Traveling with a youth group, church group or going to a religious retreat can be a rewarding experience. Here we've put together a few tips to keep everyone safe, happy and under control. When you're ready to begin planning, give us a call at 1-888-447-6675 or click here to book online.

• When choosing your hotel, be mindful of nearby dining choices. You don't want to have to travel a long distance with a lot of people just to get a meal, and you want to be able to please a wide variety of tastes. Also keep in mind that being near a grocery store is also a great way to be able to grab snacks for the day and breakfast for those early morning get-ups.

• Very often your group may experience down time between scheduled activities or in the evenings. When you choose your hotel, try to choose one that is close to other activities or recreation facilities. This may include parks, a shopping mall, bowling alley, miniature golf course, etc. This will keep your group occupied during off times and can be fun for everyone.

• It is possible to obtain group discounts at restaurants. Before taking your entire group into a restaurant, call or go in ahead of time and ask to speak to the manager. When promising to bring in a large group to dine at their restaurant, you can often negotiate a discount or ask if the group leaders/parents can eat for free. Usually they will accommodate you. If not, try different restaurant until you find one that will.

• Confirm all hotel and travel reservations before leaving home. This will avoid being short on hotel rooms. Make sure you confirm for all travelers including leaders and parents. Also let them know what time you plan to arrive at the hotel so that they will expect you if you're coming in very early or very late. Also ask if a conference room or meeting facility is available for group meetings and/or dining during your stay.

• If traveling by air with a large group, and you've booked your travel as a group booking. Ask the airline if there is a facility at the airport that your group can use to meet, rest and /or eat during long layovers. Airlines will often accommodate large groups in this way by letting them use frequent flier club lounges if it is a slow travel time.