Last spring I spent the day with one of my best friends in Grand Rapids. We had a delicious brunch, went shopping, got our nails done, and ended the day with a fabulous community theater performance. It was the first time we had a whole day together in years, and it was a blast! Yes, it took planning and intentionality to make it happen – but it was so worth it. Sound like something you’d like to try? Here are a few ways you can start to plan a friend trip in the new year.
Think Fun
Let’s start with the fun stuff – what are you and your friend(s) going to do together? Maybe there is an artist you would both love to see in concert, or a city you have always wanted to visit that isn’t especially kid-friendly. Are you both super-fans of a specific author or TV series? Visit the town where the author lives or the show is set.
It could be as big as a trip to another country, a few days on a cruise ship, or it could be as small as a day at the outlet mall. The goal is to get out of your normal routine and have some fun together!
Think Logistics
Before I had kids, this same friend and I went on a whirlwind trip to Iceland together. It was adventurous and amazing. With two kids, this same trip would be much more difficult to organize these days. It’s important have plenty of time to work through logistics when planning a friend trip.
What needs to happen for you to get away with a friend? Think through your responsibilities and commitments. Do you need to request time off from work, or can you make use of a long holiday weekend in the new year? Will your friend trip take you somewhere far enough to fly? Whose car will you drive?
Some other things to consider:
- Who will be with your kids while you are away?
- What kind of housing arrangement will work best – hotel, AirBNB, or staying with friends?
- Share the workload of organizing the trip. Help book hotels, buy tickets, research excursions, restaurants, etc. Some friends may create detailed spreadsheets, while others prefer to “wing it” when they arrive. Lean into whatever style works for you and your friends!
- How will you share costs for things while on your trip? Will you split everything in half, take turns paying, etc.? And how will you pay each other back?
- What is the expectation for staying in touch with the kids while you are on your trip? Daily FaceTime check-ins have worked well for me in the past!
Be Intentional
The plans are all in place and your friend trip is approaching. Do what you can to be present and intentional with your time together!
Make sure your trip includes time to just sit and talk – preferably over coffee and breakfast food. Bookmark a few of these question lists to guide your conversations: 21 Deep Questions to Ask Your Friends or even 168 Questions to Ask Friends That Are Fun, Personal and Deep. Be sure to take lots of pictures, but otherwise try to stay off your phone and enjoy the trip. I hope this inspires you to plan a friend trip in the new year. I know it’s on my to-do list now, too!
