DW and I try to take two trips a year, one family vacation and a couples getaway.
Whats on the upcoming itinerary ? Baha Mar in the Bahamas. What could be better than aqua water, wildlife (including flamingos), multiple pools, shopping, 5 star dining and an on site casino?!
I would say, not much. But, we'll let you know if it is worth all the hype!
No matter if we are a group of 8 or just 2, we start off our trip plan the same way. Many of you might think geez, it's a vacation, isn't it supposed to be spontaneous!
And to that I say, very true! Unfortunately, my brain doesn't work that way. I like to have a plan so that I can use the time on the trip enjoying and not thinking that we might have missed something.
Here's where I start:
Where & When:
How many days are you able to get away?
While we definitely have our bucket list of places we want to visit, between our work schedules, we have to be thoughtful about the amount of time we have available, which includes how much time we want to spend traveling versus actually vacationing.
Our very favorite place to visit is Maui, HI. This was our honeymoon destination and still holds a lot of nostalgia for us. Check out some of my favorite places, I have posted on instagram and even a few videos on youtube that have help me plan our past trips.
What was important to us while planning this trip was a short travel so we could have a full 4 days at our final destination.
When?
The best way I have found to plan a couples or a family vacation is to have everyone send their top date choices.
I sit down and review the dates and figure out where the calendar dates overlap. Then I take a look at the bucket list of destinations and travel time required and send two or three recommendations in an email to the group.
2. Choosing a place to stay:
I like to weight out the options between a rental or a resort/hotel. My favorite resources for rentals are VRBO and Airbnb.
When it comes to finding the best resorts/hotels, Youtube is the resource I tend to lean on. Why? I have found the resort/hotel website photos can be a little deceiving.
When I search Youtube, I will start with a room and resort walk through. For example, when looking into Baha Mar I typed "Baha Mar room tour" into the search bar.
Understanding the room accommodations is typically where I start because that is what is most important to me. I am a little over the top when it comes to cleanliness.
You should focus on what is most important to you and your group. For example, if kid friendly activities is most important, try searching "Baha Mar top activities for kids."
Or if great food is top on your list, try searching something like "Baha Mar restaurant reviews"
When it comes to a rental options, both VRBO and Airbnb have visitor reviews that are a great tool.
Finally, the other thing I do while trying to narrow down the best place to stay, is scope out the location, especially if we are visiting a place that we have never been.
My favorite tool for this is the Maps App on my phone. I type in the address and do a 3D view of the rental, hotel or resort. Why? I want to see what is around the area.
How close is it to the airport, restaurants and any activities that we may be interested in?
3. Weighing out all the options:
Now that I have done some research, I follow up with my travel companions. I will outline 2 or 3 options for locations and include a few places to stay for each. I will put together an overall price point for the options as well, including accommodations, flight, and I will also link a guide to the most popular activities for the areas. I like to do this through email.
Once everyone is aligned on the location and where to stay, I find that it is easiest to have one person book all of the flights, hotels etc. This allows you to have seats next to each other on the flight, and rooms close to one another etc.
4. Activities or just chilling..
One thing that I have found to be key to everyone enjoying the trip is to plan ahead. Especially when you have a large group traveling together, it can be hard to make sure that everyone gets to do what they want to do.
For example, I have a hard time sitting still, so I tend to maintain a routine, even on vacation. This includes a morning run, breakfast and then some relaxation and I like to end the afternoon or evening doing an activity.
This is not everyones idea of a vacation. DW loves to start his day with a run so we will do that together but then he could relax the rest of the day, no activities required.
The solution I have found to this is the list of activities I mentioned before. When I send out the initial trip info, I include the list of popular activities for the area and also a list of restaurants.
It's important to remember that everyone has their own budget. So DW might be willing to spend $50 on a great steak but someone else might want to use that money for an experience instead.
I will take the activities/restaurants that everyone is interested in and piece together a potential itinerary.
5. Almost there..
A few days before vacation I will send out all of the info one more time so everyone has everything in one spot.
6. Where to Splurge
I tend to be pretty frugal, however here are the two things I have found to be worth every penny.
A Car Service: On the way to the airport and on the way home, we use a car service, especially if we are traveling a long distance. It is already stressful enough making sure that you have everything, all the doors are locked, lights off, ignore the stress of traffic to the airport and take a car service.
Food Delivery: Whether you are staying at a resort or rental with a kitchen or just a hotel room, the cost of food adds up very quickly. I have found that having your own food to cook or even just snacks on hand saves a ton! Instead of going to the local grocery store and lugging all of the bags to your room. Have them delivered. Most grocery stores in a tourist area have a delivery service that will drop off to resorts, hotels and even rentals. Some of them will even load your fridge and cabinets prior to your arrive. This gives you valuable time back to spend at the pool, beach or reading a good book.
From us to you, I hope these tips help you plan for your next vacation!
Look for a follow up blog on our trip to Baha Mar, we will let you know if it is worth all of the hype!
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