GROUP TRAVEL
After so many months of restricted travel and limited family visits during the pandemic, our extended family was excited to come together for week-long vacation in beautiful Puerto Rico over this past Thanksgiving holiday. There were 14 of us total spanning 3 generations- 8 adults and 6 kiddos! My family of four here in NC met up with the rest of the crew coming in from Michigan, and we all flew from Charlotte into San Juan together. From there we boarded two shuttle vans and made our way to our resort to settle in. We called ahead to request rooms near each other, and ended up with top floor rooms all in a row- which made it convenient for the kids running back and forth to visit each other. Our week was full of incredible adventures!. We got muddy on an ATV tour, snorkeled with tropical fish at a remote island, explored historic Old San Juan, and hiked our way through the El Yunque Rainforest where we played on natural rock water slides and rope swings. We enjoyed lots of local food, drinks, and culture as well. Our rainforest tour guide actually hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner for us, where we ate traditional Puerto Rican foods like pernil and plantains while we visited with locals. We even got to try some homemade Puerto Rican moonshine that a neighbor brought over for us. We all made some new friends who we plan to keep in touch with and hope to visit again sometime. But the best part was the family time! Grandparents made memories with grandkids, adult brothers who never see each other had time to catch up, and cousins who miss each other terribly had a week of playtime together!
Overall, the trip was a huge success and we made memories that will last a lifetime. I will admit, however, that traveling with a group of 14 definitely takes lots of planning to make sure everything runs smoothly. Here are some tips that I learned (or figured out the hard way) for traveling with large groups of family or friends:
Plan ahead for EVERYTHING!
I know it sounds like a lot of work, and it is. But finding everything from plane tickets to transportation to dining reservations for large groups gets harder if you wait until the last minute.
Communication is key!
Group texts and emails are great because everything is in writing so that you can refer back to it as you finalize details and follow up on all the plans you’ve made. Decide early on who is responsible for what part of the plans, or if one person is going to coordinate for everyone.
EVERYONE doesn’t have to do EVERYTHING!
Coming up with a variety of activities during the trip can ensure that everyone has an opportunity to do something they are excited about, and new adventures are a great way to make memories with your group. Just remember, it’s okay if some members of the group choose to pass on certain activities. Traveling together doesn’t mean you have to spend every minute of the trip together!
Be flexible!
Even with all the planning and preparation in the world, things happen. Being flexible is important on any trip, especially one with a large group. Try to stick to the plans you made as a group, but also be sure to make the best of any unexpected situations that may come up during travel. The important thing is the time spent together and the memories made with the ones you love!
-Billie (TAU Blogger)
