27 Jul 10 Best Holidays for Groups of Friends

Finding the perfect group vacation ideas can be a challenge – it’s almost impossible to please everybody! The good news is, with this hand-picked selection of the best vacations for groups, you’re bound to find something that everyone will love. These fun vacation ideas are especially great for groups of friends in their 30s and 40s.

From surfing the incredible warm waves in Costa Rica to exploring ancient ruins in Peru, and partying all night in Vegas, these adventures are sure to create unforgettable memories with your friends. So gather your crew, pack your bags, and get ready for the adventure of a lifetime!

Here are the best holidays for groups of friends.

Table of contents:

• Surfing in Costa Rica
• Road tripping Iceland
• Mardis Gras in New Orleans
• Hiking along Cinque Terre in Italy
• Exploring Temples and Turquoise Waters in Thailand
• Tulum, Mexico
• Safari in the Serengeti
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Machu Picchu
• Kauai, Hawaii

1. Surfing in Costa Rica

One surefire way to bond together as a friend group is to learn a new skill, so heading down to Costa Rica to learn how to surf, or polish up your skills, is a whole lot of fun. Not only will you be surrounded by the jaw-dropping beauty of Costa Rica’s many glorious beaches, but you’ll also get to paddle out to make the most of the warm waters. No wetsuit required!

For the ultimate surfing experience, book a surf retreat with Surf Expedition. This is perfect for friends traveling together because you can spend your days surfing together, your evenings practicing sunset yoga together, and you’ll get to stay at a beautiful beachfront surf resort with all of your food and activities included. It’s the perfect combo of adventure and relaxation. Plus, no need to spend hours grocery shopping, cooking or doing dishes after a long day of surfing because everything will be done for you. Just show up with you bathing suit and let the crew take care of everything.

Rob’s 50th anniversary celebration with his best mates @ Surf Expedition

It’s also the perfect trip for groups of friends because you can privately reserve the camp as a group, so just you and your friends can enjoy this experience to yourselves and customize your stay by adding some sport fishing adventures, horseback riding, or jungle hiking to find hidden waterfalls.

The camp is right next to the beach, so you can wake up and check out the views of the waves rolling in with your morning coffee from a hammock. The convenience of having the beach at your doorstep means more time catching waves and less time traveling to and from the beach every day. Win!

Plus, you can’t beat professionally prepared home cooked meals daily and an all-inclusive experience to boot.

Tip: Tying the knot? Surf Expedition is also amazing for an outdoor bachelorette party!

2. Road tripping Iceland

For a getaway that’ll scratch your itch for adventure, road-tripping around Iceland’s Ring Road is a top choice. This road trip is approximately 1,332 kilometers and you’ll need a minimum of 7-10 days to complete it.

Kicking things off in Reykjavik, pick up a rental car at the airport and hit the road. You’ll pass waterfalls, volcanoes, isolated villages where it feels like time has stood still, deserted beaches, and quaint wooden churches. It’s like stepping onto another planet! My favorite stop along this route is Diamond Beach near the town of Vik. Here, you’ll find ice fragments scattered across the black sand beach, sparkling like diamonds. It’s beyond cool.

You’ll have plenty of accommodation options to choose from, and your choices here can make or break your budget. Rural Iceland has some of the most stunning hotels in the world, but it also has cozy local guesthouses and plenty of campgrounds. If you’re trying to stick to a budget, renting camping gear along with your car (yes, this is a thing!) and staying at campgrounds along the route is your best bet.

3. Mardis Gras in New Orleans

You can’t go wrong with dancing the night away on Bourbon Street and witnessing one of the US’s coolest festivals if you’re looking for fun group vacation ideas. Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, is New Orleans’ biggest party of the year, complete with lively parades, elaborate floats, bright and bold costumes, and non-stop parties.

Mardi Gras season kicks off with Twelfth Night on January 6th and culminates in a grand finale on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras was originally celebrated as the last day of indulgence before the start of Lent, and was introduced by French Catholics. Nowadays, it’s a city-wide celebration! The parades are organized by “krewes,” each with their own unique themes. Be sure to catch the Krewe of Endymion, Bacchus, and Zulu parades for some of the most spectacular displays.

The heart of the action is in the French Quarter, where you and your friends can enjoy live music, delicious Creole and Cajun cuisine, and, of course, wearing plenty of colorful beads. Don’t miss the chance to try iconic New Orleans dishes like gumbo, jambalaya, and beignets at local favorites like Café du Monde before you head home!

4. Hiking along Cinque Terre in Italy

Hiking along Cinque Terre in Italy is the perfect group vacation idea. This stunning coastal area, with its five charming villages – Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore – is a hiker’s paradise, with breathtaking views and heaps of delicious Italian food for you to devour.

The total hike distance along the Sentiero Azzurro (Blue Trail) is about 7.5 miles, or 12 kilometers. You can complete the hike in about five hours, but it’s also fun to spread it over two to three days to fully enjoy the scenery and explore each village.

Start in Monterosso al Mare, known for its beautiful beaches and historic center, before hiking to Vernazza for stunning harbor views and some of its famous local seafood. Continue to Corniglia, perched high on a cliff and offering kick-ass vantage points over the Ligurian Sea. Next, head to Manarola, famous for its colorful houses and marina, and enjoy some local wine. Finish in Riomaggiore, where you can relax by the harbor and catch a stunning sunset. What a trip!

5. Exploring Temples and Turquoise Waters in Thailand

Splashing around in the turquoise-hued waters of the Thai islands is hard to beat, which is what makes this one of the best holidays for groups of friends. Of course, Thailand’s budget-friendliness is a massive pro, and helps to offset the cost of your flights to get there, but Thailand has far more to offer than cheap prices.

Maya Bay on the Phi Phi Islands is one of Thailand’s top attractions, thanks to its role as a major filming location for the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach. With towering limestone cliffs and some of the clearest waters you’ve ever seen, this place is pure Instagram heaven!

Of course, you can’t go Thai island hopping without experiencing the Full Moon Party on Koh PhaNgan. This iconic all-night party, complete with drinks served in buckets (literally!) and a bunch of neon paint, is a wild and unmissable experience for your group of friends. Dance until dawn on the beach with thousands of other party-goers under the light of the full moon! Just be careful with that swing rope on fire, allright?

Thailand isn’t just about beaches and parties, though. Take some time to explore the stunning temples scattered across the islands like Wat Plai Laem on Koh Samui. This colorful temple complex features a striking 18-arm statue of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy and Compassion, set in front of a lake. It’s one of the most photogenic temples in Thailand and the perfect spot for some peaceful reflection on your Thai island adventure.

Planning less of a friend’s getaway and more of a work trip? Take a look at out top corporate retreat locations.

6. Tulum, Mexico

Tulum has everything you could possibly want from a friends trip, and that’s why it’s one of the best vacations for groups! There’s something to suit all budgets and travel styles here, whether that’s going all-out at a beachfront hotel or staying at a local guesthouse in Downtown Tulum.

Aside from the beach clubs and partying, one of the coolest things to do in Tulum is rent bikes and cycle to some of the cenotes scattered around town. Cenotes are underground natural pools that the Mayans believed were portals to the underworld. Swimming in them is a blast, especially on a sweltering hot Tulum day. Gran Cenote, in particular, offers the most otherworldly snorkeling experience you’ll ever have. Don’t miss it!

To add a bit of culture to your trip, exploring Tulum Ruins is a real bucket-list experience. I recommend buying the national park and boat tour combo. You’ll get to wander the archaeological ruins of this fascinating Mayan civilization and then head down to the beach to check out the views of the ruins from the ocean.

7. Safari in the Serengeti

For adventurous groups of friends, heading to Tanzania for a safari in the Serengeti National Park is a wild and unforgettable trip idea. You’ll likely fly into Tanzania’s capital, Dar es Salaam, before hopping on a quick internal flight to Arusha.

The Serengeti is packed with jaw-dropping wildlife and stunning landscapes, and they’re all waiting for you and your friends! Wide-open savannas filled with zebras, lions, elephants, and the epic Great Migration of wildebeest and zebras are just some of the things you’ll get to witness in the Serengeti. Safari game drives get you up close with these incredible animals, making for some seriously unforgettable group experiences. Don’t forget your camera – the photo ops are out of this world!

If you have time on your return journey, hop across the water from Dar es Salaam to the island of Zanzibar to spend a few days soaking up the sun, sea, and sand before flying home.

8. Las Vegas, Nevada

There’s arguably no better destination for best friend vacations than Vegas! Of course, Vegas is known first and foremost as a party destination, but even if you’re not a party crew, you’ll have a blast!

Let’s start with the party options – day clubs like Encore Beach Club and Wet Republic are perfect for soaking up the sun while dancing to top DJs. After dark, there are plenty of famous Vegas clubs to choose from for unforgettable nights out. Of course, gambling is another top thing to do in Vegas, and you don’t need to spend a fortune either – many casinos offer minimum bets of between $1-5 for games like blackjack and roulette.  

For stunning views, head up to the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris hotel, especially at night when the city lights up. Don’t miss the iconic Bellagio Fountains – they’re a must-see. You can also ride a gondola through the canals of The Venetian for a slice of Venice right in Vegas.

It may come as a surprise, but Vegas has some of the best museums around! The Mob Museum, near Fremont Street, offers an interactive and fascinating deep-dive into Vegas’ underworld past and the rise and fall of organized crime in the US. The Titanic Artifact Exhibition inside the Luxor hotel is another must-see in Vegas, and it even has a part of the Titanic’s hull on display that was salvaged from the wreck!

9. Machu Picchu

It’d be crazy to create this list of the best holidays for groups of friends and not include visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Visiting the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru is a real bucket list experience if you don’t mind the long journey to get there.

You’ll probably fly into Lima, Peru’s capital city. From here, you can join the PeruHop bus tour to visit some top sights on the way to Cusco or take a direct flight to Cusco. Spend a few days soaking in the Cusco way of life and acclimating to the altitude by sipping on some coca leaves tea (it’s no joke!) before heading to Machu Picchu.

My top recommendation is to join a tour to reach Machu Picchu. The most famous is the Inca Trail, which takes about four days, but for a less strenuous route, consider the Salkantay Trek or the Lares Trek. You can also book a 1-day downhill biking tour from Cuzco to take you closer to Machu Picchu where you’ll explore wild areas of the Andes Mountain with your guide. It’s a truly magical experience. 

Machu Picchu itself is unbelievable. Perched high in the Andes Mountains, it’s surrounded by incredible terraces and dramatic peaks. Explore highlights like the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana stone, and the Room of the Three Windows, and don’t miss watching the sunrise at the Sun Gate. Epic!

10. Kauai, Hawaii

Hawaii is always a good idea, and Kauai is the perfect island for an unforgettable group vacation. Known as the “Garden Isle,” Kauai is an absolute paradise of lush landscapes, dramatic cliffs, and pristine beaches.

Start your adventure with a hike along the Na Pali Coast, where you’ll find jaw-dropping views of the rugged coastline. For a more relaxed day, head to Hanalei Bay to sunbathe, swim, and paddleboard. Don’t miss the chance to take a boat tour or helicopter ride to see the stunning waterfalls and hidden valleys that are only accessible by air or sea.

For a bit of adventure, explore Waimea Canyon, often called the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” The canyon offers plenty of hiking trails that’ll get your heart racing, and you’ll hardly be able to stop saying “wow” every few minutes when you look out at the views. Kauai has everything you could possibly dream of when it comes to the perfect friends’ getaway.

Best Friend Vacation Ideas- Final Thoughts

Whether you’re wanting to travel halfway around the world for a bucket list safari to the Serengeti or hit the waves in Costa Rica, I’m sure that you and your group of friends will have the time of your lives if you pick any of these suggestions!

Obviously, as an avid surfer, I’m a little biased – but if I had to pick just one of these suggestions to recommend for your group of friends, it’d be joining this Costa Rica Surf Expedition! Surf Expedition in Southern Costa Rica offers the perfect combo of sun, sand, and learning a new skill together – surfing! Plus, the fantastic team at Surf Expedition takes care of everything for you, from food, accommodations, and activities to of course- the surf lessons themselves.

Ready to catch some waves? Book your Costa Rica Surf Expedition now!