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Where to Travel to Celebrate Your High School Graduate

Travel in San Fransisco

The best graduation trips don’t have to be in faraway countries – consider exploring iconic destinations closer to home.  

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Four travel advisors share recommendations on future trips.

High school graduation is a seminal moment – not only for a teen, but for the whole household. At this stage of life, a family trip may well be the last time to travel together before college and future jobs intervene. With graduation activities on hold due to the covid-19 pandemic, it’s important to give graduates a milestone trip to look forward to. Here, four things to consider to give your grad a worldly education.

Make Those Language Classes Count

“Take recent grads on a trip where they can practice the foreign language they studied in school. If, for example, your child took German, travel to Germany to polish those skills. How exciting to study a language for years and then be able to visit that country!” – Suzie Heid-Skilling

Navigating new destinations helps teens broaden their perspective and strengthen self-confidence.

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Trace the Family Tree

“I highly suggest taking recent grads on a trip where they can explore their roots. Family heritage tours are pivotal in helping young adults gain pride and perspective in their own identity before heading off to college.”
– Jack Ezon

Play to Their Strengths

“I spend a good amount of time talking with families to get a clear idea of their kids’ interests and/or future goals. One grad was a science whiz with aspirations to study marine biology, so I sent her family to the Galápagos Islands.” – Michelle Mickaelian

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A fun group activity: snorkeling in natural pools in the Galápagos Islands.

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Take Advantage of the Photo Opps

“As a special gift, I had a photographer shadow a family on their graduation trip to Paris, taking candid pictures and portraits in different iconic locations. The parents later turned the photos into a commemorative book for their child to bring to college.” – Olivia Nash Richardson

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