Planning Group Trips

I just got back from a one-week trip to Ireland with 8 friends. This post is an overview of the things I’ve learned as the organizer.

Group trips are essential for keeping in touch with your friends after college. Life gets in the way, and the tough reality is you will see these people less and less. A once-a-year group trip strengthens these bonds, and you get to see some new places while doing it.

Goals

Your primary goal as the trip organizer is to set the agenda of the trip and take care of the trip logistics (accommodation, travel, activities, etc.). Focus on what you can control, and the rest will take care of itself. A well-planned trip with a group of friends is a recipe for having a good time.

It is important to know the group, their preferences, and their tolerance for unknowns. When the group is just guys, we typically organize little to nothing ahead of time, and we’re all okay with that. When the group includes +1s, we do more advanced planning. Knowing this and organizing accordingly will allow the group to feel confident in the plan.

Before the trip

• Start a group chat to coordinate
• Establish yourself as the trip organizer
• Book flights to lock in the trip dates; suggest arrival and departure times
• Start a Splitwise group to handle expenses
• Start a shared note with all the logistical details
• Book accommodation
• Book meals if the group size is large; try to have everyone sit at one table
• Pick one main activity per day and book if necessary
• Give regular updates to display progress to the group

During your trip

• Send a morning message to the group with the high-level schedule for the day
• Assign fun group roles to everyone: Head of Photography, Playlist Wizard, etc.
• Do a tasting menu of local snacks; cut them up for everyone to try
• Keep expense splitting simple—have one person pay and then split it evenly in Splitwise

Things to consider

• Build free time into the schedule
• Build in buffer time into daily timelines, as people will be late
• Each couple gets their own private room if the budget allows
• Make activities optional—not everyone wants to go on that boat trip
• Many restaurants want to offer a different and more expensive menu for large groups; it’s okay to sit at multiple tables to avoid this
• If renting cars, account for luggage and distance—if in doubt, get a bigger/additional one

If you have any other tips please reach out!