Coronado, California

Hotel del Coronado

Known as the Del, this 122-year-old hotel stays hip with its new Vibz lounge, where karaoke and Dance Dance Revolution sessions entertain those who aren’t getting henna tattoos by the pool. After hitting the waves as part of the summer surf camp, young visitors can unwind with a Teen Salon Sampler treatment at the Yamaguchi Salon.  

1500 Orange Ave., 800-468-3533, hoteldel.com

Paphos, Cyprus

Aphrodite Hills

With hip hop classes and clothing-design lessons, the Grotto Fun Club at this Mediterranean resort makes learning, well, fun. As part of the X-teen program, participants practise their topspin during a game of table tennis – or stretch their mental muscles at one of the daily summer chess tournaments.

3 Aphrodite Ave., 357-26-828945, aphroditehills.com

Manalapan, Florida

The Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach

At Coast, this beach resort’s teen lounge, young guests can record their own mix at the DJ station and upload it to their iPods before playing a round of Guitar Hero. And when it’s time to choose between a spa treatment at Beauty@Coast or attending one of the club parties, teens can consult 13-year-old Amanda Jet, the hotel’s “Petite Blogger.”

100 S. Ocean Blvd., 561-533-6000, ritzcarlton.com 

Montego Bay, Jamaica

Half Moon

This Caribbean resort’s new Hype Zone for visitors aged 13 to 20 offers foosball and air hockey in the games room, and activities like horse riding on the beach. Rather than merely tagging along, younger siblings are treated as Very Important Little Persons, a service that includes freshly baked cookies and milk at bedtime.

P.O. Rose Hall, 876-953-2211, halfmoon.com

Photo: Julia Galdo (the Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach)

Teen Spirit

These summer camps are too cool for school. 

1 Whether mastering rock climbing routes like “Burgers & Fries” or crossing suspension bridges along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, teens taking part in the Longacre Expeditions’ Vancouver camp develop a sense of teamwork – and an adventurous streak. 

732-722-7566, longacreexpeditions.com 

2 The camps at the School of Cinema and Performing Arts in New York, Los Angeles and Burlington, Vermont, have budding directors write, direct and edit their own films, and look to the affiliate acting camp for emerging talent.

214-941-4057, socapa.org 

3 Ocean explorers aged 15 to 19 discover the life aquatic during ActionQuest’s Tropical Marine Biology camp. While touring the British Virgin Islands aboard a catamaran, they pick up sailing skills, and can even earn high school credit.

800-317-6789, actionquest.com/marine-biology-camps.html