Circular blue and orange logo with airplane

Travel For Teens

Why choose Travel For Teens?

Travel For Teens is a program provider that believes that teen travel should be both enriching and fun. TFT offers a full range of travel experiences that teens can choose from to create their own ideal international experience.

TFT's motto is "Teaching teens to be travelers, not tourists," and their itineraries are designed to reflect this. While participants have the opportunity to visit mainstream attractions, TFT also provides insider opportunities and experiences, giving participants the ability to explore the culture far beyond the tourist perspective.

If you are looking for a summer travel program that goes beyond the typical tourist path, then Travel For Teens is the perfect fit!

Reviews

Default avatar
Charlie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Spain and Portugal are Amazing!

During the summer of 2023 I took a trip to Spain and Portugal with Travel for Teens. We explored many parts of both countries, and a couple stood out above the rest. I vividly remember scuba diving off the coast of Lagos, Portugal with a really fun group of people that I still keep in touch with today. We saw an octopus and it even shot some ink at us as it zoomed away. That day was one of my favorites I have ever had in my life, and it would not have been possible without TFT. Another highlight of the trip was the group of people I got to experience it with. If I had been traveling with my family or on my own I could have still visited the same places, but I wouldn’t have gotten the same experience or the lifelong connections that I ended up with. The nights in my hotel room playing cards and talking with the others on the trip could not be replaced by anything. I would highly recommend taking a trip with TFT, and I am absolutely thrilled that I decided to.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
The only thing I would have changed was that I would have gone to Morocco with the trip instead of going home after Spain and Portugal. It was a great trip and I just wanted to experience more of it! There were 2 trips which were connected and I chose the shorter one, but next time I would do the full experience.
Default avatar
Edwin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

TFT December 2023 trip to Thailand

I heard about TFT from my friend in the United States who had used TFT before, and he told me that he had a fantastic experience. He shared some photos of places he had visited, which were terrific. Upon arriving in Thailand, I met the TFT group counselor at the airport and headed to the hotel. On our way to the hotel, we stopped at the 911 shop, got some snacks, and continued our journey. After one hour, we finally arrived, and they showed us the rooms where we were staying. We later went to the village for community service, which was amazing because we learned how to cook Thai food! Then we went to the elephant farm, fed the elephants, and learned a lot. We went for a bike ride on the rice farm and saw how they plant rice, which was a good experience for those of us who had never seen anything like that. Later, we headed back to the hotel, and the TFT counselor called everyone for a meeting where they spoke to us about their expectations of our conduct, briefed us on the itinerary that had been shared with us before, and then proceeded to dinner. The following day, we headed to the island by a boat, and it took us around 2 hours. Once we arrived, everyone was so excited to see the beautiful blue ocean and forgot the long journey. We had an exciting time exploring many cities in Thailand, and I took lots of photos for memories. I never knew the beauty that existed in Thailand until I went there myself.

Default avatar
Edwin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

TFT December 2023 trip to Austria Hungary

I heard about TFT from my friend in the United States who had used TFT before, and he told me that he had a fantastic experience. He shared some photos of places he had visited, which were terrific. Upon arriving in Thailand, I met the TFT group counselor at the airport and headed to the hotel. On our way to the hotel, we stopped at the 911 shop, got some snacks, and continued our journey. After one hour, we finally arrived, and they showed us the rooms where we were staying. We later went to the village for community service, which was amazing because we learned how to cook Thai food! Then we went to the elephant farm, fed the elephants, and learned a lot. We went for a bike ride on the rice farm and saw how they plant rice, which was a good experience for those of us who had never seen anything like that. Later, we headed back to the hotel, and the TFT counselor called everyone for a meeting where they spoke to us about their expectations of our conduct, briefed us on the itinerary that had been shared with us before, and then proceeded to dinner. The following day, we headed to the island by a boat, and it took us around 2 hours. Once we arrived, everyone was so excited to see the beautiful blue ocean and forgot the long journey. We had an exciting time exploring many cities in Thailand, and I took lots of photos for memories. I never knew the beauty that existed in Thailand until I went there myself.

Default avatar
Lilianna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My teen tour trip

This summer was my first time going on a teen tour. I had so many fun experiences like zip lining, seeing and helping sea turtles and making new friends throughout the entire trip. Everyday was so much fun learning about the culture and seeing things that you don’t have back at your home. We learned how to adapt to the culture that is all around us.The foods you try you will want to bring back to your family and friends to spread the experience. I liked that the tour allows you to have your phones but you really never want to be on your phone while away. The only times are to talk to your family and to take photos. The counselors are so outgoing, positive and fun to be with and talk to. They take such good care of you trying to make sure you have the best trip possible. There’s so many to choose from that your kids will have an amazing time making many memories.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I tried pineapple on my cheese burger.
Pros
  • Meeting new friends
  • Getting to know people from different places
  • Doing fun new adventures
Cons
  • Not knowing anyone
  • Had to get use to new foods
  • Flighting by myself to meet everyone
Default avatar
alice
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

memories

my experience during my spain and portugal trip was unique because not only did we go to the segrada familia and other amazing architecture, there was also amazing people i met. the people that were on the trip with me i bonded with very quick and everyone was super nice. it was really cool to be able to have all of these cool experiences and the counclers that quoted us everywhere were very nice and kept us safe the whole trip. we went to multiple places throughout spain and portugal like Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada, Lagos, Sintra and Lisbon! i would definitely recommend this program for anyone that is thinking of doing it

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
i think the most suprising thing i saw on during this trip was difference in cultures that i though was very cool
Pros
  • Beautiful destinations
  • good travel experience
  • History
Cons
  • some people can cause problems
  • Heat
  • Limited food

Programs

Displaying 1 - 9 of 45

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Ivania Salinas

Ivania Salinas

Why did you choose this program?

I chose this program because I wanted to travel to a place and continent I had never been before that offered similar experiences like the ones I usually do each summer, such as going to the beach. I also wanted to experience a different culture and see a different lifestyle from the one I’m accustomed to.

When looking through the various trips, the beauty of Thailand one can witness captured all of my attention. I knew I needed to witness the beauty of the country through my own eyes, and all of the wonderful activities the country has to offer.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

My program provider assisted us with everything, from the daily meals to the information about our flight home. Travel For Teens did everything for us, they booked all of our hotels and flights, were in charge of our meals and made sure that whatever we order was suitable for us. They also told us what to pack, how much money to bring, and the type of weather we would be dealing with based on the place we were visiting. All we, the travelers, had to do was packed our suitcases, bring money for souvenirs and board a plane taking us to our final destination.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

My one piece of advice is to enjoy the trip as much as possible and make every second there memorable. Before you know it you will be sitting on the plane back home wishing you could have one more week, or wishing you would have done something better, or at least that's what happened to me. Even though you can't change how much time you will be going, don’t sit on that plane wishing you would have done something better, or enjoyed it more, instead do everything you can while you are over there, because, at the end of the day, those actions will become splendor memories that will live with you for the rest of your life.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The average day in Thailand depends on the place you are in. For example, the average day in Chiang Mai consisted of learning about the culture of helping out the community, while the average day in the Phi Phi Islands was spent going snorkeling or scuba diving in the morning, visiting the beach in the afternoon and going on an adventure at night. Every day was spent doing something out of the ordinary, that any tourist visiting the area would not have the opportunity to do as easily.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

My biggest fear of traveling so far away and alone was that I would not have many friends, or that I would struggle to make friends. I overcame this fear the second I met everyone at the airport. At first, I was a little shy, but then I started talking to people from my group and making small talk, and before I knew it, I had made a bond with everyone there, including counselors, who were also extremely nice and welcoming. All of us became a family with whom we managed to share wonderful memories.

If you had to choose one thing that you either learned or experienced during the trip that will mark your life forever, what will it be? Explain why.

Witnessing the presence of bioluminescence lights during the night is an experience that will remain with me for the rest of my life. This experience is something that I didn’t know even existed, and it's so impactful to know the power that nature has, that it even manages to create tiny algae particles that create natural light, not only in full darkness but also in the water.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Sam Rae Roy

Job Title
Sales & Marketing Manager
Sam is an adventure enthusiast who has spent time living in both New England and Colorado. She has road tripped extensively around the continent, from Canada to Central America, which has aided in her development of our North America programs. In addition to her home continent, Sam has traveled all over Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Latin America. After numerous summers leading trips with TFT, she became a member of our Sales and Marketing team!

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite travel memory is the last night I spent in the backcountry on a 9-day trek in the Andean mountains of Peru. I had wanted to complete this trek for years but knew it involved an immense amount of preparation and planning. At our final campsite, not only was I overwhelmed with the feeling of accomplishment, but the beauty of my surroundings took my breath away.

A man who had lived in the area where I camped with my companion offered to cook us trout caught from the pristine alpine lake we were set up by and we took him up on the offer! We had a delicious meal in an incredible place knowing we had completed something we had longed to for years.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I started as an ambitious counselor who wanted to make Travel For Teens her full-time career. Over the course of the last nine years that I have been with this company, I have grown and learned so much about how travel positively influences today's youth and myself as well. Travel For Teens fosters growth in everyone it touches and spreads a love for authentic travel around the world.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

The best story I've ever heard from a returning student is that, after traveling on our Hawaii Sea Turtle Service program, he had started an environmental awareness club at his school--and he was the president! It was really special to me that this student had felt so strongly about what he learned about recycling and sustainability in Hawaii that he wanted to share it with others.

To me, that is what Travel For Teens is all about: exposing today's youth to the world and all of its different cultures, beauty, needs, and teaching them to respect these cultures, maintain this beauty, and help our world's needs.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

I would go on the Hawaii program over and over again because I feel passionate about our planet and sharing my love for sustainability with them. You have the opportunity not only to work with an endangered species while on the beautiful island of Maui but you see a beach on the North Shore that is infamous for collecting hundreds of thousands of tons of micro pieces of plastics that have traveled from the beautiful beaches of Hawaii from California and Asia. It really paints a picture of where the plastic fork you leave on the beach in LA ends up.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

We are unique because we allow our students to feel like a local instead of a member of a tour group. We don't travel in huge groups of 30 to chain restaurants and ride massive tour buses. We take local transportation and make food a part of our itinerary. It's important to us that our students feel like they've learned how to be a traveler at the end of their trip.

I was especially proud to be a part of this team when I was off in a small group visiting a museum a group of kids had wanted to see while a different group was at a market with a different leader. We ran into a different company who were all wearing matching backpacks following a leader with a giant pink sign in a straight line. They stuck out like a sore thumb and myself and my small group looked like a traveling family which, by that point, we were.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I think being honest and passionate about what you are selling makes all the difference in a successful company. The people that run TFT truly love what they do and believe in the product they are endorsing. This is enhanced by the natural honest the comes with truly believing in what you are giving and that leads to happy customers.