How to Plan Group Travel
Storytime!
So I am an August baby. You might wonder what that has to do with anything, but I will tell you, during August I am an enhanced way-to-much version of myself. I’m hyper, extra-theatrical, over-the-top, and loud. I could also be considered petty and a little entitled during this temporary lapse in reason. I call this time “Act up season” and you will occasionally hear me screeching this at random times through-out a typical August day—particularly before I do, plan, or say something exciting, extra, or somewhat annoying. Keeping this character change in mind—last year I decided for my twentieth birthday I was going to do something I have never done before. I took a trip with my friends, without any parents for four days in Chicago. (While I was planning this trip I was singing Trena Vega’s song Chicago from victorious, look it up and your welcome) It was the best of times—it was the stressed of times, especially with some of the surprises (not fun surprises) we had along the way. I had a lot of eye-opening experiences planning this trip, so I wanted to share my findings with you.
Travel is an experience that broadens your perspective on the world, and the world’s cultures. It is an opportunity to relax, branch out of your comfort zone, party, or bond with some of your friends and family. While this experience can be rewarding on many fronts—it can also be stressful and draining, especially if you did not plan thoroughly enough or did not choose the right travel buddies. To get some helpful tips about group travel, keep reading.
PLAN AHEAD
The first tip should be obvious, but while many know not to procrastinate, it is still a big part of our human experience. Do not plan any group trip last minute, especially if it is a group of more than two people. Avoid last minute travel buddies that will cause you to be scrambling for last minute reservations.They normally shake up your plans at least a little and can cause more issues when they try to add their two cents to the already approved itinerary. It is best to plan your trip months in advance, selecting your location, the place you will be staying, and the activities you will be doing. The earlier you cement these concepts, the smoother the reservations and payment goes. Plus, the earlier you have your trip planned, the earlier you can place your reservations and the cheaper it will be. Everyone loves to save money right?
MAKE SURE THE ITENEARY IS ONE ALL CAN ENJOY
The next tip is one that you could accidentally overlook, especially when traveling with longtime friends. Either you balance all the plans of the trip to cater to each person’s interests, or choose like-minded travel buddies. If you intend to do a lot of hiking and wandering, find other wanderers. If you intend to do a lot of food sampling, choose fellow foodies. If you intend to take a lot of pictures, choose fellow photographers. If you plan on visiting museums and studying the culture, choose fellow history and culture nerds. Not doing this while you plan your trip will only leave everyone dissatisfied and grumpy when the trip ends. Everyone goes on a trip with a goal, whether they realize it or not. Outlining these goals early and planning activities to meet those goals will result in a very happy group of travelers when the trip is done. Addtionally, when planning a trip, make a loose itinerary. This eliminates the usual “But I want to do this and he wants to do that and she wants to go there”, argument while on the trip, and allows everyone to contribute to the activities that occur. The arguing of activities to do on the trip spends up time you could be using to do fun things. No one is telling you have to follow the itinerary rigidly, but it at least gives you an idea for what to do that day. Besides, an itinerary also helps you budget because you can research the price of the activities you want to do.
GET THE MONEY DETAILS NAILED DOWN
Money is like a prized ingredient that you do not want to add to much of to anything. When mixed with friendship, it can easily turn into a terrible recipe. An American proverb says, “Before borrowing money from a friend, decide which you need most.” While it may not result in you losing some friends, it is unwise to lend money or have a collective money fund for the trip. While making reservations, if one person puts it on their card, make sure everyone has forked over the proper amount for it. Don’t travel with people in debt to you, or people you are in debt to. Finish the money business before you depart. At the very least it causes tension and can ruin the fun of the trip. Also it is best to do all financial planning for the trip together so that everyone knows the amount they need to save for the trip— and make sure everyone has the amount before leaving.
PLAN FOR SURPRISES (THEY ARE HARLDY EVER THE GOOD ONES)
The last recommendation for a successful trip is planning for contingencies. Any “oops I forgot” moments, or “there is an extra fee for…” moments will not cause stress if you planned for them. The more money you have set aside for this is the more prepared you are for them. Often while the trip to the desired location goes smoothly and the trip itself is fun, the trip home can result in a lot of surprise costs, or time sucking requirements. Be sure to fortify your mind against irritability about these not-so-fun surprises by getting ample sleep especially before the trip home.
I have a couple good stories about this lovely trip to Chicago! Let me know if you want to read them! Also, share any tips or stories of your travels in the comments! I would love to read them!
