National Park Road Trip with Teens: Top AAA Travel Tips

Article overview:

Road tripping with teenagers doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This firsthand guide shows how one family turned a road trip through national parks into an unforgettable adventure for five teens and their parents.

Inside, you’ll find practical tips to help you:

• Get teens involved in planning to keep them engaged
• Tap into their tech skills to enhance the trip
• Build their confidence with real-life travel experience
• Use trusted tools like the AAA Mobile App and TripTik^® Travel Planner
• Take advantage of AAA perks like hotel discounts, car rental deals, roadside assistance and travel insurance
• Set expectations and stay flexible for a smoother, safer adventure everyone will enjoy

Planning a road trip with teenagers might sound like a daunting task, but recently, my husband and I packed our bags and headed west with our two teenage daughters for a family adventure. My brother and his family joined us, bringing along their three teenagers, which meant we had a crew of five teens in tow. We flew from the Midwest to Las Vegas, booked a Hertz rental car through AAA and set out for an incredible itinerary that included Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon and a relaxing stay in Sedona, Arizona.

Why National Parks? Because they’re the perfect mix of adventure, breathtaking views, and activities that appeal to all ages. And when traveling with teens, a variety of experiences—from hiking and exploring to unwinding by the pool—is key to keeping everyone engaged.

Along the way, I discovered a whole set of strategies that turn road-tripping with teens into a smooth and enjoyable experience. From involving them in the planning process to using their tech skills and helping them develop as independent travelers, I’ll share what worked for us and how you can create a memorable trip too. Buckle up—we’re making road trips stress-free (and dare I say, fun).

1. Get teens involved in the planning process

One of the best decisions we made for our road trip was to involve the teens in the planning process from the start. Not only did this help them feel valued, but it also sparked their excitement for the trip. We began by asking them about their interests: Did they want to visit iconic national parks? Were quirky roadside attractions more their style? Was finding the best food stops their priority? Giving them a say in what we’d see and do made a huge difference.

We worked together to create a loose itinerary that balanced activities they were excited about with family-friendly plans that everyone could enjoy. Of course, we also discussed some non-negotiables upfront, like ensuring accommodations had a pool that allowed us to decompress after long drives or finding spots with strong Wi-Fi, which turned out to be a crucial point for the screen-loving teens.

Pro tips:

• Setting expectations for the trip ahead of time. Our teens (like most teens!) were not naturally early risers, but there were some mornings we had to get to the parks early to beat the heat. Setting expectations and building in downtime later in the day was a big help.
• Encourage teens to pitch in with responsibilities, like navigating or having them make road trip playlists. With everyone involved, the trip became a shared adventure rather than just another family vacation.

2. Empowering teens through technology: Enhancing our trip experience

If there’s one thing teens excel at, it’s technology—so we leaned into that during our trip and honestly, it made a big difference. Rather than fighting screen time, we found ways to use their tech skills to enhance the experience for everyone. By giving them tech-related roles, they stayed engaged, felt empowered and helped the trip run more smoothly.

Here’s how we got them involved:

Road trip playlists
We put one of the teens in charge of DJ duties and they took it seriously. The playlist they put together ended up being the perfect mix of classic road trip songs to current hits. It sparked a few car karaoke moments and even some unexpected bonding.

Documenting the adventure
Since they already had their phones out most of the time, we asked them to capture moments along the way. They took incredible photos, made fun TikToks and Reels and created a visual memory of the trip we’ll all look back on. It was a great outlet for their creativity and I loved seeing the trip from their perspective.

Navigation gurus
The teens downloaded the AAA Mobile App and helped with directions. It made them feel in control and I felt a lot more relaxed knowing we had real-time traffic updates, gas price comparisons and easy access to nearby hotels and attractions.

Trip planning tools
We also introduced them to AAA’s TripTik® Travel Planner. One of the kids took to it immediately — mapping out routes, picking fun roadside stops, and helping us track how far we had to go each day. The Well Traveled with AAA podcasts offers additional great tips on planning for a trip. Listen on Apple or Spotify.

By tapping into their tech skills, the teens became more than just passengers—they were collaborators. And honestly, I couldn’t have asked for better copilots.

3. Traveling together: Helping teens gain confidence and life skills

We see every trip as an opportunity to teach our teens how to become smart and safe independent travelers. This trip provided a chance to blend adventure with important life lessons, helping them develop skills that will serve them well into adulthood. Travel skills such as navigating the airport check-in and security processes, managing their own boarding passes and understanding a bus or train schedules are all valuable travel skills to teach teens. These skills give teens a sense of ownership and contribute to smoother trips.

We also encouraged safe, age-appropriate independence. Whether it was hiking ahead on a trail, dining at a teen-only table or spending a few extra minutes exploring a gift shop solo, they appreciated the trust and it gave them confidence.

Not only did our teens come away with unforgettable memories, but they also left with a stronger sense of confidence and independence that will serve them well on future adventures, whether with us or on their own someday.

Pro tip:

• For those with driving permits, road trips are a perfect chance to practice driving in new environments. We talked through route planning, how to spot good gas and meal stops, and how to prep a car before a long drive. We even used this as a chance to talk about safe driving habits, like avoiding drowsy driving by stopping every two hours, switching drivers when needed and planning reasonable driving limits each day.
• If your teen has a driver’s permit, before you leave, check to make sure their permits are valid in the states you’ll be driving through (a quick call to the state DMVs confirmed reciprocity).

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from road tripping with teens is the importance of blending structure with flexibility. Sticking to a rigid, minute-by-minute itinerary doesn’t leave much room for the magic that happens when plans shift. Before our trip, we used AAA’s TripTik® Travel Planner to map out our main route and must-see destinations, but we also made sure to leave space for spontaneous adventures. While in Zion National Park, we met a couple who urged us to hike The Narrows—a stunning gorge with towering thousand-foot walls and a river that tapers to just 20 or 30 feet wide. The flexibility in our schedule allowed us to come back the next morning and hike The Narrows, which ended up being a trip favorite.

And throughout it all, having AAA in our back pocket was a game changer. We booked AAA Approved and Diamond Designated hotels that we knew would be clean, safe and comfortable. Reserving our Hertz rental car was straightforward and as AAA Members, we saved money and avoided extra driver fees. The 24/7 roadside assistance provided reassurance, especially when driving through remote areas. And I didn’t realize until this trip that Allianz Travel Insurance through AAA covers teens under 17 and under at no extra cost—a huge bonus when traveling with a group.

Looking back, our road trip through Zion, the Grand Canyon and Sedona wasn’t just a getaway—it was an opportunity to bond with our teens, create shared memories and watch as they gained confidence and independence. Was every moment picture-perfect? Not quite. But those laughs, spontaneous detours, breathtaking landscapes and even the small victories (like everyone agreeing on a playlist!) made the experience truly unforgettable.

Here’s our final advice for a successful trip:

• Plan together: Give your teens a say in the itinerary to pique their interest and get them excited.
• Keep it flexible: Be open to those unexpected stops and moments that create the best memories.
• Make use of AAA: From route planning to travel discounts, AAA’s resources help every step of the way.

Go ahead, map out that route, keep your plans loose, and get ready for an adventure you and your teens will never forget. Who knows? They might surprise you by loving every minute of it.