The Best Gift for Teenagers This Holiday Season Isn’t Found in a Box

Every parent knows the feeling: the holidays are coming, and you’re on the hunt for the perfect gift for your teenager. You want something that will make them light up — something they’ll remember long after the wrapping paper is gone. But let’s be honest: most gifts lose their shine after a few weeks.

This year, give them something different. Give them an experience that sparks confidence, builds resilience, and stays with them for life. Give them Wilderness Adventures.

Why an Experience is the Best Gift You Can Give

Research — and common sense — tells us that experiences create stronger, longer-lasting happiness than material things. Teenagers especially crave meaning, challenge, and connection, even if they don’t always say it. A Wilderness Adventures trip delivers all of that and more.

Instead of another gadget or pair of sneakers, your child could be:

• Summiting a mountain with new friends cheering them on.

• Learning to cook over a campfire after a long day on the trail.

• Unplugging completely — no phones, no distractions — and rediscovering how good it feels to just be.

These are the kinds of moments that shape young people. They come home from a Wilderness Adventures summer more independent, more confident, and more connected to the world around them.

A Gift That Grows With Them

Wilderness Adventures offers programs for students in grades 4–12, each designed to meet kids right where they are in their personal growth.

• Base Camp (Jackson Hole, WY) and MOLA (Missoula, MT): Day camp programs that are perfect for younger adventurers dipping their toes into outdoor fun and independence.

• Camp New Fork: For elementary and middle school students ready for a classic sleep away camp experience.

• Classic Wilderness Adventures Trips: For middle and high school students ready for a bigger challenge — from backpacking in the Rockies to sea kayaking in Alaska.

• International Expeditions: For those who dream big, WA’s global programs introduce teens to new cultures and landscapes across the world.

Wherever they go, the goal is the same: to inspire growth and wonder through the power of the natural world.

How to Give a Wilderness Adventures Trip as a Gift

Many families wrap this experience in creative ways:

• Gift a custom adventure journal or WA t-shirt under the tree, with a note revealing their trip.

• Share the Wilderness Adventures catalog in a card that says, “You’re going on an adventure!”

• Print their trip confirmation letter and tuck it in a stocking — the best surprise of all.

The joy on their face when they realize they’re headed for an unforgettable summer? That’s the kind of holiday magic you can’t buy in a store.

The Gift That Lasts a Lifetime

Since 1973, Wilderness Adventures has helped thousands of young people discover confidence, leadership, and joy in the outdoors. Every trip is led by experienced, caring guides who model teamwork, curiosity, and resilience. Parents trust WA because the lessons learned on the trail go far beyond summer — they shape who kids become.

So this holiday season, skip the gadgets and give the gift of growth. Give them a summer they’ll never forget.