Family Vacations Teenagers Actually Want to Go On

Planning a vacation that the whole family will enjoy can be challenging. Especially if you have teenagers in the mix. Convincing them to put down their phone or to take a break from video games and engage with the family is easier when they are excited by the activities planned.

Ontario’s Southwest is full of fun, opportunities to learn, and ways to spend genuine quality time together. To help you with the planning, we’ve created an itinerary that's packed full of suggestions to build a perfect family vacation.

For the most part, these suggestions work best for trips in warmer weather; however, there are many options that you can pick if you’d like to visit in the colder months. If you see "❄" beside a suggestion, that means that it's open in the winter as well as the summer. "✿" indicates that you can only do those activities in the spring. 

Love Local in London

Learn why London is the place to create memories for all ages! London has cool and photo-worthy attractions that teenagers love. Plus, many suggestions included in this list are available all year round. 

Where to Stay in London

Both the Best Western Plus Lamplighter Inn ❄ and the Park Hotel ❄ stand out as great options for family-friendly vacations.

The Best Western Plus Lamplighter Inn has the feel of a tropical destination. Make sure that you get a room with a balcony overlooking their bright and beautiful atrium with an indoor pool so that it can be patio season all year long. 

The Park Hotel, located in Downtown London, offers spacious and trendy suites, with a mini-kitchenette area, a flat-screen cable TV in both the bedroom and living room, and plenty of USB plugs so all devices can stay charged.

What to do in London

Check out these fun adventures any teenager will be excited about in London:

• Enjoy a hot air balloon ride with Sundance Balloons. To help protect these breathtaking views for the future, consider incorporating offset activities into your visit that will reduce your carbon footprint. From purchasing carbon credits to enjoying a plant-based meal, you can find some great ideas here.  
• Visit an educational and fun exhibit at Museum London. ❄
• Try axe throwing and play games at the Rec Room. ❄
• Go bowling at Palasad SocialBowl. ❄
• Visit the interactive Fanshawe Pioneer Village. ❄
• Try out outdoor activities such as skiing, tubbing, mountain biking, yoga, or a treetop adventure at Boler Mountain. ❄
• Visit 100 Kellogg to:
  • Enjoy the trampoline park, high-ropes, or ziplines at the Factory. ❄
  • Play mini-golf, bocce ball, or try out one of the Multi-Sport Simulators at The Club House. ❄
• Watch a race at the Delaware Speedway.

Photo taken at the Factory.

Where to eat in London

London is filled with restaurants that purchase Ontario-grown ingredients. 

• Craft Farmacy (vegetarian and gluten-free friendly) ❄
• Garlic's Of London (vegetarian and gluten-free friendly) ❄
• The Beer Kitchen is located within 100 Kellogg and offers so much more than beer on their menu (vegetarian and vegan friendly)
• For the health-conscious family, both Plant Matter Kitchen ❄ (vegan) and the Tea Lounge ❄ are excellent options and have health foods.

If you want to check out a local market with your family, the Covent Market ❄ always has an excellent variety of shops and vendors and lots of local food. Upgrade your visit by having a friendly local insider show you around the market by booking the Covent Garden Market Experience by Forest City Experiences. 

It’s important for families to have fun and make memories together and Ontario’s Southwest has many vacation options that are perfectly situated to all ages. If this blog post was helpful to you when you’ve been planning a trip, please let us know by sharing on social and using the hashtag #OntSouthwest.