Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about guys’ trips. You know, those weekend getaways you take with your buddies every once in a while. Whether it’s for a bachelor party or celebrating milestone birthdays with your oldest buds, these are some things you should NOT do if you want to have the best guys’ trips.
Don’t Just Go to Vegas
Las Vegas is the most popular destination for a guys’ trip, but there are so many more options out there. Don’t limit yourself to the most popular destinations when brainstorming guys’ weekend ideas. We’ve done guys’ trips in New Orleans, Providence, Illinois and others. The truth is, these weekends are about catching up with old friends. Chances are, you’re going to have a good time no matter where you go!
Don’t Assume Everyone Has the Same Budget
Probably the hardest part of planning a guys’ weekend is budgeting. If you don’t discuss this ahead of time, it can cause some uncomfortable situations and ill will later in the trip. Some friends want to really go all out and enjoy an extravagant trip, while others maybe can’t afford that. It’s important to sort out the financials before your trip so that once you arrive, everyone can relax and have fun.
Don’t Assume Everyone Wants to Do the Same Thing
For some of your friends, this might be their one chance to travel all year, while others in the group may have already visited your destination a dozen times. Make sure you leave room in your plans to accommodate everyone, and know that it’s OK to split up a bit during the trip. Let the adrenaline junkies go bungee jumping, while others hang out at a bar and watch football. As with the budgeting, make sure you account for different tastes and activity levels.
Don’t Be Stuck in the Past
Sure, there’s going to be some reminiscing about old times on your trip, but make sure you are creating new stories, too. It’s fun to rehash old memories, but if that’s all you do, you’ll eventually run out of things to talk about. Creating new memories and stories for future trips is also important!
Don’t Forget to Bring Cash
Even though nearly every establishment accepts credit cards, it’s always helpful to have cash with you. Especially when you’re traveling with friends and splitting up the bill. If you’ve ever waited tables, you’ll know what I mean. Running a tab across six credit cards is a lot more difficult than everyone just throwing in some cash. It’s faster, too, so you can be on to the next spot.
Don’t Forget to Bring a Deck of Cards
A deck of cards is always a good thing to have on hand. Cards are a great way to get over a lull in the conversation and get everyone involved in the conversation. You’d be surprised at how easily guys will open up over a game of cards, and they’re a great tension reliever, too.
Six Things To Always Bring Traveling
Don’t Get Arrested!
Some guys see a guys’ weekend as a chance to let loose away from family and responsibilities. That’s fine, unless it’s taken too far. You know your friends pretty well, so make sure everyone is looking out for each other and keeping each other in check. You can still have a lot of fun without crossing the line and getting into trouble.
Most Common Reason Tourists Get Arrested
Don’t Assume Word Won’t Get Out
Don’t do anything on a guys’ trip that you wouldn’t want anyone else to find out about. Chances are, the guys you are traveling with have spouses, significant others, or siblings who will get all the dirty details of your trip. If you expect them to keep some secrets, think again. And if your spouses are all friends with each other, don’t do anything you don’t want your spouse finding out about!
Don’t Feel You Have to Invite Everyone
A guys’ trip is supposed to be fun. Everybody has that one friend who likes to get in fights or can’t hold their alcohol. Or the guy who brings politics into every conversation. You don’t have to invite those guys. Especially if their actions tend to put you at risk. If you have a friend starting fights, there’s a good chance you can get swept up in it and get hurt or arrested just for being nearby.
Don’t Forget to Make Reservations
Obviously, you’ll need hotel reservations for your guys’ trip. But depending on the size of your group, you’re probably going to need dinner reservations as well. This will help structure your days a bit and will save you from running all over town trying to find a place that can accommodate your group. You might just have one nice dinner out and spend the rest of the weekend eating street food, but make sure you have a reservation for your dinner. Same goes for brunch, too!
Don’t Scrimp on Space
Sure, your guys trips probably started when you were 18 and you could cram 6 guys into one hotel room. Someone inevitably slept on the floor or in an armchair. Those days are gone. Make sure everyone has a place to sleep when you are on a guys’ trip. If you’re staying in a hotel, get multiple rooms so you can all spread out. House rentals work really well for friends trips, too.
Don’t Wing It!
Having a central location with all of your information is super helpful. There are trip planning apps, or even a simple Google doc will really help coordinate. Knowing everyone’s flight arrivals can help coordinate transportation and save some money if you know when others are arriving.
Don’t Be Afraid of Alone Time
This is especially true if you are on a longer trip with your friends. You may need some alone time, and that’s OK. It’s still YOUR vacation, so you want to come home refreshed and recharged. Maybe that means going for a run or hitting the gym every morning. Maybe you have work to do and need to sneak away with your laptop for a few hours.
Don’t Think You Don’t Need a Guys’ Trip
I travel a LOT, so it can be easy to think I don’t need a guys’ trip because I’m always getting away. As much as I love traveling with Jocelyn and the kids, I still need those guys’ trips where I’m able to reconnect with old friends. The older you get, the harder it can be to fit these trips in, but that’s why they are so important.
Don’t Forget to Call Home
Your spouse or significant other is probably going to take on some extra responsibilities while you’re gone, especially if you have kids. So, don’t forget to call home and check in during your trip. And make sure you reciprocate when they want to go on a trip with their friends.
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I hope this helps you start planning a trip with your guy friends, and makes those trips run smoothly so you’ll want to keep taking them for years to come. Looking for more travel tips? Check out some of our other blog posts: