Friend Getaways Introduction

One of the stranger terms (OK, we think it’s odd) to enter the cultural zeitgeist recently is “mancation,” a word used to describe a testosterone filled group trip taken by a bunch of male buddies. It may not exactly roll off the tongue but it certainly describes the very real phenomenon of college or work friends getting together for a fun trip. It’s not just men who are doing it, either; women, too, are using the occasions of milestone birthdays, bachelorette parties, a promotion or just as an excuse to get a break from the kids and the husband to go somewhere with only the girls (see girlfriend getaways). Whether you’re a group of men or women, or both, there are plenty of reasons to log on to Groople.com and start planning a truly great escape, including:

• Using the expertise of Groople.com makes it easy to plan a trip with your closest childhood or adults friends (see plan your friends getaways). One of the great things about initiating and then following through on a friend getaway is that it gives people a reason to stay connected regularly, as you ponder where to go and what to do on your journey. Then, of course, the post-mortem of the trip gives plenty more fodder for keeping those emails and phone calls flowing.
• You need it. Yes, our families and our careers are very important, and tending to those relationships is essential. But a little face time with the friends with whom you have a long history with is not just good fun, it is necessary; a chance to relax and laugh with people who know all your most embarrassing moments. What could be better?
• Friend getaways aren’t just a time to relive the past, either. It’s also a chance to see new places, learn new things—like how to cook or to skydive or to drive a race car—or to just sit by a pool and laugh with your pals.

Great Friend Getaways Destinations:

For those seeking a challenge as well as some quality time with friends, try an outdoor adventure like one of these.

1. Skydive near Tuscon, Arizona
2. Raft the Kern River, Kernville, California
3. Mountain bike in Moab, Utah
4. Race a car in Talladega, Alabama
5. Go fish in Bristol Bay, Alaska

If you’re looking for a little bit of everything—nightlife, culture, and great restaurants and bars—here are some cities from coast to coast famous a bit of everything.

1. Los Angeles, California
2. Seattle, Washington
3. New Orleans, Louisiana
4. New York City
5. Nashville, Tennessee

Plan a trip with your friends around a special event. Some possibilities.

1. Austin, TX during the South by Southwest Music/Film Festival
2. Las Vegas, NV during March Madness
3. Louisville, KY for the Kentucky Derby
4. An out-of-town professional sports game
5. Times Square for New Years Eve, New York, NY

Go ahead and splurge. Play golf at one of the best courses in the country. You only live once, right?

1. Pebble Beach, CA
2. Pacific Dunes, OR
3. Pinehurst, NC
4. Augusta, GA
5. Pine Valley, NJ

Plan Your Friend Getaway:

Here’s a bet we’d be willing to take: there have been times during a hectic workweek or when your family pressures are particularly acute when you daydream about getting away from it all with your best friends. So why not let Groople.com help you transform that daydream into a reality? A few suggestions:

• Create a Groopvine page. There, you will be able to communicate with your pals; set up polls to decide on dates, locations, and hotels; share information about your chosen location; and even share pictures from the trip once you’re back.
• Decide what kind of getaway you want to take. Check out Groople’s Where to Go: Great Ideas for Friend Getaways for suggestions.
• Find a hotel or resort. Groople will help you find a hotel within your price range featuring all the amenities you’ll want for your getaway. Groople can find the best group rates for your reunion, and will enable everyone in your group to pay separately.
• Decide on your itinerary. Communicate via Groopvine to make plans ahead of time for activities you’ll want to book before you go.

Tips for Planning your Friend Getaway:

Some friends share an interest that makes planning a friend getaway easy: all they have to do is select a new golf course to play, a great spa to try or a region with terrific vineyards. But most of the time your group of friends will have divergent hobbies and passions. To make planning easier (and to try something new, which is a big attraction of travel, anyway), you have to be willing to compromise and be flexible when you come up with your itinerary and destination. Not everyone may like golf, so why not find a resort that has a myriad of activities? Also consider this:

• Make it an annual tradition. As valuable as time is with your friends, it is always going to be a challenge to carve out time from family and work duties to get away. One thing that can make it easier is to have your trip be the same weekend (or week, or whatever amount of time you can manage) each and every year. That way, everyone knows to plan for it, just as you would for a holiday, birthday or anniversary.
• Think big. What are the chances you’d be able to convince your wife to go on a mountain biking vacation in Utah? Any way you could lure your husband to a week’s worth of spa treatments in Arizona? Getting away with good friends can be a way to indulge in the things you just might not be able to do with your spouse or by yourself.