Lise Carlaw, podcaster and presenter, shares her unforgettable mother-son adventure, complete with tips, tricks and hacks for travelling with teens.
What if when your son turns 15 you organise a 48-hour mother-and-son adventure, just the two of you? Welcome to our new family tradition – one that heroes that special mother-son connection and allows for new memories to be made, one-on-one.
As a mother of two sons, I’ve long apprehended the teen years, bracing myself for the inevitable pulling away that is a necessary part of a boy’s growth into adulthood. Our job as parents is to make ourselves redundant, right? Brutal, but true – and while the shift can feel like a loss, I choose to see it as an opportunity to forge a new kind of connection with my teen son – one based on newfound independence, curiosity for the world that awaits him, and the freedom to explore. This is where travel and sharing new experiences comes into play.
Here’s the two-days-two-nights adventure we landed on, plus tips and tricks that made the whole experience so enjoyable for both of us.
WE EXPLORED: Sydney! Remy had never been and was dying to scope out the big smoke once and for all.
WE STAYED: at Ovolo Woolloomooloo. A five-star hotel with a twist. Think converted harbour wharf, quirky decor, 24-hour lolly bar in the foyer (!), BIG rooms with all the luxe amenities + warm, personalised service. Location was perfect. An idyllic walk from the hotel, around the Sydney Botanical Gardens and you’re in the thick of the Opera House and Circular Quay precinct. The look on his face as we rounded the corner at Mrs. Macquarie’s Point, with the glory of Sydney Harbour laid out before us – I’ll never forget it.
Teen tip: Book a hotel with breakfast included. Fill ‘em up before you set off for the day. Hijack a few Danish pastries and an apple in your handbag on the way out.
WE CHASED THRILLS AND SPILLS: with a 45-minute extreme adrenaline rush ride on Sydney Harbour’s Thunder Jet via the Wotif app. Do not sleep on this experience! We opted not to wear the provided ponchos (because ponchos are for weaklings) and subsequently got drenched down to our unmentionables – but that’s half the fun.
Teen tip: Highly recommend adding a thrill-seeking element to your trip. This is a really unique, age-appropriate way to explore Sydney Harbour and something we both loved.
WE RODE: Lime e-bikes. Big tick. Sydney has thousands of them on every street corner and the Lime app offers some affordable bundles and deals. We rode from our hotel to Circular Quay where we caught an iconic Sydney ferry to Rose Bay, straddled another couple of Limeys and pedalled to Bondi! A fantastic way to explore + guaranteed hyena laughs for 99.9% of the journey.
Teen Tip: This sort of transport is son approved x 10000000. They’ll go anywhere on an e-anything.
WE SWAM: at Bondi Beach – of course! Pristine conditions to get barrel-dumped in a one-piece, people/real estate watch, eat fresh sashimi on the main drag, and neck cans of cold coconut water.
Teen Tip: One backpack for the two of us was plenty. Swiped 1 x hotel towel to share, wore boardies/bathers under our clothes, packed sunscreen, hats – that was it.
WE DINED: at Infinity Sydney Tower. Stumbled across this on the Wotif app and locked it in. I’ve got a foodie on my hands, so this three-course dining experience in a revolving restaurant 81 floors up ticked all the teen boxes. The views were insane, the food exceeded my expectations, and Nathan our maître d’ made us feel so special.
Teen tip: When they’re old enough to appreciate fine dining, do it. Super special to experience something really different together. He asked me if dill was a skinny lettuce. I said yes.
WE SHOPPED: for impossible-to-find size 15 men’s sneakers in Pitt Street Mall, and what a memorable Pretty Woman experience (teen boy edition) it was! The retail assistant carried out the only available size 15s in a leaning tower of eight Nike boxes. Such a spectacle, but what a moment for my giant-hooved man-child.
Teen tip: This felt like such a luxury, but truth be told the lad needed shoes. You can recreate a shopping spree experience just by being in a new place. It just hits different. Summer shorts from Cotton On IN SYDNEY? Feels like Chanel!
So…what if you wanted to do something like this with your teenager? Anything is possible! With a little bit of planning and creativity, a parent-teen getaway is something that can be recreated no matter your budget or time constraints. All our bookings, itinerary details, reservation and contact numbers were all under my TRIPS tab which made this 48-hour getaway such a joyful breeze.
The rest of the time? We walked 15,000 steps per day, ordered burgers and ate them in bed, he napped, I read, he slept in, I woke early, grabbed coffee and took myself on long morning walks, he soaked in the jacuzzi and went to the gym, we bought snacks from Woolies. Heaven. Quality time together with space to chill and relax independently – such is the beauty of travelling with a 15-year-old. I loved every moment of getting re-acquainted with him in this new, grown-up way. This time away together is forever etched in my heart…and I hope his, too.
PLAN YOUR NEXT TRIP
