Wondering about the best places to travel with friends? You’re in the right place! Travel expert Tyla Oliver brings us this fun guest post with the top three destinations for traveling with friends, along with tips and tricks for ensuring it goes smoothly!
From early morning hikes to late-night partying overseas and paddleboarding in the Canadian Rockies, trips with friends are adventures like no other.
With your passport, carefully selected travel gear, and a close-knit friend group at your side, you’ll be able to craft lifelong memories with some of your closest compadres.
While exploring some of the best places to travel with friends might seem like a daunting experience, you’ll be well-equipped for your trip with some destination inspiration and travel hacks.
From an adrenaline-infused Emerald Cave kayaking tour to simply sleeping the day away with a hangover, a best friends’ trip is a kaleidoscope of different adventures.
Unsure how to unearth the hidden gems of the ultimate places to travel with friends? Take a look at the best places to go with your friends to ensure you have an unforgettable trip!
This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission — at no cost to you — if you click or make a purchase through any of them. For more information, read my disclosure statement. I appreciate you!
Jump ahead to:
Best Vacation for Friends | Cities & Countries to Visit
Whether you’re craving a quaint setting or a vibrant city filled with life and color, you’ll have a blast discovering the nooks and crannies of urban spaces with your friends.
Take a look at a few exceptional destination options to get the ball rolling for the perfect pal-cation trips for best friends.
Photo credit: Liene Ratniece on Pexels
Amsterdam – The All-Rounder Choice
The taste of delicious street food, charming waters of the canals, and sweet smells from a flower market — Amsterdam is a tapestry of sensations waiting to be explored.
From the iconic cultural museums to the ever-famous cannabis-infused sweet treats at coffee shops, the capital of the Netherlands is a fantastic find like no other.
While accommodation is quite expensive in this magical city, you and your friends will find plenty of traveler hostel stays to enjoy a budget-friendly trip.
What could be better than having a nostalgic sleepover experience (many times, even equipped with bunk beds!) to swap travel war stories after a long day of traveling?
Plus, there are many awesome FREE things to do in Amsterdam!
Top Group Excursion: A pillar of the hop-filled history of an uber-famous brewery, the Heineken Experience is sure to be a crowd favorite with your travel crew. From a sneak peek into the beer brewing process to a frothy taster at the end of the tour, this excursion is a treat to experience.
Local tip (pun intended!): Tipping in Amsterdam is somewhat different from what you may be accustomed to. For example, you generally don’t tip for every drink or round ordered at a bar. Instead, you tip a few euros at the end of the evening.
Las Vegas – The Party & Adventure Choice
As they say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Except for the memories, of course! With a nickname like Sin City, you’ll be able to experience a vast tapestry of interesting and exciting activities with your travel buddies.
Whether it’s the loud jingles of a winning slot machine or a killer tune from a famous singer at a Las Vegas show, you’ll soon be transfixed by the melodies of this city.
If you’re looking for a hot deal (in terms of both very warm weather and low hotel prices), June to August is a great time to pack your bags and head for the Mojave Desert.
And if you’re specifically looking for one of the best places to travel with friends on a budget, here it is! Not only can you do Sin City cheap, but you can get there without spending much, either, especially if your group takes a bus to Las Vegas.
As a bonus, Vegas is less than three hours from Zion National Park, the Grand Canyon’s West Rim, Death Valley, and Joshua Tree! Closer to town, you also have the option of touring Hoover Dam or heading out to Valley of Fire State Park.
Top Group Excursion: A breath of fresh air from neon and late nights, Red Rock Canyon near Vegas is a trip worth taking. This excursion is a fun trip to take with friends, with hikes filled with sandstone rock formations and hidden waterfalls. Remember, bring lots of water, even in winter!
Photo credit: olga-filo on Pixabay
Sri Lanka – The Tropical & Chill Choice
Are you looking for the lush tropics of Hawaii and Thailand without the sea of tourists and soaring accommodation prices? Sri Lanka is a beach paradise destination sure to be high on any best place to travel with friends list.
This dazzling Asian country is known for producing an abundance of different sights and activities to tickle any traveler’s fancy. From the fragrant aromas of Ceylon tea plantations to the gentle giants of elephant sanctuaries, Sri Lanka provides a layered trip filled with treasured experiences.
Make your way to the hippie haven of Hikkaduwa on the West Coast to experience the life of sea, sand, and sunshine. From November to April, surfers rejoice due to the epic surf breaks found during this time.
Top Group Excursion: A must-visit destination rather than an excursion, a few days in the town of Tangalle in the South is the ultimate stay for the beach bum lifestyle.
With stunning secluded beaches and quaint restaurants, this town is perfect for a lazy vacation with best friends—but there are also tons of fun things to do in Tangalle.
Photo credit: zwaan6 on Pixabay
Tips & Tricks for Travel With Friends
While it might be tempting to set sail with your friends overseas, a vacation with your close clan sometimes makes or breaks a holiday — and a friendship. To ensure you keep the peace between pals, take a look at a few essential pre-planning guidelines.
- Plan in advance – While planning travel isn’t always easy, the stakes are much higher when you add friends to the mix. By crafting a group vacation plan in advance, you’ll ensure many key travel components are handled, such as the destination and accommodation.
- Use an app to help – These days, we have endless tools and resources to help plan travel. Especially when it comes to friend trips, group travel planning apps like Tab or TripSplitter can be a tremendous help.
- Determine your budget – Whether you’re looking to swim in the lap of luxury travel or ballin’ on a budget, you need to be on the same page with your fellow travelers. From there, decide if you’ll pool finances or pay separately. This is another way travel apps can help!
- Travel with the right people – A breezy break can quickly turn into a storm of awkward tension if you’re not traveling with close friends. While this definitely isn’t always the case, you’re more likely to know what’s in store if you’ve known your travel group for a long time. Have an open communication policy throughout your trip to ensure no underlying negativity.
Photo credit: esudroff on Pixabay
Final Thoughts on Places to Travel With Friends
From bustling beaches to sanctuaries of solitude, the best places to travel with friends are beautiful opportunities to explore exotic locations and solidify friendships.
Whether you choose boozy Las Vegas or the tranquil tides of Sri Lanka, the destination won’t matter, but rather the people you embark on new journeys with.
So there you have it, three of the best places to travel with friends. Do you have any recommendations we missed? Comment below or connect with us on social media to let us know!
