Tuesday, April 22, 2008

How To Plan A Group Vacation

Ever feel like you need a vacation? At the same time, do you feel you don't have enough time with the friends you care about the most? A friends getaway is the perfect solution to both problems. A vacation with friends lets you enjoy your time off and allows you to spend time with the people you never have enough time for.

Friends vacations come in a variety of flavors, from the girlfriend getaway to the couples vacation to what some people call the "mancation" but most people just call it a guys trip.

When planning your trip, you want to think first about who you want to invite, and that depends very much on what you want from the trip. If you ideal trip would be a golf vacation, it makes sense to invite your friends who golf. If you are a woman wishing for more time with her best friend, a just-the-two-of-you road trip might be just the ticket.

When deciding who to invite and deciding what type of vacation to take make sure you pick something that everyone will be interested in or pick a variety of activities so everyone going will be able to enjoy it. Of course, you also want to invite friends who get along, a long weekend gets even longer when you have to listen to people snipe and argue.

The destination does not have to be anything exotic and terribly expensive, though of course it can be. The mistake most people make in trying to book a friends trip is thinking that it has to be a cruise or a long ski trip and find out that some friends can't or don't want to spend that much time on the trip.

So when choosing a destination, make sure it is really a group decision. There are many travel sites on the internet that make this process easy for group vacationers and using email is a great way to connect everyone.

The basic issues that the group needs to agree on are where to go and how much it will cost. Getting a group to agree on all these issues can be a challenge but by knowing the elements of a group trip, you know what you need to discuss and what things (like activities at the destination) can be negotiated or even chosen once you reach your destination.

Group vacations are becoming very popular and many people find that it gives them the best of both worlds. For your next vacation, consider getting a group together, and give everyone a chance to suggest a destination. You might find yourself going somewhere you never dreamed of, and having the time of your life. Group vacations are also a great way to rejuvenate long time friendships and cement new ones.

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