Planning a trip can be exhausting and even more so when you are traveling with friends. Especially when it’s a group of friends that have never met. Multiple personalities and making sure that everyone gets along were a few of the thoughts that crossed my mind. Then there was the final thought, am I going to be able to pull this off. The key thing with planning a trip is to be patience. You can plan a trip until your heart is content but that doesn’t mean that everything will go as planned.
Here are some tips on having a successful friends trip:
BUDGET
Do you have the same budget? Everyone is not going to have the same budget. Before you even start to plan the trip, you should discuss what the overall budget is. With this trip I wanted to do two days at the park, others only wanted to do one due to their budget. Be flexible and don’t pressure others to do the things that are not with in their budget.
Do you share the same budget for different things? Some people prefer expensive hotels, fancy restaurants. Discuss each person individual taste. On a recent trip my friends learned that I only like hotels where the comforter and sheets are white. It’s easier to spot things that way! Others prefer to cook meals on trips at which a room with a kitchen would need to be added to the budget. All these things matter and should be discussed prior to planning.
BOOKING RESERVATIONS
Who will be responsible for making the reservations? This is a tricky one. Have you ever watched a trip fall apart because individuals did not make their own reservations and did not let anyone know? It can be disappointing. Planning a trip takes a lot of time and organization. So, if you don’t have the patience, do not offer to plan the trip. In the past I would plan the entire trip, then I became burned out by people that would cancel at the last minute. Not only would I then have to make up the difference on group activities that were planned based on numbers, but I would also be bummed because I wanted everyone to come. But hey things happen; we can’t control everything.
Here’s what I’ve learned from booking reservations:
- Have one joint non-refundable reservation so that the parties involved are committed to the trip. If for some reason they cannot go, they understood ahead of time that the reservation was non-refundable. i.e.: Car rentals and Air BnBs.
- If it’s booking reservation for hotels or theme park tickets like on this trip, put some responsibility on each person/couple. Provide the information but it is their responsibility to book.
- Provide deadline dates for reservations or payments and don’t be afraid to send out reminders.
FITNESS LEVEL
This may not have even crossed your mind while planning a trip but let’s be honest, everyone is just not at the same physical fitness. When planning a trip think of everyone’s fitness levels and be willing to make adjustments. On this trip, weeks before the trip my friend found out she was pregnant. While she still wanted to attend the trip, adjustments were needed. Or you may have a friend that has asthma, hiking up the side of the Grand Canyon may not be the best idea. Take all of this into consideration when planning.
Overall, if you are planning a friends trip that must means you enjoy your friends company. It can be overwhelming, but the memories last a lifetime, SO ENJOY!
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