Traveling with grumpy, hard-to-please teenagers is no fun. Sometimes it's difficult to figure out exactly what they might like in a vacation, but I think Marco Island, Florida has it covered. Your teenagers will keep busy and entertained here so that you can enjoy your family vacation!

Teenagers love the beach, and they will be absolutely blown away by the postcard beauty of Marco Island. The sand is white and the water is a crystal clear bluish-green. They love walking on the beach, sunning, swimming, snorkeling, playing Frisbee, or joining in a friendly game of volleyball with other teens.

Your kids can ride jet skis, go parasailing, tubing, surfing, wakeboarding, or kneeboarding. Or they can try some exciting kite boarding, which is like water skiing without all the work. A boat will tow them across the water, then they'll lift gradually into the air. This is something they can tell their friends about!

If your teens are into sports, several local parks have basketball courts. The Collier County Racquet Club has lighted grass and clay tennis courts, along with racquetball courts. Also, there's a skate park at the local YMCA. Several golf courses in the area will provide an enjoyable round in beautiful surroundings.

If your kids love fishing, this is the place for it! Fishing from the piers, the beach, in the canals, or in the bays will produce redfish, snook, trout, whiting, flounder, or even a huge tarpon. Send them out on a charter boat to fish the depths for grouper, snapper, amberjack, and sharks.

When my girls were teens, they were fascinated with dolphins and manatees. If your kids love these sea mammals, too, book them a cruise on a manatee and dolphin adventure.  They can also take guided tours in canoes, kayaks, or wave runners to explore the backwater, where they'll see the creatures up close.

If your teens are old enough to drive and do some exploring on their own, they can rent bikes or mopeds at area rental outfits. They'll enjoy the freedom of discovering their own corner of paradise!

If you're stuck inside with the kids on a rainy day, drop them off at Marco Movie or Marco Island Theater for a meal and a movie. Yep, I said meal--not just popcorn and candy, but real food!

Most teenagers love to shop and cruise the malls. Take them to the Town Center Mall or to the Esplanade Shoppes to check out the latest chic fashions. They might also enjoy the trendy items at area surf shops. My girls just loved all the neat stuff at these retailers!

The whole family, picky teens included, will enjoy a thrilling ride on an air boat. The boats are large enough for the whole crew. As you float through the grass prairies, mangrove forests, hammocks,  and swampy wetlands, there's no telling what kind of critters you might encounter: deer, alligators, raccoons, manatees, and all kinds of birds. Maybe you'll even catch a glimpse of a black bear or a Florida panther!

The Marco Island YMCA has special programs for teens, including dances and socials, where your kids can meet and interact with others their age. This would be another great activity for a rainy day.

Marco Island has so much your kids will be interested in, you'll never hear those terrible words: "I'm bored." After a couple of days on the island, your teenagers are sure to decide that Marco is "way cool."

This guide to a teenage-friendly vacation was brought to you by Holle Abee

There is so much more to family vacations than worshipping at the shrine of Mickey.  And after you tell the teens that, and after they have stormed off and slammed the door, and after you have hauled them back out to the table, remind them that surfing, sailing, shopping, and flirting are all available to them on Marco Island.  And then book a holiday home big enough so that you can't hear the bedroom door slam on your vacation.