I love going on group trips! Could be a girls trip to Vegas, a friends-cation or family trip – I love them all. But as anyone who has every been on a group vacation will tell you, they don’t always go smoothly! One of the key elements to a smooth group trip is picking the right group trip destination. I am pretty much always the ‘planner’ (a role I excel at in my opinion) on group vacations. I think that a lot of the stress / problems that often arise on group vacations can be mitigated by picking the right destination. Some destinations are better traveled solo, but some are ideal for groups. I think there are four major factors that can make a destination perfect for group trips and here are some of my favourite group trip destinations.

So what makes a good group trip destination?

Easy to navigate

The easier a place is to get around the better it is for group trips. That could mean renting a shared car or being able to walk everywhere. Difficult subways, train, plane or really any transfers tend to stress people out and in a group situation that doesn’t normally end well. I think it also helps if the destination is relatively close to an airport or another easy transport method that way if someone needs to leave a day early it does not deter from everyone else’s vacation. Generally with a group you’d want to pick one or two places and explore them well. Moving accommodations frequently becomes much harder and stressful with a group.

Variety and type of activities to do

Not everyone will always agree on what to do and it is nice to have a variety. People can either split up and do their own thing or you can switch it up day to day. It is also important to consider what type of activities are available – planning an intense hike with a group member who has never hiked before might not be the best idea. There are also certain types of activities that are more fun in groups. Museums are great, but can be over whelming in large groups.

Personally I like to pick destinations that will allow alot of flexibility in the days so that you can switch up what you do when if someone is really not feeling it (or is hung over). For example a group trip to the Louve has to be planned in advance and if someone is late or not feeling it they just have to suck it up. While a walk to a waterfall could be changed last minute without too much hassle and it doesn’t matter if you’re 30mins late to the waterfall. The easier the activities are to organize, get to and complete the less stressful it is to do as a group.

Good and large accommodation

Everything is easier when you don’t have 5 people sharing a bathroom or when everyone can have their own space. Having larger accommodation is not always an option based on price or location. Picking a destination with an abundance of low cost, large accommodations is a great plus! I really like booking places with kitchens for group trips. Cooking as a group is fun, but having some food at the accommodation also means your less likely to have to deal with any hangry group members!

A relatively cheap destination

This might be just my preference, but financial issues or disagreements are probably the most common stresses in a group trip. Traveling to a cheap destination just means that you are arguing about smaller amounts of money. People tend to care less and are more willing to compromise which creates a less stressful group trip!

The Best Group Trip Destinations

Bali, Indonesia

The accommodation in Bali is enough to put it on this list! There are more budget luxury villas designed for large groups than anywhere else in the world (ok I made that up, but would not doubt it). There are also a tons of activities perfect for groups, great restaurants and its cheap. It is also pretty westernized for an Asian destination which means that if there are people in your group who are not frequent travellers or have sensitive stomates it is unlikely to cause any culture shock or stresses.

The one disadvantage if Bali in my opinion is getting around the island. There is not a lot of public transport on the island so most people rent scooters to get around. While I normally enjoy scooters I found that the scooters were generally not in very good condition, the police tend to pull scooters over to try to get a bribe and the road / traffic conditions can be dangerous. In addition getting a group from one place to another with out losing one another can be difficult on scooters. Ubers are difficult because taxi drivers are known to attack / harass drivers, but taxi are expensive. Fortunately the island is pretty small so you can usually work out a way to get where you need to be.

Las Vegas, United States

Ah yes – the ultimate party destination. Bachelorette and bachelor parties rule the strip. It is a pretty obvious choice for a group trip, but for good reason. Vegas is easy to get around, you can walk pretty much everywhere. There is a ton of stuff to do for everyone, yes even people who do not drink will find lots of stuff to do in Vegas. There is also a ton of options a short drive from Vegas, i.e. the Grand Canyon or Zion. Unfortunately Vegas accommodation can get pricy, but it is abundant and very unique and larger groups can lower the price.

The Greek Islands

While some Greek islands cater more towards romance and couples, there are tons of islands that cater towards groups. Ios is known as a budget friendly party destination, but my favourite island in Greece was Crete. I think the best thing about group travel in Greece is the food and meals. The Greeks are big fans of large shared meals and their food is delicious! Almost every night we would go out to a restaurant or farm, order a ton of food, great wine and talk and eat late into the night – all for 10 euros!

Navigation in Greece varies a lot. Getting ferries between the islands is pretty easy, but can be a pain in a group. I would suggest with a group to stick to one or two islands and limit the amount of ferries. A large, hot sweaty group running to catch a ferry is not the best for stress levels. With a rental car getting around the islands are generally ok, but obviously varies per island. There is a huge variety of stuff to do in Greece, no matter which island you pick. Most of the activities like hiking or beach trips are great group activities. Greece also has a ton of great accommodation and is cheap!

The Camino, Spain

At first blush a massive walk may not seem like the best idea for a group trip, it is one of my favourite group trips ever. The best part about group travel on the Camino is that you spend so much time together that it is probably the best bonding you and your group will every have! In addition the Camino is easy to navigate, it is cheap, and is pretty easy to organize.

The Camino is perfect for groups because there are few arguments over what you are going to do, you already have your answer (I’ll give you a hint, you walk). Even if not everyone is a big hiker the Camino is pretty easy and has other attractions along the way. When I did it with my friends we joked that it was more of an extended bar crawl than a strenuous hike.

The one draw back of the Camino as a group trip is that the larger your group the harder it will be to get accommodation. It helps if you don’t walk while school’s are out as thats the busiest time. Both times I’ve done it (with 4 people and with 5 people) we have had no problems calling ahead a booking accommodation either the day of or the day before. With a larger group a little more forward planning might be required.

The Azores, Portugal

This is one of my friends and I’s favourite group trips that we have every been on! The Azores hits on pretty much every one of the factors that can make a destination perfect for group travel. Once you have a rental car it is relatively easy to navigate. You do pretty much require a car, getting around on public transit is pretty difficult. You will have to take a flight between the islands if you are going to visit more than one so make sure you leave extra time.

There is so much to do in the Azores, largely outdoor activity stuff like hiking, swimming or waterfalls. You can read about our trip to the Azores here. There is an abundance of accommodation to choose from and it is a pretty cheap destination. The only potential downfall of the Azores is that it has very little nightlife. It has tons of great restaurants and bars, but very little late night places.

• 

• 

•