By Sinaiyouth 
Teenagers can be notoriously moody and difficult to please. When my own kids were teenagers, they spent vacations with their boring parents (this included Me) wasn’t exactly on their list of favorite activities.
What should a parent do? In the name of family togetherness, I tempted them with quirky and cool holiday activities, even though I wasn’t into it. Here are my best teen-approved spring break ideas that are sure to impress even the toughest teens.
TEEN TESTED, PARENT APPROVED: 10 Family Vacation Ideas That Will Really Get Your Teens Excited
A hotel room that is nothing ordinary
When I was a kid, a motel room with a color television and a bed that vibrated when you inserted a coin was my idea of luxury. My offspring is path more demanding.
They love the hyper-themed rooms at the Curtis in Denver. Staying here is catnip for teenage travelers who embrace a bold aesthetic; each of the 13 floors features a pop culture-inspired theme with interactive elements, curated artwork and relevant games.
The hotel’s hyper-themed suites go further, with one-of-a-kind rooms such as sequin-decorated rooms. Party like a Rockstar.
An animal experience that dives deep
When I asked my young adult children what their most memorable teenage vacation was, they both agreed it was swimming with manta rays in Kona, Hawaii. We were staying at the OUTRIGGER Kona Beach Resort & Spa and booked the resort’s Night Manta Experience. Wearing borrowed wetsuits and snorkel gear, we boarded a boat with other participants and crew, jumped aboard, and floated into the dark waters of the Pacific. Attracted by the artificial light, dozens of gentle manta rays playfully brushed past us. Definitely one for the bucket list.
Stay: You don’t need to stay at OUTRIGGER Kona Resort & Spa to enjoy the Night Manta experience, but why wouldn’t you? It rolls out the red carpet for teens with swimming pools, water slides and activities inspired by Hawaiian culture like ukulele lessons and necklace-making workshops.
Live music for victory
Is there a teenager who doesn’t like music? As my children grew into teenagers, our tastes diverged, but music remained a connection that spanned our generation gap.
Many live music festivals are family-friendly. One of our best spring breaks was at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, aka Jazz Fest. We listened to an eclectic variety of music together while soaking up the distinct spirit that defines New Orleans.
Stay: The Eliza Jane is a striking example of transforming industrial structures into trendy hotels.
Spring training hits a grand slam
My daughter and I are big baseball fans. Although we haven’t yet managed to attend our own team’s preseason in Port St. Lucie, Florida, we did go to Scottsdale in a memorable March. This beautiful Arizona city in the Sonoran Desert is where the San Francisco Giants, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies train at two sites just seven miles apart.
Tickets were much cheaper than in the regular season and the intimate setting allowed us to be as close as possible to the action.
Stay: The Phoenician’s pool complex offers unobstructed views of Camelback Mountain.
Go behind the scenes
A large aquarium combines entertainment and awareness of marine management. Located on the Connecticut coast, Mystic Aquarium does both wonderfully.
Admission gives you access to educational exhibits and adorable animals, from belugas to penguins. If you’re traveling with a teenager, take it to the next level and book one of the aquarium’s animal encounters.
I experienced the sea lions up close for 30 minutes with an expert conservation trainer. A kiss from a California sea lion was the icing on the cake.
Stay: Freshly baked cookies are served every afternoon at the charming Whaler’s Inn.
Florida, but trade Disney for Amelia Island
I know I’m an exception, but we’ve never been a Disney family. Our best Florida getaways have been to Amelia Island, on the state’s northeast coast. It feels isolated and yet it’s only a 35 minute drive from the Jacksonville airport. Want what memories are made of? Play a round of mini-golf and snack on saltwater taffy purchased from a local candy store in laid-back Fernandina Beach.
Stay: The Ritz-Carlton at Amelia Island presents beachfront luxury casual enough for teens with sand between their toes. When my kids were little, they loved pirate-themed bedtime dinner. As teenagers, they kayaked and took surfing lessons on the property’s beautiful beach.
Tiptoeing through the flowers
Carlsbad, home to Legoland California, is a coastal town in Southern California that looks like it was dreamed up by the Beach Boys.
It shines every spring, when the flower fields of Carlsbad Ranch come to life. Starting in March and lasting 10 weeks, 55 acres of flowering buttercups, or approximately 80 million flowers, explode with color. My kids are fans of the Wicked movie series and they think the fields look like the iconic tulip fields from the movie.
Stay: Beach Terrace is Carlsbad’s only hotel located directly on the sand.
Wow them at Eagle Beach in Aruba
I know, going to the beach during spring break isn’t exactly original. However, choose the right beach and your teenagers might treat you like you got tickets to Taylor Swift.
With white sand, emerald waters and sports on land and sea, Aruba’s Eagle Beach was my children’s teenage dream. All of Aruba’s beaches are public, increasing opportunities for cross-cultural connections; my children often participated in beach volleyball matches with local teenagers, all of whom spoke English in addition to Dutch and Papiamento, the dialect of Aruba.
Stay: Embassy Suites Aruba is a 10-minute walk from Eagle Beach. As an added bonus, it’s across the street from a small, semi-secret beach. Teens can splash in the pools, feast on the free breakfast buffet, and sip free mocktails at the evening reception.
Be cool in Helsinki
Finland consistently ranks among the happiest countries in the world. Locals claim that combining a cold bath and a hot sauna is the basis of well-being. When we visited Helsinki in a freezing winter, we immersed ourselves in Finnish seaside culture. Going to the spa is a family affair, so expect to see a lot of young people.
My family enjoyed a daring dip in the outdoor pool before warming up in the sauna at Allas Pool, a beachfront resort in the heart of the city.
Stay: Back at our beautiful hotel, NH Collection Helsinki Grand Hansa, we continued the therapeutic effects of hot and cold with additional ice plunges and saunas at their oasis-like spa, USVA by Terhen.
Follow the Donut Trail in Butler County, Ohio
Butler County claims to have more mom-and-pop donut shops per capita than anywhere else in the Midwest. Food is my family’s love language; I wish I knew about the Butler County Donut Trail when my kids were teenagers.
Download a donut map and passport or contact the donut concierge (I’m not kidding) who can personalize your itinerary. Once you have your passport stamped at a dozen participating donut shops, you will receive an official t-shirt.
Stay: Well House Hamilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton offers comfortable rooms in the walkable neighborhood of Hamilton.