Note: I’m currently traveling in Asia and will have limited access to the internet. Replies to comments and emails will be delayed.
When it comes to travel, do you prefer to keep your group small? Or, do you like to organize trips with larger groups of friends, neighbors and extended family members?
I have traveled by myself, with just one family member, with just my immediate family, with extended family, with friends, and different combinations of those. Each way has its own set of advantages and challenges.
The More the Merrier
There are plenty of good reasons to travel with a bigger group, including:
- Potential to get group discounts
- Ability to spend time with multiple people during your limited vacation days
- More people to talk to and share experiences with
- Potential built-in babysitters to enjoy a night out without the kids
On the other hand, the logistics of planning a trip with a large group can be a nightmare. Just picking the dates that work for everyone can be almost impossible. Determining a budget that works for everyone can be challenging, as well as finding lodging and restaurants to accommodate everyone. There can be a lot of compromising involved.
My family went to Disney World with extended family as a party off 11. While it was great seeing everyone, it was challenging to coordinate group dinners. Plus, our bed times and wake-up times were so different that our time together each day was limited.
I used to be fairly adamant about keeping our vacations to just my immediate family of 5. When my kids were younger, they were quite the handful. I couldn’t imagine adding any more people to our group. However, over the past few years, we’ve had good experiences inviting others to join us. We enjoyed bringing our niece with us to France and Switzerland, and traveling in Portugal with some dear friends last year was a blast.
The Fewer the Better
Traveling solo, as a small group or just your immediate family has its own advantages, including:
- Greater control over itinerary and budget
- Freedom to make changes without consulting others
- Easier to plan
- Less worry about how your kids are going to behave around travel companions
Of course, traveling with a smaller group means fewer people to help with the kids. Some might find solo or small group travel to be a bit lonely.
For me, the ideal trip size depends on the type of trip. For example, a short trip to an all-inclusive in Mexico wouldn’t be hard to do with a larger group. Short flight, just a few days, restaurants and entertainment on-site….easy.
However, my daughter and I are planning to go to Thailand next year. Our trip will probably be 2 weeks and cover multiple areas. Flights are long and more expensive. I’ve thought about inviting more to join us, but logistically, it would be much more difficult to add others due to the planning involved.
What is your travel group size preference? Do you like to mix it up and travel in both big and small groups?
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