Traveling with close friends or neighbors is a terrific way to make some wonderful memories that will last forever. Whether you decide to escape on a short weekend getaway or go on a vacation lasting a week or longer, here are a few tips and ideas to make your trip a memorable one. You might even kick off the idea with a neighborhood cookout.
Choose a group leader
Selecting a group leader to be in charge of coordinating the trip is a good idea, especially if you have more than a few people traveling together.
“That person would ask other travelers what their interests are so that everyone would be content,” says Lydia Villanueva-Soto, owner of Tan Travel in Oak Park, Illinois, who’s planned numerous group excursions, including snorkeling and ski trips and a trip to Chile for fraternity brothers and their wives.
“The leader also collects the money and deals with the hotel accommodations. Hotels do not want a lot of people calling them,” she notes.
Select a destination
Where will you choose to go? Will it be a wine-tasting tour of Napa Valley, a spa getaway with the girls, a lazy vacation on a pristine beach, or a weekend spent in bustling New York City? Want more ways to get to know your neighbors better? Click here.
Perhaps you’ll select a destination that’s a little more out of the ordinary.
How does a rafting trip down the Salmon River in Idaho sound? Or perhaps you and your friends would like to travel on a barge in France, canoe the Missouri River in Montana, or go mountain biking and hiking in Baja, California?
These types of trips are a wonderful way for friends and neighbors to bond with one another, says Peter Grubb, founder and president of Row Adventures, a Coeur D’Alene, Idaho-based travel adventure company that focuses on outdoor adventures for individuals of all ages.
“Because people are unplugged from their cell phones, there are no distractions and they can focus on who they’re with,” Grubb says. “They’re sharing a common activity, sharing the same excitement, and not trying to figure out what they’re going to do today,” Grubb adds.
Take advantage of travel discounts
Traveling together as a group means that you often can take advantage of numerous discounts.
Most airlines require a minimum of 10 people traveling together to get a discount, Villanueva-Soto says, and on buses, you usually need 15 people or more to get a discount. When it comes to hotels, you usually need to book 10 or more rooms to get a discount, Villanueva-Soto says.
In addition, many cruise lines frequently offer a lower per cabin rate than if a traveler were booking just a single cabin. And Amtrak offers its own discounts as well. On many — but not all Amtrak routes — for every 20 paying customers, groups may be eligible to receive discounts up to as much as 20 percent off. (Discover 5 ways to save $500 for that next trip.)
Travelers in larger groups can sometimes participate in pre-arranged dinners at hotels, and partake in other activities such as discounted spa treatments, horseback riding lessons, lower rate site-seeing tours, and other activities. These activities are frequently much cheaper than if purchased on an individual basis, Villanueva-Soto notes.
Plan a Group Trip
By Karen Schwartz
Traveling with close friends or neighbors is a terrific way to make some wonderful memories that will last forever. Whether you decide to escape on a short weekend getaway or go on a vacation lasting a week or longer, here are a few tips and ideas to make your trip a memorable one. You might even kick off the idea with a neighborhood cookout.
Choose a group leader
Selecting a group leader to be in charge of coordinating the trip is a good idea, especially if you have more than a few people traveling together.
“That person would ask other travelers what their interests are so that everyone would be content,” says Lydia Villanueva-Soto, owner of Tan Travel in Oak Park, Illinois, who’s planned numerous group excursions, including snorkeling and ski trips and a trip to Chile for fraternity brothers and their wives.
“The leader also collects the money and deals with the hotel accommodations. Hotels do not want a lot of people calling them,” she notes.
Select a destination
Where will you choose to go? Will it be a wine-tasting tour of Napa Valley, a spa getaway with the girls, a lazy vacation on a pristine beach, or a weekend spent in bustling New York City? Want more ways to get to know your neighbors better? Click here.
Perhaps you’ll select a destination that’s a little more out of the ordinary.
How does a rafting trip down the Salmon River in Idaho sound? Or perhaps you and your friends would like to travel on a barge in France, canoe the Missouri River in Montana, or go mountain biking and hiking in Baja, California?
These types of trips are a wonderful way for friends and neighbors to bond with one another, says Peter Grubb, founder and president of Row Adventures, a Coeur D’Alene, Idaho-based travel adventure company that focuses on outdoor adventures for individuals of all ages.
“Because people are unplugged from their cell phones, there are no distractions and they can focus on who they’re with,” Grubb says. “They’re sharing a common activity, sharing the same excitement, and not trying to figure out what they’re going to do today,” Grubb adds.
Take advantage of travel discounts
Traveling together as a group means that you often can take advantage of numerous discounts.
Most airlines require a minimum of 10 people traveling together to get a discount, Villanueva-Soto says, and on buses, you usually need 15 people or more to get a discount. When it comes to hotels, you usually need to book 10 or more rooms to get a discount, Villanueva-Soto says.
In addition, many cruise lines frequently offer a lower per cabin rate than if a traveler were booking just a single cabin. And Amtrak offers its own discounts as well. On many — but not all Amtrak routes — for every 20 paying customers, groups may be eligible to receive discounts up to as much as 20 percent off. (Discover 5 ways to save $500 for that next trip.)
Travelers in larger groups can sometimes participate in pre-arranged dinners at hotels, and partake in other activities such as discounted spa treatments, horseback riding lessons, lower rate site-seeing tours, and other activities. These activities are frequently much cheaper than if purchased on an individual basis, Villanueva-Soto notes.