This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Lindsay Daneen. Find her on Instagram at @_lindsay_daneen. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love friend vacations. Vacationing with your partner is obviously amazing. That goes without saying. But I’m telling you, those friend vacations are truly some of the most fun you’ll ever have in life. However, unlike with your partner, it can be difficult to decide on the best place to visit and determine whether it offers what everyone is looking for. Finding a location that satisfies all the different personalities and individual needs of your group can be taxing and ultimately lead to the trip idea never leaving the group chat. But speaking as a person who has had multiple friend trips successfully turn into reality, this guide will tell you how to finally raise that vacation group chat from the ashes of unmet resolutions and expectations. And it all starts with choosing the perfect friend group vacation spots.
First Thing’s First
Like I said before, finding the best friend group vacation spots can be daunting. But it does not have to be. The most important thing to do before you choose the location is to be honest about who you are traveling with. Does your friend group consist of adventurous spirits who can’t sit still for too long? Or are they the group who enjoys nature in controlled settings while sipping on expensive wine? Are they hikers, beach bums, or museum enthusiasts? These are the first questions you should be asking yourself. You should be clear on whether they like to sleep late or wake up early or if they like to try new cuisine or eat chicken tenders and burgers when traveling. This will help you narrow down the location options before you even bring up the topic to your friends.
Group Size
It’s crucial to consider the size of your group. The biggest friend group (outside of a bachelorette trip) that I have attended consisted of three people including myself. Honestly, the smaller groups make things so much easier. So be mindful that you’re going to have your work cut out for you if you’re planning a trip for fifteen people versus five. Nonetheless, regardless of group size just be mindful of what you’re getting yourself into before you even start the location-choosing process.
The Fun Part
After you figure out the logistics like group size and preferences, it’s time to offer your suggestions. This is the fun part. But be ready for the influx of excited or frantic group chat messages that will follow. I’d suggest that if your group is a beach group ask more detailed questions like, “Do we want to incorporate water sports?” You can ask, “Do we want a lively beach vibe, or do we want a calmer beach experience?” This could be the difference between traveling to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, or Formentera, Spain. Do you want to walk around topless in Spain or be more conservative in the Maldives? My point is that even general descriptors like “the beach” require some digging so that everyone’s expectations are met.
Be Willing to Compromise
You must be willing to compromise. Remember that you’re all spending your hard-earned money and valuable time on this trip. You all deserve to enjoy the trip. So that may require you to be a little flexible. When suggesting a location pay attention as to whether the place offers activities that are suitable for all of you. For example, I hate museums. They are not my idea of a vacation. However, I do love the beach. If my friend wanted to take a trip to Paris to visit the Louvre, I might suggest we simply add the South of France as another leg of the trip. Or if you like to party until the sun comes up, maybe choose a location that allows you to party at night but relax during the day. Just leverage your options.
Accommodations
This can be a sensitive topic. Understandably people are very particular about where they lay their heads at night. If your friends like the Ritz-Carlton, please, I’m begging you, do not set yourself up for them to hurt your feelings by suggesting a location that is famous for hostels. It will not go over well. You will be shut down, possibly risking the entire vacation conversation. Also, does your group love to experience new cultures? Or do they like to relax on a resort with endless pizza and ice cream? This is a major consideration as well. Once again, know your group and move accordingly.
Budget
This is even touchier than the accommodations conversation. I am emphasizing that you are traveling as a group. This means that you need to be on the same page about money and spending expectations. Choosing the best place means being aware of each person’s limits when it comes to their finances. Discuss this beforehand. Ibiza in July or August may not be the best location if one or two of the people in your group are between jobs or in the middle of making a separate major purchase. Consider less expensive locations like Cuba or Thailand. No one is saying that you can’t ball out on your own. But try not to choose a location that will put your friend(s) in a financially compromising and awkward position. It’s supposed to be fun for everyone, remember?
Think Outside The Box
I’m personally a huge fan of going to places that I don’t hear about very often. I like the unrated and underrated vacation spots. I’ve found that there is so much more to being from the East Coast of the United States than traveling to Jamaica and the Bahamas. Don’t get me wrong though! Both places are on my travel bucket list. But you’d be surprised about how many places you don’t typically hear about that may meet your group’s needs. So, when considering where to travel with your friends, throw in a random town or island off the coast of a major country if it checks all your travel boxes.
Trends
Have you seen that trend where a group of friends put their most desired vacation location options in a bowl or hat and eliminate them one by one until they reach the final location? If you haven’t, it’s entertaining to watch. The final location that’s left is where they have to go. It seems super fun and you can make an event out of it if you’d like! Just know that utilizing social media trends such as this can be a great way to narrow down locations too! There’s more than one way to reach the same goal and have fun while doing it.
There you have it! Choosing the best friend group vacation spots is not for the weak. It can require a lot of patience, negotiating, and going back to the drawing board. But I can’t express how worth it it’ll be in the end. The main piece of advice I would reiterate is that you must know your friend group. There are 193 countries in the entire world and countless cities and towns between them all. I guarantee the perfect friend vacation spot awaits. So go breathe life back into that dead vacation group chat and live it up! I believe in you!
How do you and your friends decide on your group vacation spots? Comment below and share your strategies!
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