How to plan a beach trip with friends
A beach trip is easy to want and hard to book, because it needs six people to say yes in the same week. The plan is mostly about getting that yes early: agree the budget, book the travel and the stay, then leave the days themselves loose.
The countdown
6 weeks before
- Confirm who's coming and agree the budget
- Book the travel there and back
5 weeks before
- Book where you're staying
4 weeks before
- Collect deposits or agree who pays for what
3 weeks before
- Check everyone's ID and documents
2 weeks before
- Plan the days and share the itinerary
7 days before
- Share the packing list and who brings what
- Book scooters, a car or a driver for getting around
3 days before
- Reconfirm travel and stay bookings
2 days before
- Check the weather and sea conditions
1 day before
- Send the meeting point, time and emergency contact
- Pack, charge phones and download offline maps
2 days after
- Settle up who owes what
3 days after
- Share the photos
Add your dates, destination and who's coming and get this checklist with real due dates, a day-by-day itinerary and a link everyone replies on.
Plan mine freeHow the budget splits
Shown for 6 people over 3 nights on $3,600. The percentages hold at any size.
| Category | Share | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Stay | 35% | $1,260 |
| Travel | 30% | $1,080 |
| Food & drinks | 20% | $720 |
| Activities | 10% | $360 |
| Buffer | 5% | $180 |
A sample itinerary
The first 3 days of a 3-night trip to Myrtle Beach. Every time is a starting point.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Each person packs
- Swimwear
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses and a hat
- Flip-flops
- Light cotton clothes
- ID and driving licence
- Phone charger
- Some cash
One of you brings
- First-aid kit and everyone's medicines
- Bluetooth speaker
- Power bank
- Snacks for the journey
- Beach games or a ball
Tips from the plan
- Get the yes and the budget together
- Six weeks out, ask who is in and what they'll spend in the same message. A stay booked for six that four turn up to is how trips end friendships.
- Book the stay before the plans
- Stay is the biggest line at about 35%, with travel close behind at 30%. Once those two are booked, everything else can be decided on the sand.
- Share the kit, don't duplicate it
- One speaker, one first-aid kit, one power bank. Put the shared items on the list and let people claim them, so nobody brings three speakers and no sunscreen.
Questions
How far ahead should I plan a beach trip?
Six weeks is comfortable: confirm who is coming and book the travel then, book the stay at five weeks, share the itinerary two weeks out and the packing list a week before.
What should I pack for a beach trip?
Each person needs swimwear, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, flip-flops, light clothes, ID, a charger and some cash. For the group: a first-aid kit, a speaker, a power bank, snacks for the journey and something to play with on the beach.
How do we split the cost of a group beach trip?
Agree a total per person before booking, then keep one list of who paid for what and settle up a couple of days after you're back. Stay and travel are about two thirds of it, so those are the two to split carefully.