Why waste your holidays lazing around in bed all day when you can do so much more? Get out of your comfort zone and head out on an enlightening journey to experience new cultures and activities. While traveling solo is an eye-opener, traveling with friends has much more to offer.
Are you interested in the idea? Then start working towards planning the ideal vacation for you and your buddies. Spontaneous trips can be quite fun, but impulsively doing things is seldom rewarding when planning a long journey.
Imagine this: You didn’t estimate the right amount of budget for the trip. Now you and your friends end up with no cash, staying at an inadequate motel, and eating out of the vending machine. It isn’t a picture of an “ideal holiday.” Take control of your uncertain circumstances by planning an exciting excursion for you and your BFFs.
If you are confused about where to begin, here’s a list of six essential tips to give your thoughts a head-start:
1. Pick The Ideal Location
When traveling solo, you’re the only person making critical decisions during the vacation. However, when you add a handful of people to the mix, the terms of authority blur out a little. Every person has a say, and satisfying all is next to impossible. Therefore, a good tip is to pick a location that offers a variety of activities that can delight different types of people.
According to Property Management, 80% of people want to travel to a cabin for holidays post-Covid-19. The rustic paradise offers a diverse range of recreational activities such as swimming, campfires, hiking, bird watching, stargazing, board gaming, and more.
When traveling with a massive group of friends, large cabins in pigeon forge, Tennessee, are the ideal place to relax for a while and later enjoy the immense activities the place has to offer.
2. Choose The Right Crowd
Almost everyone these days has a variety of friends; there are work friends, family friends, school friends, college friends, and several other types of friendships. Do you believe you are the same person in front of all these groups of people? No, right?
You might be able to do the goofiest thing in front of your school friends, but you will always be a little hesitant with work friends around.
Think about what type of person you want to be on the holiday you’re planning, and then invite the crowd that embraces that version of you the best. Holidays are all about letting go and exposing your true self. Without the right group by your side, you won’t be able to open up or enjoy your trip thoroughly.
3. Estimate A Budget
Planning activities on a cabin vacation in advance gives you a clear idea of how much money you should be carrying on the trip. These days no one likes holding cash in hand when traveling. However, finding an ATM that functions on the move is a risky business.
Therefore, it’s good to make a rough estimate of the basics – food, transport, accommodation, recreation, and more – and finalize the amount of money each person should bring on the trip.
It’s also wise to make a responsible friend in charge of the finances who then takes care of all expenditures and maintains a record to ensure the group doesn’t splurge. With a clear budget set, you and your friends can end up making great memories without drilling a hole in your wallets.
4. Delegate Roles And Responsibilities
Traveling with your BFFs is all fun and games until you are the only person carrying the weight of all crucial decisions. These may include checking in and checking out, recording finances, driving the car, waking everyone up on time, and more. Before starting the journey with a crowd, delegate roles so everyone can play a part in making the vacation successful.
Play to each person’s strengths and allot responsibilities they must cater to when on the trip. This way, one person isn’t burdened by carrying everyone’s weight, and all friends get a chance to enjoy the vacation fully.
5. Make Reservations Beforehand
Leaving things up to chance has seldom worked out for people traveling in groups; destiny isn’t always rewarding. Therefore, reserving hotel rooms or cabins, restaurant tables, show tickets, tour slots, and more in advance is the way to go.
It eliminates the anxiety of planning what to do or where to go next. Moreover, almost every ideal vacation spot is jam-packed with tourists during the holiday season. If you don’t make bookings in advance, you all might end up waiting in long lines to eat at a famous restaurant, sleeping uncomfortably on bunk beds, and paying unnecessarily high for a service that is in demand.
6. Communicate And Listen
You might be traveling with your BFFs, but that doesn’t mean you won’t end up being irritated with them. According to a health blog, people form casual friendships in 40 – 60 hours; the bond strengthens when the timeline reaches 80 – 100 hours. Individuals end up becoming best friends in approximately 200 hours spent together.
However, social theories state that the more time you spend with someone, the more annoyances grow. While on vacation, friends tend to get annoyed with each other after a while.
To avoid conflicts, you should keep your mind and heart open towards your friends. Passive-aggressive behavior or silent treatment never works when friends are traveling together. Listening actively and communicating is the key to resolving an issue before it boils over into a fight.
Conclusion
Traveling is all about pushing your bounds and making new experiences wholeheartedly. However, the lack of planning can introduce you to several bumps along the journey. Frequent hindrances can push your optimism over the edge and bring your motivation to a new low.
The key to having fun on a trip is bidding pessimism goodbye. It can only be possible if you have the basics planned out. Adventurous individuals might argue that spontaneity results in the best holiday memories.
That might be the case for some, but not for all. Most people like to plan ahead by making reservations, devising backups, and preparing for every possible circumstance. This planning does not guarantee a fruitful trip either, but it’s better to jump out of a plane with a lifejacket on than with no safety but hopes and prayers of falling onto a bed of roses. Happy vacation planning!
Read Also: