As those who have previously joined our leaders on one of our popular teen summer programs will already be aware, there are few things as powerful as meaningful and purposeful travel for opening up a young person’s world. When it comes to helping your teen to build their self-confidence, independence, leadership, resilience, and sense of community and service, our teen summer programs are the best around!

But which travel programs of ours would be the “best” for your teen? The answer to that question will naturally depend greatly on your teen’s specific needs, interests, and goals. 

This largely explains why we have such an in-depth enrolment process, which includes taking time to set up a discussion with one of our directors. This way, we – and you – will be able to establish whether your chosen Road Less Traveled (RLT) service program would be the most suitable one for your teen. 

However, you may not have reached that stage yet. Instead, you might still be in the process of comparing the teen summer programs featured on our website for summer 2024, and considering which one to enquire about. 

So, we thought that for this article, we would put the spotlight on just three of our teen travel programs that are arguably among our very best, and explain the reasons why. 

Iceland: Nordic Elements 

If your 9th to 12th grader loves outdoor adventure, they will almost certainly love having the opportunity to challenge themselves on this action-packed program. 

Iceland presents utterly stunning scenic backdrops on which to hike, and camp underneath the midnight sun. With powerful waterfalls, impressive glaciers and interesting towns full of folklore, it is a fascinating place to travel to and explore. Participants can also expect to witness all manner of fascinating wildlife, including whales, dolphins, puffins, Arctic foxes, and many more intriguing animals. We take on a multi-night backpacking expedition on the Laugavegur Trail to experience the raw natural beauty of rural Iceland. This is a challenging hike that will push students to their limits, but with great reward and satisfaction and we tackle the challenges as a group. We also take a boat tour, visit the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon's Floating Icebergs, soak in the Geothermal Springs of the Blue Lagoon and visit the most southerly town of the country, Vic.

This trip is always popular with students, with limited space available for summer 2024. 

 Greece: Coastal Conservation

In our humble (and in no way biased) view here at RLT, no range of teen summer programs is complete without at least one that focuses on the endlessly captivating Greek Islands. Packed with Greek culture, postcard worthy views around every corner, and delicious local cuisines, Greece simply has to be experienced at least once in a lifetime. 

Our service trip allows students to wild camp on beaches and uninhabited islands as we take a multi-day kayaking expedition around the coastline. Exploring historic caves, snorkeling in the warm clear water, and viewing wildlife from our kayaks, it's an adventure you won't get anywhere else. The second half of our trip allows us to give back to the natural world as we help with important turtle conservation service projects in Kefalonia. Helping with nesting sites, data collection and snorkel studies, this hands-on project gives students experience in marine conservation, while continuing to explore the stunning scenery. We only have a few spaces remaining for summer 2024!

Puerto Rico: Reefs To Rainforests 

While an RLT summer travel program can certainly take your teen to the other side of the world, your middle schooler could also stay on US territory, and have a unique and immersive trip to a place like no other part of the US! 

We are, of course, referring to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, which – on this adventure, service, and Spanish immersion program – reveals its charms in so many exciting ways. 6th to 8th graders can swim at remote beaches and coves, kayak in a bioluminescent bay, snorkel in the company of turtles, help with environmental service projects, explore El Yunque National Park, and so much more! This trip is likely to fill soon, so act quickly to save your spot!

Places are being snapped up fast on some of our best teen summer programs for 2024. So, if any of the above trips have sparked your teen interest and imagination, please don’t hesitate to schedule a call with an RLT director so that you can reserve your place for the summer!