Great vacation ideas for 15 year old son?

[Chaimel6]

Hi,

I am rewarding my 15 year old son with a mega three day vacation in a couple of weeks. He wants to go to a warm place that Bochurim would enjoy.

So far, based on the little I know (which is almost nothing), I am considering Orlando, the Kennedey Space Center, Seaworld, Speed boating, etc.

Can you help me with ideas of places to go, things to do, what not to do? I am willing to spend money up to a point. He earned it.

[Sammy82]

Hi,

I am rewarding my 15 year old son with a mega three day vacation in a couple of weeks. He wants to go to a warm place that Bochurim would enjoy.

So far, based on the little I know (which is almost nothing), I am considering Orlando, the Kennedey Space Center, Seaworld, Speed boating, etc.

Can you help me with ideas of places to go, things to do, what not to do? I am willing to spend money up to a point. He earned it.

I'm told San Diego/LaJolla is beautiful. You could get a 5-day pass and do/see tons of activities. Pretty nice weather and tznius. Good hotel options with points too.

[Chaimel6]

A quick Google search told me that LaJolla is a beautiful area within San Diego that has beaches.

A 5 day pass to what? What's there to do in LaJola?

[JMHO]

Eilat

[Sammy82]

A quick Google search told me that LaJolla is a beautiful area within San Diego that has beaches.

A 5 day pass to what? What's there to do in LaJola?

Start with this https://gocity.com/en/san-diego/attractions. Seaworld, San Diego Zoo (supposedly one of the best in the world) and Safari, Aircraft carrier, aquarium, a few amusement parks, several boat ride options (whale and dolphin watching, speed boating, jet skis, jet boating, fishing, kayaks, etc.), Air and space museum, hiking, ebike/bicycle/escooter rentals, Automotive musuem, Nixon Library, and many more options. San Diego is a real city with a lot more to do than just beaches.
A three-day pass for all of the above and more, is about $225 but there's a thread someplace on DDF where it was being sold for a lot less.
There are also several shuls and kosher eateries.
I'm told you could also easily cross the border and go into Mexico.

[Moshe Green]

Hi,

I am rewarding my 15 year old son with a mega three day vacation in a couple of weeks. He wants to go to a warm place that Bochurim would enjoy.

So far, based on the little I know (which is almost nothing), I am considering Orlando, the Kennedey Space Center, Seaworld, Speed boating, etc.

Can you help me with ideas of places to go, things to do, what not to do? I am willing to spend money up to a point. He earned it.

How jewsih/frum are you?
(i.e. do you care if there will be pritzus, makpid on kashrus, davening (with a minyan or at all)

Are you going with him? with the whole family? taking his friends with you? Going for shabbos?

How much money are you willing to spend?

Are you worried about spoiling him?
(If this was a prize for something he did/didnt do, will you have to do similar things in the future?)

[JMHO]

How jewsih/frum are you?
(i.e. do you care if there will be pritzus, makpid on kashrus, davening (with a minyan or at all)

Are you going with him? with the whole family? taking his friends with you? Going for shabbos?

How much money are you willing to spend?

Are you worried about spoiling him?
(If this was a prize for something he did/didnt do, will you have to do similar things in the future?)

I'm sorry, this does not answer the OP question...

[Chaimel6]

How jewsih/frum are you?
(i.e. do you care if there will be pritzus, makpid on kashrus, davening (with a minyan or at all)

Are you going with him? with the whole family? taking his friends with you? Going for shabbos?

How much money are you willing to spend?

Are you worried about spoiling him?
(If this was a prize for something he did/didnt do, will you have to do similar things in the future?)

If all else is equal I personally would much prefer the highest standards. (To give you an idea, I learned in BMG's Kollel for 20 years). However, the success of this trip so vital for my son that if necessary I will go outside my comfort zone. We plan for three days during the week; not on Shabbos.

It is a prize, and I really hope to do it again in the future.

[ckmk47]

Hi,

I am rewarding my 15 year old son with a mega three day vacation in a couple of weeks. He wants to go to a warm place that Bochurim would enjoy.

So far, based on the little I know (which is almost nothing), I am considering Orlando, the Kennedey Space Center, Seaworld, Speed boating, etc.

Can you help me with ideas of places to go, things to do, what not to do? I am willing to spend money up to a point. He earned it.

I think Orlando area has the right activities for a teenage boy, as you've listed.
San Diego has great weather and great activities. I would add Old Town San Diego.
Look into Costa Rico. It has great activities. I don't know how it compares pricewise.
 
Hatzlocho on keeping him motivated. May all your kids grow up well.

[Traveler718]

Palm Springs is a great option. It offers warm weather, 3x daily minyan (and not crazy early shacharis which is not a vacation!), kosher food, much less pritzus than Miami (good enough for the Satmar Rebbe lol), and a variety of fun activities perfect for a yeshiva bochur. To make up for the long flight and maximize your time on the ground, you can take the red-eye coming back. We went two years ago on a family trip, and my teenage son keeps asking when we can go back for more.

[Something Fishy]

Palm Springs is a great option. It offers warm weather, 3x daily minyan (and not crazy early shacharis which is not a vacation!), kosher food, much less pritzus than Miami (good enough for the Satmar Rebbe lol), and a variety of fun activities perfect for a yeshiva bochur. To make up for the long flight and maximize your time on the ground, you can take the red-eye coming back. We went two years ago on a family trip, and my teenage son keeps asking when we can go back for more.

This

[WonderingYid]

Palm Springs is a great option. It offers warm weather, 3x daily minyan (and not crazy early shacharis which is not a vacation!), kosher food, much less pritzus than Miami (good enough for the Satmar Rebbe lol), and a variety of fun activities perfect for a yeshiva bochur. To make up for the long flight and maximize your time on the ground, you can take the red-eye coming back. We went two years ago on a family trip, and my teenage son keeps asking when we can go back for more.

Palm springs CA, or FL?

[A3]

I like your idea of Kennedy space center. There are bioluminescence and manatee kayak tours near there as well.

Another option is to wait untill June and go a full day white water rafting in Colorado.

[Sammy82]

How about a skiing trip? Three days to Aspen or Park City would be my teenage son dream trip.

[koplonko]

Whatever happened to just taking him out for pizza and ice cream?

[pesach2020]

Whatever happened to just taking him out for pizza and ice cream?

Nothing happened to that,  Just not looking to do that specifically for this occasion

[Moshe Green]

Whatever happened to just taking him out for pizza and ice cream?

It seems like his son did or didnt do something very hard that he demands a special trip.
Pizza and ice cream is for when he gets a 90% on his mid-year Gemara test

[David61]

Hi,

I am rewarding my 15 year old son with a mega three day vacation in a couple of weeks. He wants to go to a warm place that Bochurim would enjoy.

So far, based on the little I know (which is almost nothing), I am considering Orlando, the Kennedey Space Center, Seaworld, Speed boating, etc.

Can you help me with ideas of places to go, things to do, what not to do? I am willing to spend money up to a point. He earned it.

Orlando Sounds perfect, Nice accommodations are relatively inexpensive and the amusement parks are world-class . . .  if he hasn't been there or is otherwise satisfied with it.
San Deigo is more exotic, further, and probably more expensive, and a good option if Orlando is not satisfactory.
It's about a 6 hour flight to San Diego vs 3 hours to Florida, (from Newark NJ).
Enjoy and lots of nachas!

[yawn]

If you go to Orlando, one of my greatest experiences as a teenager was Machine Gun America. I am not advocating taking teenagers to shooting ranges, and I wouldn't take my own kids, but if it's something you're ok with, shooting at a target of Hitler with an AK47 was exhilarating. Here's one of the targets they offer.

[ExGingi]

shooting at a target of Hitler with an AK47 was exhilarating.

Wow. That's significant, coming from yawn!