Travel For Teens: Travel Programs for Older Teens

This past summer I got to travel through Europe. We started in Florence where we explored magnificent art museums and got a feel for the Italian city life. Next we hopped on the train to Monterosso. Here we hiked the Amafi Coast and got to make our own pesto. Our next stop was Interlaken, Switzerland where we got an adrenaline with paragliding. We also filled up on fondue and chocolate! Our adventure ended in Paris, France. We got a beautiful view of the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower. For dinner I tried escargot and rabbit! One day we got to tour the city via bike and even got to see the Mona Lisa up close! This trip has been such an amazing experience and I have made life long friends. If I had the chance to do it again I would. Thank you Travel for Teens!

My experience traveling with TFT was nothing but extraordinary. In the summer of 2017 I set off, by myself for the first time, to travel abroad in Europe. Not only did Travel for Teens place me in a group with amazing people that I grew to be very close with, but I was guided through this trip with knowledgeable group leaders who cared about giving us the best experience possible. Through TFT I was able to visit the countries of Italy, Switzerland, and Paris. Each day was jam packed full of different activities including museums, hiking, eating delicious local cuisine, and creating new relationships with my group. My leaders, Taylor and Holden, knew facts regarding each area we ventured to, which made the trip so much more interesting and thoughtful. My favorite part about this trip, and the TFT company as a whole, was that travel, accommodation, and each experience was local and unique. We never loaded onto a tour bus, did not wait in long lines, stand in big crowds, or follow someone with a giant sign to each destination. Travel for Teens was personal, giving chief importance to an authentic experience abroad. I felt so secure with my team throughout the whole trip, with each activity being very well researched and planned, so there was never any confusion or worry. It was through this safe environment I was able to experience the true beauty of travel, which has inspired me to go out of my comfort zone, not to be timid, but to run towards any new opportunity in my life with an open mind!

My experience going on an adventure with Travel For Teens was incredible and unforgettable. Last summer, I went on the two week trip to Florence, Cinque Terre, Switzerland and Paris with Older Teens. My trip had a rough start, since I did not go on the group flight, and my flight missed a connection in Portugal. I was scared that I would be missing out on activities and that it would be difficult to make friends if I joined the trip after it started. It was such a relief when I finally arrived in Florence and was greeted by my counselor Mike at the airport. He made me feel comfortable right away. It turned out that multiple people on my trip had problems with flights and TFT was able to keep track of everyone and collect them one by one from the airport. Once I got over the sleep deprivation from the long overnight flight, all of my worries went away and I had the best time travelling around Europe with people from all over the country, none of whom I had met before yet all of whom I became friends with. From Italy to Switzerland to France, we saw all of the famous sites and tried all of the amazing food. Just a few of the memorable experiences included learning how to make delicious homemade pesto in Cinque Terre, sampling fondue in Interlaken, paragliding through the Alps, and climbing up the Eiffel Tower in Paris. I must have taken over two thousand pictures over the span of the trip, and I look at them all the time to keep the memories of the trip intact and to put a smile on my face. I had the best summer of my life, and I couldn’t have done it without TFT.

I had the amazing opportunity to travel on the Europe for Older Teens trip to Amsterdam, Munich, Switzerland, and Venice with TFT in the summer of 2018 and it was one of the best experiences I have ever had! My amazing counselors were so welcoming and inclusive to not only me, but all the campers. Everyone I met on the trip was so nice and friendly, and I will never forget the great times I had with them. I was a little nervous to go on the trip at first, but after just one day on the trip I knew I made the right choice! TFT programs are great because the counselors give you that independence you want, while also keeping everyone safe! That trip was one I will never forget, the memories I made with awesome people is priceless. Thank you TFT!

The summer before I left for college, I went on the Europe for Older Teens: Florence, Cinque Terre, Switzerland and Paris and it was hands down the best experience of my life. The trip not only prepared me for living on my own in college, but it changed me for the better, as I became much more confident and sure of myself. With the itinerary that was provided, I was able to push myself out of my comfort zone whether it was paragliding over the Swiss Alps, jumping off cliffs into a canyon, trying new foods (snails are surprisingly delicious!), and meeting and talking to new people. I made some of my best friends on this trip who I continue to talk to to this day despite us being thousands of miles apart. I would recommend any Travel for Teens trips to kids of any age, but I would especially recommend it to older teens about to leave for college as it not only helps you adjust to living on your own, but it builds up the confidence necessary to thrive in college. I am so grateful for being able to go on a TFT trip as it completely changed my life for the better.

The Travel for Teens trips that I have been a part of have completely changed my life. I have been to nine European countries because of TFT, and I would not trade my experiences I had for the world. From taking an immersive bike tour through Prague, to white water rafting in Slovenia, to relaxing on a white sand beach in Croatia, to riding in the London Eye, to being awestruck by the beautiful architecture of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I had the time of my life. The Travel for Teens counselors on the trip were remarkable and encouraged me to try new things, whether that be eating escargot or canyoning. I gained so many new friends from my TFT trips, and the memories I’ve made will last a lifetime. You will not regret taking a trip with Travel for Teens!

I have been so fortunate to experience two unbelievable Travel for Teens: Older Teens trips. I was able to go on the Travel for Teens: Florence, Cinque Terre, Switzerland, and Paris the summer of 2018. Also I went on the Travel for Teens: Prague, Austria, Slovenia and Croatia trip summer of 2019. I have visited destinations in Europe that were so beautiful that words cannot describe it. Through these trips I have gained many stories that I look forward to sharing, I have gained confidence in myself to be independent, and I have tasted food that can only be dreamt about. I was able to go paragliding through the Swiss Alps, go canyoning in Slovenia, island hopping in Croatia, visit the Louvre, and climb the Eiffel Tower. The opportunities that were provided through TFT were amazing and I would recommend any of their trips because you will have a once in a lifetime experience.

Before the trip, I had reservations that the program might be too pre-planned, coddled, or inflexible, especially with a group of 21 kids. After going to 4 different towns and cities, I have to say that I had the time of my life. Ryan is a very understanding and flexible trip director who works his hardest to fufill any individual wishes we might have, on the itinerary or not. Though he is very accommodating, he is certainly not a pushover either and keeps us feeling safe and secure no matter what. What really touched me was how much effort he took to get to know every individual on the trip and it was obvious to us as campers that he wanted nothing more than to provide the best possible experience for us during our time with him. Whether we were interested in scenery, socializing, food, thrills, or anything else, he made sure that we got what we wanted and that everyone’s interests were accommodated. I had the time of my life and by the time the trip was over, I felt that I had no regrets about my time at each city and felt that the trip left no stones unturned in any leg of the trip.