Step One: Decide on a Destination

Whoever is leading the charge for the group should propose some options that are fairly convenient for each member of your party to reach. If you’re based all over the country, this could be tricky. Consider places within a day’s drive of your respective homes, and check in with those who live the furthest away to assess their comfort level when it comes to flying. This will help you hone in on the ideal destination. To travel affordably with a group, the best option is to search for resorts with multiple bedrooms in California, Mexico, Colorado and more right from KOALA.

Step Two: Find Your Accommodation

Once the location has been decided, it’s time to start looking for places to stay. The most equitable way to do this is to propose three-five potential options that span a range of budgets, then ask the group to vote for their favorite. If you want to keep costs down, consider booking a multi-bedroom timeshare property, which allows your group to enjoy luxury resort amenities at a far cheaper rate than a single hotel room. We recommend the 2-bedroom at the Hyatt Beaver Creek Mountain Lodge, beautiful year round, or the 1 and 2-bedroom villas at Westin Kaanapali Ocean Resort, a world-class wellness resort in Maui.

The Hyatt Beaver Creek, Mountain Lodge is an exquisite mountain retreat in Colorado’s Vail Valley. 

Step Three: Pre-Book Your Splurges 

It’s nice to splurge on at least one group activity while away with your loved ones, whether that’s a fancy meal or an excursion. Consider setting a budget, pooling your money, and pre-booking ahead of time to avoid any awkward surprises when it comes to settling the check. Check out our Holiday Getaways for planning ideas for traveling affordably with a group.

Step Four: Find Some Fun, Affordable Activities

Of course not all memorable experiences have to cost money. Try planning some activities for the group that are free or cheap. Can you bike, hike or find a swimming hole closeby, for example? Maybe you can organize a game night or scavenger hunt for everyone. 

Step Five: Divide Expenses Equally 

Encourage everybody in your group to download the Splitwise app. It allows each individual to enter their expenses and choose which members of the group to split it with (useful if you’re not doing absolutely everything as one unit). Over the course of the trip, the app does the math and tracks who owes who. It also syncs with payment services like Venmo, so you can get squared away at the end of the trip.