Organizing travel for friends - looking for advice

[Pellice]

I know several of you here are "organizers of travel." And even enjoy it!

I would like to request any tips or websites on how to be an organizer of travel. I find myself falling into this position. I actually kind of enjoy researching, organizing and presenting information. And the time frame to do this sort of work agrees with me - getting some buy-in a year or more ahead of time, then getting more intensive as time goes on.

One plus here is that my friends and I are already self-selected for one primary interest - we are birders. We don't have to think about meshing different interests. However, I don't want to end up being perceived as bossy or dictating. And I don't want to do all the work, but I seem to be the one who thinks about all the different considerations and who can imagine all the potential pitfalls. (I did a lot of organizing at w*rk).

Travel organizers, what is your experience here? Any experience or tips would be appreciated.

 

[Gumby]

I always start with the most limiting factor. Say I wanted to see the show "Hamilton" on Broadway in New York. I would start with getting tickets to the show, as they are scarce and expensive and therefore likely to be the most limiting factor. Or, more to your interests, suppose I wanted to see a rare migratory bird that stops at only one accessible island in the world for a one week period. Obtaining lodging on that island during that week is likely the most limiting factor, so I would start there.

 

[ckelly78z]

One plus here is that my friends and I are already self-selected for one primary interest - we are birders. We don't have to think about meshing different interests.

Have you considered Maumee Bay State park in Northern Ohio as a destination. We are headed to one of their wonderful cabins in February to chill, and take in Winter nature.

In early May (mother's day weekend), they have the following going on; FESTIVAL LOCATIONS - Black Swamp Bird Observatory Brings You... The Biggest Week In American Birding

We have camped in their campground during this, and birders are everywhere on the trails, and boardwalk along the shores of Lake Erie.

 

[Pellice]

Yes, I have individually been to the NW Ohio area in May. It always cracks me up. I grew up not too far from there, and the fact the unromantic flat farmlands of soy and corn between Toledo and Sandusky have become a must destination for nature lovers ... well, it is a tribute to geography and to the entrepreneurial genius of one guy, Ken Kaufmann, who personally built up this whole "Biggest Week" event from absolutely nothing in about 12 years. I wonder what the inhabitants think.

 

[Pellice]

I always start with the most limiting factor.

This is helpful, although it's hard to follow (there's always a distraction, lol!)

 

[Bamaman]

My suggestion to anyone that's been assigned the task of organizing travel for friends is simple. Don't do it.

There is a certain amount of pressure placed on any organizer, and I don't care for the stress.

I do organize trips for myself, wife and granddaughter and that's it. I am very helpful to many others on where to go, how to get there and how to find accommodations. But all the decisions are left up to them.

 

[Souschef]

My suggestion to anyone that's been assigned the task of organizing travel for friends is simple. Don't do it.

There is a certain amount of pressure placed on any organizer, and I don't care for the stress.

I do organize trips for myself, wife and granddaughter and that's it. I am very helpful to many others on where to go, how to get there and how to find accommodations. But all the decisions are left up to them.

+100 It would be like herding cats. The only trip I ever organized was a culinary tour of Lima, Peru. Everyone had to make their own payment to the organizer, so none of the money went through me. All the people had to do was show up at the appointed time.
I have seen situations where some one organizes a group tour, and when final payment time came, some of the group backed out..

 

[marko]

My suggestion to anyone that's been assigned the task of organizing travel for friends is simple. Don't do it.

+1
We go away with BIL and SIL every fall to the Caribbean for a week. We're also going to Spain and Italy in a few weeks with them.

They're great to be with, money is no object and we have a lot of fun but they are fussy in an "American" sort of way.

Long ago I learned to have SIL make all the arrangements, especially on lodging. Just don't need the headache and having to defend my choices.

 

[Sanstar]

I am going on an out of town trip with several friends. We each have an assignment: an organizer to arrange lodging and any coordinate any shared travel to and from lodging, CFO to track and pay any group expenses such as meals and taxi, (divided and settled on last day); an ambassador responsible for all trip/event communications with people outside the group (reservations, wait staff, Lyft drivers, ect..). This arrangement allows us to enjoy each other’s company without constant logistics discussions about who should do what, when and how.

We change up roles each trip.

 

[Bamaman]

+1
We go away with BIL and SIL every fall to the Caribbean for a week. We're also going to Spain and Italy in a few weeks with them.

They're great to be with, money is no object and we have a lot of fun but they are fussy in an "American" sort of way.

Long ago I learned to have SIL make all the arrangements, especially on lodging. Just don't need the headache and having to defend my choices.

My wife's hobby is finding cheap travel. She just got back from a cruise last weekend, and was in Las Vegas in November.

I found incredibly cheap flights Boston-Madrid and Paris-Boston for the end of May. Our flights to Boston are really cheap too. It's the hotels that I've got to shop for now, and big European city rooms can be expensive.

 

[davebarnes]

It's the hotels that I've got to shop for now, and big European city rooms can be expensive.

AirBnB.

Paris - check hotels on the rue Delambre in the 14th. We stayed a 2 of them.

 

[Pellice]

I am going on an out of town trip with several friends. We each have an assignment: an organizer to arrange lodging and any coordinate any shared travel to and from lodging, CFO to track and pay any group expenses such as meals and taxi, (divided and settled on last day); an ambassador responsible for all trip/event communications with people outside the group (reservations, wait staff, Lyft drivers, ect..). This arrangement allows us to enjoy each other’s company without constant logistics discussions about who should do what, when and how.

We change up roles each trip.

Sounds like you've honed this approach over several trips! How do you communicate and keep track of arrangements? I'm using a shared Google Doc, but I know there are several programs for this as well. Do you have a meeting ahead of time to kick things off and decide on goals and allot responsibilities?

 

[iloveyoga]

My suggestion to anyone that's been assigned the task of organizing travel for friends is simple. Don't do it.

There is a certain amount of pressure placed on any organizer, and I don't care for the stress.

I do organize trips for myself, wife and granddaughter and that's it. I am very helpful to many others on where to go, how to get there and how to find accommodations. But all the decisions are left up to them.

I will do it for very close family and my one BF. Otherwise, it is time for a travel agent as our main point of contact.

 

[Ronstar]

I only organize travel for me and DW or for a group that includes us. I do most of my initial research on TripAdvisor for accommodations, restaurants, and things to do. Also Airbnb. And I do a lot of googling. And looking at maps. And i communicate findings often with the traveling parties to get feedback/ suggestions.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I had a good friend that loved to plan travel and was great at deals. So when the 4 of us traveled he made the arrangements. He loved doing it but sadly he is gone.

 

[grasshopper]

If you ever run out of birding trips, I would give a gratuitous plug for Cave Creek Canyon in the Chiricahua Mts. of SE Arizona. Rivoli's hummingbird all summer here at the casa. Mexican Chickadee, Elegant Trogon, just a little higher up canyon.

https://www.visitarizona.com/planning/local-word/epic-fall-road-trip-cave-creek-canyon