Teen Approved Adventures
We've all had that experience of trying to plan something fun to do with our families, just to be met with eye rolls and teenage tantrums. And, we've all struggled to find adventures that everyone in the family will enjoy - activities that match the interests of our kids and also our own as adults. (And sometimes, that can be just downright impossible.)
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Our family philosophy is "you don't have to love everything we do, but you have to participate and be open to learning something new." Generally, my rule of thumb is they have to tell me three things they learned from the adventure (yes, even at the national parks, we are constantly learning!)
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What follows below are some of our favorite experiences that we have done with our kids in their tween and teen years. Some of these were experiences that one or both of the kids weren't interested in at first, but they they ended up enjoyed them.
This is just a general list of experiences that I hope will inspire you to find new adventures for your family. Remember, all of these are tried and tested by my teens - and all got the thumbs up for epic family adventures!
I feature these adventures both in the "Inheriting Wanderlust" blog and on @inheritingwanderlust1 Instagram page, so follow along to get all the juicy details!
Our Favorite U.S National Parks
As a family, we LOVE national parks. Whether it's a quick weekend getaway or a longer trip, you can never go wrong with national parks when you're looking for outdoor adventure.
Mount Rainier, Washington
Beautiful scenery and amazing hiking​
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Arches, Utah
Iconic Delicate Arch and many others​
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Yellowstone, Wyoming (MT & ID)
Bison, geysers, and beauty galore​
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Bryce, Utah
Easy rim walk and amazing hoodoos​
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Hawai'i Volcanoes, Hawaii
Walk through lava tubes in paradise
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Grand Canyon, Arizona
So much more than just a giant hole
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​​Zion, Utah​​
Every level of hiking possible
Capital Reef, Utah​​
Most underrated of the Mighty 5 in Utah
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Olympic, Washington
Rain Forest, Beaches, and more
​​Death Valley, California
Lowest point in North America
Our Favorite Animal Encounters in the Wild
Seeing animals in their natural habitat is amazing! Just don't be a touron (a tourist who is a moron!) Remember to keep your distance and NEVER touch or feed wild animals!
Bison road blocks in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, MT & ID
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Elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park, California
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Banana slugs at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California
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Manatees at Blue Springs State Park, Florida
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Jumping salmon at Olympic National Park, Washington
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Whale watch boat tour off of the coast of Kona, Hawai'i
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​​Sea lions hanging out on the Santa Cruz Pier, California
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Screaming marmots at Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
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Grizzly bears in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Dolphin boat tours off of Gulf of Mexico coast, Florida
There's nothing quite like a bison road block in Yellowstone National Park!
Our Favorite Music, Sports, & Cultural Museums & Events
We are not a big sports family (other than my lifelong Yankees fan husband!) But, we've had fun visiting some cool sports museums and events. We are a cultural and music/ theater family and have visited some amazing spots for these interests too!
Negro Southern League Museum, Birmingham, Alabama​
Tour of the Green Monster (Fenway) Boston, Massachusetts​
Kentucky Derby Museum, Louisville, Kentucky​
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, Louisville, Kentucky
Utah Olympic Park & Alf Engen Ski Museum, Park City, Utah
​Grand Ole Opry concert, Nashville, Tennessee
​Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville, Tennessee
​Museum of Broadway, New York City, New York​
Red Heritage Native American Dinner Theater, Page, Arizona
​Chickasaw Cultural Center, Sulpher, Oklahoma
Our Favorite Historic Sites & Museums
Early on, my husband and I vowed we would not take our kids to boring historical sites (he grew up going to Civil War battle sites with his Social Studies teacher/ mom, and I grew up going to dead authors' houses with my English teacher/ mom.) But, there is so much history to learn beyond the textbooks. These are a few of our favorite (NOT BORING!) sites for learning beyond the classroom.
Ford's Theatre, Washington, DC​
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First Americans Museum, OKC, Oklahoma​
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The Legacy Museum, Montgomery, Alabama
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United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, DC
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Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street History Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
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Kauai Museum, Kauai, Hawai'i
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9/11 Memorial and Museum​
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Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, OKC, Oklahoma
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National Museum of American History, Washington, DC
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The Freedom Trail, Boston, Massachusetts
History isn't always easy to learn, but always important.
Memorial to the Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing.
Our Favorite Cities and Towns (US & International)
My kids have been to 35+ US states (my husband and I have been to 48 and 47). We've traveled to multiple places in Canada, France, and Belgium. The younger child would tell you Belgium is the best place on earth. Here are some of our favorite cities for exploring and adventures.
Park City, Utah​
We lived here for awhile; great town
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Washington, DC​
Need more than one trip to do it all
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Nashville, Tennessee​
Pleasant surprise for non-country fans
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Santa Cruz, California
Fun to watch surfers & sea lions
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Bruges, Belgium
1 child says Belgium is her favorite
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Montreal, Canada​
We spend time here every summer
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Stowe, Vermont​
We didn't take the kids but want to
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Strasbourg, France
Go at Christmas...it's unbelievable
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Victoria, Canada​
Cute city for a day trip from Washington
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New York City, New York
My husband hates it; kids and I love it
I love buildings and cool architecture, so I have to agree with the child that Belgium is quite amazing.
Our Favorite Beach Vacations
I love the beach. I love looking at the ocean and being on the ocean...I don't really like going in the ocean! My husband and the teens like water sports, being near the ocean, and sitting on the beach for about two hours at a time. We are definitely not a "sit on the beach and chill all day family." So, our favorite beach vacations are those where there is a lot to do (without being full of cheesy tourist traps.)
Kauai, Hawai'i
We especially liked the Poipu Beach area
Big Island, Hawai'i
Hiking, black sand beaches, and a volcano here
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Clearwater Beach, Florida
This place is crazy busy in summer, but lovely off-season
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Navarre Beach, Florida
Away from the touristy panhandle beaches and lovely
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The Keys, Florida
We love them all, but especially Isla Morada & Marathon
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Cape Canaveral National Seashore
Doesn't get very crowded even in the middle of summer
Santa Cruz, California
This is the ultimate beach town with a fun boardwalk
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Oceanside, California
Old school beach town not to far from San Diego
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St. Simons Island, Georgia
Beautiful beaches, wonderful food, and fun all around
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Cannon Beach, Oregon
It may be cold, but Goonies fans will love it