Program Reviews

It was amazing to meet new people, new animals, and have new opportunities. On our days off from working in the center, we went zip lining, snorkeling, and even had the opportunity to go to Panama. I won't forget following an anteater or playing with monkeys as tours went by. Between working with baby sloths or monkeys at the center, to surfing, to white after rafting, to snorkeling, it was a trip I'll never forget. I was very excited to go and plan on taking another trip this summer!

This was my second trip with TFT, and by far the coolest experience i've ever had! From hanging out with elephants to white water rafting, this trip pushed me out of my comfort zone and really helped me grow as a person. The elephant service days were my favorite. We got to bathe, feed, and play with the elephants. We also wore cool traditional mahoot outfits! As we moved to Pai and the islands, I fell more in love with the country and it's kind people. Walking through the markets and trying new foods are some of my favorite memories of the trip. And how could I forget the amazing people I was with throughout! I totally recommend this trip to anyone, it was my favorite one ever!

For my first summer at TFT, I certainly picked a great trip. All three cities were amazing, so were the people and counselors. I loved meeting new people from all over the world. The counselors are seasoned travelers and have so many amazing stories to share. I loved biking through the Bavarian countrysides in Germany and paddle boating on the Vltava in Prague. Prague was definitely my favorite city, throughout the city, there are hilarious random statues like babies with barcodes on their faces and a man hanging on a pole off the side of a building. It has so many beautiful landmarks like the John Lennon Wall and the Charles Bridge. There are so many little memories I'll cherish forever and I highly recommend this trip to anyone.

This was my first trip with Travel For Teens and I couldn't be happier with my decision. Leading up to the trip, I was nervous. Would I make friends? Would I even have fun? Now, I know the answers to those questions, and they are YES! The Alpine Adventure trip was probably one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life. If you are looking for lots of activities and good food, this is your trip. The group was small, around 9 of us, and so it was really easy to make friends. Even after the first day, I felt so accepted and happy to be around people I knew I could be comfortable with. Being able to travel to 3 different countries was amazing, and the activities made it even better. My summer was made complete because of this trip. I left extremely happy and with a bunch of new friends all over the U.S. (who I still talk and make plans with even now). If I have to recommend any trip, It would definitely be this one. Be prepared to have the time of your life.

It was a fun trip with fun people, the food was great the views where even better. The people that went on the trip just made the trip better I kept in touch with most of the people from my trip. I would not trade my experiences with TFT for anything this was my 4th trip with them and had a blast I enjoyed my self and would recommend TFT to anyone all of the trips are fun and your are going to have a fun time no matter which trip you choose.

From beginning to end, this was the trip of a lifetime. Everyday was a new adventure: a new sight to see, a new story to hear, a new scene to photograph. Being a photography trip, we had a different photography assignment every day, from portraits to street photography, to only being able to shoot vertical shots. Constantly having my camera in my hand as we wandered the beautiful cities made me look at them from a different perspective, always on the lookout for the perfect shot. I left this trip with an abundance of amazing photographs, but I also left with the knowledge of how to look at things with different perspectives before judging its worth. One of our assignments in Venice was to shoot whatever we wanted, but after we took that picture, we had to turn around 180 degrees and take a picture of whatever was there. Sometimes it was just the bricks of a wall. But other times, the scene behind you was just as beautiful, if not more, than the one in the original shot. Many of my best pictures were from this day, and many of them were of the scene behind me. This assignment made me think about all the moments that happen right behind me everyday and if I take a minute look around, I will see so many new perspectives. So thank you TFT for opening my eyes, advancing my photography skills, introducing me to amazing friends, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

This past summer I went on the Sicily Community Service trip. This was my first TFT travel experience and I was so excited. I had been hearing about TFT from my sister who had gone on trips with TFT for the past 2 summers. I didn't really know what to expect being in another country and living on a farm. It was such an extraordinary experience and I fell in love with the host family comprised of a mother, a father, and the 13 kids they were caring for. This family takes in children in need of temporary shelter. It was really rewarding on so many levels. I got to help take care of the children and play with them. I got very close to them. I miss them so much and want to go back and visit. I literally dream about them all the time. On the farm, we also helped to build a pathway to a sanctuary on the top of the hill. It wasn't just all work. Every other day or so, we would travel around exploring beautiful Sicily with our TFT group. I came on the trip with one friend, and left with a dozen new life long friends who I am still in touch with. We bonded while working along side each other as well as when we went on our excursions. My favorite ones were Vendicari Beach and Taormina. On the last day, and one of the biggest highlights of the trip was climbing Mt. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe. At the top was the most extraordinary view. I had such an incredible experience so I'm already signed up for my next adventure this summer. But, I know I will be back to Sicily!

The Fiji Service Trip is one of the most fun and enriching experiences I have ever had. I was super nervous about flying, living and working with total strangers, but when I got to the airport and met our trip leader and everyone else, I instantly felt at home. The whole trip was amazing but the most memorable thing for me was having to say goodbye to everyone at the airport. I was so sad to leave because I felt I was leaving a family. I really believe that that is what makes Travel For Teens trips so awesome, the fact that you leave each trip with a second family.

I went on the Ultimate Europe trip in the summer of 2016. I went to 7 different countries in one month. It was amazing. I love traveling and I have so many great memories from this experience. My favorite country we visited was Germany. While we were only in Germany a short time, we explored numerous places. I remember walking down the streets of Munich people watching and shopping. One of my favorite memories of Germany was when we went on a bike tour in Munich. Our tour guide was hilarious and showed us the best of the city. We biked through the English Gardens and saw people surfing in the surfing pool! Of course in Germany, you have to go to a beer garden or hall. As we soaked in the cool atmosphere of the beer hall, we also enjoyed delicious food I've never even heard of before. There are so many other great parts of this trip that stuck out in my mind. I still can't believe I've been to Paris and swam at a beach in Cinque Terre. The counselors on this trip were very kind and fun. They kept us safe always; but made sure we all had the best time. I also made a couple friends on the trip. I enjoyed exploring Europe with a group of teens my age, who love to travel. Traveling is a passion of mine, and I'm extremely glad to have gotten the opportunity to go on the Ultimate Europe program with Travel for Teens. I hope to travel with them again soon!

I am going on my third TFT trip this year, and I cannot wait! My first two trips were amazing; I learned so much about the countries and met so many people! On my trips to France and South Africa, the counselors knew so much about the countries, making the experiences even more meaningful. Being immersed into the culture through morning French classes and afternoon adventures around Paris, I learned so much about the French culture and country, while improving my french. The optional excursions to Giverny and Disneyland Paris added even more to the experience and are definitely worth it. Since I am not that interested in art, I was hesitant to go on the trip Giverny, expecting to learn about just another artist, but by seeing Monet’s inspiration firsthand, it heightened my appreciation for his work and gave so much meaning to paintings that I had never recognized before. This was my first TFT trip (and I had only been planning on doing the one) but as soon as I got home feeling more confident than ever before after the best summer of my life, I knew I had to go on another trip the next summer!