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7 Reasons to Plan a Destination Wedding

If you're considering having a destination wedding, you're likely imagining a romantic or exotic location: a place that provides an experience by its mere existence. What makes a destination attractive? Why do so many brides and grooms tie the knot in certain hotspots?

Here are some answers to those questions that can also serve as a checklist to help you determine if a destination is right for your wedding.

1. Honeymoon moonlighting – By day it's a wedding, by night it's a honeymoon. Exotic locations away from home can also double as your honeymoon spot, possibly saving you money.

2. Vacation-ready – It's in a popular area that many guests would consider traveling to as a vacation, thus giving guests double the reason to attend the wedding. And, if you're looking for a little inspiration, here's our list of the top 10 states for destination weddings.

3. Activities galore – There are enough activities, entertainment options, restaurants, etc. to entertain large crowds (in groups or on day excursions in smaller numbers).

4. Hotels abound – In popular destinations, guests will have a wide range of prices to choose from for accommodations, which makes it doable for many families and friends (not to mention the wedding party itself).

5. Group discounts – Common destinations for weddings are not only some of the most popular vacation spots, they are also accustomed to hosting weddings, so hotels in these areas may offer group discounts.

6. Cost considerations – It can sometimes be cheaper than "producing" a local wedding. Fewer guests are likely to attend, so the guest list may shrink (which translates to fewer dinners to pay for, less space to rent, etc.). Plus, if you get married on a beach or in a chapel, affordable ceremony packages may be available.

7. Priceless experience – There's an intangible quality to a wedding in a dream destination. It's like being in a fairytale or movie and makes a lasting impression not just on the bride and groom, but everyone invited. I went to a wedding in Tuscany a couple of years ago. Sipping wine at the Italian villa reception, love was definitely in the air. Guests were giddy over the occasion and over being in Italy. And while the newlyweds batted eyes at each other, I was falling for the scenery.

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Discussing Hotel Options With Your Group

When planning any group trip — a family reunion, wedding, friends get-away, or other trip involving multiple itineraries and opinions — one of the most frustrating things can be deciding on the best hotel for everyone.

I’ve gone to weddings, family reunions, and traveled with friends in and out of the country and in each instance, finding the right hotel was a key part of our trip planning. Allowing each person to weigh in is important.

Understanding your group's requirements and priorities is a good place to start. Considerations that typically come into play include:

Fortunately there are several free tools that can help trip planners to collect initial input and to streamline the decision making process. Here are three user-friendly polling apps that are widely used for gathering opinions and making group decisions:

Finally, once you've narrowed down your hotel options, Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheets can be useful for organizing, comparing and sharing various choices and travel plans (budgets, interarires, task lists, etc.) in detail.

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Best Movies to Rent Before Your High School Reunion

Everyone has a favorite high school movie. To fully prep for your next reunion, or just for kicks, rent a flick that conjures up the sentiments of high school – whatever they may be. From gag reflexes about your former hairdo, to fond memories of your first love, take a couple hours to watch a film or two that gets you in the reunion mood before you slap that "Hello, my name is" sticker on your shirt.

Were you the class geek? Class clown? Most likely to succeed? Least likely to get married? My guess is we can all relate to at least one character in one of these movies.

  1. American Graffiti
  2. Breakfast Club
  3. Election
  4. Ferris Beuller's Day Off
  5. Grease
  6. Karate Kid
  7. The Outsiders
  8. Rock 'n' Roll High School
  9. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
  10. Say Anything

Update: Thanks to Eric for suggesting "Can't Hardly Wait" which he added "should be #1 on the list." Let us know what other classics we missed?

p.s., Looking for other movie recommendations? Learn how to create a personalized list of book, movie, tv and podcast recommendations for your next trip or group event.

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10 Bachelorette Party Ideas

She's engaged. Your best friend. Your sister. Your cousin. Hard to believe the day is coming when she may take a new last name, have babies, and will settle into a home with her husband.

Send the bride-to-be off to married life with a bang or celebrate quietly. You be the judge of her taste. Ask her for input so you don't find her yawning through a theater show when she'd rather be doing Jell-O shots and giggling at "pleasure props," or vice versa, rolling her eyes at strippers when she’d rather have gone for pedicures and wine-tasting with her best girlfriends.

Here are some ideas I've seen (or helped organize) to punctuate the bride's last days (or night) being single with an all girls get-together.

1. Go gambling – Take the girls to Vegas with its concerts and shows galore, spa splendor, and outlet shopping. Walk down the Strip and take your pick of pleasures in Sin City. Book a hotel in any of the themed hotels on the Strip such as Wynn Las Vegas (newest Strip hotel with 18-hole golf course, spa, Cirque du Soleil shows and more), MGM Grand Hotel (tropical oasis created with multiple pools, and a river for tubing), Caeser's Palace (a tribute to the Roman Empire's decadence) and others. Other gambling hot spots with casinos, entertainment, restaurants, bars, and more for the bridal gathering include Atlantic City, New Jersey or Reno.

2. Spa daySpending a day at a spa is one of the best ways to bond. Many spas offer packages with a multiple services combined (pedicure, massage, facial, manicure, etc.) for a discount. Still a spendy affair, but worth it for a special occasion like this and a great way to let girls be girls. Ask a spa if they have specials for bachelorette or bridal groups.

3. Swanky slumber party – Plan a weekend "get-away" to a local, luxury hotel for a night. Rent a big suite-sized room (or two, depending on your group size) to split costs while still enjoying luxury. The concept is ripe for variation. When I helped organized an event like this, my friends opted to bring food to the room and our own spa accoutrements to cut costs. We painted our nails and rented chick flicks, then swam in the hotel's pool before drinking and visiting in the room.

4. Wine-tasting – Women are a sophisticated and silly lot. Nearly every woman I know roars with wisdom on every subject under the sun: life, men, work, current affairs, gardening, the latest fashion fads, whathaveyou. All we need is a few good bottles of wine and the company of other women to let the laugher and conversation unfold organically. Give the bride a night (or entire weekend) of this quality time with the girls. Napa Valley is ideal for this flavor of weekend get-away.

5. Pub crawl in style – Create a map of the top five (or so) pubs, designate a limo driver for your group, and hit the town. Don't forget the playful props that will properly embarrass the bride (you know, that candy necklace for guys to take a bite of and pay her a dollar, or a tiara worn proudly to direct attention to the bride, and so forth). This tends to work best for younger brides and bridesmaids, of course.

6. Do lunch – Simply pick a favorite local restaurant of the newly engaged woman and make reservations. This is a classic way to involve co-workers or family friends and multi-generations. Create a festive air by making arrangements with the restaurant to decorate the table an hour ahead of time so when the bride walks in, the seating area is festive with streamers, her favorite colors, etc.

7. Camping and the great outdoors – Ahhh, the great outdoors. I've always found that camping with a group of my girl friends is a great way to relax, get some much-needed time away from city stress and obligations, and focus on each other. Some of the best friendship bonding time has been while camping or doing something else outdoors such as kayaking, hiking, or biking. If your bride is highly active and her closest friends are, organize an outdoor adventure. The options are endless. Ask her for suggestions and then plan the trip or day excursion.

8. Lingerie party – Prep the bride for her new bedroom and give her something pretty in pink or bad-ass black. You know her personality – pick something fitting. Careful not to embarrass the poor girl too much if her mom or grandmother is attending the shower.

9. Dinner theater – Options here are nearly endless, but are best geared for something that suits the bride's tastes and can offer a chance for group interaction. Do dinner before a show (Cirque du Soleil, comedy club, or a touring Broadway show), or find a dinner theater event such as a cabaret (Teatro Zinzanni in SF or Seattle) or restaurant that has live entertainment. If you're anywhere near New York, I highly recommend Mamma Mia! on Broadway. The wedding theme and disco dancing lend themselves perfectly to a bridal party.

10. Traditional bridal shower – Shower the bride with stories (funniest story about her), photos (funniest picture – everyone brings one and tells the story behind it), and focus the day on the bride. Whereas the wedding is all about the couple, this event should be solely focused on her and why she's such a great friend, sister, cousin, roommate, person. Traditional showers usually include a lunch or appetizers by the hostess at someone's house. Silly games are played like creating wedding dresses out of toilet paper and having the bride be the judge or opening gifts and tying the bows together to create a faux bouquet for her to hold while walking through the dress rehearsal. It's always a bonus when small door prizes are given out.

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Vacation with Friends, without Your Mate

Ladies, how about a weekend getaway filled with massages and wine-tasting with your girlfriends? And guys, ever dreamed of playing unlimited golf with your college buddies, guilt-free, on vacation?

Even in a committed relationship, finding some space for yourself, to do your own thing, can be important. But how comfortable are you with the idea of vacationing without your significant other? And what types of vacations are best suited for friends versus with your partner?

Traveling with friends offers a number of benefits, including the chance to strengthen those relationships. Friends often bring different perspectives and can challenge you to try new things that you might not consider with your partner, leading to personal growth and self-discovery. Traveling with friends can also be safer than traveling alone. Additionally, it can provide a level of independence and personal space that is harder to find when traveling with your partner.

“What a lot of people expect from their partner is perfection. But that’s not possible. Your partner can be your best friend and your companion, but it’s unfair to then suggest they have to like everything you like and to do everything you do,” says relationship experts Dr. Patrick Wanis.

Similarly, Hannah Guy, a licensed clinical social worker, shares “there is a misconception that once you are in a relationship, you need to do all the big things with them, but I would actually argue the importance of doing some of the big things on your own or with people outside of your relationship. Our relationships are at their best when we as individuals are at our best.”

Of course, spending time away from a significant other, can be stressful too. It's essential that trust and a sense of security are well-established. Ensuring that both parties are at ease is important, particularly if the journey involves destinations where cell coverage and Wi-Fi are scarce.

Finally, if you do decide to travel with friends without your mate, we hope you return home feeling refreshed and eager to share your experiences with your partner. Afterall, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Here are a couple of the great comments we’ve received:

Erik S. wrote, “Travel with groups is great, but make sure that they are people who don't mind if you decide to do your own thing here and there. Being attached at the hip can get old. Oh, and if you have a feeling that something is not right with the group, work it out beforehand. It's your trip.”

John G. wrote, ”I'm heading off to the World Cup next month, and I'm leaving my gal behind. Frankly, she doesn't know the obsessive, soccer fanatic side of me, and I'm just as happy she's not going to witness 30 days of it! Instead, I'm going with one of my soccer buddies, and meeting another old friend in Geneva where she lives. Yup, she. The trip isn't so much gender-specific as it is activity specific. But so often in this culture the method we choose to relax varies by gender.”

Article updated November 2023.

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Airfare Tips - How to Find the Best Deals Online

Finding the best deals on airline tickets requires some research and flexibility. Here are some tips that may help you find the best deals:

1. Compare prices on multiple platforms: Use online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Priceline, as well as meta-search engines like Kayak and Google Flights, to compare prices from multiple airlines in one place, but be sure to also check airline websites to see if they offer the same flight at a lower price.

2. Be flexible with your travel dates and times: Airline ticket prices can vary significantly depending on the time of year, day of the week, and time of day. If possible, be flexible with your travel dates and times to find the cheapest flights.

3. Set fare alerts: Some OTAs and meta-search engines allow you to set fare alerts for specific routes and dates. They will then notify you when prices drop.

4. Book in advance: In general, the best time to book a flight is between three months and 30 days before your departure date. Prices tend to be higher if you book too far in advance or too close to the departure date.

5. Consider alternative airports: In some cases, you may be able to find cheaper flights by flying into or out of alternative airports that are nearby your destination.

There are several potential benefits to booking a flight directly with an airline rather than through an online travel agency:

1. Customer service: If you have a problem with your flight or need to make changes to your reservation, it can be easier to deal directly with the airline rather than going through a third-party travel agency. The airline may also be more willing to accommodate special requests or changes if you booked directly with them.

2. Miles! Many airlines have loyalty programs that reward frequent flyers with points or miles that can be redeemed for future flights or other perks. In some cases, you may only be eligible to earn these rewards if you book directly with the airline.

3. Easier management of reservations: When you book directly with an airline, you can typically manage your reservation through the airline's website or app, which can be more convenient than dealing with an OTA's website or customer service department.

4. Access to more options: Some airlines only offer certain options (such as seat selection or baggage allowances) to customers who book directly with them.

5. Price: Airlines sometimes reserve their best fares for customers who book directly, and they may also offer exclusive discounts or promotions on their websites. That said, Expedia and other OTAs often offer bundled deals that include flights, hotels, and other travel services. These packages can sometimes be a good way to save money on your trip.

Ultimately, the best approach is to compare prices and options on both airline websites and OTAs before making a booking.

And, for groups of 10 or more, it makes sense to start with a group flight request form. Airlines will often give additional discounts along with the benefits listed above.

Happy airfare shopping!

Article updated November 2023.

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Hotel Star Ratings Decoded

Star ratings are the hotel industry's way of indicating standards - for amenities, quality, service, and often for location. But what do they mean? They can vary across the globe (a 4-star hotel in one country may vary widely in another). The measurement depends on who gives the star rating.

Online travel companies rate hotels, AAA rates them, Forbes (formerly Mobil Travel Guide) rates them and, of course, hotel customers write their own reviews and give star ratings on sites like TripAdvisor. While methods and results vary, the qualifications for a rating boils down to the same main elements. Star ratings, if used as guidelines, provide a good baseline for overall quality and cost.

Once you know your budget or your group's budget, then it's a matter of shopping around to find the right hotel for you. Those little gold stars are a good start at an at-a-glance sense of hotel quality, but be sure to also look at room photos, descriptions, and user reviews.

Whether you're organizing or traveling to a wedding, family reunion, or college reunion with old pals, star ratings can help with trip planning.

Here's the skinny on star ratings:

5-star
Luxury, top-of-the-line hotels that are often resorts near the sexiest scenery with the highest standards of service and cleanliness. Think personal pampering, fine art as décor, sumptuous meals, and quality linens. Example: Ritz Carlton.

4-star
Upscale, high-class hotels with a host of convenient amenities such as pools, valet, and bellhops. These are often near other hotels of the same caliber and have happy hours and signature dishes by well-trained chefs. Example: Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.

3-star
Mid-scale full-service hotels are often near major business centers or attractions, have pools, quality breakfast, lunch and dinner, and spacious accommodations. Think standard hotel with simple, yet clean furnishings. Example: Holiday Inn.

2-star
Mid-scale limited-service lodging often belonging to big chains known for standardized service. Properties are smaller-scale and room service is typically unavailable. Usually quite clean and comfortable. Example: Comfort Inn.

1-star
Economy or budget hotels are generally located near major intersections or affordable attractions. Think bargain basics with furnishings and service, but usually walking distance to cheap eats. Example: Motel 6.

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Old-Fashioned Family Fun at the Beach

In this day and age, good old-fashioned family fun at the beach can be just the ticket to bring everyone closer together. I've had so many family reunions at the beach, I've started naming starfish.

Ah, a field trip to the beach. Soul food and family time. There’s no greater good. In the spirit of creating family memories without all the hoopla of our modern age, here are classic beach activities, (mostly) no purse strings attached.

1. Sand castle contests
Pile it up high and sculpt a castle fit for royalty. Then challenge your family members to do the same and have an objective person be the judge. For a little inspiration, you can check out what the sand-sculpting experts are molding at Sandsational.

2. Body surfing
Fling yourself on a wave and ride it board-free to the shore. It sounds easy, but can be surprisingly challenging. Stay safe by body surfing in areas where you can touch easily. With little kids, you can make the lapping waves fun by sitting in them and letting the water gently toss you ashore. Learn how to paddle in like a pro and catch waves with ease. And here are some safety tips for body surfing.

3. Beach soccer
Shed the shin guards, shoes and kick the soccer ball down the beach in a family-friendly game of soccer with sand as your field. This leisure sport seems to be gaining popularity as there’s an annual tournament for kids ages 9 to 18 from around the world: North American Sand Soccer Tournament.

4. Row, row, row your boat
Boating, kayaking and canoeing are all great ways to experience the beach with your family. Water activities are half the reason we scramble to the beach anyway. Bring inflatable rafts, rent a paddle boat or kayak, or take an excursion that’s often available at popular beach destinations.

5. Picnic on the beach
Eating is its own activity, especially with families. At family reunions, it can often feel like a circus. Yet some of the best family conversations take place while gathered for a meal. The necessity of eating, the pleasure of food itself, along with the social nature of dining together all make beach picnics great as a mellow, yet bonding, family activity.

6. Rock stacking
A time-honored art going as far back as Stonehenge (probably farther), it’s easy to take rocks and make art formations, assuming you’re at a beach with rocks. I’ve recently discovered the Zen-like satisfaction of stacking rocks and found that there are many rock stackers who make it a big part of their lives. Give it a try.

7. Skipping rocks
How many skips can one rock make? That’s for you to find out. Grab a handful of as many skipping rocks (round-ish, flat-ish) as you can, angle yourself toward the water, and toss each stone so it bounces, leaps or skims across the surface just right. The Brits call it stone skimming. The Irish call it stone scuffing. The French call it ricochet. There’s even a stone skipping association. Join the multitudes of people who skip beach rocks and develop your own, unique technique.

8. 50-yard splash dash
Mark start and finish lines in the sand, just above the surf line, have someone stand at the finish line as objective judge (if your family members are competitive) and go for the gold. You can adapt this to a relay race, handing off driftwood as a baton. Reward all "winners" with ice cream!

9. Kite flying
A family staple at the beach, kite flying has been around since the dawn of kites. Want to find any kind of kite, learn its history and see how it operates? Check out this Smithsonian article on how kites fly.

10. Playing Frisbee or catch
Nothing beats a classic. Something as simple as a driftwood bat knocking a ball out of the sandy ballpark or a Frisbee gliding smoothly into your hands turns the beach into your own, personal playground.

Did I miss a great family beach game or activity?

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Family Reunions: Make Every Communiqué Count

Family reunions often require more than a single notice. Reunion planners commonly communicate with their families frequently throughout the planning process. That’s a lotta family! Even before you reunite. Here’s how to make every communiqué count:

1. Include family in early decisions about date and location. By including more family members in the early, pivotal decisions of location and date, other details become secondary. Any decision you make about transportation, food, activities, etc. become part of the bigger decisions they helped select. It also builds interest and momentum. Plus, the bigger the consensus on location and date, the more people you’re likely to get by giving them a chance to plan their travel schedules well in advance. Points for you!

2. Send a "save the date" reminder. Once the key decisions of date, location and budget are made (via the first, exploratory communications), send out a "save the date" email with the reunion dates, location and, if known, lodging info.

At this point, you can also ask people whether they plan to attend to get an estimated head count.

"Save the date" emails are also great opportunities for enlisting volunteers to help with planning. See The Art of Delegation for ways to get the most out of your volunteers.

3. Lost in email translation. Spam, work and personal emails all create mounds of information that can be overwhelming. In group planning, I’ve found sending details out in bulk after key decisions have been made mitigates questions and headache for you, the organizer.

4. Written invitations. While email works well for many communications, a written invitation for a family reunion can do wonders - something colorful, eye-catching and postcard-sized that can easily be put on your fridge or bulletin board. This also helps for great-grandparents or others less likely to use email regularly.

What to include on your invitation:

5. Highlight volunteers. You might want to highlight volunteers who are helping to plan particular activities. This increases visibility to those helping, shows appreciation and stirs interest in the reunion by alerting the family of fun that will be had by all. This also gives you a way to steer communication to the volunteers in charge of them, freeing up your time to focus on other projects.

6. Get RSVPs back on time. Whether using the "save the date" or written invitation to get RSVPs, give your group a specific deadline. Provide both an email and phone number for people to RSVP. I also recommend picking one key contact per nuclear family to get their family’s RSVPs back on time. This simplifies things and leaves the burden of communication to a head of household or ultra-organized family member (anyone come to mind?).

7. Final family reunion reminder. Send a final reminder email several weeks before the reunion. This is your opportunity to communicate any updates or changes and to reconfirm key details. This email can also serve as a "last call" to those who have not yet confirmed their plans. This will get people excited and give them a chance to schedule their own "side events" (i.e., golfing with Uncle Bill). Other helpful items to include are maps, destination information, important numbers (one cell phone number per nuclear family, etc.) and a "what to bring" list.

8. Post-reunion wrap-up. Finally, you can send a wrap-up letter/email to the whole family (everyone who was invited, not only those who attended) with your favorite stories, pictures from the reunion, and a family contact list. A family Web site is great for this as well.

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The Art of Delegation

You shouldn’t have to plan a family reunion or wedding all alone. Here are 10 tips for delegating with panache, keeping your finger on the pulse, and stepping aside for others to share the planning responsibilities.

Since weddings often turn into family reunions, many of these planning principles will also work for brides and grooms.

Tip 1: Make a checklist. Create a checklist of everything that needs to get done including deadlines and who is responsible for given tasks. Check this list often. As you get closer to the event, be sure to confirm the details with your service providers.

Tip 2: Start a chain reaction. When individuals get involved, they’ll become event champions who will promote the reunion to their respective branches of the family tree.

Tip 3: Enlist volunteers early. Right from the start, enlist volunteers to help with everything from creating and distributing "welcome kits" to planning specific events and activities. It lightens your load and allows you to tap into the creativity of your group. If planning a destination wedding, early help is critical.

Tip 4: Choose help wisely. You know your family. You know the flakes and leaders. The dreamers and doers. The bakers and candlestick makers. While everyone has talents and skills, I recommend choosing people with some planning experience for bigger projects. Those less likely to tackle bigger projects well would be perfect for a smaller, specific task (find and bring a cake for grandma’s birthday dinner). Match tasks delegated to those best suited for the task to create the most efficient use of everyone’s time.

Tip 5: Connections count. But use them carefully and don’t impose on anyone. Always ask. Never assume. Does Aunt Betty work in catering? Ask if she can find a good caterer. If a wedding or family reunion is in a major U.S. metropolitan area such as Seattle, Washington, D.C. or Chicago and Uncle Fred’s best friend can score a deal in baseball tickets, ask Fred if block of seats are possible to get.

Tip 6: Tap the creativity of your family. You’d be surprised what talents lay dormant in your family’s gene pool. Get help on projects or tasks where others have expertise such as building an up-to-date family contact list, designing a family Web site (for the graphically-inclined), organizing entertainment for an evening (use a family musician, perhaps), negotiating the best rate at hotels (think sales skills), chefs in the family can provide a "guest meal" one night (mmm… Uncle Bob's barbequed Asian salmon special), and so forth.

Tip 7: Avoid getting spammed. To avoid getting "cc'd" on every email communiqué, encourage the volunteers to make decisions on their own with the group and communicate that you just need to know the final details of their particular task(s). If they have problems/questions along the way, they can contact you. But giving them authority saves you time and gently ensures they’re held accountable, increasing chances they’ll complete the task(s).

Tip 8: Give credit where credit is due. Someone once told me that many who succeed "Delegate and take credit." While this was half-truth and half-joke, you should always give credit to those who help or lead a project. You may be organizing, orchestrating or rallying the troops, but many make it a success. Thank the academy.

Tip 9: Solicit ideas from those helping plan. There is a fine line between directing and delegating. I’ve learned people respond better when their own ideas are heard and carried out. They become invested and feel a personal sense of pride and accomplishment. That said, pay attention to quality and don’t be afraid to guide the process. Your feedback is helpful, as is theirs. Incorporate the best ideas from others and know when to (carefully) suggest alternatives to other ideas.

Brides, you have your ideas and your fiancé has his. So do your families. Use the best ideas, but ultimately the call is yours (and his).

Tip 10: Stay tuned and connected. You're still the leader of the group so once a task is assigned, it's important to follow up regularly to make sure everything's getting done. Schedule a weekly check-in with yourself and/or others to get a status of tasks completed and things that need a follow-up. The more organized you are, the more smoothly things will run.

Have any of your own tips or lessons learned? Care to add to any of the tips listed above? Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.

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Safety Tips for Traveling Abroad

Among the myriad of things to consider when planning and booking a group trip, don't forget about safety. Before traveling abroad, visit the U.S. State Department's Web site for up-to-date information on your chosen country's travel policies, including vaccination requirements and more.

If you are traveling abroad, the U.S. State Department's has 10 tips for a safe trip:

  1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport.

  2. Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the countries you plan to visit.

  3. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, the U.S. Constitution does not follow you! While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws.

  4. Make 2 copies of your passport identification page. This will facilitate replacement if your passport is lost or stolen. Leave one copy at home with friends or relatives. Carry the other with you in a separate place from your passport.

  5. Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency.

  6. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas. Do not accept packages from strangers.

  7. If you plan to stay abroad for more than two weeks, upon arrival you should notify by phone or register in person with the U.S. embassy in the country you are visiting. This will facilitate communication in case someone contacts the embassy looking for you.

  8. To avoid being a target of crime, try not to wear conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of money or unnecessary credit cards.

  9. In order to avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money or purchase art or antiques.

  10. If you get into trouble, contact the nearest U.S. embassy.

We always really appreciate hearing from readers! Stephanie B. wrote us to share, "Great idea about two copies of your passport (one left at home, extra copy with you)! Also, leaving an itinerary with a friend or family member is also great. Plus, don't forget to print out email confirmations for hotels, even if the charges have posted to your credit card account. (I recently learned this the hard way.)"

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Tips for Group Golf Trips

Golf is one sport that you can play year-around... at least if you're willing to travel.  So, there's always an opportunity to get out the clubs and enjoy the sunny fairways on a challenging course. It's tee time somewhere.

Golf Groups

Tips for planning a memorable golf trip with friends:

Have fun and keep it in the short grass.

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Quick Tips for Group Travel Organizers

Whether you're planning a family reunion, bachelor party, wedding or spa weekend, there are common challenges in organizing group travel. Group communication and decision making are two of the biggest headaches that group travel planners face.

Here are 5 tried-and-true tips to keep in mind:

1. Plan in advance. Whether it's deciding where to go, what to do once you arrive, or simply coordinating everyone's calendars, group travel planning always takes longer than expected.

2. Include the group in decision making. Although you may be rounding up the troops, it's their trip, too. While it may be impossible to satisfy everyone's requests, it's important for everyone to have the opportunity to voice their travel preferences. Taking a group vote often helps facilitate decision making.

3. Keep it simple and make it fun. The anticipation leading up to a trip, as well as the follow-up and story telling post-trip, are a big part of the travel experience. When you need to assign tasks to the group or individuals, keep it simple so positive vibes stay with the trip from beginning to end. For example, provide a clearly defined set of options to consider or items to research. Make it easy for someone to say "Yes, I'm in!"

4. Stay organized. Details, details. In travel, it's the little things like the timing of a layover, the cost of a cab ride from the airport to the hotel, or the quality of a meal that will have a huge impact on a trip. Understand and focus on those details that matter most to you and to your group.

5. Be especially clear about budgets. Make sure everyone is comfortable with the cost of the trip up front and that everyone understands how much they owe and when. Collecting money from friends and family can be awkward. Inevitably, there will be someone who pays late (or not at all). But communicating early and often can help.

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Child Safety Seats on Airplanes

Under current U.S. air rules, kids under the age of two can fly free if they sit on a parent's lap. While the choice still remains with the parent or guardian, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is urging the industry to require the use of child safety seats. Today, most airlines accommodate families who choose to use a car safety seat if they buy a ticket for their child. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) strongly recommends the use of child safety seats to improve child safety during flights; however, they have not made their use mandatory.

FAA Tips for Safe Air Travel with Children:

The FAA also recommends that a child weighing:

Source: Federal Aviation Administration (Flying with Children)

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A Blog Devoted to Group Travel

Welcome to Group Trip Advisor, a blog solely devoted to group travel. Here you’ll find tips, hints, resources, and lively commentary all aimed at simplifying the group trip planning process and inspiring anyone who travels with groups.

Anyone planning a trip needs a little help now and then. We plan to cover topics such as road-tripping with girlfriends, skiing with your pals, jet-setting to a destination wedding, gathering for a family reunion, negotiating group contracts, volunteering for a cause, spring break tips, travel companions from hell, blending in abroad and so much more.

Eventually, we'll feature guest bloggers on subjects of their expertise, photo contests and "lessons learned" from you, our fellow group trip planners. And we'll solicit ideas for subjects of interest to you. Stay tuned…

Whether you've organized one group trip, one thousand, or it's your first one, we can all learn from each other. If you see an article or post on this blog that strikes you, please share your thoughts. We’ll monitor and do our best to answer questions as swiftly as we can.

A little background on our team: We’ve worked in online travel for years (including helping to launch and build Expedia), traveled the globe, helped organize events, planned numerous group trips (family and friend get-togethers mainly), and have felt the pain of using inefficient methods of planning a trip or an event with groups involved – email after email, endless phone calls, trying to keep track of RSVPs, accommodating changes. So many wasted hours keeping all the details straight! Our hope is to help make the group travel planning experience easier by sharing insights, resources and stories.

Happy travels.

Really appreciate these excellent reader comments/recommendations:

"I've found that putting cash into a pot (or an envelope) to cover gas, lodging, and road snacks works well. Each person puts in equal amount and if/when it runs out, just add a more. Then there's no forgetting, no math, no pressure, no guilt at the end. The only inconvenience is having to go into the gas station to pay for gas. But hey, on a road trip, everyone usually gets out anyways. The other courtious thing, I think, is to give the car's owner a discount to account for wear and tear on their rig."

"I spent three years in the Peace Corps, and we often travelled en masse. I think the previous comment is an excellent one, especially if it's uncomfortable to ask whose turn it is to pay for beer or gas. (Sometimes, people just don't pipe up when it's their turn.) Having a "bank" of money eliminates that problem. Of course, you have to trust the person who serves as banker :-)"

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