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Going on vacation with friends? Read this first.

If you want to get away together, but you don't want to fight, here's what you need to know.

Happy young friends talking on balcony with mountain view

If things don’t go quite according to plan, stay flexible, says travel agent Erionne Thompson. Try not to break down if your suggestion to whitewater raft is overruled or the restaurant you booked actually can’t accommodate you. “Come in with an open mind,” she says. “There may be things that others within the group may not want to do.”

What to do if someone gets mad

It’s entirely possible that someone might get frustrated, tired, or hangry and not be on their best behavior. The larger the group, the more likely clashes of personality are to occur, Matta says.

Try not to let the tension escalate. If a friend isn’t acting like themselves, address the person individually and ask them if they want to talk about it, Thompson says. Whether your friend has an issue with another traveler or simply didn’t get good sleep, you don’t want to let animosity follow you home. Sometimes your friend may want space. Let them have it.

The best-case scenario for any group trip is for everyone to enjoy themselves — and remain friends once you’re back home. Even if everyone’s vacation looks a little different, so long as you communicate and stay open-minded, everyone is bound to have a trip for the ages.

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