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Teen Tours, Student Travel & Pre-College Programs
Life-changing Summer Experiences for Teens
More Ways to Enjoy this Experience
More Ways to Enjoy this Experience
More Ways to Enjoy this Experience
About Our Programs
Since 1982, we have been a leader in teen summer travel, creating unforgettable experiences for over 50,000 middle and high school students around the world. Today we offer 5 distinct program styles and 80+ programs across 24 countries, allowing teens to choose a path that aligns with their personal and academic goals – whether that means studying abroad in Italy, island-hopping in Greece, or volunteering in Costa Rica. Beyond the itineraries, safety and social connection remain at the core of everything we do.
Unmatched Safety & Supervision
Safety is the foundation of Westcoast Connection’s 44-year legacy in teen travel. We pride ourselves on the trust that thousands of families place in us each year, and strive to give parents peace of mind while their teen explores the world. Our industry-leading safety infrastructure includes a 10-18 month vetting process for new itineraries, two 24/7 summer communication centers, and is reinforced through memberships with third-party risk-management experts like Cornerstone Safety Group. We maintain exceptional student-to-staff ratios (ranging from 6:1 to 9:1), our program leaders and directors are all CPR/First Aid certified, and new staff receive up to 67 hours of in-person training prior to each summer. We don’t just meet the teen travel industry’s safety standards, we set them.
About Safety & Supervision
Teen Tours & Adventure Travel
Our summer travel programs for teens help students build confidence, resilience, and independence as they step out of their comfort zone and explore the world. Active Teen Tours offer deluxe ‘summer-camp-on-wheels’ experiences in Europe and North America, featuring premium hotels, iconic sights and activities, larger groups, and more structured itineraries (perfect for first-time travelers). Global Adventures focus on immersive adventure travel in destinations like Greece, Japan, and Costa Rica. Here, teens experience the authentic local culture and explore with a balance of structure and spontaneity in smaller groups. While every itinerary is unique, each is designed to foster personal growth and lifelong friendships for teens in a safe, supportive environment.
About Travel Programs
Pre-College Enrichment
Our Pre-College programs bridge the gap between high school and university, giving ambitious students the chance to ‘test-drive’ a field of study, strengthen their academic and social skills, and gain clarity for their future (among other tangible outcomes). On a Pre-College Enrichment program, high school students enroll in multiple courses of their choice, either studying abroad in Europe or on-campus at prestigious universities in North America. This allows for a broader exploration of topics and a clear sense of how to navigate life as a college student. Career Experience programs offer a deeper-dive into a single academic discipline (Medicine, Sports Business, or Finance), where industry professionals lead students beyond theory for a hands-on exploration of careers in their chosen field.
About Pre-College Programs
Volunteer Opportunities
Whether supporting environmental sustainability initiatives or community infrastructure projects, volunteering abroad helps teens build leadership skills, broadens their perspectives, and sets them on a path of global citizenship. Our Community Service programs combine the best of authentic service learning, immersive cultural exploration, and structured adventure travel. This balance enables high school students to make meaningful contributions to communities around the world while experiencing the innate excitement, connection, and personal growth of travel. In the past 5 years alone, our participants have made an incredible impact, partnering with over 30 local organizations and contributing over 70,000 hours of global community service.
About Volunteer ProgramsFrequently Asked Questions
Our programs are open to all high school and middle school students currently completing 6th to 12th grade, who are eager to join a fun and respectful group environment. Please note that eligible grades vary by program and that each departure consists of a separate age-compatible group.
On all programs, we include all lodging, recreation & entertainment that is listed, airport transfers in the arrival city and return city for flights in our approved times, gratuities and taxes.
We include breakfast & dinner daily. For lunches, it ranges from none to all included; please check the specific program.
Our travelers’ security is our number one priority and we strive to create the safest programs possible. There are various aspects to safety from planning and itinerary development, staffing and training, risk management and social and emotional safety. Built on 40+ years of experience in providing teens with reliable and secure travel experiences, we are proud of our excellent safety record. For more information, visit our Safety page, watch this Health & Safety video, and better yet call us.
Yes, many participants choose to travel independently! We have a Social Integration Plan in place with a heavy focus on the first few days to help all students acclimate to the program. We do many icebreakers and ‘get to know you’ activities, will assign roommates and rotate them and more – lots of initiatives on our part to help advance things socially and build the community! The following video & reviews may be helpful if you’re considering traveling independently.
Group sizes vary depending on the program type. Generally speaking, these are the number of participants by program type:
- Active Teen Tours: 28-48 participants
- Global Adventures: 16-26 participants (Select programs in North America or in Europe that include Greece vary from 20 – 36 participants.)
- Community Service: 12-24 participants
- Pre-College Enrichment programs: 40-80 participants in Barcelona, Florence, and Montreal. 75-100 participants in Los Angeles.
Please note that this is a guideline. Actual group sizes may vary and will be confirmed in late spring.
Our staff are educators, guidance counselors, coaches, college and university students, former camp counselors, residence life coordinators, community volunteers, world travelers, and other leaders with diverse backgrounds. Many are former participants themselves who couldn’t get enough of the Westcoast experience! Learn more about our summer leaders.
Attending a summer program is an incredible opportunity to learn and grow into a more well-rounded, mature individual. No matter what type of program you choose, the personal development and experience gained over the course of the summer are valuable resources that could help you with your college essays and applications. If your goal for the summer is to get a head start on college prep, a Career Experience or Pre-College Enrichment program could be just what you need. So while attending any particular summer program will not necessarily get you into your choice school, what you get from it can make a difference!
