How Travel Helps Teens Gain Clarity About Their Future
Parents often wonder how to help their teens figure out what they want—who they are, what they value, and where they’re headed. Sometimes, the answer isn’t in a classroom, a club, or a conversation. It’s in stepping away from the familiar and into something completely different.
That’s what travel does. It creates space for teens to think, experience, and grow. Over the years, we’ve seen RLT participants return home with a newfound sense of independence, confidence, and direction.
Here’s why travel is such a powerful way for teens to gain clarity about their future:
1. Stepping Outside Their Routine
High school can feel all-consuming. Between academics, sports, and social life, it’s easy for teens to get caught up in the day-to-day without stopping to think about the bigger picture.
Travel shifts their perspective. It removes them from their usual environment and gives them the space to reflect.
On RLT trips, we build in intentional time for reflection each evening. Whether they’re journaling under the stars or talking with their group, they get a chance to process their experiences and consider what really matters to them.
2. Disconnecting from Technology
Phones aren’t allowed on our trips—not because we don’t trust teens, but because we want them to experience something rare: real presence.
Without the pull of screens, social media, and notifications, teens become more engaged in their surroundings and the people they’re with. They’re free from comparison and pressure, allowing them to focus on relationships, teamwork, and personal growth.
It’s a reset—one that helps them tune into themselves, not just the world around them.
3. Making a Difference Through Service
Volunteering doesn’t just impact the communities being served—it transforms the volunteers, too. Research published in the Journal of Adolescence shows that service builds empathy, self-confidence, and a sense of purpose.
On RLT trips, teens contribute in meaningful ways, whether it’s restoring trails in the Pacific Northwest, caring for rescued animals in Costa Rica, or teaching in schools in Cambodia.
Seeing the tangible results of their work gives them a sense of accomplishment and a deeper understanding of what fulfillment looks like.
4. Exploring Interests in a Hands-On Way
Sometimes, the best way to figure out what excites you is to try it.
RLT trips are designed to align with teens’ interests. If they love wildlife, they can work with wolves at a sanctuary in Colorado. If they’re passionate about language, they can improve their Spanish while volunteering in Peru. If they’re curious about education, they can teach in schools in Southeast Asia.
Instead of reading about their interests, they experience them firsthand—helping them discover what truly resonates.
5. Building Confidence by Taking on Challenges
Traveling far from home is a challenge in itself. But it’s also an opportunity to develop resilience and confidence.
Figuring out a new place, adjusting to different cultures, and stepping outside their comfort zone helps teens trust themselves.
They return home with a stronger sense of independence, ready to take on whatever comes next—whether it’s college, a first job, or simply navigating the unknown.
Helping Teens Grow for Over 30 Years
For more than three decades, RLT has designed programs that challenge and inspire teens to think bigger and grow stronger.
If you’re looking for a summer experience that will give your teen adventure, purpose, and direction, let’s talk. We’ll help you find the perfect trip and answer any questions you have.