Have you ever gone on a trip that began with great expectations and ended in disappointment?
To clarify, I am not asking about business travel. This is about travel for pleasure. Have you been on trips where pleasure seemed to oversleep and miss its flight?
Yes, I’ve been there. But over the years I’ve learned a few things. I now routinely have travel adventures with friends where we have loads of fun and return with great memories.
To this point, here is a photo taken at Mt Rushmore during our May 2019 trip.
We were each posing as one of the Presidents. (I was Jefferson.) The whole trip was great fun.
So here are my Essential Tips for Successful Getaways.
Ask yourself these Four Very Important Questions:
- Do I feel positive about the actual destination? If no, why? It’s important to choose a place to where all within the group are eager to travel. Otherwise, unneeded friction may arise during the trip which may negate the intended benefits of the getaway. If you know you’re going to be miserable, then don’t go. It’s not fair to the others. Being a travel martyr is just so unattractive and bad for the complexion.
- Are my companion(s) easy to travel with? Let’s face it. Not all friends and family members are fun travelers – for whatever reason. Some friends are great in local settings but might find travel too stressful. Be realistic and try not to drag along the unwilling – no matter “how good it would be for them”. Choose compatible people. Choose wisely.
- Can I afford this trip? Don’t break the bank trying to have perfect vacations. Be honest with others about your price ranges. There are tons of travel options at every price point. Face it – you won’t be a barrel of laughs if you are stressing out about the cost of each room, dinner, and event during the trip. So being honest and open up front during the planning stage is essential. Possibly you’ll need to take a pass on this trip. Maybe others are in the same boat but just afraid to admit it. And if the other potential travelers are not accommodating of each others’ circumstances, then hey – they probably aren’t your peeps anyway. (See Travel Tip #2 and choose wisely!)
- Have we all agreed upon a general travel agenda? Taking time up front to research and have a general idea about the daily activities is advisable. Each member of the group should voice what they would like to see, do or eat. In most cases, compromises will need to be made, but the final plan should be acceptable all. Caution: do not overschedule. Leave some room for spontaneity. The primary objective is to have fun at a realistic pace. Coming home exhausted from too much fun is not really fun.
Remember that the purpose of getaways is to get out of your routine, have fun and recharge.
Being honest, finding compatible fellow travelers, not overspending and focusing on enjoying each others’ company is my formula for successful getaways.
And as with all journeys, begin with joy.
