a reef snorkel or a calm paddleboard all in the same breath.
Feeling daring? There’s cliff jumping, parasailing, ATV adventures, and rafting to keep the pulse high before retreating back to the poolside lounges for sunset and a well-earned mocktail. Bali is the teen dream for those who want action and a chance to “touch some grass”, as the TikTok trend says.
Seoul, South Korea
There won’t be much convincing needed to get the kids packing their bags for this trip, Seoul is probably already their spiritual home! South Korea’s pop culture needs little introduction for those who have been scrolling TikTok lately (your teen). They’ll feel right at home among the neon-lit streets of Myeongdong and Hongdae with endless beauty shops, fashion boutiques, karaoke bars, K-pop merch, Korean streetwear, and enough trending street snacks to make every foodie fangirl. For Seoul first-timers that don’t want to solely rely on their teens to lead the way through the city, bookmark our travel guide to South Korea’s capital city.
Unsure which of the many nearby theme parks to tick off the bucket list first? Follow the sound of pop culture to Lotte World or Everland, where rides, live entertainment, themed dining and shopping, and virtual experiences collide under one roof.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Are you searching for a destination where teens can go from screen time to sand dunes to splashing down a slide in a single day? Dubai is your answer, with adventures stacked higher than the Burj Khalifa. Go from gamer-heaven at The Arcade by Hub Zero to fun in the sun with dune bashing, camel rides, and sandboarding on a safari adventure. Cool off at world-class waterparks like Aquaventure World and Wild Wadi, guaranteed to wash away any chance of boredom, before heading back to luxurious accommodation and award-winning restaurants.
Did you think there couldn’t possibly be more teen-approved to-dos in one city? Think again with the bungy jump making its way onto the Dubai itinerary at Gravity Zone, where you can jump out of a metal box suspended in the air by a crane-like arm. That’s right, the adrenaline kicks in before you even jump, with the platform being an experience within itself!
Interlaken, Switzerland
Interlaken is peak holiday perfection. Teens can tear it up on the slopes in the Jungfrau Ski Region, before switching gears with sledding, snowshoeing, or even winter kayaking on Lake Brienz. With friendly ski schools and chill beginner runs, even newbies will be carving up the snow in no time. Add paragliding over snow-capped peaks to the alpine adventure mix and your vacay will basically become a real-life snow globe!
Did the trip even happen if there aren’t any photos? Good thing Interlaken is just as aesthetic as it is adventurous. Consider this a destination for the camera roll, with so many photo ops around every corner you’ll be tired of stopping for pics.
Jervis Bay, New South Wales
Who needs a passport to paradise when you’re already here? Jervis Bay proves that sometimes the best family trips are just down the road. If you want postcard-worthy beaches without the international fare, Jervis Bay is your jam. The water’s crystal clear, the sand’s squeaky white, and the dolphins? They’re your casual paddleboarding buddies.
Choose your own adventure with a kayak and snorkel at Green Patch or Murrays Beach before hitting the dunes for sandboarding shenanigans, or take to the Booderee National Park trails and caves if you need a break from the waves.
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver serves up nature and Netflix-famous locations all in one trendy urban jungle. Cruise through Stanley Park on two wheels, brave the Capilano Suspension Bridge, or head to Grouse Mountain for snow days in the cooler months. Bonus: If you’re a parent to a film buff, Vancouver has starred in so many shows and movies that your teen will feel like they’ve walked straight into a scene from their fav flick (including The Last of Us, Deadpool, Riverdale, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, just to name a few).
If you ever had dreams of living out a sci-fi scene in real life, Vancouver’s tech-savvy experiences are your golden ticket to making them come true. Blast off into the wonders of tech at Science World or take flight (virtually) at FlyOver Canada. Whether you’re craving screen-time scenery or hands-on discovery, Vancouver is a blockbuster blend of both, serving teen-approved activities on tap.
Getting there
Accommodation
Research and book accommodation with Booking.com