Sniff, Sniff – Getting ready to send your teen off to college? Get ready for an emotional circus (not just you, but them too). There will be happiness, tears, fears, pride, excitement — you both will feel all of the things as the senior year events begin to hit your emote button. But for now, the mission is to find the perfect college (oh, is that all?) AND use the college search as a time to bond (and dare I say), have FUN with your teen. Whether it’s a road trip or flight to different parts of the country, a college tour vacation is actually a great time to bond!
The key to making it fun, informative and stress free? Proper planning (and spreadsheets). And so here are my 5 tips for how to plan a college tour vacation.
1: A Spreadsheet is Key
DO NOT PASS GO without starting this process being organized. Your kiddo might have a few ideas of schools they are interested in (check out U.S. News College Search or Princeton Review for info), but as they begin to research and acquire a list, start with a good foundation and prepare a spreadsheet right away.
I started a shared Google doc and listed the schools, their websites, location (state/town) and basic stats (size of student body, tuition & room & board fees, application deadlines & fee, student/faculty ratio, acceptance rate, SAT score range, etc.). Now sort by location so you can see which schools you can combine in a day -but no more than 2-3 per day or you’ll be beat! Maybe you take it a step farther and plot them out on Google maps, which does help to visualize the ground you need to cover.
You can start preliminary college tours during summer, but once you are ready to write that deposit check, it’s super important to make sure you have visited the very top choices when classes are in session. It’s truly the only way to get the authentic vibe of the school. If it’s not possible to visit your top 5 while in session, at least visit the top 2. Trust me, on the journey with my teen she’s seen schools she loved off-session, but then did not like the vibe when in-session, and vice-versa.
2: Set your Schedule (but… know your limits)
I know you want to see every college in the area, but squeezing in 5 schools in one day? That’s a hard pass and you won’t be getting the information you need. Keep it to 2-3 tours per day max (and take food breaks)! You’ll be surprised how exhausting the tours can be, especially if you’re visiting larger schools with a spread out campus.
Rushing away from a tour and missing the end of the Q&A session to make it to the next campus in time for their tour to begin is not where it’s at. Trust me – ZERO stars. Allow time to walk around campus on your own, check out the areas you child wants to explore (you know, Starbies), or the student hang outs. Be an observer and people watch (while sipping said Starbies).
When planning your college tour vacation, be sure to call ahead and schedule your tours to be sure they save you a spot and add this date and time to that handy spreadsheet you created above. I recommend a separate tab to keep track of college tour info like date, time, address, confirm #, driving time between schools, etc.
3: Book Lodging in Advance
Once you’ve set your schedule and mapped out the schools, it’s time to find somewhere to sleep. This step is important because it can also help get a feel for the area around the school. Schools in cities offer tons of cultural and professional opportunities, while more rural schools often have tight-knit communities and outdoor activities like hiking and skiing. Spending time off-campus will give you a better sense of whether the location is a good fit for your child’s lifestyle.
For our college tour vacations, my kiddo was targeting urban schools in the southern US (goodbye snow), & close to the coast – with a few options in the Northeast (and 1 or 2 ‘rah-rah’ schools mixed in). I booked a mix of hotels that were either right in the city, and therefore in very close proximity to the campus we were visiting – or right on the sandy beaches so we could also get some of that relaxing vaca on-the-beach time.
4. Plan Beyond the College Tours – It’s a College Tour VACATION after all!
Don’t limit your excursions to colleges – this is a prime opportunity to make some fun memories – so scout out nearby attractions that might interest your family. Need a few suggestions? I’m glad you asked….
- Teens love a good adrenaline rush, so toss them into activities like surfing, zip-lining, or jet skiing.
- Skip the boring museum tour—teens are all about exploring cool city spots, street art, trendy coffee shops and hip restaurant scenes (and snapping pics for the ‘gram, of course). Ghost tours (like a haunted carriage tour in Charleston, SC on Old South Carriage Tours), golf cart tours, etc. are also a hit!
- A college tour vacation isn’t complete without some pool or beach time where they can work on their cannonball or chill with a virgin pina colada.
- Shopping is a must, whether it’s quirky souvenirs from local markets or trendy clothes from the cool shopping street downtown. The more quirky the store, the more laughs.
- Amusement parks (duh)! Teens will stand in line for hours to scream their heads off on roller coasters.
- Outdoor adventures like ATV rides, gondola or tram rides are a hit, especially if there’s an epic selfie spot at the top.
- Escape rooms and virtual reality arcades are perfect for getting their brains (and competitive spirit) going—plus, it’s family bonding with bragging rights.
- Throw them into a game of pickleball, golf, or basketball and watch their inner athlete (or comedian) come to life.
- Take them to a live concert or show, (added bonus if you bust out your inner Elaine dance moves).
- The hunt for Insta-worthy spots is real—mural walls, immersive art, scenic views, or quirky roadside attractions are key to any teen travel itinerary.
5: Explore the Surrounding Area
It’s easy to focus solely on the campus, but don’t forget to tour the area around the school too. Schools in cities offer tons of cultural and professional opportunities, while more rural schools often have tight-knit communities and outdoor activities like hiking and skiing.
Spending time off-campus during your college tour vacation will give you a better sense of whether the location is a good fit for your child’s lifestyle. (See rule # 3 on booking lodging) The hotels in close proximity to campus really let us get a feel for that particular city’s energy (like exploring Hyde Park Village in Tampa, FL), the safety surrounding campus, etc., while enjoying great dining options (which I would narrow down, then let her pick the final option) and exploring cool cities together. The hotels on the beach let us relax and rest our tired college touring feet.
To Wrap it Up
My goal was to help my daughter make the right college choice that would make her happy, confident, inspired and excited for her decision by giving her all of the information she needed during our college tour vacations (while keeping my fingers crossed that she would change her mind and decide to stay close to home – or at least not a plane flight away). But after seeing her completely light up at her school, I knew she found her place – and it was a perfect fit – mission accomplished.
We are fortunate to have so many great college options in the US, and even though at the end of the search your child will be leaving home (sniff, sniff) – exploring their options and seeing a peek into their future by their side is truly an exciting and memorable journey!
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