Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best trips of my life were ones I paid for myself in my 20s and 30s, and definitely ones that I did without my parents.

You don't need a bucket list. Let the kids discover the world by themselves.

By the time my kids are in their 20s and 30s, a lot of places won’t be vacation destinations anymore due to climate change. But I agree that you don’t need a bucket list necessarily. It’s more about quality time.

When my eldest was 16/17, I wouldn't describe our vacations as quality time. Much eye rolling and huffing and puffing.

You have to know your kids. I’d get those reactions with museums or hiking more than a couple hours in a national park. But my kids love beaches and theme parks so that’s what we do because it’s about time with them, not the location.

I love this thread and agree with so much of the sentiment.

Given we have the means, we try to rent a large vacation villa/home for 7-10 nights at winter break and 1 Europe/Med trip a summer.

Whoever can come great. We have extra bedrooms for friends. Kids love it and we meet their college/life friends.

Anonymous wrote:The best trips of my life were ones I paid for myself in my 20s and 30s, and definitely ones that I did without my parents.

You don't need a bucket list. Let the kids discover the world by themselves.

I loved traveling with my family when I was a kid. I got to see so many interesting parts of the world! And, some of my favorite trips were solo or with friends or my sisters in my teens and 20s (pre kids, haha)

I think my early experiences instilled a love of travel, and I give my parents a lot of credit for that. I love exploring with my own family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best trips of my life were ones I paid for myself in my 20s and 30s, and definitely ones that I did without my parents.

You don't need a bucket list. Let the kids discover the world by themselves.

By the time my kids are in their 20s and 30s, a lot of places won’t be vacation destinations anymore due to climate change. But I agree that you don’t need a bucket list necessarily. It’s more about quality time.

When my eldest was 16/17, I wouldn't describe our vacations as quality time. Much eye rolling and huffing and puffing.

My kids remember the adventures more than the place. They have loved river rafting on the salmon, boating and camping on Lake Powell, and being a tourist in Japan.

Our son says every country as if money grow from trees and i can just pick them and use them to book for our travel.

Then, I said if you want to travel to many places, you will probably need to do well in school so you can get a high paying job that would allow you to go on vacation several times a year. Otherwise, get educated and find a job that require you to travel often.

BTW, many parts of W.VA is like uncharted and undiscovered places. Some of their roads are pretty new.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to Tanzania this summer with two teens and it was amazing.

Can you share which month , which airline (stops?) and travel outfit you used? Thx!

This is a great thread!

Thanks, PP!

Anonymous wrote:We went to Tanzania this summer with two teens and it was amazing.

Can you share which month , which airline (stops?) and travel outfit you used? Thx!

This is a great thread!

We used Earth Life Expeditions to go to Tanzania with our 8yo and really loved all of it. Here is something similar to what we did:

Day 1: 20 July 2020
Arrival – Arusha:55kms/1hr drive
Upon arrival at Kilimanjaro airport, you will be met by your driver and transferred
to your accommodation in Arusha town, the Tulia Boutique hotel. Settle into your
accommodation, ready to start your safari proper in the morning.

Day 2: 21 July 2020
Arusha - Tarangire National Park:120kms/2hrs drive
Today starts your safari. After an early breakfast, you drive to Tarangire National
Park with packed lunch for a game drive. This lovely park has the largest
concentrations of elephants in the world and the highest number of breeding bird
species. Especially during the dry season, Tarangire National park is packed with
wildlife. Big cats like lions, cheetahs and leopards, but also the seldom seen Kudu,
Oryx and Gerenuk. The Tarangire River draws huge herds of wildebeest, zebras,
gazelles, as well as predators who prey upon them. Later in the afternoon you drive
for dinner and overnight to Sangaiwe Tented Lodge. Read more about  Tarangire
National Park .

Day 3: 22 July 2020
Tarangire National Park
Today you enjoy a full day in Tarangire national park. Later in the afternoon you
drive for dinner and overnight to Sangaiwe Tented Lodge. Read more
about  Tarangire National Park .

Day 4: 23 July 2020
Tarangire - Lake Manyara National Park:75kms/1.5hrs drive
After breakfast depart with picnic boxes to Lake Manyara National park. Lake
Manyara is known for its huge soda lake filled with pink-hued flamingos, large
population of baboons, incredible birdlife and breathtaking views. You can see
giraffes, elephants, hippos, buffaloes, zebras, flamingos and if you are lucky you
spot a tree-climbing lion. Dinner and overnight at Marera valley
lodge https://mareravalley.com/ 
  
Day 5: 24 July 2020
Karatu - Serengeti National Park (central):170kms/4hrs drive
Today you go on a morning an afternoon game drive in the famous Serengeti
National Park. If you want to spot the Big Five – lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and
buffalo- all in one park, the Serengeti is one of the best places to do so. The
abundance of wildlife in this park is unmatched anywhere else in Africa. Depending
which time of the year you visit this park, you can also witness the Great Migration.
It’s an impressive experience to see all those hoofed mammals, followed by iconic
predators like lions, migrate in a clockwise circle every year. Dinner and overnight

will be at Osinon camp. This camp is the perfect blend of old African charm and
elegance in the heart of Serengeti National Parkhttps://www.osinoncampsandlodges.com/

Day 6: 25 July 2020
Serengeti National Park (central):
Today you enjoy a full day of game viewing in Serengeti national park. Dinner and
overnight will be at Osinon camp. This camp is the perfect blend of old African
charm and elegance in the heart of Serengeti National
Parkhttps://www.osinoncampsandlodges.com/

Day 7: 26 July 2020
Serengeti central - Serengeti National Park (north): 155kms/5hrs drive
Great migration
After breakfast you will depart with picnic lunch and drive to north Serengeti for game drives in
search of the great migration In this area you will have high chances to see the great migration
that will be in the area from July to October. The great migration now estimated to reach
3,000,000 animals will at this time be crossing the Mara River. This will probably be the
highlight of your tour.
Dinner & Overnight at Tanzania bush camp – mara river camp on full board
basis http://www.tanzaniabushcamps.com/mara-river.php
 
Day 8: 27 July 2020
Serengeti National Park (north)
Great migration
After breakfast you will depart with picnic lunch and drive to north Serengeti for game drives in
search of the great migration In this area you will have high chances to see the great migration
that will be in the area from July to October. The great migration now estimated to reach
3,000,000 animals will at this time be crossing the Mara River. This will probably be the
highlight of your tour.
 
Dinner & Overnight at Tanzania bush camp – mara river camp on full board
basis http://www.tanzaniabushcamps.com/mara-river.php
 
Day 9: 28 July 2020
Serengeti National Park (central)
After breakfast you depart for a game drive in the central part of the Serengeti. This
part is famous for the abundance of lions and leopards that can usually be seen quite
easily. Game viewing in this central area is spectacular all year round. Enjoy the

views of endless plains and stunning wildlife like cheetahs, elephants, giraffes,
hippos, ostrich, pangolin and many more. Dinner and overnight will be at Osinon
camp. This camp is the perfect blend of old African charm and elegance in the heart
of Serengeti National Parkhttps://www.osinoncampsandlodges.com/
 
Day 10: 29 July 2020
Serengeti National Park (central):
Today you enjoy your last game viewing in Serengeti national park before you drive
to Ngorongoro conservation area. Dinner and overnight will be at Rhino Lodge.

Day 11: 30 July 2020
 Ngorongoro Crater
Today you set off towards the Ngorongoro Crater for your last game drive. It
shelters close to 30.000 animals including the Big Five. The crater teems with
zebras, buffaloes, lions, wildebeest, baboons, elephants, flamingos, ostriches,
hippos, cheetahs and also the rare black rhino. The beautiful colours and dancing
clouds make the crater almost surreal. Because of its natural beauty the Ngorongoro
Crater is chosen as one of Africa’s Seven Natural Wonders. Dinner and overnight
will be at Rhino Lodge.
 
Day 12: 31 July 2020
Departure
Today you will be transferred to the airport on time to connect your flight as per your details

Anonymous wrote:The best trips of my life were ones I paid for myself in my 20s and 30s, and definitely ones that I did without my parents.

You don't need a bucket list. Let the kids discover the world by themselves.

By the time my kids are in their 20s and 30s, a lot of places won’t be vacation destinations anymore due to climate change. But I agree that you don’t need a bucket list necessarily. It’s more about quality time.

Anonymous wrote:Boundary Waters, MN. And the Badlands. I like to camp with my kids and we don’t have the budget for big international trips but I’ve always wanted to go to these two places.

Add nearby Custer State Park to your Badlands adventure. This is a gorgeous area.

The best trips of my life were ones I paid for myself in my 20s and 30s, and definitely ones that I did without my parents.

You don't need a bucket list. Let the kids discover the world by themselves.

Anonymous wrote:One of my teenagers has a tie for first place: between West Virginia and New Zealand. Ha

I'm from NZ and have vacationed in WV several times.

We managed several great vacations with kids when they were under our roof.
Traveled domestically and took long road trips, stayed in Hawaii for several weeks, Peru for couple weeks, Iceland, travelled across India, Middle East, France and England etc. but, the reality was that my kids also spent a lot of time doing internships and camps and did not have too much time.

Nowadays, they tag along with us when we are take trips using budget travel companies. Also, we give both of our college kids 5k to travel each year.

Boundary Waters, MN. And the Badlands. I like to camp with my kids and we don’t have the budget for big international trips but I’ve always wanted to go to these two places.