Planning a Large Group Vacation Shouldn’t Be a Big Headache
A brilliant wordsmith far more talented than I once penned:
“Group travel requires a Herculean amount of coordination and compromise.”
Ain’t that the truth.
Selecting the ideal destination, booking flights and transportation, and planning activities that’ll work for everyone in your crew isn’t a task for the weak of mind, body or spirit.
In fact, you’d practically need to be a Greek god or goddess to pull it off alone.
But why engage in so much heavy lifting when the fine folks at YouGetHere Vacation Rentals are here, like a gleaming shield in a far-away battlefield, ready to save your life.
Since you’ve already accomplished the incredibly difficult task of group vacation location selection — the south Pacific zone of Costa Rica is the obvious destination at this stage of the game; just look at how beautiful those homes are on our website — we’ll help you tackle the rest below.
Picking the Proper Villa
All of our luxury villas are amazing, but two of them really stand out for an epic group vacation: the Caballitos Del Mar Complex and The Jade House.
The Jade House for Group Vacations in Costa Rica
If you want everyone to be under one roof, The Jade House is our suggestion and here’s why: it can accommodate 19 guests, with 7 total bedrooms, 3 swimming pools and a billiards table. The place is absolutely epic!
Caballitos del Mar Complex of Beachfront Villas for Group Vacations in Costa Rica
If you’d prefer to split the entire group into 3 separate homes on the same property, the Caballitos Del Mar Complex is the call. The property has space for 25 total guests. Each of the homes features 3 bedrooms and a swimming pool. And, of course, the beach is right out front.
Activities for Everyone
According to Fodors, a well-known travel publication, the key to a successful group vacation is “having a built-in activity for people to do at any time of the day that doesn’t involve planning: beaches … or mountains are good candidates.”
Check and check! We’ve got you completely covered here.
The beautiful Osa Peninsula is where mountains meet the sea. It offers both unplanned and planned opportunities for exploration. The super-planner in your troupe can reserve their wildlife viewing tour to Corcovado well in advance, while your last-minute-decider can see wildlife on a whim, probably without leaving the villa.
The beach bums in your group will be overjoyed to find that there are many unique and diverse beaches to visit in our paradise. Sign up for a surf lesson at Playa Dominical, or just sip a coffee while the macaws soar overhead. Head to see the caves at Ventanas or kayak the mangroves further south. If getting out on the ocean or off to a nearby Island is what you were hoping for, check out our fishing tours and Cano Island adventures here.
Likewise, if some of your group members prefer the mountains with stunning ocean views, there are more trails and hikes than we can list. There are scheduled ATV tours and no-reservation-required archaeology sites.
The adventurous can soar over the canopy on ziplines whilst the mellow go birding closer to sea level. The Nauyaca Waterfall horseback tour can accommodate the aspiring cowboys in your group while others opt for the less bumpy ride in a chauffeured automobile. Everyone can reach the same destination happily and swim under the falls together.
Group Dinner with a Costa Rican Theme
The reason you planned a group trip was to spend time as a group! That’s easy to do with the one thing we all have in common — the need to eat. But what we don’t have in common is our cooking styles and preferences. There’s a reason for that saying, “too many cooks in the kitchen.”
That’s why we suggest booking our private chef to handle this task like a pro. That way no one is the cook and no one gets hurt feelings. Problems solved, in the most delicious way possible.
You are in Costa Rica, so go with the traditional and accommodating Costa Rican “thematic” dinner. It’s full of food that kids and vegetarians will love, too. Here’s what it includes: Seafood soup, Achiote marinated chicken, fried fish, egg cake plus all of these vegetarian and traditional Costa Rican staples: rice, refried beans, homemade tortillas, heart of palm picadillo, ripe plantain, cabbage salad, cold bean salad with corn, sweet corn, “Agua de Sapo” (a traditional drink) and pineapple dessert served with rice pudding.
When in Costa Rica, eat Tico style!
Getting everyone to and fro on a Group Vacation
In the southern zone of Costa Rica, we suggest renting a 4×4 vehicle. If you have a large group you’ll likely need more than one.
There are lots of ways to get from the international airport to your villa, and everyone may not want to do it together in one swoop. We have handpicked the best companies in the area to help with this. You could opt for two professional shuttle drivers to meet you right at the airport. They will bring you, and your over-packer friends’ scores of luggage, to Dominical. Once in Dominical, you can split up into each of your pre-reserved 4×4 rental cars.
From Dominical, one of our team members will meet you in person and you’ll follow them directly to your luxury villa. Easy peasy! If you decide to book Caballitos Del Mar Complex, the shuttles can take you right to the front door where your 4×4 vehicles have been parked, waiting for you, in the driveway. You’ll be cannonballing into the pool, listening to the crashing waves, faster than you can say “pura vida.”
Opting for private shuttles from the airport to Dominical in the literal south, can eliminate a lot of the potential for things to go metaphorically south early on during your vacation. There won’t be any wrong turns or bad music choices. And no one has to abstain from cocktails on the plane ride to paradise.
Some people worry that taking a shuttle will prevent them from stopping at their leisure en route to Dominical. But don’t fret, these shuttles will stop for the fifth bathroom break for the little ones and they’ll also stop for you to see the famous crocs at Tarcoles bridge.
The Costa Rican people are some of the friendliest folk you’ll ever meet. They don’t mind taking a little extra time getting down the coast. There’s no rush at all.
Whichever method works best for your group, our providers are available to assist with all the arrangements.
So, is planning a group vacation truly Herculean?
It doesn’t have to be. Not with YouGetHere by your side.
