Going away with teens is no easy feat. They want Instagrammable memories, to meet new friends and do things their own way. For parents, we want to unwind, connect and make strong family memories, with as little stress as possible.
From all our vacations to date, we’d say Croatia for teens tops the chart. It’s a country where you can easily blend urban trend setting cities, with rural natural escapes. It’s easy to see why Croatia is one of the highly choices for Family Activity Holidays in Europe.
Teenagers have heard of Croatia because of Games of Thrones, Ultra and Defected Festivals. Their favourite Influencers often come to Split, Brac and Hvar. Croatia’s Dalmatia blue coast is embedded in their imaginations, so a very easy sale from a parents perspective.
If one teenager prefers sunbathing, calm seas, Croatia can tick that box. If the other teenager prefers ziplining across canyons and bouncing along river inflatables, Croatia has your back on that as well.
Both cities and the vibrant Island Villages in Croatia are seen as the safest destinations in Europe. They allow for spontaneity and adventure, which helps our children mature.
The combination of meeting like-minded families and exploring as a small group is a game changer. Tour Managers lead the way, which is great. Undoubtedly teenagers respond better to the guides, removing the need for parents to be the authoritarian. Then there’s the lovely balance of outdoor activities and evening fun. We saw how much the teenagers enjoyed getting dressed up for dinner, being enthusiastic to sit around a table with new people.
Croatia for teens travelling with parents, offers so many choices. It’s environment where the teenagers are happy to unplug from technology. Especially when they have a variety of challenging activities to do. Croatia Family activity holidays are now a right of passage. From majestic canyons, National Parks to turquoise coastal waters, no day has to look the same.
If you want the sleepiest teenager out of bed, raring to go, planning the ultimate family adventure week in Croatia is a must-do. If you want to mix up both water and land activities, head to Brac Island. Beaches and countryside are second to know. This stunning island very close to Split, is known as the outdoor capital of Croatia. I’ll never forget those amazing 7 nights on Brac, watching my teens turn into young adults. We watched on seeing them engage in meaningful conversations with other parents. Play games with the other same aged teenagers and make genuine connections, that time has shown to be real friendships.
For the pulse pushing adrenaline junkies like my wife. We’d recommend one of the mainland adventures created in Croatia for teens. Podstrana and Omis are just south of Split Airport, perfectly located to sea, canyons and wild rivers. If you want an active family vacation in Croatia, that takes you far away from the daily grind, these teen focused trips are for you.
There’s no dragging around museums in baking hot city centres. These family active holidays in Croatia are following the water source. Riding the rapids of fast flowing rivers and exploring off the beaten path. You’ll get a constant gush of euphoric moments and better yet … it’s a shared memory with the whole of your family.
Croatia is everything you’ve been told. Dramatic waterfalls, stunning old towns and very friendly people. It has that traditional charm that us oldies crave and has the chic restaurants and sea inflatables to keep teens from getting bored.
In a pack of new friends, the teenagers would swan off and explore. Parents relaxed, delving into Croatian wines. It feels like this Southern Balkan country had a plan for families with teenagers.
Being outdoors and active is one thing. But doing it with other families is the true antidote. Parents have to understand, it doesn’t matter how much money you’ve spent or how exotic the location is. If your teens don’t meet other teens, you’re throwing money down the drain.
Children need to grow up. That means problem solving, making their own decisions, being thrown in the deep end, making a brand new social circle. It’s all part of being human. I think family adventure holidays we’ve enjoyed in Europe have given us so much as a family. So many joyous memories.
Croatia offers family-friendly holidays which are the perfect fit for any teenager. Get them off the WiFi. Kick the digital habit where it hurts and give your family the ultimate connected experience.
