What age is appropriate to allow teenagers on holiday with friends?

Question

As in abroad? I'm in the UK. And as a parent, would you allow your kids to go to Ibiza etc or would you prefer somewhere more cultured?

Answer 1

I would say 16 is the absolute earliest but 17/18 would be better, particularly for girls.  I had my first holiday without my parents at 17 with my then boyfriend.  And i would advise against ibiza and suggest they go somewhere all inclusive where there is entertainment and stuff provided at or very near to the hotel so that there is less chance of anything bad happening.

Answer 2

Well I went to Greece with my friends when we were all 18 years old. I would not recommend any earlier.

Answer 3

if it was Ibiza i would say 19 but some were like Spain i would say 18

Answer 4

I wouldnt let my children go to Ibiza untill they are at least 18, it is mad out there. I went to spain with my friends when i was 16 and i was way to young!

Answer 5

We took my daughters friend on a cruise with us for 4 days. They are 13 years old and they had a BLAST! I would do it again in a minute however I  would REALLY have to trust the parents to allow my child to go on vacation with someone else.

I would NEVER allow my teenager to go on vacation with her friends until she is old enough to leave my house.

Answer 6

If they're old enough to go on their own, they're old enough to choose where to go.

It all depends on your daughter I'm afraid. I know kids of 19 that I wouldn't trust with my goldfish, yet I know 16 year olds that I would trust with my daughter.

Personally, I'd prefer it if my daughter went somewhere more cultured, because Ibiza has no appeal for me. Never has.

But if it's her holiday, then it's hers. Her budget, her hotel, her friends.

Legally, 18. Personally, 18 seems about right. Able to drink, own a house, why can't they go on holiday.

I travelled across america with friends and people I met age 16/17..... Had very few problems. Completely loved it.

Cut the apron strings sometimes, let your daughter enjoy herself.

Answer 7

Without a guardian to accompany them on the trip? 18. It is fine if they travel with their friends as long as another adult is with them and can keep track of them. (And I trust that adult) They can travel abroad on their own when they are 18. I might consider it at 17 if they show responsibility, maturity, and they earn it.

Answer 8

I wouldnt let my children go abroad without me until they were turned 18, unless it was an organised trip (ie with the school or other responsible group).

Answer 9

A lot would depend on not only the maturity, not only in physical terms, but more importantly in common sense and behaviour terms, not only of my teenager, but the party that he/she/they were going with, and any safety record/ significant history the place has.

I know we have to let them off our apron strings at some time, but I personally would make sure I had trust in the person/people that was going with them.

Ideally, I would prefer somewhere cultured, but it's not my choice ultimately.

Mike t.

Answer 10

16/17+ Yes I would allow my child to go to ibiza, whats wrong with allowing your child to have a fun holiday!!!

But I would prefer somewhere more cultured, but if she wanted to go I wouldnt say no as long as there is an adult with them.  (i.e. friends parents)

Answer 11

I'm going on my very first vacation with friends (no other adults) next summer when I'll be 18. It will be me, three of my friends (also 18) and my sister, who will be 16 (I love that I have the kind of sister whom I want to take on this kind of trip, and whom my friends do also).

I really can't say what age I would let my kid go on holiday with friends at all, abroad or otherwise. For me it would depend upon how mature my child is, as well as how mature the other people in the group are, and where they would be going. For me, it wouldn't be about how cultured a place is (it's vacation, it's really up to them if they want to spend their time learning some culture, or just having fun) it would be about safety.

I guess the bottomline is I wouldn't know until my kid suggested it to me. Probably between 16 and 18 (after that I really have no say) if it were just my kid and friends, maybe younger if there were adults whom I really trusted.