30A With a Group: How to Keep Everyone From Losing Their Minds
There is a very specific moment that happens on a big family vacation.
Everyone is excited.
Everyone loves each other.
Everyone has been looking forward to this trip for approximately six months.
And then someone asks:
“So… what are we doing today?”
Silence.
Because there are 10 people in the room, 14 opinions, three different wake-up times, two toddlers who woke up at 5:47 a.m., one teenager who would like to sleep until noon, and at least one person who is already hungry.
Welcome to the group vacation.
And honestly?
We love them.
Some of our favorite 30A memories happen when the whole crew comes together. But we've also learned that a great group vacation isn't about getting everyone to do everything together.
It's about making it easy for everyone to do their own thing and still come back together when it counts.
Here's our Stay Days guide to keeping a large group of your favorite people happy, fed, rested and—most importantly—still speaking to each other by checkout.
Rule #1: Stop Trying to Do Everything Together
This might be the most important rule.
You do not need 10 people to agree on one plan.
In fact, don't even try.
If half the group wants to go to the beach at 8:00 a.m. and the other half wants to sleep until 10:00?
Perfect.
Let them.
If three people want to bike to coffee, four want to sit by the pool and two want to go fishing?
Excellent.
If someone wants to spend an entire afternoon reading on the porch?
Honestly, we're jealous.
The goal isn't:
“What are we all doing?”
Try:
“What sounds good to you?”
Then meet back up later.
Everyone wins.
Rule #2: Pick a Home Base—Not a Constant Meeting Point
This is where your house matters more than you might think.
When you're traveling with a big group, the house becomes the unofficial headquarters.
It's where everyone drops their stuff.
It's where breakfast happens.
It's where the kids congregate.
It's where someone inevitably leaves their sunglasses.
And it's where you regroup after the beach.
So when you're booking a large-group vacation, don't just ask:
“Can everyone sleep here?”
Ask:
“Can everyone comfortably live here for a week?”
That's a very different question.
You want enough bedrooms.
Enough bathrooms.
Enough seating.
Enough refrigerator space.
Enough places for people to disappear for 20 minutes without announcing their departure to the entire group.
Rule #3: Consider Two Homes Instead of One Giant House
Here's a little group-vacation secret we absolutely believe in:
Sometimes being together doesn't mean being under the same roof.
If your group is made up of multiple families, adult siblings, grandparents, friends or several households, two homes side by side can be a game changer.
You still get:
Morning coffee together
Pool days together
Beach trips together
Dinner together
Kids running back and forth
Easy group hangouts
Nobody feeling like they have to whisper after 9 p.m.
But you also get something incredibly valuable:
A door you can close.
Need a quiet morning?
Go home.
Grandma wants to nap?
She gets to nap.
The teenagers want to watch something different?
Perfect.
Someone's toddler is having a moment?
They don't have to perform that moment in front of the entire extended family.
Then five minutes later, you're back together.
This is exactly why we love the side-by-side setup at Stay Days.
Salty Surf and Second Set are two separate 4-bedroom homes next door to each other, so a larger group can stay close without turning the vacation into one giant communal living experiment.
Together when you want to be. Separate when you need to be.
Honestly, that's a pretty good formula for family harmony.
Rule #4: Establish the “Nobody Has to Ask” Rule
This is one of our favorite group-vacation tricks.
Don't make people ask permission to do their own thing.
Want to go to the beach?
Go.
Want to stay at the pool?
Stay.
Want to take the golf cart for coffee?
Have fun.
Want to take a nap?
Absolutely.
The more everyone feels like they're allowed to make their own plans, the less resentment builds.
You're not running summer camp.
You're on vacation.
Rule #5: Do One Big Thing a Day
You don't need a six-event itinerary.
Actually, please don't make one.
For a big group, we'd choose one anchor activity each day.
Maybe:
Monday
Big beach day.
Tuesday
Bike ride + lunch.
Wednesday
Pool day.
Thursday
Boat day.
Friday
Beach + sunset dinner.
Everything else?
Flexible.
This gives the group something to rally around without turning every morning into a board meeting.
Rule #6: Stop Asking “Where Does Everyone Want to Eat?”
This question is dangerous.
You know what happens next.
“I don't care.”
“Whatever everyone wants.”
“Not seafood.”
“Anywhere is fine.”
“Except there.”
“Didn't we eat there last year?”
Someone suggests a restaurant.
Someone vetoes it.
Someone hasn't looked at the menu.
Someone's child is already hungry.
And suddenly you've spent 47 minutes planning dinner.
Instead, use the Two-Option Rule.
“Do we want tacos or seafood?”
Done.
Give the group two choices.
Vote.
Move on.
Your vacation has been saved.
Rule #7: Don't Make One Person the Vacation Cruise Director
You know this person.
They're making the reservations.
Checking the weather.
Figuring out beach access.
Counting heads.
Checking restaurant menus.
Finding the lost goggles.
Buying groceries.
Knowing what time everyone needs to leave.
And by day three they're sitting on the porch whispering:
“I just want everyone to leave me alone.”
Don't be that person.
Assign small jobs.
One person handles dinner reservations.
Someone else handles groceries.
Someone handles the beach gear.
Someone is in charge of finding the best ice cream.
Someone else handles the kids' activity.
And one person gets the extremely important position of:
Official Sunset Coordinator.
It's a real job.
Probably.
Rule #8: Grocery Shopping Is a Group Sport—But It Doesn't Have to Be
A giant group can go through food at an alarming rate.
You buy:
12 yogurts.
They're gone.
Two gallons of milk.
Gone.
A family-size bag of chips.
Gone before the beach towels are dry.
Our advice?
Don't try to plan every meal.
Stock the basics.
Breakfast foods.
Snacks.
Drinks.
Sandwich stuff.
Fruit.
Easy lunches.
Then eat out when you feel like it.
And if you're staying in a home with a well-stocked kitchen, take advantage of it.
Breakfast at home is one of the easiest ways to save money and avoid getting 10 people out the door before 9 a.m.
Rule #9: The Bathroom Situation Matters More Than You Think
This is not glamorous.
It is extremely important.
When you're traveling with a large group of people, bathroom count matters.
Especially when everyone is trying to get ready for dinner at the exact same time.
If you're comparing vacation homes, don't just look at bedrooms.
Look at:
Bedrooms + bathrooms + how those bathrooms are distributed.
A house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms can feel dramatically different from a house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
And if you're traveling with multiple families?
En-suite bathrooms are your friends.
Everyone gets ready.
Nobody waits.
Nobody starts pounding on the door.
Marriage preserved.
Rule #10: Give Everyone a Place to Escape
This is one of the most underrated parts of a group vacation.
You need spaces where people can not participate.
A balcony.
A porch.
A bedroom.
A pool chair.
A quiet corner.
A game room.
A spot where someone can drink coffee without answering a single question.
Because even the most social people eventually reach the:
“I love you all. Please stop talking to me.”
stage of vacation.
And that's okay.
Rule #11: Let the Kids Have Their Own Vacation Too
Kids don't need to spend every minute doing what the adults are doing.
Give them their own little vacation world.
Beach toys.
Games.
Pool time.
A movie.
A game room.
Ice cream runs.
A golf cart adventure.
And maybe most importantly:
Other kids to hang out with.
When the kids are happy and occupied, the adults suddenly become much more fun people.
It's science.
Rule #12: Use the Golf Cart Strategically
On 30A, the golf cart isn't just transportation.
It's a group management tool.
Need someone to run to the store?
Golf cart.
Want to grab coffee?
Golf cart.
Beach access is busy?
Find another one.
Need to get everyone to dinner?
Well… maybe that's where the second vehicle comes in handy. 😂
At Stay Days, Goldie is the 4-seater at Salty Surf and Ruby is the 6-seater at Second Set.
And yes, they have personalities.
Goldie is the little adventure buddy.
Ruby is the bigger crew cruiser.
Together, they're pretty good at getting people where they need to go.
Just remember that golf cart/LSV rules and safety requirements still apply.
Rule #13: Build in One “Nobody Plans Anything” Day
This might be our favorite.
Put one completely blank day on the calendar.
No reservations.
No schedule.
No 8:00 a.m. departure.
No “we have to be there by…”
Wake up when you wake up.
Make coffee.
Go to the beach.
Come back.
Swim.
Nap.
Eat leftovers.
Take the golf cart out.
Watch the sunset.
Do absolutely nothing.
And somehow, this is often the day everyone remembers.
Rule #14: Don't Make Every Meal a Group Meal
This one feels almost revolutionary when you're traveling with a big family.
Some people want breakfast at 7.
Some want breakfast at 10.
Some people don't eat breakfast.
Some people want to go out.
Some people want cereal.
Let them.
You can still have one or two big group dinners without requiring everyone to sit down together for every meal.
More flexibility = less friction.
Rule #15: Decide in Advance Who Gets the Last Word
Just kidding.
There is no last word.
You're traveling with 12 people.
Good luck. 😂
The Real Secret to a Happy Group Vacation
It's not the perfect itinerary.
It's not the perfect restaurant.
It's not even the perfect vacation home.
It's space.
Space to sleep.
Space to spread out.
Space to eat.
Space to be loud.
Space to be quiet.
Space to have your own plans.
And space to come back together.
That's why we love the idea of two homes side by side for larger groups.
You can have the big family breakfast, then disappear into your own space.
The kids can run between houses.
The adults can have coffee together.
Someone can take a nap without missing the afternoon fun.
Everyone can meet at the beach.
Everyone can come back to the pool.
And at the end of the day, everyone still gets to go home to their own front door.
That's not being antisocial.
That's knowing your group.
Our Ideal 30A Group Vacation Formula
If we were planning a large group trip, we'd keep it simple:
One big activity per day.
One or two group meals.
Lots of unscheduled time.
Separate morning routines.
Shared beach time.
A little pool time.
At least one sunset cruise.
And absolutely no requirement that everyone do everything together.
Because the best group vacations aren't the ones where everyone does the same thing.
They're the ones where everyone has a really good time.
Together.
Apart.
Back together again.
And nobody is sitting at dinner on night five thinking:
“Maybe next year we should all go somewhere different.” 😂
