It's not a secret that millennials love to travel. Whether it's for the Instagram fame, a chance to party, or just the genuine life experience of being in a new place and culture, it's true. In fact, according to research done by Contiki in 2018, the majority of millennials would give up sex for awhile in order to travel the world. Yeah, told you we love to travel! Most millennials in the study were also legitimately willing to temporarily give up Netflix, booze, and coffee in exchange for travel, too, and that's saying a lot. I mean... coffee?
But another interesting quirk in the millennial travel game is our apparent penchant for more adventure-based trips. Many young travelers reportedly opt for hostels or vacation rentals over hotels, making for a more authentic experience, and they are also more likely to seek off-the-beaten-path experiences.
Another thing millennial travelers are into? Group trips. "One of the latest trends in travel is the guided small-group excursion, tailored to give a pack of like-minded young people an immersive experience in a destination," explained Newsday. Group travel packages have a reputation for catering toward an older crowd, featuring trips that check off the boxes of every predictable touristy destination in town. But due to their interest in travel and the difficulty involved in aligning schedules and budgets with a group of friends, millennials have embraced and revitalized the group-of-solo-travelers trend, resulting in a surge of travel companies catering to this generation and organizing international trips specifically for young people.
Check out some of the travel companies for millennials that are curating epic, unique, and adventurous trips for groups of young solo travelers — and start saving up that PTO for a trip of your own.
Contiki
Contiki (the company behind the sex/Netflix/booze/coffee stats above) curates worldwide trips exclusively for 18-35 year olds. Their motto is "travel with no regrets," which we can get behind — and they offer hundreds of different trips to destinations on nearly every continent. They also have a student discount available, for all you millennial scholars out there.
For The Love Of Travel
For The Love Of Travel is a boutique travel company that offers unique curated group trips for people ages 25-39. "[W]e embrace the idea of 'slow travel,'" the company explained on its site. "That is, having an authentic cultural experience that connects us with the soul of the destination and people we can relate to." Check out their incredible selection of experiences.
Under 30 Experiences
Under 30 Experiences is an adventure travel company aimed toward solo travelers who are — you guessed it — under the age of 30 (with a minimum travel age of 21). But they're not too strict about it: Most guests are apparently between 21-35, and the company says they usually serve "professionals, creative types, ambitious students, entrepreneurs, and motivated young people just figuring it out."
Travendly
Aimed exclusively at young professionals, Travendly is a group travel company that thoughtfully puts together tribes of like-minded young people (usually in their mid-twenties to late thirties) for ultimate travel enjoyment. With more than a dozen curated trips to countries around the globe, there's something for everyone.
G Adventures' 18-To-Thirtysomethings
The collection of 18-To-Thirtysomethings tours offered by travel company G Adventures are described as"fast-paced and affordable adventures designed for young travellers." Their goal is to create exciting, adventure-based trips that young solo travelers can actually afford, so check out their offerings of trips to destinations around the world.
Topdeck
Travel company Topdeck organizes trips for 18 to 30-something year olds, and the company's passion is to "inspire young people through life-changing travel experiences." The group trips are made specifically for solo travelers who are looking for fun and adventures, and they offer trips all around Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia.
Flash Pack
Group travel company Flash Pack curates unique and stylish trips for anyone in the millennial age bracket. Their trips are designed for solo travelers in their late 20s through 40s who are looking for an actually authentic and adventurous experience, and they specialize in high-quality, flexible, boutique accommodations.
Intrepid's 18 To 29s Adventures
This is for those of us on the younger side of the Millennial canon. Formerly known as Gecko, the 18 To 29s Adventures offered by group tour & travel company Intrepid. While they are strict with the age range, these tours are specially designed to be suited to young travelers and focus on local adventures, making their trips sustainability-minded.
EF Ultimate Break
Travel company EF Ultimate Break offers more than 65 different trips made for every travel style, and cater to solo travelers who are ages 18 to 29 for group trips. Unlike many other companies, flight costs are built into its trips, so once you pay (or get on a payment plan) you'll be all set to go, making it super easy for busy millennials.
