Are you planning your first holiday together? Have you already been together on vacation but the planning didn’t go so well as expected? Our Couple Travel Tips are exactly for you and your partner.
We created this list based on our experience and yes, even after over 10 years of traveling together, we stick to our Couple Travel Tips for a smoother planning.
Just you know these Couple Travel Tips apply for planning your trip with your partner, friends, family or your colleagues. Whoever you wish to travel with.
You and your travel partner will have a different opinion on what to see or where to go. There are two most important rules of planning vacation together:
- Be honest with each other
- Listen to what the other wish for and talk about your travel wishes
We split these couple travel tips in two parts: Before the journey and during your trip.
Couple travel tips before the journey
1. Choose a destination you both want to visit
You both have probably a bucket list on countries you wish to visit. Compare the lists and find out which country you both are most interested in. Does it sound easy? It is, but it can get complicated if you guys want to visit the same country but NOT at the same season.
You need to count in the season you will travel. What do you do now? Go through your bucket lists again and look for a destination you both wish to visit in the same season.
2. Check if the destination offers enough for both of you
You found a destination you both want to visit? Great, just double check it offers enough activities for both of you. You might both expect something else from your destination. You and your travel partner should feel happy and excited about your travel destination.
3. Set a budget
This one can be so challenging and it brings us back to one of the most important rule of planning: be honest! You and your travel partner can have different income and different expectations on your accommodation.
How much do you want to spend on the vacation? Set a budget!
Is there anything the higher earner wants, but the lower earner can not offer it? Perhaps the higher earner should cover the difference. But talk about it now during you set a budget. There is no room for later discussion on this topic.
4. Compromise
Couple’s travel is about compromise. Try to find a solution which suits you both. If one of you is not ready to compromise on your accommodation, on the travel class or how much money to spend daily, find a different one. You both have to agree before the booking this holiday.
5. Be open to new challenges
As it is important to compromise, it is important to be open for new challenges. Don’t say no to everything because it is something you haven’t done yet. Your travel partner is more adventurous than you are? Well, it might be a pleasant change to get out of your comfort zone, don’t you think?
When not now, then when?
6. Try it first
Are you planning to spend holidays together, but you are not sure if you will be fine? What about a weekend getaway? You don’t have to go far away, just a weekend somewhere you both enjoy, some nice city trip close to where you live?
The fact is, if you and your travel partner will not manage a weekend getaway, consider if a vacation together is a great idea.
7. Insurance
We live in Germany, and Germany is all about insurance. You have insurance basically for anything! Before you book your holiday or even after booking double check your international health insurance.
A good insurance is important. Get one. It helps to know who to call or get hold of in case of emergency.
Couple travel tips during your trip
This second part of this blog is all about the tips during your trip. The two most important rules of planning your vacation apply also during your trip: be honest with each and talk to each other.
8. Do not expect too much from each other
You might get to situations, which are stressful, out of your comfort zone, ask for a compromise or they are challenging and you will probably discover new characters or new skills of your partner.
You should prepare yourself for it and don’t expect miracles from your travel partner. Be kind to each other and respectful.
9. You don’t have to do EVERYTHING together
Being together 24/7 can be sometimes exhausting, and it is okay to ask for alone time. Sometimes you or your travel partner don’t feel to do the same as the other one. And it is just fine. You can be by the pool by yourself and finally read the book you haven’t had time to read it yet. Your partner can golf.
Listen, you both are on vacation and you both should feel happy. You will have so much to talk about in the evening over a dinner.
It is also good to meet new people. You can either meet with different travelers. Is there a wine tasting or some other tour you can go to? Great, book it and enjoy. It is so much fun to talk to people all over the world.
Read our Do’s and Don’ts of wine tasting before you get on a tour. Have fun!
10. Exercise and eat healthy
We get it you are on a vacation, why should you exercise and eat healthy? Because it is good for your mental and physical health. We have a rule of at least 30min a day to move our body. If we know, we will walk a lot that day, we skip it. 30min of gym, walk, swim, run, ANYTHING.
Try to add salad and if you can, cook yourself. We try to cook on our road trips as much as possible, and it is a fun activity for both of us. We chat a lot while we cook.
11. Yours or your travel partner’s strength or weakness
You know what your strengths or weakness are. So does your travel partner.
Felix has an exceptionally great sense of orientation. He got us out of Sydney with no navigation system! How? I don’t know. But I know I am lost. So I let him figure out the way how to get somewhere.
It is a fact which I accept. We both know about our strength and whenever we travel, the one who is better at certain things will do it. We don’t argue about that anymore.
12. Plan your day
It is important to plan your day ahead. You don’t need to plan every minute of your trip, but plan what you guys will do that day.
Remember, it is important to know what you will eat and where. Breakfast at a coffee shop? Lunch and dinner? When I get hungry, I get easily annoyed. So Felix already knows, if I talk about food, it is time to get some.
It drives me crazy when we can not decide where to eat, and we get annoyed with each other. So make sure you know where to eat.
Will you be on the road for more than 2hours? Make a sandwich and have more food ready. We eat more on the road.
13. Enjoy your time together
Relax and have fun. You don’t need to see everything and go everywhere just for the sake of being there. That is silly. Important is to have fun with your travel partner and enjoy the time being together.
Be kind to each other and respect each other. One of you doesn’t feel good? Take care of each other, be there for each other.
Be yourself. Have lots of fun. That matters.
Get in touch with us
We hope our Couple Travel Tips are helpful, and you will have an excellent time with your travel partner.
We would love to hear from you. Please get in touch with us.
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You can contact us also via email if you have any stories to share or you just need some advice from us. Or you just want to chat.
We are looking forward to hear from us.
With love, Teri and Felix
