The Unimpressed Teen

Forcing a sullen teen to sit in a car with you for 30 hours without scrolling—what could go wrong? Apparently, nothing. It was exactly what we needed.

The place: Route 66 Road Trip (Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon)

Teen Tester: Boy, 14

Overall Verdict: “Actually kinda fun.”

What actually impressed him

• The vastness of empty Mars-like land, just outside of Los Angeles

• Exploring quirky roadside attractions, ghost towns, and diners

• Seeing wild burros wandering the streets of Oatman

• The spontaneity of just stopping when we saw something worth stopping for.

• The Grand Canyon, at least for the first 10-15 seconds (then he was ready to go).

• Getting to spend uninterrupted one-on-one time with Mom (even if he’d never admit it)

What got an eye roll

• Some roadside attractions were more “photo op” than actual attraction

• Asking teen to go get his own stuff from the car once we had checked into our motel.

• Hotels that I thought were cool, haunted and quirky (like the Red Garter Inn, an old brothel in Williams, AZ) were just “old” to him. He preferred the Best Western, with its comfy beds and sparse layout.

Attention Span Check

The first hour was slow. Once the roadside stops started, the trip became one adventure after another.

Phone Check

Did he reach for his phone? Far less than expected. Between roadside discoveries, conversations, and looking out the window, it spent surprisingly little time in his hands.

Biggest Surprise

The best part of the trip wasn’t Route 66 at all—it was the conversations had while driving. Thirty hours in the car turned into the kind of uninterrupted one-on-one time that’s almost impossible to find at home.

Parent Worth-It Meter

Worth it if: You’re looking for an adventure that feels old-school, encourages conversation, and gives you quality one-on-one time with your tween or teen.

Skip it if: Your family prefers fast-paced vacations packed with nonstop entertainment. Route 66 is all about slowing down, taking detours, and enjoying the journey.

Option 3: Teen Attitude

Legend:

💀 I’m Dead Inside
😒 Not Impressed
🙂 Didn’t Hate It
😆 Actually Awesome
🔥 Core Memory