Last Updated on June 28, 2023
The best travel adventures are the ones spent with the people you love the most – your friends.
However, for some groups of pals, something strange happens once they set foot on foreign ground. Previously unseen irritating behaviors begin to surface, tolerance levels dwindle and petty arguments kick off – all of which ruins what was meant to be the perfect trip.
But don’t let this dissuade you from traveling with friends, because we’ve come up with four top tips to help maintain the peace.
1. Spend time apart
While it’s important to compromise on plans when going on a group vacation, don’t fall into the trap of making every activity a whole group activity.
Spending some time apart from your friends enables you to enjoy some much-needed you time, where you can indulge in some fun solo vacation activities and form a more personal connection with your destination.
So allocate a few hours where you all go off and do your own thing. It’ll be fun when you all meet back up and have exciting stories to share about your solo endeavors – yours will be the best, of course.
2. Communicate
When you’re traveling with friends, it can be tempting to keep any negative issues to yourself for the sake of vacay harmony. However, if you do this, one of two things will happen – you’ll spend your vacation feeling stressed or the pressure will build until you explode into a Hulk-like rage.
A real friend would never intentionally do something to upset you. So don’t be afraid to talk to your friend (in a tactful manner) about their bossiness or messiness – they’ll respect your honesty and you’ll be able to continue your vacation without any worries wearing you down.
3. Travel apps
One of the main reasons why friends fall out on vacation is because traveling is stressful. There are just too many variables to consider, so it’s rare that things go exactly according to plan, which can put a major downer on peoples’ moods.
However, if you invest in some travel apps, you’ll have the tools you need to deal with the many challenging aspects of travel, such as finding your way around, booking activities and translating languages. This eases the pressure on your group, and should anything go wrong, instead of blaming each other, you can blame your apps.
4. Drive to the airport
A journey to the airport spent sandwiched between passengers on public transport can completely spoil the morale amongst your group.
However, if you drive to the airport, your party of pals will feel more relaxed and free to be their wonderfully goofy selves, as you blast out some holiday tunes and sing along like guests on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke.
Just remember to book a parking spot too – Looking4.com has airport parking deals for Orlando, O’Hare and most major US hubs.
With these five fantastic tips to hand, your travels with friends will be fun, fabulous and drama free, from here on in.
What are your top tips for traveling with friends? Share your thoughts in the comments section.