Friend organizes 7 person vacation yearly, considers giving up due to group complaints: 'But you're so good at it'

Ally Perry • Editor at Memebase

May 30, 2026 9:15 AM EDT

Some vacations just aren't worth the stress that it takes to plan them.

The great irony of doing this thing that is supposed to help us relax is that it can often turn out to be pretty stressful. From the activities, to the accommodation, to the travel arrangements, there is a heck of a lot to think about, and the more people that are going, the more potential problems that can arise. We tell ourselves that it is worth the work, but it doesn't always feel like the case.

In a lot of cases, vacationing is expensive. It is only fair that anyone who is going on a holiday has a say in what kind of trip it is going to be. However, that doesn't mean heaping all of the responsibility on one person. While it makes sense to have somebody specific to coordinate plans, that can turn out to be a burden that is too much to bear in some cases. Having to successfully navigate the needs and demands of different people is no mean task. At its worst, it is enough to make a person never want to do anything but a solo vacation ever again.

via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

_{^{A representation of five male and female friends sitting on the pier of a lake, smiling and holding drinks}}
In this story, a group of friends in their 30s had always relied on one particular person to plan their annual summer vacation together. They had planned this trip alone for the past 5 years, but they were beginning to feel like it wasn't something they wanted to do anymore.
Their reasoning for this was that they felt a lot of pressure to coordinate the perfect vacation for all seven people, something which they did not believe they were succeeding in. Despite this, their closest friend was baffled that they would want to give up their role. They weren't sure if their feelings were justified.
Am I wrong if I stopped organizing the annual friend group trip because nobody helps with any of it and then they complain about the details?

via HawthorneZ3
via HawthorneZ3
via HawthorneZ3
via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

_{^{A representation of male and female friends swimming and laughing in a lake at sunset}}
via HawthorneZ3
via HawthorneZ3
via HawthorneZ3
via HawthorneZ3
via HawthorneZ3
via Global Residence Index

_{^{A representation of a US passport placed on another open passport and a map}}
via JustAsICanBeSoCruel
via JustAsICanBeSoCruel
via JustAsICanBeSoCruel
via lucwin2020
via Sweaty_Technician_90
via Quiet-Hamster6509
via Chshr_Kt
via Yikes44