You've been in the group chat for three weeks. Seventeen messages about Bali. Twelve about Portugal. One person keeps pushing Iceland "because of the Northern Lights" even though you're going in July.
The hardest part of planning a group trip isn't finding flights or booking a place to stay. It's getting eight people to agree on a destination before someone rage-quits the thread.
We've done the arguing for you. These 9 cities consistently work for groups of 6 or more -- not because they're universally perfect (nowhere is), but because they're affordable enough that nobody goes broke, walkable enough that you don't need 4 Ubers everywhere, and interesting enough that even the person who "doesn't really care" will find something to get hooked on.
Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is the easiest sell for a group trip in Europe right now. A solid dinner with wine runs about EUR 15-20 per person in Alfama or Mouraria. You can rent a 4-bedroom apartment in Graca for around EUR 185/night -- split that 8 ways and you're paying less than a hostel bed.
The city is compact enough that your group can split up and regroup without anyone needing a car. Morning people can hit Pasteis de Belem (get there before 9am or you'll wait 30 minutes) while everyone else sleeps off last night's ginjinha.
Group logistics: Trams 15E and 28E are packed with tourists -- walk instead or grab a day pass for the metro (EUR 6.80). The metro covers Baixa, Saldanha, and Cais do Sodre, which is where you'll spend most of your time anyway.
The catch: Lisbon's hills are brutal. If anyone in your group has mobility issues, stick to the Baixa neighborhood or budget for tram rides.
Mexico City, Mexico
If your group can't agree on food, Mexico City ends the debate. Street tacos al pastor at El Vilsito cost 30 pesos each (about $1.50 USD). A sit-down dinner at Contramar -- the seafood spot you've seen all over social media -- runs closer to $45/person, but the tuna tostadas are genuinely worth it.
Accommodation is absurdly cheap for a world-class city. A large Airbnb in Roma Norte or Condesa goes for $130-210/night, and these neighborhoods are walkable, safe, and packed with cafes where your group can set up camp.
Group logistics: The metro is 5 pesos per ride (about $0.25) and covers most key areas. For group dinners, make reservations -- popular spots like Contramar and Pujol don't hold tables, and showing up as 8 without a booking is a guaranteed hour wait.
Honest caveat: The altitude (2,240m) hits harder than you'd expect. At least one person in your group will feel rough for the first day. Drink water, skip the mezcal on night one.
Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo is the city most likely to rewrite your group's expectations, but it requires the most planning. Get everyone a 72-hour metro pass (JPY 1,600, about $10.50) and download the Navitime app before you land.
The best group dining hack in Tokyo: izakaya alleys like Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku. Everyone orders their own yakitori skewers (JPY 180-450 each), nobody has to compromise on a single restaurant, and the tiny stools force your group closer together. It's chaotic and smoky and loud, and your group will talk about it for years.
Group logistics: Japanese restaurants rarely seat 8 at one table. Split into two groups of 4 for sit-down meals, or stick to izakayas and food halls where everyone orders independently. Book two or three rooms at a business hotel chain like Toyoko Inn (JPY 5,500-8,500/room) rather than one large rental -- it's often cheaper and you each get your own bathroom.
The catch: Tokyo closes earlier than you'd think. Most restaurants take last orders by 9:30-10pm. Plan big dinners early and hit bars after.
Split, Croatia
Split is the Mediterranean trip your group wants at a price that won't start a fight. Skip the overpriced tourist boats at the harbor. Instead, walk 10 minutes past the Riva to Bacvice Beach, where locals actually swim.
For dinner, Fife (a no-frills seafood spot near the fish market) serves grilled fish plates for about EUR 12-14. The food isn't camera-ready, but the fish came off a boat that morning. Your group can eat outside on mismatched chairs while the Adriatic turns pink behind the harbor.
Group logistics: Rent a boat for the day from a local operator (not the tourist agencies on the Riva). A private boat to the islands costs around EUR 280-380 for the day -- split among 8, that's cheaper than the organized tour and you pick the stops. Book at least a week out in summer.
The catch: Split's Old Town gets genuinely packed June through August. Stay just outside Diocletian's Palace (Manus or Bacvice neighborhoods) for half the price and a 5-minute walk to everything.
Medellin, Colombia
Medellin keeps surprising groups who weren't sure about it. The weather sits at about 24C year-round, the nightlife in El Poblado and Laureles is excellent, and you can eat a full bandeja paisa -- rice, beans, plantain, avocado, chorizo, and a fried egg -- for about $5-7 USD.
A large apartment in Laureles with a rooftop pool runs $90-160/night. Laureles is less touristy than El Poblado and has better local restaurants. The metro is clean, cheap (about $0.75/ride), and connects most areas your group will want to visit.
Group logistics: Grab-app taxis are the move here -- cheap and reliable. For a group of 8, two Grab rides anywhere in the city cost about $6-8 total. The metro cable cars to Parque Arvi are worth the trip (about $2 round trip per person).
Honest caveat: Some people in your group may have safety concerns. Medellin has changed dramatically, but it's not a resort. Stick to known neighborhoods at night, don't flash expensive gear, and use ride apps instead of hailing cabs. Standard big-city awareness applies.
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is sensory overload in the best possible way. Your group will step off the BTS Skytrain into a wall of warm air that smells like lemongrass and exhaust fumes, and somehow it works.
Street food is where Bangkok earns its reputation. Pad thai at Thip Samai in the Old City costs 70-120 baht ($2-3.30) and there's a reason the line never stops. For groups, the food courts in malls like Terminal 21 are genuinely great -- everyone picks their own cuisine, the AC is aggressive, and nothing costs more than 100 baht.
Group logistics: Plan your days around BTS/MRT stations, not neighborhoods. The Khao San Road to Sukhumvit trip that looks like 5km on a map can take 90 minutes by car at rush hour. A river boat from Saphan Taksin to the temples costs 20 baht and skips all traffic.
The catch: Bangkok's heat and humidity will drain your group faster than you think. Build in AC breaks, carry water, and don't try to hit 5 temples in one day. Three is plenty.
Budapest, Hungary
Budapest offers the most value in Central Europe. The ruin bars in the Jewish Quarter -- Szimpla Kert being the most famous -- are built in abandoned buildings decorated with bathtubs and dentist chairs. A beer costs about 900-1,300 HUF (roughly $2.50-3.50). Your group can bar-hop through three or four in a single evening without spending $20 each.
The thermal baths are the ultimate group activity. Szechenyi Baths cost about 8,000 HUF ($22) for a full day. Picture your group of 8 sitting in a steaming outdoor pool inside a neo-baroque palace while it's 5C outside. It's the kind of thing that justifies the whole trip.
Group logistics: Pest side (flat) is better for walking and nightlife. Buda side (hills) has the castle and better views. Connect via the chain bridge or the #2 tram along the Danube. For groups of 8, the 24-hour transit pass (2,500 HUF / $7) pays for itself by the third ride.
The catch: Hungarian portions are enormous -- two people could split most mains at traditional restaurants. Don't let everyone order full plates at your first dinner or half the food goes to waste.
Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town punches above its weight on every measure except one: it's far. Flights from North America or Europe run 14-18 hours, and the jet lag is real. If your group can handle the travel day, though, the payoff is enormous.
Table Mountain's cable car (R420, about $23) gives your group a view that needs no filter and no caption. Wine tasting in Stellenbosch (30 minutes away) costs R60-160 ($3.50-9) per tasting, and the designated driver problem is solved by the wine tram that loops between estates for R300 ($16).
Group logistics: A large villa in Camps Bay with a pool and mountain views goes for $220-370/night. Split among 8, you're paying hotel-room prices for a place with a private pool. Rent a car (or two) -- Cape Town isn't walkable like European cities, and Uber surge pricing during peak hours gets expensive for groups.
The catch: Load-shedding (rolling power outages) still happens. Check the schedule, keep phones charged, and confirm your accommodation has backup power or a generator.
Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech is the wildcard pick your group didn't know they wanted. The souks in the Medina are a maze of spice stalls, leather workshops, and carpet sellers who will serve you mint tea whether you're buying or not.
A traditional riad (courtyard guesthouse) in the Medina costs $90-220/night for a full house with 3-4 rooms, a plunge pool, and breakfast included. That's $11-28 per person. For groups, a cooking class in a local home (around $35-45/person) beats any restaurant for both the food and the experience. You'll learn to make tagine, argue about who's cutting the onions, and eat together on a rooftop with the Atlas Mountains in the distance.
Group logistics: Download offline maps and save your riad's GPS pin before you arrive. The Medina alleys are impossible to navigate at first. For group shopping in the souks, set a meeting point and time -- you will get separated.
The catch: The souks involve constant haggling and persistent vendors. Some of your group will love it; some will find it exhausting by day two. Build in quiet riad afternoons as a reset.
Group Tip: The best group destinations aren't the most famous ones -- they're the ones where splitting costs actually makes the trip better, not just cheaper. A private boat in Split, a riad in Marrakech, a villa in Cape Town. These experiences only work because you've got 6-8 people splitting the bill.
How to Actually Pick One
Still stuck? Here's the shortcut. Ask your group chat one question: "Beach or city?" If the answer is beach, go Split or Cape Town. If it's city, go Lisbon or Mexico City. If half says beach and half says city, go Bangkok -- it's somehow both.
Then stop debating and book something. The group trip that actually happens beats the ideal trip that dies in the planning stage. Tools like Vamo's trip planner can help your group vote on destinations and compare flights without the 300-message group chat thread. And if you're worried about the money side, check our guide to group travel budgets before anyone starts booking.
The worst destination for a group trip is the one you're still arguing about in six months.
