RLT vs. a Summer Travel Company: What's Actually Different
TL;DR
RLT is a teen travel and service program for students completing grades 6 to 12. We have been running trips since 1991. Our office team works year-round from Chicago, and our Trip Leaders are seasonal staff who are hired, screened, and trained before the summer.
Every Trip Leader is required to complete RLT’s 10-day in-house staff training, hold Wilderness First Responder certification with CPR and AED, complete American Red Cross Lifeguard or equivalent training, receive Mental Health First Aid training, and pass a background check including driving record verification.
RLT is accredited by the American Camp Association. Our trips are built around small groups, shared responsibility, service, time outside, and travel without personal devices during the program. Accommodations vary by trip, so families should read each of our trip pages carefully.
This post is for families comparing RLT with a general travel or tour company. Both can run good trips. They are not always built for the same kind of experience.
How to read this post
We are not naming specific competitors here.
That is not the point.
The better question is: what kind of experience is your teen signing up for?
Some programs are built like tours. Students see a lot, move often, stay fairly comfortable, and come home with a long list of places they visited.
RLT is different. We build trips around service, outdoor challenge, shared group living, and time away from phones. Students help cook, clean, travel, serve, and take care of the group.
That is not better for every teen. It is better for the teen who is ready for this kind of program.
1. Who the trip is built for
RLT works with teenagers.
Our trips are designed for students completing grades 6 to 12. That matters because teens need a different kind of structure than adults or family travelers.
They need leaders who understand homesickness, group dynamics, conflict, independence, anxiety, confidence, and the awkward first days of a new group.
They also need a trip rhythm that makes sense for their age. Not every hour scheduled. Not every moment made easy. Enough structure to feel held, and enough responsibility to feel real.
On an RLT trip, students are not just passengers. They help prepare meals. They clean up. They take care of shared gear. They work with community partners. They travel without personal devices during the program. They learn how to be part of a group when no one can disappear into a phone.
A general tour company may offer a strong travel experience. RLT is built specifically for teens.
2. Accreditation
RLT is accredited by the American Camp Association.
ACA accreditation means we have chosen to be reviewed against outside standards for youth programs. That review includes areas like health, safety, staffing, risk management, transportation, and emergency planning.
That matters because parents should not have to rely only on what a program says about itself.
When you are comparing programs, ask:
Are you accredited by an outside organization that reviews youth safety and operations?
If the answer is yes, ask what the accreditation actually reviews.
If the answer is no, ask how the program evaluates its own standards.
3. Staffing
This is the part we want to say clearly.
Our office team is full-time and year-round. They work with families before the summer, support trips while they are in the field, and debrief once students return.
Our Trip Leaders are seasonal staff. They are hired, screened, and trained for the summer.
Seasonal does not mean casual. It means there is a clear hiring and training cycle before leaders ever meet students in the field.
To lead an RLT trip, leaders are required to:
- Attend a 10-day in-house staff training
- Obtain a minimum of 80 hours of wilderness medicine training through Wilderness First Responder certification, including CPR and AED training
- Complete American Red Cross Lifeguard or equivalent training
- Receive Mental Health First Aid training
- Pass a comprehensive background check, including driving record verification
The training is worth asking any program about.
Not just, “Are your leaders qualified?”
Ask:
- How long is staff training?
- Is it in person?
- Who teaches it?
- What medical certifications are required?
- Are leaders background checked?
- Are driving records checked?
- Who supports leaders while trips are running?
Those details tell you a lot.
4. Service that starts with the partner
RLT service work is community-driven.
That means projects are defined and directed by the communities and partners we work with. We only go where help is wanted, and where both people and place can benefit from our presence.
The work changes by destination, partner, season, and actual need.
Sometimes students help with trail work. Sometimes they support animal care. Sometimes they work on construction, conservation, food systems, public health outreach, or language practice.
The work is not chosen because it photographs well.
Some of it is repetitive. Some of it is muddy. Some of it takes a few days before a student understands why it matters.
That is part of service.
Students are not there to perform usefulness. They are there to listen, work, and contribute to something already in motion.
When you are comparing programs, ask:
Who decides what the service project is: the program, or the local partner?
5. Length and pacing
RLT trips vary in length. Some are one week. Most are about two weeks. Some are longer.
Trip length changes the rhythm.
On a shorter trip, students get a clear introduction to group travel, service, and outdoor adventure.
On a two-week trip, the group has more time to settle in. Students learn the routines. They move past the first few awkward days. Cook crews get smoother. Tents go up faster. The group starts to understand how to travel together.
On a longer trip, students have more time with the people and places they are visiting.
Longer is not automatically better. Maine can be a strong first RLT experience because it is shorter. A high school student who is ready for more time away may be a better fit for a longer international or wilderness-based program.
This is why we talk with families before enrollment.
The right trip depends on your teen’s age, readiness, travel history, comfort with the outdoors, and what they are hoping to do.
6. What RLT is, and what it is not
RLT is active, structured, and group-based.
Students help cook and clean. They carry their own gear. They live with a small group of peers. They are away from their phones during the program. Some trips include tent camping. Others use private housing, hostels, hotels, yurts, cabins, or a mix.
Bathrooms and showers vary by trip. On RLT programs, students generally have access to showers every 3 to 4 days, even when showers are available more often, because we are often conserving time and water in the places we travel.
RLT is not a luxury tour.
It is also not a race through landmarks.
We would rather students spend real time in fewer places than hurry through a long checklist. That might mean several days with one service partner, a slower pace in one region, or a trip that lets students understand the place beyond the photo stop.
This is important to say plainly: RLT is not the right fit for every teen.
A student who wants daily hotel comfort, constant phone access, or a sightseeing-first trip may be happier with another program.
We will say that on a call. Fit matters more than filling a spot.
How to talk to your teen about this
Before an RLT trip, you might say:
“You’ll be traveling with a small group of teens. You’ll be off your phone during the program. You’ll help cook, clean, and take care of shared spaces. Some days will be full. Some lodging may be simple. You’ll also do things most people your age don’t get to do: work with a community partner, hike, paddle, climb, serve, or live in a place long enough to understand it better.”
Before choosing any program, ask:
- Who is this trip built for?
- Who trains the leaders?
- What does a normal day look like?
- How much service is there?
- Who chose the service project?
- What are the accommodations really like?
- What happens if my teen is homesick, sick, anxious, or struggling socially?
- What does the program not do?
The last question is one of the most useful.
FAQ
Q: Is RLT cheaper or more expensive than a travel company?
A: It depends on the trip you are comparing. RLT tuition varies by destination, length, activities, lodging, partners, and logistics. Each of our trip pages lists tuition and what is included. We are not trying to be the cheapest option. We are trying to be clear about what the program includes and whether it is the right fit.
Q: Does RLT run international trips?
A: Yes. RLT runs domestic and international programs. Current destinations and trip lengths are listed in the trip catalog.
Q: Can my teen help choose the destination?
A: Yes. We encourage families to choose the trip together. Your teen’s interests matter, but so do age, readiness, physical demands, comfort with travel, and lodging style.
Q: What if my teen is not outdoorsy?
A: Not every RLT trip has the same level of outdoor challenge. Some trips are more service-based, cultural, or mixed. We can talk through options based on your teen’s comfort level and what kind of experience they are ready for.
Q: What if my teen wants more comfort?
A: Tell us that. Some RLT trips are more rustic than others. Some include more camping. Others use shared housing, hostels, hotels, or a mix. We would rather help you choose carefully than have your teen surprised by the setup.
Q: Does RLT have a college-application track?
A: No. Students may come home with experiences they later write about, but we do not build trips around college applications. The focus is the actual trip: service, travel, challenge, group living, and time in the field.
Q: How do I pick between RLT and another program?
A: Call both. Ask about staffing, accreditation, service partners, accommodations, phone policy, emergency planning, and what the program expects from students. Listen for specifics. A good program should be able to answer clearly.
Talk with us
If you are weighing options, schedule a call and ask the questions you actually want answered.
We can talk through the trip, the lodging, the service work, the phone policy, the physical demands, and whether RLT is the right fit for your teen.