Our Vacation Adventures

9 Tips For Parents And Teens - Planning A Safe Spring Break Vacation

Lets’ face it. Spring Break is meant to be a great time filled with memories of beaches, surf and sand, but just like any vacation it’s a good idea to keep safety in mind.

In many cases, young men and women will be visiting foreign lands and it might even be the first time that they travel without their parents.

Here are 9 tips that parents and teens can use to prepare for a safe Spring Break getaway.

1. Ensure the proper paperwork has been done - as of January 23, U.S. citizens, traveling by sea and air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport.

2. Research the destination: familiarize yourself with the laws, customs and potential safety and health risks in the country being visited.

3. Talk to your son or daughter about the potential risks of underage drinking, drugs, date rape and irresponsible behavior. Encourage them to use a “buddy” system or go out in groups, and be attentive to their situation at all times.

4. Make sure you, along with your son or daughter, draw up a list of emergency contact numbers before they leave on the trip, and that they carry these numbers with them at all times.

5. Prior to the trip, ensure that international calling is activated on your child’s cell phone and that he/she knows how to make an international call.

6. Talk to the trip organizers before departure and make sure you review their contact information, key phone numbers, including those of hospitals and the U.S. consulate in the region they are visiting. If they encounter any trouble during the visit, the U.S. consulate should be contacted immediately.

7. Remind your son or daughter not to carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary credit cards, and avoid wearing conspicuous clothing and/or jewelry that could attract the attention of would-be thieves.

8. Look into purchasing optional travel protection to complement the basic sickness and accident coverage provided by the student-travel company. The optional coverage would include lost luggage, trip cancellation/interruption, medical cancellation, etc.

9. Talk to the students accompanying your child, especially those with whom he/she will be sharing accommodations and impress on them the need to be vigilant and responsible to enhance the chances for a safe trip.

We hope that these useful tips will assure a memorable and safe Spring Break, no matter where your destination!