There’s more to planning a group outing than simply doing an internet search for “charter bus service Houston.” While transportation is undoubtedly a crucial part of any group trip, there are a lot of essential details that many people forget. Whether you’re planning a field trip for a school group or simply a day trip for a large group of friends, here are some tips on how you can make your next group outing go as smoothly as possible.

Get a Solid Head Count

Getting a solid head count on how many people will be in your outing is absolutely essential. Otherwise, you might end up throwing money away by paying for more people than you need to or end up in a situation where you haven’t paid for accommodations for all of your outing’s attendees. This is why it’s a good idea to start planning your outing months in advance. This gives your participants enough time to get back to you with a certain answer as to whether or not they will be in attendance.

Create an Itinerary

Behind every great trip or vacation is a detailed, organized and realistic itinerary. While spontaneity can be fun for small groups, it just leads to chaos with larger groups. This is why you should sit down and figure out the exact travel times and specific plans for your big group outing. While you might end up having to adjust those exact times due to unforeseen circumstances, working off of a set schedule is immensely helpful.

Do your Research

Not every bus company or museum has the same rules and prices for large groups. In order to plan a group outing effectively, it’s important that you do your research as to what different transportation companies and destinations require. While some organizations offer generous group discounts, others do not. Do your due diligence to ensure that you get the best prices for your group.

Planning a group outing can be stressful, but you can minimize this stress by staying organized. If you follow these tips, your next group outing will be successful.