Over the summer I was really lucky to go on two extended trips with big groups. One was a family vacation (with 11 people) and the other was with friends (30 people). While both were a ton of fun, I have to admit traveling with so many personalities can be a challenge.
At any given moment, there are variable hunger levels, energy levels, and agendas. Tensions sure can run high. And after trial and error, I learned that successful group dynamics are all about managing expectations.
With this in mind, here are 7 tips for a successful group trip.
1. Don’t expect everyone to be together all the time.
The idea of traveling in a pack is quite romantic yet somewhat unrealistic. So expect there to be times when you don’t all do the same thing. Expect this to be true more often than not. And don’t take it personally.
2. Do your homework in advance.
Learn about your destination before arriving. Find out what interesting things you could all get up to. And communicate. Get an idea from everyone what type of activities they definitely would like to engage in.
3. Make a schedule.
Plan ahead with specific activities people know to budget time, energy and patience for. Make dinner reservations. Book tours and/or lessons. Designate times for hikes, walks or dinners at home. And definitely, make a calendar that you send out to everyone so nobody is unaware of the schedule. You might not like the idea of a schedule on your vacation but I promise it is better for group dynamics. Also, expect that the schedule will sometimes be rearranged or completely ignored.
4. Anticipate Days where the group splits up into smaller groups.
What can be most difficult with group travel are the logistics of getting everyone to want to do the same thing at the same time. For example, expect and plan days where the sporty people go for a hike, the antsy people go into town to shop and let the ones who want to lounge around spend the day by the pool or on the beach.
Key to this tactic is making sure groups rotate so that everyone spends time together even if separately.
5. Designate “free timeâ€
‘Nuff said.
6. Transportation
Transportation is freedom. Making sure everyone has a way to get around and to do so in smaller groups is very important. So if you are ever wondering how many cars to rent, err on the side of too many.
7. Snacks
They always say, the biggest fights happen when you are hungry. So be prepared and have snacks on hand. That way if anyone’s blood sugar is getting low, they can pop a few peanuts and be much more agreeable.
Have you gone on a big group trip where things got difficult? How did you cope? Do you have any suggests on how to have a better experience?
