Program Reviews

As I entered my summer after graduating high school and before starting college, I wanted to do something that created lifelong memories and allowed me to explore a new part of the world I’d never been to; TFT’s Greece Island Hopping for Older Teens did just that. I was thankful that TFT offered a program specifically for kids finishing 11th and 12th grade, because I wanted to be surrounded by other people my age, with similar experiences and interests as me. This program was the perfect way for me to explore the gorgeous beaches of Paros and Naxos, and also immerse myself in the greek culture through sampling different foods, and speaking with locals. Greece has so many unique and historical sights to offer, and this trip gave me the chance to see it all; the famous Acropolis in Athens, the postcard-like blue domed buildings of Santorini, the ancient grecian island Delos, and more. I could not have asked for a better trip to send me off into the new chapter of my life!

I was lucky enough to travel to Iceland with TFT the first summer they ran the program (summer 2017), and couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Traveling the ring road of Iceland proved to be the best way to see all of Iceland and what it has to offer. Though I was unable to pronounce half of the places we visited, it was extremely special to travel to small towns like Seydisfjordur and Stykkisholmur that most tourists to Iceland don’t get to see. Iceland is a truly unique and special country, and this trip provided me with the opportunity to see all of the famous, breathtaking waterfalls, while also allowing me to kayak in the fjords, from a town of less than 500 people. Whether it was hiking on glaciers or swimming in between continental plates in the Silfra fissure, this trip never failed to amaze me.

There are so many amazing places in Italy, it seems impossible to see all the famous and breathtaking sights in one trip, right? WRONG! I had always wanted to travel throughout Italy to get a chance to explore both the countryside of Tuscany and the beaches of Cinque Terre, and this trip was the perfect way to do just that. The activities on this trip ranged from a vast variety of making homemade pesto in a local Italian restaurant in Monterosso to climbing up the steep and slanted stairs of the Duomo in Florence. Whether I was hiking along the breathtaking views of the Cinque Terre trails or attempting to take a clever photo holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, I was never found without a smile on my face. The friendships I made on this trip are still strong to this day, and the memories and experiences were unforgettable.

I have been on four TFT trips now, and my passion for the company and what TFT has to offer would not have been possible had I not gathered the courage to travel overseas alone for the first time. My expectations for this trip were exceeded beyond imagination; these three cities are each highlights of Eastern Europe and each offer their own unique culture that I was lucky enough to explore. Aside from the delicious trdelníks in Prague (a must have dessert if you’re there), I met friends on this trip and made connections with people I still keep in touch with to this day, almost 5 summers later. This program is extra special to me as it is what got me hooked on TFT, and it was the perfect introduction to the experience of being a traveler, not a tourist.

From paragliding in New Zealand to snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia, I had the best 21 days of my life with Travel for Teens. I will never forget looking out the window on Air New Zealand as we flew through the snow-capped mountains to land in Queenstown. The beauty of this foreshadowed the once-in-a-life time experiences I had the privilege of doing on this amazing adventure. The counselors made me feel so at home in places I’ve never been, and the friends I made gave me memories I will cherish forever. I recommend this trip to anyone who loves adventure and lives for the moment. While in Australia, we visited Cairns, Brisbane, and Sydney. We completed our service at Sheoak Ridge, which took us deep into the outback of Australia. The service portion of the trip brought our group closer together and, in my opinion, was the best part of the trip!

Last summer I went to Amsterdam, Munich, Swiss Alps, and Venice with Travel for Teens! This was my second trip with Travel for Teens and I was just as amazed by this one! The councilors are so knowledgeable when it comes to travel and made everything so much easier, especially for teens leaving the country for the first time. It's always scary to travel without anyone you know, but the councilors make everyone so comfortable with each other and you end up leaving trips with lasting friendships. Through my TFT trip, I was able to see so many different parts of Europe that I never thought would be possible in one trip. I tried different foods from every culture and interacted with locals. On TFT trips, you see the major landmarks in each city, but also the smaller, locally loved hidden gems. I always come back from my TFT trips with too many incredible stories. My tips would be to pack lightly and have a lighter suitcase! On my trip we were on the train A LOT and we had quick transfers. Suitcases are much easier to carry and store in train cubbies if they're smaller! There's also time to do laundry. My trip had such memorable activities like jumping into canyons of the Alps and seeing the Anne Frank house. Traveling with TFT showed me how valuable travel is and I hope to continue with studying abroad or working for TFT!

My trip with TFT was a wonderful and eye opening experience. We got to go to so of the most incredible places and some truly amazing people. This trip was an fantastic way to spend a summer. We got to meet a wonderful family and live with them for two weeks. Our group got to do some awesome projects with other volunteers. We work on building toy for children in the community and picking lavender in the field near their house. We visited Taormina and got to swim in some of the most beautiful beaches. We also climbed Mount Etna - the largest active volcano in Europe. The views on top of the volcano were breathtaking and completely amazing. We also took trips into Syracuse and Catalina. There we explored the cities and learn their unique histories.

I went on the 21-day Tanzania service trip and it was life changing. Nothing can ever prepare you for the feeling you will get staring into the clearest sky and seeing millions of stars staring back at you. Being immersed in the culture of these inspiring people was such an eye-opener and really taught me to be grateful for what I have. We went on three safaris, visited an orphanage, spent a week at a girls school, and even took a cooking lesson! From the exotic animals in Serengeti National Park, to the beautiful, young girls at SEGA school, exploring Tanzania was a soul search I never knew I needed. I have changed for the better because of this experience. I personally guarantee your child will have an amazing time on this trip. I recommend it 100% for all ages and all personalities.

Going to Spain with TFT was amazing. The itinerary was stacked with fun, interesting, and unique experiences. We enjoyed a private cooking class, learned to paddle board on the coast of Barcelona, explored caves in Nerja, and shopped our way through Madrid. There was always something for everyone, like stadium tours of the famous soccer clubs, or beach time of we wanted it. The food, the people, and the places were outstanding. I encourage anyone with any interest in the beauty and culture of Spain to go with TFT. They do a fabulous job of leading tours as travelers, not tourists. Every minute I spent there was a dream come true, and the plane ride home was so sad! Some advice is to bring sunscreen and lots of it! We spent a perfect amount of time relaxing on the sands of many Spanish beaches. Also get ready to walk! Some of the cities have to be seen by foot (or bike) to really get the feel for them, so make sure you have comfortable walking shoes.

Thailand. We have all heard of this incredible country before. It’s your perfect tropical Southeast Asian paradise. Everything from encounters with amazing wildlife to some of the best beaches on the planet put this country on everyone’s bucket list. Unfortunately, with this being such a popular tourist destination, it has become overrun with foreigners in recent years. I realized this when I signed up for Thailand Elephant Service & The Islands trip, and I was quite worried that my trip would not live up to the “Thailand paradise” expectations. Fortunately, Travel for Teens understood this as well, and the only time I saw large amounts of foreigners throughout my entire vacation was at the airport, as you would expect. Outside the airport, I was blessed with what I can confidently say is my absolute favorite trip I have ever had the pleasure of going on (and I have been to 30 countries and 6 continents in total, including Antarctica). Travel for Teens seeks out activities to participate in that your standard teen tour group will not do. Nearly all other Thailand “adventure programs” listed on this website will in fact not be much of an adventure at all. They will instead take you to major tourist destinations, and that’s it – that’s where Travel for Teens sets itself apart from the crowd. Of course, one of the major highlights of this trip were the incredible few days up in Northern Thailand where we had the privilege to work with elephants in their retirement parks. Here, elephants rescued from the lumber business and street performing in Bangkok were provided a safe haven to live out the rest of their days in peace. Being able to get up close and personal with these creatures allowed my group and I to see how gentle they truly were. There was a sense of kindness in their eyes that I haven’t seen before – anywhere. It’s truly an incredible experience. We were quite a ways away from the city and in an area where there were more elephants than people, and in this situation we were able to escape the “standard Thailand vacation”. We helped bathe the elephants alongside feeding the baby elephants – they were very cute. We learned a ton about these massive creatures: everything from how they only sleep 4 hours a day on average to how it costs upwards of $300,000 per year for food for each elephant to how riding an elephant for a prolonged period actually gives them back problems later on in life. All of this wouldn’t be possible on a standard Thailand vacation where you may actually ride an elephant yourself, or just see them briefly perform. Travel for Teens gives you the unique experience to work with the elephants themselves and that is something I truly treasure. Another incredible experience this Thailand Elephant Service & The Islands trip provided me was a two-day rafting trip out in the remote Thailand jungle. For nearly two full days, we saw no trace of civilization: no roads, no houses – nothing. This is a true Thailand adventure, given we traveled over one hundred miles downriver between the towns of Pai and Mae Hong Son in far northwestern Thailand close to the border with Myanmar. We camped overnight alongside the river, and despite it perhaps not being your “luxury” overnight stay, it was the time when everyone bonded the quickest. Being in a raft for many hours amounted to great conversations and before long, I realized just how incredible the group I traveled with was. They made the trip fantastic as much as the trip itself did, and that’s saying quite a lot considering just how amazing the itinerary was. Everything else from scuba diving in some of the most pristine reefs imaginable to trying some of the most delicious food you could possibly fathom summed this trip up to be my absolute favorite I have ever been on with Travel for Teens. I have participated in nine trips in total with the company, and this is number one on my list. Do not miss out on an incredible opportunity to see and experience things you will be unable to see anywhere else on Earth. This trip is the trip of a lifetime.