British Virgin Islands

On the Caribbean Sea or docked in a harbor in the British Virgin Islands, ActionQuest gives kids the opportunity to build confidence and leadership skills. Mastery of life at sea requires a type of gut instinct that serves students twice as well back on land. Sessions are typically seventeen to twenty-one days and involve hands-on learning in sailing, scuba diving, marine biology, and community service. The team on board acts like a real crew, alternating roles from skipper to chef, learning to prep meals, clean up, strike sails, and drop anchors. But the friendships among crewmates and staff make the activities far from chores. With water sports like wakeboarding and whitewater rafting, and scuba diving through coral reef conservations, there’s enough adventure at ActionQuest for a lifetime of stories.

If you're looking to feel totally secluded and off-the-grid, Guana is the place. One of the lesser known of the British Virgin Islands, it’s also one the few remaining privately-owned islands in the area and is minimally developed. There’s not much here besides seven (nearly deserted) white sand beaches, 850 acres of untouched tropical forest, and this small resort with just fifteen cottages and three villas. Depending on when you go, you can be one of the only vacationers here with just a few scientists or grad students around studying the ecosystem. The staff at the resort will tell you how best to explore the islands and how to navigate the steep trails, even giving you cell phones so you can call if you’d rather be picked up on your way back. Each room is named after a different Caribbean island and is simply decorated in lots of white. There are no TVs, phones, or much else to distract you from completely unplugging. P.S. People rave about Xavier, the young Spanish chef at the on-site restaurant.