Summer Holidays & Group Activities in 2023

Group Events

Summer is the perfect season to spend time in the great outdoors with family and friends. Being outdoors is actually scientifically proven to make people healthier and happier and doing that whilst enjoying a group event gives you a double hit of dopamine, serotonin and all the other happy chemicals that your body can release by the bucket load!  

Some of the biggest group events held in summer include; 

Festivals

Music festivals are the most popular, along with food and drink festivals. Some of these include Firefly, Lollapalooza, Burning Man, Electric Daisy Carnival, and The Governors Ball Music Festival. You will also find food and drink festivals in a variety of towns and cities throughout the summer months.

Weddings and Birthdays

It is the most popular time for wedding celebrations and also people who have birthdays in summer are more likely to celebrate with a group event as the reliable weather means outdoor spaces can be used and more people can be invited.

Garden parties 

BBQs and garden parties are held throughout summer as they can be celebrated with friends and family and don’t necessarily need to be planned weeks in advance.

Group activities

If your friends enjoy the outdoors why not arrange a group hike, road trip or hire a boat for the day? There are lots of companies who hire out their equipment which can only be made the most of in the summer months, such as boats, kayaks, jet skis and water-based assault courses - you can even hire full events such as an outdoor cinema. 

What is the best way to collect money for group activities? 

Most if not all of these activities are going to need some downpayment in the first instance and the rest paying in advance of the activity which immediately creates a rather large logistical challenge. You get into something of a chicken and egg situation. You call somewhere up to find out the available dates to do the thing, what the downpayment is and the final balance. Then you take this information to your Imessage group where the conversation bounces back and forth for a number of days. Then you start the laborious task of getting everyone to send you money (not everyone is on cashapp, venmo or your choice of banking app so they put it off and put it off) which not only takes more days, if not weeks, it also involves you needing to go through your cash app or Venmo with a fine tooth comb to see who has paid what and when. Then you have to input that into the absolute mothership of all excel documents to help keep track, until you get to a point where you have enough for the down payment. This will likely be because some people have paid the full amount whilst others have yet to pay anything, but the overall amount is there for the deposit to be paid (more complicated calculations needed to work out who owes what now).

So you call up the company to finally book, only to find out the date is now not available! Back to the drawing board - either a new date to sort out or a completely different activity. Meanwhile, you’ve had differing amounts from your group so you’ve got to play accountant some more to figure all that out!

In order to avoid this then, you pile it all onto your credit card. I mean, people will pay you by the time your next bill lands won’t they? Won’t they? Without exception, they won’t. A large number will, but a number of people won’t, and when you’re talking about big events or holidays, those 2 or 3 people equate to hundreds of dollars.

They’re your buddies though, right? You’ve been through thick and thin together... they’re great people. They’ve helped you through breakups, crises of confidence, career confusion - the lot! They won’t let you down surely? 

They won’t do it deliberately or intentionally, but the second a process contains any friction (and let’s be honest, asking for money contains A LOT of friction) it will mean people not doing it, taking a long time to do it, or needing constant hassling in order to do it.

So instead of focusing on creating the event or holiday of a lifetime, an experience to top all that has gone before, you instead find a world of worry, of social awkwardness and a whole load of stress that you simply don’t deserve. I mean, you’re the one making this happen for everyone else….all you’re asking them to do is stump up some cash!

How about an alternative? A nice easy way of creating a pool, or multiple pools, each describing the element they are for (for example ‘lunch at the beach’, ‘festival tickets’, ‘rooftop bar party’) and simply sharing a payment link to your WhatsApp or iMessage group (or any other way you might talk to your people)?

Each person simply taps to pay and they’re done. No downloading of an app, no creating of an account, and no banking. No excuses. Just you getting paid and spending your energy creating something truly memorable!

Download Collctiv and start collecting money today! 

Summer 2023 Vacations

Every year there are summer deals and this will be no different for summer 2023. These include package vacation deals, discounted flights, and money-off trips and excursions. 

When thinking about booking a summer vacation there are some things to be considered to make it a memorable one for everyone; 

• Weather - hot or cold climate? 
• Food - Adventurous bunch or the kind that stick to what they know?
• Scenery - City, beach, or small town/village?
• Money - On a budget or splashing the cash? 
• Things to do - Relaxation or adventure?
• Who’s going - Family/Friends/Partner/Solo
• Destinations - Island hopping, a fixed location, maybe even a cruise
• Duration - A weekend/ 1 or 2 weeks/ 1 month/ backpacking with no set duration?

Once you have thought about the above 8 aspects you can then start to think about where you might want to go for your summer 2023 vacation. Some of the top destinations listed for summer 2023 holidays include Europe, Caribbean, Mexico and Punta Cana. If you are wanting to splash the cash why not research places like the Greek Islands or even a cruise? If you prefer the cold, why not explore Iceland or Austria? If you are planning a girls' or boys’ holiday and want to go to a party destination then why not consider Vegas or Amsterdam?

The choices for your summer 2023 vacations are endless!

You don’t even need to leave the States!

The USA itself has so many tourist attractions if you don’t want to go to unfamiliar continents, there is something for everyone! 

Yellowstone

The national park's trails, lodges and visitor centers, which span Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, are busiest in summer. However, travelers willing to brave the crowds are rewarded with ideal temps (average highs sit in the 70s and 80s). What's more, nearby towns feature summer calendars packed with fun events, like the Cody Stampede Rodeo and the Wild West Arts Fest.

Grand Canyon

Summer is the busiest time to visit Arizona's Grand Canyon, but don't let that dissuade you from booking a trip. The North Rim is often less crowded, and you can enjoy miles of scenic drives and hiking trails. If you want to stick to the South Rim, consider parking your car and exploring by bike.

San Diego 

San Diego's plethora of shorelines (including Coronado, Mission and Pacific beaches), museum-filled Balboa Park and world-renowned zoo make it an appealing summer getaway spot for families and relaxation seekers.

San Francisco

Bay Area summers are chilly compared to other parts of the country: Highs don't go beyond the upper 60s, while lows rarely reach the mid-50s. However, these temperatures lend themselves well to exploring outdoor attractions like Muir Woods National Monument, the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and garden-filled Golden Gate Park. You'll also find that San Francisco hosts a plethora of summertime events, including San Francisco Pride, the Fillmore Jazz Festival and San Francisco Giants baseball games at Oracle Park.

Hilton Head

Hilton Head features everything from resorts to vacation rentals in addition to amenities like golf courses, tennis courts, spas and beaches. The island boasts summer highs in the 80s and low 90s, but the ocean is always nearby and ready to welcome visitors for a dip to cool down. Summer travelers can try activities like biking, kayaking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding and bird-watching before watching the waves while eating dinner at a waterfront restaurant. One thing's for certain: There's no shortage of things to do in this seaside South Carolina town.

Things to do in the Summer

No matter your friendship group size, budget, or the town/city you live in, over the summer there is something for everyone to do all over the country. Whether it be attending a large event such as a festival or arranging something like a girls' vacation, summer is the perfect time to be out enjoying the season with the people you love most and creating new memories that you will cherish forever!

Download Collctiv and start collecting money today! 

Organizers bring people together

Since 2019 Collctiv has helped over 550,000 people from 97 countries come together by making it simple for Organizers to collect money from groups of people. Whether it's a BBQ, a group holiday, or a fun-packed day out - download our free app today and start bringing people together!

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