7 Tips for Traveling With a Group of Friends

Pick your companions wisely. If a person is fun to hang out with, this doesn't mean that they are a good travel companion. You will spend a lot of time with your friends during the trip, so you need to be absolutely sure you get along with them (and they all get along with each other). It is also important to choose people with similar interests, budgets and expectations. And you need to keep in mind that your group shouldn't be too large.

Discuss your budget. Budget is very important because money is quite a sensitive topic. The first thing you need to do (before even deciding on a destination) is discuss your budget range. It will make planning so much easier. It is important to find the balance between you travel expenses and the desired level of comfort.

Discuss your expectations. Are you interested in exploring tourist attractions, lying on the beach or shopping? Are you going to sleep in or get up early? How are you going to divide the time between group activities and doing things on your own? What if one of you meets someone during the trip and wants to spend the night with them? Such things need to be discussed in advance to avoid fights later. Make sure everyone has a chance to contribute.

Make sure everything participates in planning. Traveling with a group of friends makes planning a bit easier because you can divide responsibilities. However, you need a) to choose one person who will coordinate everything and b) make sure everyone is involved and no one feels left out. If your group is large enough, you should look for group discounts, they will help you save quite a lot of money. You should also check out trip planning services that will make planning easier.

Don't be afraid to split up. Traveling with a group of friends doesn't mean that you have to do absolutely everything together. If you can't agree on something, just split up and do what you want in smaller groups. There is nothing wrong with pursuing you interests. That is why your itinerary should be flexible enough, make sure it has room for spontaneity.

Communicate. Communication is vital. Don't be afraid to tell your friends if something bothers you and don't get mad if something bothers them. Traveling with a group of people is about compromise.

Have fun. Making sure that everything is perfect and everyone is having fun, don't forget to have fun yourself even if it means splitting from the group for a while. Treat small mishaps with humor and don't let them ruin your vacation.