There’s something invigorating about throwing away an old calendar and filling up a new one. If your brand new 2014 calendar is blank, now is a great time to begin planning your group vacations. Check out our group vacation ideas and add in some of your own. The folks at Lonely Planet launched their annual list of top U.S. destinations, and we at BusRates.com see it as a road map for planning this year’s group vacations ideas. Below you’ll find their top five destinations for 2014 and why we think they are great trips for your group travel.

1) Grand Rapids, MI, and the Gold Coast

This area has to have one of the most intriguing combinations of offerings. Over the past couple of years, there’s been a boom of craft beer breweries and suds-centric tourism throughout the area, including festivals in February and August. Then, there’s a hidden art scene with the Grand Rapids Art Museum hosting a Rodin exhibit through January, Lautrec as part of its standing collection, as well as being home to the world’s largest art competition called ArtPrize. You can then add to the mix more than 300 miles of sugar beaches tracing Lake Michigan. We think Michigan might hold the key to a magical group getaway.]

2) Yosemite National Park, CA

2014 marks the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Yosemite Grant by President Abraham Lincoln, which set the foundation for the National Park Service. So, why not take your group travel out to Yosemite National Park to celebrate? Boasting such wonders as El Capitan, Half Dome, Inspiration Point and Yosemite Falls (the tallest in North America) it’s no secret as to why Yosemite is the third-most visited national park with more than 3.8 million visitors last year.

3) Boston, MA

Boston is always a good idea for a memorable group trip. This capital city has much to offer a diverse group—history with the Freedom Trail, strong cultural exposure in the North End, the World Champion Boston Red Sox and the list goes on and on. In 2014, Boston will also host the 100th annual U.S. Figure Skating Championships to determine the U.S. Winter Olympics team. That happens in January, and is followed in the Spring with what is being promoted as the second largest Boston Marathon in history with 36,000 runners.

4) Central Coast, CA

Sure you could go straight to LA or San Francisco, but the area in between holds coastal gems, making this group vacation idea make our #4 spot. Trekking up Highway 1 might be a smaller group excursion and may be best for a minibus rental. However, the views will be worth it. Up and down the coast there are cliff-top lookouts, sea lion colonies, tide pools to explore, plus manmade eye candy, such as the Hearst Castle, Spanish missions and wineries. The awe-inspiring drive takes you by Big Sur with stops in great towns like Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Santa Barbara. Lonley Planet actually lays out a very detailed agenda to churn up inspiration.

5) Jersey Shore, NJ

Planning a large group vacation to the great Jersey shore is mutually beneficial to your group travelers and the ongoing Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. As we get into 2014, New Jersey will be in a great place to facilitate the needs of tourists while offering loads of enjoyment and entertainment. Consider it a group travel trip that has a nod to a different era where the beach included salt water taffy and boardwalk games. If R&R is too slow, then consider the games of chance in Atlantic City. Of all the places along the Jersey Shore, AC is the most prepared for handling larger groups. Be sure to check out their tourism site for group travel details.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our group vacation ideas! Once you pick your destination, we can help you fill in the details with our detailed search engines for choosing your motorcoach, hotel, restaurants for large groups and even help in finding events.