How to Travel With a Group

Traveling with a group of people--whether it’s with several friends, or on a pre-packaged tour group--can be remarkably satisfying, but can also be a world of frustration when things aren’t clicking. By planning ahead, being flexible and trying to take everyone’s needs into consideration, you’ll greatly improve the chances of a rewarding journey for everyone.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. If you’re involved in planning the trip, try to find out the preferences of your group members in advance through a short informal questionnaire. This will avoid your ending up dining at a steakhouse with four vegetarians on hand, or going to a Broadway musical with a bunch of sports fans.
2. Come up with a fair system before the trip begins in such possible areas as driving responsibilities, who gets what room at a lodging, who sits where on a van or bus and other like matters. While these might seem like minor details, they’re important to some people and it’s best to have any conflicts before you’re on the road.
3. Look into discounts if your trip isn’t an already pre-arranged package. Some lodgings might consider giving a third night free on a long weekend stay for a group, or perhaps one room free if you’re filling several others. It can’t hurt to ask, especially during the off-season.
4. The "golden rule" goes a long way when traveling with a group, treating others the same way you’d like them to treat you. So don’t chat too loud when someone nearby is sleeping, talk about rude things when folks are dining, or other minor irritations.
5. Bring along some group activities for long drives or lodgings that might not have much to do. Cards and poker chips can be fun, travel versions of popular board games, or even a Frisbee for an active set of travelers.
6. Be organized! If you’re traveling through different countries, have your passport handy, for example. And you don’t want to be the weak link holding up a group of twenty as you search through your wallet for money to enter a museum.
7. Respect other people’s privacy, and don’t be afraid to seek some of your own "alone time" as well. Even family members and close friends can experience a little too much togetherness on a trip together, so don’t hesitate to go off on your own for a dinner or movie, and respect others that do the same.

Tips & Warnings

• You won’t know if "group travel" is for you and your traveling companions or not until you try it; as Mark Twain once said, “I have found out there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”