Full transparency: I did not think I’d be a “group travel guy.”
I’m a planner. Some might say a control freak. I love a good spreadsheet. I’m the kind of person who picks my meal from a restaurant menu (and researches nearby parking options) before I’ve even made the reservation. The idea of voluntarily handing the reins over to someone else – and then making small talk with strangers for a week? That sounded like the perfect way to send my anxiety into overdrive.
But then something weird happened.
I tried it. And I actually… loved it.
I know. I know. My wife was shocked too.
HERE’S THE THING NO ONE TELLS YOU…
Making new friends in your 40s is hard work. It basically takes the same energy as dating – but with a lot more scheduling conflicts and fewer first kisses.
Between the job, the kid, the house, the yard, and the puppy (don’t get me started on the puppy), I just don’t have the time or energy to start a new relationship. It’s not you. It’s me.
And, even if I did have the energy… where am I meeting these amazing new people?
The grocery store? The school pick-up line? The hardware store? No offense mulch lovers. I just don’t see me finding my next best friend in the lumber aisle.
THE MAGIC OF SMALL GROUP TRAVEL
First: someone else is in charge. As a lifelong control freak, I assumed this would bother me. Turns out… it’s pretty awesome. You don’t have to plan anything you don’t want to. You get to just show up – which, as it turns out, is great for your mental bandwidth and your ability to interact with other humans without short-circuiting.
Second: you already have something in common. You’re all standing in the same breathtaking place, experiencing the same amazing moment. The conversation basically creates itself. So even if your default small-talk setting is “polite nodding” (that’s me), you suddenly have an easy, natural connection. And yes, the occasional local wine or cocktail helps too.
Will you become best friends with everyone in the group? Probably not. But will you walk away with a few people you actually liked spending time with? Almost definitely. And when you’re in your 40s, that sort of feels like winning the lottery.
THE ROAM BY TAUCK EFFECT
These trips are intentionally small, intentionally social, and intentionally unstructured in all the right ways. There’s enough shared experience to spark connection – and enough free time to escape when things start to feel too people-y.
Hike alone in the morning.
Join a group for cocktails at lunch.
Relax in the spa in the evening.
Share a laugh over dinner.
It’s the kind of travel that builds connection without forcing it – the kind that lets strangers naturally transition into “keep in touch” friends. And maybe, if you’re lucky, it’s the kind that reminds you that making friends isn’t something you age out of. You just need the right environment. (Spoiler: It ain’t the hardware store.)
