How do we start?
So you’ve got your group of friends ready to go. Now it’s time to think about where and when you want to make this happen. My group’s first trip was a Halloween cruise to the Mexican Riviera that left out of San Diego. We had such an amazing time, we vowed to take a trip every two years. I actually think this cruise was a great way to “test the waters” and see what is like to travel with these friends. A week on a cruise should help open your eyes to whether this is a good or not so good idea.
I don’t really have any big desire to do another cruise, but that’s just me. For some people, a cruise offers everything they are looking for! Again, there are no rules. It is about what you and your friends view as the getaway of your dreams. It’s about creating memories and lifelong friendships.
Now, we book houses, often fully staffed, including a cook whenever possible. (LOVE!) The most important thing is to remember this trip is all about reconnecting and completely relaxing. I am all about creating a pampered, comfortable, upscale and fun environment. A lot goes into all of this, which I will go into at a later time.
Once you begin the planning process, you will find that one of the biggest challenges is finding where you want to go and the place you are going to stay. After this, the rest is just fun details! My planning buddy (Diane) and I work out the details together. With two of us, we can really look at the big picture and bounce off ideas and observations. This system works magically. What I don’t see, she does, and vice versa. And if I may say so, so far, we are pretty awesome! It has actually gotten to the point that when its time to plan the trip, our group just asks where, when and how much. They may glance at the location, but they know we have everyone’s interest in mind, we know the different needs of each person, and they just trust we have found yet another great place for us all to land.
Personally, I love the hunt! It’s like putting a puzzle together. We typically concentrate on beach locations outside of the US, mostly because some of my friends live in cold places with no beach. The majority us live in San Diego – and we are just spoiled, that’s all! So we do what we can to cater to these cold-weather friends.
In looking for the next great adventure, I look for a house that is unique, comfortable, big enough, plenty of bedrooms ( preferably all with king-sized beds), in an area that offers some fun exploration, hopefully fully staffed, with a property manager/owner who is open to having some fun as we put the details of our trip together. I have made some incredible connections over the years with people who I met during the search and whom I now consider to be friends. In many cases, we still communicate and I am so grateful to have them in my life. This is definitely an incredible bonus to putting together these adventures.
In looking for the best place for your group, you need to decide what type of accommodations you want. Cruise, Hotel, B&B, Condo, House? What is everyone looking for in a trip? Beach, mountain, in the U.S., outside of the U.S.? What is important? What do you love to do? Does anyone have any special needs? Is there somewhere you really want to go but just have not had the chance.
The best part of this is that you will be splitting the cost with your group. As an example, we stayed here in October 2018 …
The price included a full staff who were just the most amazing people. Our chef, Patricia, prepared incredible gourmet breakfasts, snacks, and dinners. Our concierge, Alex, took such amazing care of us — and the bonus treat is that he’s a mixologist. He made sure our refrigerator was stocked with great food and the bar area full of great wine and tasty, freshly-made cocktails. Angela made sure our rooms were spotless, full of fresh towels and our beds cozy. And you know what the cost of this fully staffed house was per person for the whole week? $425! Priceless!!! I am planning a return visit here for sure!
The moral of this story is get creative. Find your budget, but think big! Don’t rush. We usually start about a year and a half out from our next trip so we have plenty of time. Hint: I look for houses on VRBO.com. I read all the reviews and communicate with the manager/owner to see how they respond. Sometimes we book through here and sometimes we do it outside of this service. The best part is that starting here will reveal a lot about the place and the people that run it. Start here and follow your gut! But most importantly, have a blast!!!!
