This Outward Bound course guides youth from adolescence to adulthood, empowering them with family support every step of the way.
Families come in all shapes and sizes, and we’ve designed this course to foster connection between a young person and a trusted adult in their life. Whether the pairing is parent-child, grandparent-grandchild, aunts, uncles, or otherwise, taking this four-day course together provides a unique opportunity for youth and an adult who cares for them to deepen their appreciation and support for one another. As you tackle challenging backcountry activities like canoeing and navigating the Florida Everglades, the experiences and memories you share will forge a deeper connection that will extend well beyond the course.
Please note this course is built for youth-adult pairs to enroll together. Each participant must complete an application. We cannot accommodate individual enrollments or families of three or more. The cost is listed per participant.
Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
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Course # NEFC-2511
Age
12 and up
Days
4
Cost
$1,650
Dates 12/31/2025 - 1/3/2026
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APPLY NOW
This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
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For detailed information on course availability statuses and what they mean,
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Thank you for your interest in Outward Bound!
This course starts within the next week. Please call us at 866-467-7651 to assess the possibility of applying for this course!
APPLY NOW This means a course has several open spots and is actively processing applications.
APPLY NOW – Almost Full This means there are three or fewer currently available spots left on a course. To secure your spot click Apply Now to begin an application!
JOIN WAITLIST Once a course has reached capacity, three waitlist positions become available. To join a course’s waitlist, click “Join Waitlist” to begin the application process. A $500 deposit is required. This $500 deposit includes a $150 non-refundable application fee and a $350 tuition payment. The $350 tuition payment is refundable only if you cancel your waitlist application or if an open position does not become available. If a position does become available, the applicant will be applied to the open position and the Application and Cancellation Policies of the Regional Outward Bound School will be followed, including forfeiture of the $500 deposit if you cancel 90 days or less prior to the course start date.
Waitlist applicants are encouraged to complete all required admissions documents while awaiting an open position. Positions may become available up to two weeks prior to the course start date. Applicants may only apply to one course. We recommend applying to a course with open positions instead of a course that is accepting waitlist applications. If you have questions, please call 866-467-7651 to speak with one of our Admissions Advisors.
CALL TO APPLY This means a course is very close to its start date. Although it is unlikely to secure a spot this late, you can call the National Admissions office at 866-467-7651 to discuss your options.
COURSE IS FULL When a course has reached maximum capacity, meaning all spots and the three waitlist spots are occupied, a course will read “Course Is Full.” This means applications are no longer being accepted.
CLOSED As a course nears its start date, the availability status may read “Closed.” In this event, a course roster has been finalized and applications are no longer being accepted or processed.
Sample Itinerary
DAY1
Course start, load boats, learn paddle and rescue skills. Begin expedition.
DAY2
Canoe expedition: navigation skills and reading tidal charts and flow
DAY3
Canoe expedition: island beach camping, Everglades natural history lesson, family reflection activity (duo)
DAY4
Final expedition back to land, course end ceremony, transportation to the airport
The aspect of Outward Bound called Duo is one of the most important personal events on the trip. For 24 uninterrupted hours, my teenage son and I talked about life, relationships, sports, anything that came to our minds. The Duo brought each parent closer to their child than ever before. Years later, both Ryan and I still think back on that time.
Outward Bound Family expeditions are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to experience the great outdoors with the people you love. These eye-opening adventures provide a new and exciting place to bond as a family, improve communication, and cultivate a shared sense of natural wonder as you explore some of the nation’s most pristine wilderness areas together.
Build skills, form connections: Learn, practice and refine expedition and personal skills. Faced with demanding natural challenges, discover the strength within each family member – but also the power of working together.
Value strengths and strengthen values: Learn to incorporate Outward Bound values into everyday life by pushing your own limits and seeking challenge as an opportunity for personal growth – as individuals and as a family unit.
Demonstrate mastery: As the course nears the end, Instructors transfer leadership responsibilities to crewmembers so they may apply skills, make group decisions and celebrate successes as a family.
What you’ll learn: Return home with wilderness skills, conflict resolution strategies, compassion for others, and the ability to work together as a highly-functioning, collaborative family unit.
During this course, family pairs will embark on a unique adventure, paddling together through lush mangrove tunnels in a land of contrasts: where tropical and semi-tropical climates, land and sea, and salt and freshwater meet. Each day, participants will navigate waterways in tandem (two-person) canoes, requiring effective teamwork and communication between parent and child. Crews will learn marine expedition risk-assessment and management, marine route planning and navigation, paddle strokes, canoe-based rescues, equipment use and how to work with a paddling partner.
Near the end of the families course, students will participate in an adapted version of the Outward Bound Solo experience called Duo. Parent and child duos will separate from their crew to be alone together for a period of time, generally overnight. During this time, Instructors assign each duo with their own individual campsite within a designated area. These areas are both secluded and within hearing distance of other group members and Instructors to preserve safety protocols. Students will be given all necessary gear, food, water, and skills to complete this part of the course. They will also know the location of their Instructors’ campsite should they need to contact them for any reason. Instructors will be monitoring students closely during this time and the Duo will last no longer than 24 hours. This experience is a great opportunity for families to relax, recharge, connect and reflect on their course after long days of strenuous group activities.
Service is an integral part of every Outward Bound course, allowing students to experience a deeper relationship with the environment and local communities. Participants follow Leave No Trace ethics as service to the environment and do acts of service while leading and supporting fellow participants. As students develop a value of service, they transfer this desire to serve their communities back home.
Acquire a taste for adventure on this condensed Outward Bound experience. Students are reminded of their connection to nature and leave feeling inspired to take on new challenges. Through these compact 4-day experiences, students become comfortable living and working together in the wilderness while practicing the Four Pillars of Outward Bound: craftsmanship, self-reliance, physical fitness and compassion. Participants create a solid foundation of skills that they can build upon once they return home.
The Florida Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and the third-largest national park in the lower 48 states. The aquatic preserve is home to an array of wild creatures and exotic plant life. More than 350 species of birds, 300 species of fresh and saltwater fish, 40 species of mammals, and 50 reptile species live within it. Because of this, it is one of only three locations in the world that is considered as an International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and a World Heritage Site.
This course area is in a subtropical region, with a 12-month growing season. The Florida peninsula is believed to be the last part of the continental United States to rise from the ocean, making it the youngest region geologically and only Alaska can claim a longer shoreline. The Everglades are mild and pleasant from December through April, with low humidity and clear skies. Temperatures reach average highs of 88 degrees and lows of 54 degrees. Strong cold fronts may occasionally create near-freezing conditions, but such events are rare in this subtropical climate. These regions are the ancestral lands of the Calusa, Miccosukee, and Seminole nations.
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Course Stories
Years later, both Ryan and I still think back on that time.
The aspect of Outward Bound called Duo is one of the most important personal events on the trip. For 24 uninterrupted hours, my teenage son and I talked about life, relationships, sports, anything that came to our minds. The Duo brought each parent closer to their child than ever before. Years later, both Ryan and I still think back on that time.
If you are ready to enroll on a course click the enroll button next to the course you wish to select or you can enroll over the phone by speaking with one of our Admissions Advisors (toll-free) at 866-467-7651.
To secure your spot on a course you must submit an enrollment form and $500 deposit that is applied toward the total cost of the course and includes a $150 non-refundable enrollment processing fee.