How to Plan a Group Vacation

Going on vacation with a group of people can be a lot of fun—whether that group is your family, some of your closest friends or simply others who share an interest in the destination. But group travel can also pose some unique difficulties, so it’s important that you plan carefully for a number of contingencies.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Set up a meeting. This is the time to talk about everyone’s expectations. If Aunt Sally absolutely must have time to snorkel, while Cousin Dave wants to tour a cheese factory, you’ll want to know those things while the trip is still in the planning stage.

2. Iron out the money ahead of time. There’s nothing like money to drive a wedge between even the closest of friends. Hammer out the financial details ahead of time, so there are no surprises. Will you split the cost of gas equally? When you dine out, does everyone pay for their own meal, or will you take turns buying?

3. Please as many people as you can. If you’re in charge of the activities, make sure everyone will enjoy at least one outing. The entire group won’t be enthused about shopping excursions, golf outings, wine tours and spa days, but surely everyone will find at least one of those options appealing.

4. Create a “no-pressure” atmosphere. Do your best to make sure everyone knows that all of the activities are optional. After all, it’s vacation. No one wants to be pressured into traipsing around an ancient ruin if she’d rather be sunning herself on the beach.

5. Keep everyone informed. As far in advance of the trip as possible, send out all details you’ve gathered about prices, activities and the schedule. Most people feel more secure knowing those details have been worked out so they can sit back, relax and enjoy the trip.

Tips & Warnings

• If an in-person meeting is out of the question, try to get the group together on a conference call. If that too is impossible, employ email so everyone gets a chance to contribute their thoughts and expectations regarding the trip.