My DH hitchhiked across the US at 18 in the 90s because he had failed out of college in another country and my in laws are apparently insane.

Even my DH wouldn’t let our kids travel alone as HS seniors. Nope

Depends on how mature and responsible the kid is, especially with checking in from time to time. I would have let my daughter pretty much do any of the above-mentioned trips. My son on the other hand, no way!

My kid is going away with one friend. She's 18 and we've known her friend for years. I 100% trust her and her friend. Plans are up in the air but they may do some college tours since they have yet to be able to do one.

What kind of trip?

I’d support a trip to Europe or Asia with a friend (in non Covid times). I wouldn’t necessarily support a gigantic house rental with 20 other people.

Last year my daughter was supposed to go to Argentina with her best friend to visit the friend's grandparents who live there and do some sight seeing. Friend speaks fluent Spanish and DD is conversational. We gifted her the plane tickets as a "graduation gift." Obviously COVID put the kibosh on that one, sadly, but I had pretty much zero hesitations since they had a firm plan on who they were staying with, people to check in with, and knew what they'd be doing. I would be OK with the national parks trip, the Europe trip, and the Appalachian trail trip described above... but beach week or a group of friends going to some all inclusive in Mexico where the sole purpose is to get drunk off your ass...hmmm, IDK. That would be a tough call.

Anonymous wrote:My son and four of his closest friends spent 3 weeks roadtripping around the western national parks after they graduated from high school (in 2019). They camped at each park. They are all responsible young adults, but I was nervous. It all went well, though, and they created memories to last a lifetime. Plus it was good for his independence before heading to college.

They had a solid itinerary before they left.

Big thumbs down to beach week, though.

YES to this and the above Europe trip with family in Europe.

The solid itinerary is the key. I’d have to know where they are on any given day.

And another big no to beach week!

My son and four of his closest friends spent 3 weeks roadtripping around the western national parks after they graduated from high school (in 2019). They camped at each park. They are all responsible young adults, but I was nervous. It all went well, though, and they created memories to last a lifetime. Plus it was good for his independence before heading to college.

They had a solid itinerary before they left.

Big thumbs down to beach week, though.

My 17 year old and a few friends are doing a leg of the Appalachian Trail this summer. They are accomplished backpackers/campers and very used to the trail, and also really responsible kids. I’m nervous, but ok with them doing it and think it’s a great opportunity.

18? They are an adult and don't need your permission.

17? Depends on the maturity of the kid.

My oldest turned 18 in early 2018 and he and his brother (age 16 at the time) went to Disney World for spring break together.
Disney is kind of a "bubble" though. Overseas might be different.

DS traveled to Europe the summer before his senior year BUT his girlfriend had family over there and the kids had touchstones and an in-country person to call in care of trouble. We were in touch with him twice a day, too. And we had an itinerary with set hotel reservations on where the group would spend nights when not with her family.

So I’d say yes to traveling alone but not without these kind of safety restrictions.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Natalie Holloway.

Bingo. You’re nuts, OP.

No, you're both nuts. Didn't that tragedy happen 16 years ago?

Plus the number of girls killed/kidnapped every day in US far outnumbers the amount in Aruba. Only reason it was such a big deal is that she was an attractive blond from an upper middle class family.

Raw numbers are meaningless. What’s the result per capita?

Also, if you are a woman, do you seriously not do any traveling or anything alone? I’ve had some incidents but I’m not letting the b*stards get me down.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Natalie Holloway.

Bingo. You’re nuts, OP.

No, you're both nuts. Didn't that tragedy happen 16 years ago?

Plus the number of girls killed/kidnapped every day in US far outnumbers the amount in Aruba. Only reason it was such a big deal is that she was an attractive blond from an upper middle class family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Natalie Holloway.

Bingo. You’re nuts, OP.

No, you're both nuts. Didn't that tragedy happen 16 years ago?

Yes, and teen traveling has been very different ever since. I'm sure this is not the case for all HS graduates, but all of the official senior trips I know of (including my DC's school and DC's friends' schools) require a parent/adult to go along for every 1-2 kids going on the trip. Many rentals at the beach won't allow groups under 21 to stay without someone 21+, and many parents don't want to take on the liability.

That sound say country. The trip wasn’t across the county lol

You know your kid. We don’t.

My first major trip across county with a friend was when I was 17. We got to our destination and stayed at one of her relatives houses as a home base. Looking back, it was perfect because we felt so independent getting there and had freedom to explore a new place but an adult keeping a watchful eye in the evening. By 19 we were taking weekend trips on our own to NYC frequently.