10 Best Summer Travel Programs for Teens in 2026

You could spend your summer laying on the couch, scrolling TikTok, or you could travel the world and make your own memories! Sounds like a no-brainer, right? If you want to mix it up next summer, read on to discover the best summer travel programs for high school students in 2026!

Summer programs for high school students offer teens the opportunity to travel, make new friends, and have the experience of a lifetime, all through the safety of an organization. Student travel programs tend to be all-inclusive meaning the cost covers things like accommodation, meals, activities, and in-country transportation. Teen travel programs are diverse and often include one or more of the following:

• Cultural immersion: learn about culture first-hand through things like cooking and dance classes, festivals, and visits to museums and monuments
• Language immersion: immerse yourself in a language abroad to take your skills to the next level
• Volunteering: make a difference in a local community
• Adventure travel: embrace the great outdoors through everything from hiking and ziplining to white water rafting and scuba diving
• Academics: experience the world as your classroom

Not only are these programs fun but they help you to develop confidence, independence, and resilience. The first time you go abroad is an eye-opening and life-changing experience. Who knows where else it could lead you?

Location: Panama 
Program length: 3 weeks 
Age range: 15-19 
Starting price: $4,875 USD 
What's included: housing, meals, 24/7 support, pre-departure training, excursions, service learning hours, college credit 

✅ Pros:

• You’ll hone your Spanish skills and learn about Panamanian culture while staying with a local host family.
• Through these programs, you’re eligible to earn 36 service learning hours and/or 2 college credits.

❌ Cons:

• You’ll need to have taken the equivalent of two years of Spanish for the Panama programs.
• There are no options for programs longer than 3 weeks.

AMIGOS has the perfect summer programs for teens with some Spanish under their belts and a desire to make an environmental impact. Choose between learning about sustainable agriculture and working on a community farm in the mountains of Panama or conserving turtle habitats up and down the Pacific Coast. 

Both programs last three weeks and while they do include excursions, they’re focused on being immersed in daily life. You’ll participate in activities and workshops with schools and community members, spend time with their host families on weekends, meet local teens your age, and bond with fellow participants. If you love being outdoors and are an environmentalist at heart, AMIGOS is the right choice for a life-changing summer.

Location: Thailand, Vietnam, Spain, New Zealand, and more! 
Program length: 11-30 days 
Age range: students finishing 11th and 12th grades 
Starting price: $4,395 USD 
What's included: accommodation, all meals, in-country transportation, excursions and activities 

✅ Pros:

• You’ll stay in clean, centrally-located hotels in every destination.
• Travel for Teens wants to create savvy world travelers so that throughout your trip, you’ll gain independence and build your confidence in traveling.

❌ Cons:

• If you’re looking for a slow travel program, these fast-paced, destination-hopping itineraries may not be the best fit.
• There’s not much free time for you to explore on your own.

Travel for Teens (TFT) has programs aimed at older teens finishing 11th and 12th grade (16-18 years old). Multi-county trips are available across Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. If you want to experience one country fully, their Costa Rica programs take you from the beaches to the jungles, through cities and towns in between. 

TFT’s goal is to foster a greater sense of independence so that you’re ready to take on the world after your time abroad. Programs are designed to be as authentic as possible, digging into local culture and food and skipping tourist traps. Whether you’re navigating European metro systems or hopping a boat to your next destination in Southeast Asia, even the transportation modes will fully immerse you in local life.

Location: India 
Program length: 28 days 
Age range: 16-18 
Starting price: $8,450 USD 
What's included: accommodation, all meals, in-country transportation, equipment rentals, excursions and activities 

✅ Pros:

• Earn a Wilderness First Aid certification the first week to gain important skills before setting out on the climbs.
• Learn meditation practices to cultivate inner calm and self-awareness.

❌ Cons:

• If you are especially affected by altitude sickness, there is a lot of high-altitude mountain trekking. This trip is physically demanding!
• This program incorporates a significant amount of Buddhist philosophy so if you’re not open to learning about religious traditions, this trip may not be for you.

Get to know north India through the Himalayan Trekking & Traditions summer travel abroad program with Where There Be Dragons. Become one with nature by trekking through mountains, camping under the stars, and staying with local families in rural villages as you traverse the breathtaking landscapes of the Himalayas. You’ll be prepared and supported from start to finish by experienced guides.

This Dragons program isn’t for the faint of heart; you’ll be challenged both physically and mentally over the 28 days. However, past participants were proud and grateful to walk away from this amazing experience with a sense of accomplishment, greater confidence, and more than a few close friendships.

Location: Costa Rica 
Program length: 15-25 days 
Age range: grades 9-12 
Starting price: $4,595 USD 
What's included: accommodation, meals, excursions and activities, in-country transportation, 24/7 support 

✅ Pros:

• Fun and laid-back group leaders will make you feel at home.
• All programs are eligible for service learning hours through community-focused volunteer projects

❌ Cons:

• Global Works doesn’t allow phones or any wifi-capable devices on any of their programs, so keep that in mind if you can’t part with your tech!
• If your Spanish level is non-existent or low, be prepared that most families generally speak little to no English.

Global Works has something for everyone in their Costa Rica Summer Service Adventures. Programs focus on diverse topics, whether you’d like to work with kids, get involved in building projects, converse wildlife habitats, or get experience with medical and public health initiatives. 

Although community engagement and volunteering are a big part of Global Works’ Costa Rica programs, there is plenty of time for fun packed into the itineraries. You’ll have the opportunity to go rafting, ziplining, and surfing while learning about the local environment. Step outside of your comfort zone this summer with the support of Global Works!

Location: Costa Rica
Program length: 1-4 weeks 
Age range: 12-22 years old
Starting price: $2,495 USD
What's included: accommodation, all meals, in-country transportation, airport transfers, activities and excursions, wifi

✅ Pros:

• Pick the program that matches your passion — surf and service in Playa Grande, sea turtle conservation at a park ranger station, or rainforest service work on the Pura Vida Service trip.
• Local Tico staff create a warm, family-like vibe from day one, and the program is nearly all-inclusive (the only thing you'll cover yourself is the flight).

❌ Cons:

• Costa Rica is hot and humid in summer — pack lightweight clothes and an extra swimsuit or two.
• Airfare isn't included, so factor flights into your budget.

Rustic Pathways has dialed in the Costa Rica summer experience, with five-plus programs spanning the Pacific coast, the Caribbean, and everything in between! Want to learn to surf while supporting nearby beach communities? Try Surf and Service. Passionate about wildlife? Live at a park ranger station for the Turtle Conservation Project. Looking for the full pura vida package? Pura Vida Service blends rainforest projects, ziplining, whitewater rafting, and hot springs into one unforgettable week.

Each itinerary balances meaningful service with the best of Costa Rican adventure — rafting the Sarapiquí River, visiting sloth sanctuaries, and soaking up beach sunsets. With 120+ reviews, past students consistently rave about their program leaders, the food, and the friendships they've made. If you want a summer that's equal parts purpose and play, Rustic Pathways delivers.

Location: Costa Rica and Belize 
Program length: 25 days 
Age range: students finishing 11th grade 
Starting price: $7,995 USD 
What's included: accommodation, some meals, all flights, in-country transportation, 

✅ Pros:

• Earn credit for high school biology: less time and more fun!
• Pre-departure sessions online before the trip allow you to meet your teachers and fellow students. No one will be a stranger at the airport!

❌ Cons:

• Lunch is not included so you’ll need to factor that into your budget.
• Flights are included but depart from Toronto, Canada.

Why study biology in your hometown when you can do it in Costa Rica and Belize with MEI International Academy? Rising seniors in high school can get credit for biology before the school year even starts. With MEI, the world is literally your classroom. Learn about marine life and coral reefs while snorkeling, engage in lab work at an ecolodge in a cloud forest, and observe wildlife in their natural habitat at Manuel Antonio National Park. 

In between classes, you’ll get to hike, relax in hot springs, zipline through the jungle, and take in the natural beauty of both Costa Rica and Belize. Past participants say the school work was challenging but that they found amazing support systems through their new friends and group leaders.

Location: Costa Rica 
Program length: 10-21 days 
Age range: 14-18 
Starting price: $3,099 USD 
What's included: accommodation, all meals, airport pickup and dropoff, in-country transportation, activities and excursions, insurance, 24/7 parental support 

✅ Pros:

• Housing ranges from ecolodges, hotels, or B&Bs depending on the program but all are clean, modern, and fully equipped. Some even have a pool!
• Warm and friendly staff foster an inclusive and welcoming environment that past participants said made their time abroad extra special.

❌ Cons:

• There’s no laundry service for programs 10 days or shorter so pack accordingly!
• Tech junkies beware: no laptops are allowed and internet access may be spotty depending on your location.

Global Leadership Adventures (GLA) hosts a range of summer programs for high school students in Costa Rica. Whatever your interests or future career plans, there’s likely a program for you! Projects span the fields of medicine, veterinary, ocean and wildlife conservation, youth work, community building, sustainability, and more. 

Each program has a low teacher-to-student ratio of 1:6 ensuring you’ll get personal attention and support in a small group environment, which past participants said helped them to form close relationships with other students. Build leadership skills while undertaking meaningful projects in local communities and watch your confidence soar as you zipline, hike, swim, and surf your way through Costa Rica.

Location: France 
Program length: 1-4 weeks 
Age range: 12-19 
Starting price: $1,500 USD 
What's included: accommodation, all meals, activities and excursions, 24/7 parent support line, 24-hour supervision for campers 

✅ Pros:

• Choose from camps focusing on sports or language, either in the city or by the beach!
• Supercharge your language skills while making friends with local French teens.

❌ Cons:

• Not all accommodation options have air conditioning.
• The sports camps are total immersion so if you’re not able or willing to speak French 24/7, you might want to consider NACEL’s French language camps instead.

Say oui to spending your summer in France with NACEL Education Travel. NACEL’s French immersion summer camps for teens run for 1 to 4 weeks which is perfect if you’re new to travel or short on time. Either focus on intensive French language classes or sports programs like basketball, soccer, dance, horseback riding, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and more. 

While your day will be packed with activities, you’ll still have hours of free time throughout the day to rest or get to know your new friends. Summer camps are located throughout France in locations like Paris, Lyon, and the Vichy region or by the beach in the French Riviera. Housing ranges from private dorms to shared apartments with other students. Teens at NACEL’s camps come from France, the US, and many other countries, so you’re bound to end your program with a new international crew.

Location: Worldwide 
Program length: 3-8 weeks 
Age range: 15-18 
Starting price: $5,850 USD 
What's included: accommodation, all meals, in-country transportation, excursions and activities, 24/7 support, medical and travel insurance, wifi access, optional flight chaperone 

✅ Pros:

• Study anything from languages, STEM, arts & culture, and social change with the option to earn college credits.
• Scholarship opportunities are available for CIEE's high school programs. They award more than $7 million each year!

❌ Cons:

• Due to the structured schedules, you won’t have a lot of free time during the week.
• Some programs include a lot of walking so research your desired location beforehand.

CIEE Global Navigator has exciting summer programs for high school students abroad in 35+ destinations. Whether you want to learn about art in Prague, Czech Republic, wildlife conservation in Gaborone, Botswana, or video game design in Kyoto, Japan, there is a program for you among their 70+ options. 

Even though CIEE’s summer programs are educational, they’re far from boring. Learning is hands-on and the city is your classroom. You’ll study your subjects where they happen. Housing types vary by location but generally, you’ll stay with host families or share a dorm room with other students. Past participants loved how closely they bonded with everyone on the program and said they made friends for life!

Location: Japan 
Program length: 2-3 weeks 
Age range: grades 9-12 
Starting price: $5,495 USD 
What's included: accommodation, meals, excursions and activities, classes and materials, 24/7 support 

✅ Pros:

• You’ll stay in clean and modern student apartments in the center of Osaka, close to all the attractions.
• World Class’ focus on cultural immersion will allow you to do a deep dive into Japanese art, history, manga, and of course, food!

❌ Cons:

• There is a lot of walking, but staff make sure to give everyone time to rest.
• Most classes are taught in English, so if you’re looking for a Japanese immersion program this may not be the best fit.

World Class Programs is the best way to immerse yourself in Japanese culture this summer. Even if you’re an absolute beginner language student, you can start learning Japanese while you learn about art and manga, tour castles and shrines, and try all the sushi. Outside of class, you’ll have plenty of time to check out all the cool things Osaka has to offer. 

Past participants who were nervous before the trip were pleasantly surprised, and even the pickiest eaters found a ton of Japanese dishes they loved. World Class keeps its groups small (1 teacher to 6 students) so you’ll have an easier time getting to know your groupmates and forming close bonds. In fact, many felt like they were leaving family behind at the end of the trip. Spend the summer of a lifetime in Japan!

Are you inspired to do something different this summer? Teen summer travel programs are designed to push you outside of your comfort zone for maximum growth and an experience like none you’ve ever had. Take a leap and spend your summer abroad! 

Learn more about high school programs abroad:

• High School Abroad Scholarships and Grants to Apply for
• The 10 Best High School Language Immersion Programs
• Complete Guide to High School Study Abroad & Exchange Programs
• The Ultimate Study Abroad Packing Guide
• High School Study Abroad