Mom, can my friends sleep over? Dad, can I borrow the car? Mom, can I take a trip to a foreign country without you or dad? That last question may surprise a few parents this year as their high-school teens seek out what has traditionally been an adventure for college-aged students. Should you even consider it?

Most parents think of a decadent, MTV-style beach party, where all rules are off. But, travel industry statistics say otherwise. Travel to traditional spring-break hot spots is down nearly 50% from ten years ago.

If you’re considering allowing your child to travel, make sure you know who will be supervising, or consider going as a chaperone yourself. Teens still require adult assistance for hotel check-in, in case of emergency, or just to monitor activities. Establish rules for checking in with chaperones, and have your teen prepare an itinerary so you’ll know where they are at all times. Be realistic about the maturity level of your teen and the level of responsibility they can handle. If you’re not comfortable with your child traveling on his or her own, don’t allow them to go.

Surprisingly, there are some meaningful alternatives to a spring-break beach week that combine fun with volunteering, touring historical places, or other educational activities. Tours that combine vacation and community service are offered by several national organizations for socially aware teens. For example, Habitat for Humanity organizes trips for kids aged 16 and up where they and their adult chaperones, spend a week building houses for the underprivileged in locations all over the country.

With college and university admissions committees looking beyond grades on a transcript, these outreach experiences also can provide a way for an applicant to stand apart from the crowd. For more trip ideas, check sites like rusticpathways.com and crossculturalsolutions.org or check with your child’s school.