Going on holiday with friends.

Don't do it!! We made friends with a couple on our first holiday abroad 49yr ago and got on really well so we arranged to go on holiday with them the following year. It was a disaster. I don't want to go over what went wrong but it seemed every day there was something that niggled. I'm sure they probably felt the same but although nothing was really said we never went away together again. We remained friends and got together on many occasions and as the children came along we used to have great weekends together although we lived nearly 100 miles apart. We are all grandparents now and still good friends but never have we once brought up the subject of going on holiday together!!!

We had the same experience as you jaqu10, also in our younger days, although we never saw the friends again.
However we have gone for long weekends, renting a cottage or similar, with a group of old friends and that has worked really well.
You have to go with the flow but most people can manage that for 2 or 3 nights

Many years ago I went n holiday with a girlfriend. It did not work out- the main being paying for meals. It was a hassle paying our own way so I suggested we each paid for food and drink on alternate days. On my day to pay she fancied wine in the evening and the best from the menu. Her day to pay she did not want me to have alcohol and would have preferred it if I had a sandwich! She wanted to be tucked up in bed by 9pm whereas I wanted to sample the hotel's entertainment. Never again.

We have managed it fine for weekends when all our children were grown and not with us but the one time we did it with young children was not a happy experience.

I have done it very successfully but only do it if you know they are very laid back (but not too laid back!) Be sure that you are all expecting the same things before you start.

We've done it with two sets of friends and it works quite well, but we have known them for so long and are relaxed in each others company. Have some lovely memories of various holidays with our respective children when they were young in seaside places, in the west country, Wales and Center Parcs. Also do reciprocals with one couple we are close to, they come down here, we are close to London and we go up to them in Edinburgh. Sometimes we meet in the middle well a bit nearer to them really Harrogate one year and Alnwick, definitely closer to Scotland!

We used to go on holiday every year with our oldest friends and their children sharing a holiday cottage or home and had some great times but there were occasionally niggles. Mainly due to meals, buying food and who was cooking it. Following a disastrous fortnight in Brittany (our first venture abroad) where it rained constantly, the boys all fell out and we did too we stopped going for a few years. We started again when the kids were older and could be left and went to several designations abroad but stayed in hotels and ate out so the previous problems didn't apply. One year 6 of us went to Turkey and had a great time but we haven't holidayed for some time now for various reasons. I think if you plan properly it's nice to spend time away and relax - providing you're all agreed that you need your own space at times it can work.

I've had a few holidays with friends.
Suffice to say I don't have them anymore; holidays or friends!

Had a wonderful 2 weeks on the Calidonian canal in September. There were 5 men and me. I've had several boat trips with these men so I knew it would all be good.
And I wasn't there for the cooking not something I do.
I have had the 'holiday from hell' but that was because I ignored my gut feeling concerning 2 people who were invited to join a group of us.

We used to go away with friends every year when my husband could travel but we always went on a group tour. There was arguing about arrangements as they were decided by the tour manager and we had the added advantage of having other people to talk to. It worked very well.

Have travelled widely with two specific pals. But then again there are two distinct types of friends:

1. friends
2. friends you go on holiday with

I've never done it and have no interest in doing it. I'm happy to enjoy a holiday with my husband - we don't need to share the experience with friends . On some trips we've been on, we've noticed groups of friends - they seem joined at the hip and never speak to anyone else. Whereas we go along and chat to the locals, really enjoy ourselves . To each their own I suppose.

We go on holiday sometimes with my sister and brother in law and we all get along really well. Years ago we used to go with one particular couple of friends. I wouldn't do it now. They were nice people but very overpowering. We are placid and amiable (I think) so they ended up dominating everything and we ended up doing things we didn't really want to do.

We have friends that we have know for 48 yrs that we have spent a few long weekends away with. We never did it when all our children were young.
We have always had a great time, the four of us have a mutual agreement that we can do our own thing during the day (we often stay together though) but it's lovely to meet up for dinner and share the evening.
Personally I don't agree with Izabella G and I are like sisters, we met when we were 15. Now live 2 1/2 hrs appart but still enjoy hols together and we go to them for weekends too. Though I know lots do think like that.

Have a close group of friends and a wider circle of acquaintances. Have always holidayed with our friends especially when the children were all young, fabulous memories.

One year our D and our friends D fell out at the airport, avoided each other round the pool for 2 weeks and made up on the bus from the airport to the carpark back home. Fortunately H and I, friends and the brothers thought it was hilarious. We often bring it up just to "embarass" them (isn't that the job of a parent?). We know holiday with just us oldies, still have fun.

We have had long weekends with acquaintances and had a good time.

I am generally easy going as is H, and the 2 couples we holiday with are also. If there is something someone is desperate to do/see then they do it, sometimes it's us, sometimes the women and sometimes the men do their own thing. Which makes for interesting conversations over dinner.

When we have been self catering the only rules are the men cook!!!

ninathenana perhaps I should have made it clear that the sort of holidays I enjoy and participate in are not a shared interest with the majority of my friends. A lot of them are lovely softies who throw their hands up in horror but they are still very dear to me

My experience of holidaying with friends has not been a great one. The exception was when we went on an extended holiday when we retired and a friend joined us for three weeks. That was quite successful but we have found other experiences less relaxing.

My husband and I are quite happy with our own company on holiday. However, we generally spend one week a year away with our children and grandchildren. which we both enjoy.

Any one know of a walking group for us older folk near to Burntwood in staffs please. I live in a hamlet where there is absolutely no transport so has to be close as I Dont have a car anymore. Felling isolated at min.

I think you have to know the people extremely well.

We holidayed in the past with another family we knew very well when all our children were around 8 - 13 ish - it was brilliant.
Decades later, recently holidayed as 2 couples with those same parents - despite our hardly seeing them for many years since living in different countries - also v enjoyable.

But I can't think of any other couple I'd risk it with. Tastes in everything from food to preferred levels of activity, not to mention expectations, can vary so widely.

The problem going solo (not with your partner) is that the prices are a lot steeper even on special solo holidays . Moreover, on other sites when they advertise a price it is for two people, the price shoots up when you register it is for one. I know it is a business and they have to earn money but it is expensive for solo travellers.

We've had some brilliant holidays with various friends and some disasters. One of our biggest learning points was with some friends and their three children about 20 years ago. We holidayed in Devon and the other couple had a lot more disposal income than us. Whenever their children wanted an ice cream, treat, toy they got it. We couldn't afford to do the same for our children so our three kids had to look on several times each day. I didn't begrudge the other children having more treats than ours but it taught me a lesson.

My advice is - don’t. We went abroad for a week with a couple we had been friends with for some years. We were always very laid back with each other. On holiday he turned into a complete control freak, made everyone miserable and after we got home we didn't speak to each other for years. Extended family can be just as much of a trial and frankly we wouldn’t do that again either!