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About Our Free Service

Planning a Teen Travel Adventure

Gap Years, First-Time Flyers & Bigger Journeys

What services do you offer for teen summers?

Since 1987 we’ve been the “cool-mom concierge” for teen adventures. Our 60-plus trip coaches track 600+ vetted programs in 50+ countries, covering everything. We get to know your teen’s interests, budget, comfort level, and school calendar, then hand you a short list so you can save time and book with confidence.

What does it cost to work with you?

Nothing. Families never pay us a fee. The programs we recommend give a thank you referral (think: marketing dollars they’d rather spend on qualified families than google ads), and we only partner with organizations that agree your tuition stays exactly what it would be if you’d found them on your own. Don’t worry - it’s almost everyone.

Here’s what that means in practice:

No markups, ever. If we spot a provider trying to tack on a “referral” line, they’re dropped.
Same, or better, pricing. Early-bird discounts, scholarships, and promo codes still belong to you. We flag them.
Aligned incentives. Because we’re paid regardless of which program you choose, our only job is to find the right fit for your teen and not push one option over another.
Bottom line: your dollars go toward your teen’s experience, not our services. That keeps us squarely focused on what’s best for your family.

Do you only work with international travel programs?

No. Teen Summers curates teen travel experiences on both sides of the passport line. We place teens on domestic adventures such as national park expeditions, college-campus intensives, and service trips in U.S. communities too. Whether your teen wants hostels and hiking boots or boutique hotels and museum passes, we’ve got options that fit their comfort level, budget, and goals.

If you’re really looking for a traditional sleepaway camp (canoes, color war, cabins), head to our sister company Camp Experts. Looking for education-focused overnight programs such as boarding schools, semester-away academies, or pre-college residential terms? That’s what School Experts is for.

Teen Summers = travel programs for teens.
Camp Experts = camps.
School Experts = school-year and academic residencies. We’ll point you to the right door.

When’s the sweet spot to start planning?

Ideally 5–10 months before the trip. That gives us enough space to:

Lock in peak dates, popular sessions, and limited group spots
Compare programs side-by-side (apples to apples)
Spot early-bird rates, scholarship deadlines, and promo codes

We’ve helped families pull off amazing last-minute plans, but planning early means more control over where, when, and how your teen travels, plus time for them to get comfortable with the idea.

Some families reach out as early as September or October for the next summer. Others contact us after winter break with a rough idea. Either way, we guide you through a smooth decision process.

How do you find the perfect match for my teen?

We start by asking two key questions:

Where do they want to go and what do they love to do? Whether it’s snorkeling in Fiji, speaking Spanish in Spain, or exploring U.S. national parks, we let location and interests lead the way.

Then we dive deeper:

What genuinely excites them? Service projects, outdoor challenges, creative studios, academic labs?
What feels overwhelming? Big groups, unfamiliar food, long flights?
How much structure or independence will help them thrive?
What’s their personality and social style? Are they more reserved or do they light up in lively groups?

Understanding how your teen connects with others helps us recommend programs where they'll feel comfortable, supported, and seen.

From there, we sort through 600+ vetted programs to:

Curate a custom-fit shortlist
Compare cost, session length, group size, and travel style
Filter for dietary needs, learning profiles, and prior travel experience

From homebodies to global explorers, we help each teen find a program that clicks and helps them feel confident on their travels.

What kinds of programs are on the table?

If it’s designed for teens and has real-world growth at the core, it’s in our world. We cover:

Adventure travel – hiking Patagonia, whitewater rafting in Costa Rica, glacier trekking in Iceland, or just sightseeing anywhere in the world
Community service – rebuilding in rural Thailand, mentoring youth in South Africa, conservation in the Galápagos
Language immersion – Spanish in Salamanca, Japanese in Tokyo, French in Quebec or Provence
Academic travel – archaeology in Greece, pre-med in Boston, business incubators in London
Creative intensives – filmmaking in New York, photography in Paris, culinary arts in Barcelona
Leadership & global citizenship – UN simulations, intercultural team projects, social impact entrepreneurship
Domestic discovery – U.S. road trips, national park expeditions, and on-campus summer programs

Your teen’s interest is our starting line, we’ll show you what’s out there and break it down clearly.

Who’s looking after my kid?

Every provider we recommend:

Shares detailed safety protocols, up front
Maintains low staff-to-teen ratios (often 1:5 or better)
Has a full-time operations team on call 24/7, with in-country leads on the ground
Supports everything from dietary allergies to social/emotional needs with trained staff

We’ve reviewed dozens of safety handbooks and spoken to directors directly. If it’s not a program we’d send our own teens on, we won’t send yours.

What size are the groups?

Groups range from:

8–12: great for introverts, first-timers, and focused programs
15–25: more social energy, ideal for teens who love camaraderie
Some offer age-segmented tracks or single-gender options if that’s a preference

We’ll flag group size and age ranges in every option we present and make sure the social vibe fits your teen, too.

How safe are these programs?

Safety is foundational. Many of our advisors are moms, and we only recommend trips we would send our own kids on.

As a result, we ask that programs:

Have transparent emergency response plans
Provide trained, background-checked staff with mental health and medical protocols
Offer 24/7 in-country support and global coverage
Are licensed, insured, and well-reviewed

We’ll walk you through what to ask, how to vet a program, and which red flags to avoid. Have a teen with food allergies, asthma, anxiety, or a recent health event? We’ve seen it all and we’ll guide you to the right support structure.

Can you help with gap year programs?

Yes. Gap years are one of our favorite placements.

We refer students to structured programs that combine:

Volunteering or internship placements
Outdoor expeditions and travel
Language immersion or academic enrichment
Creative or professional skill-building

Some teens piece together 2–3 experiences across different continents. Others do one long stretch with a single provider. We help you think through timeline, visa logistics, insurance, and budget.

What if my teen’s never left home solo?

That’s more common than you think, and totally normal.

We regularly place first-time travelers into:

Smaller groups with higher structure
Domestic programs as a warm-up
Trips with guided orientation and parent communication built in

We’ll help your teen build confidence, one step at a time. And if they’re hesitant? We’ve got techniques to ease the nerves and options that balance adventure with comfort.

Ready to dive in?

It’s simple.

Talk to a Trip Coach

Trips forTrekking/Hiking

Find the perfect trip

USA

Greece

Italy

Japan

FAQs

Ready to dive in?

It’s simple.

Trips for
Trekking/Hiking