6 Ways to Travel Without Wanting to Ring Your Partner’s Neck
A no-fluff survival guide for couples who love each other… but also fantasize about “accidentally” leaving the other at baggage claim.
Picture this: you and your partner taking a romantic riverboat dinner cruise on the Seine. As you sail down the river you have some of the most breathtaking and iconic architecture as your backdrop. The evening is magical… until it’s not.
Cue reality: one of you used Google Maps instead of Apple Maps and you took a wrong turn, nearly missing the boat. The dinner menu features shellfish and someone’s allergic. And that credit card you swore you packed? Still in the hotel room (hopefully).
If this kind of scenario sounds all too familiar it’s okay. Take a deep breath, because you’re not alone in having these overwhelming feelings when you’re in a new destination. This feeling stops right here, right now, because this is your crash course to surviving and thriving as a travel couple. Use these tips, and we promise: no need for separate return flights.
Plan for a a Hangry Partner
Two words can solve this problem: pack snacks. Even when you think you won’t need them, pack snacks because your relationship depends on it.
We NEVER start a tour, a trip, hike, or anything on an empty stomach. This will guarantee an argument is on the horizon for no real reason. Grab a protein bar, bag of jerky, some trail mix, whatever it is that can tide you over and keep it in your backpack, purse, or even pocket if you have to.
Laugh Through the Mess
Spoiler alert! You’re going to miss flights, trains, and buses. You’re going to put your passport in the wrong pocket and blame your partner for having them. You’re even going to lose an activity or dinner reservation. But it’s okay!
Actually, it's more than okay because these are going to be part of your stories to come. You’ll find yourself saying, “Remember when we missed our flight from Dublin and we found the coolest little pub and met that couple from the Netherlands?”
Plan SOME Activities
Don’t be offended, because some of you need to hear this, you don’t have to do everything together. There we said it.
The truth is it’s okay to take some time apart. One of you should go on that early morning hike while the other sleeps in and grabs a late coffee at that cute cafe on the corner. When you meet back up, share your stories and excitement of what you accomplished.
We’re firm believers that you should allow for some spontaneity when you travel, but the reality is one person’s romantic spontaneity dream is the other person’s recipe for a hanger-fueled disaster. So how do you come to a common ground?
Create a baseline plan, laugh if someone books tickets for the wrong time, and always, and we mean always, pack snacks. 👈 Are you noticing a theme here yet?
For us, when we are building our itinerary we create a list of what we like to call, non-negotiables. These non-negotiables are activities that we know we want to do while visiting a destination. We each pick at least one that we know we really want to do and we actually craft our whole trip around those particular activities.
Avoid Travel Trigger Phrases
Traveling together isn’t just about checking off some boxes – it’s about learning more about culture, food, geography, and most importantly you. When traveling with your partner, it’s important to align your communication style and expectations. If you’re noticing each other start to use phrases like:
“We should go soon.”
“Let’s just wing it.”
Or a personal favorite, “I’m fine.”
It’s time to check-in. These phrases are cues that your partner is:
⏰ Giving you a time management cue
😬 Anxious about the lack of plan
😬 Emotionally having a moment
Set your expectations and be prepared to support each other on your journey.
Honor the Bathroom Code
This one makes us giggle because it seems so obvious but severely overlooked. If you’re camping, staying in a itty-bitty cruise cabin, or super cramped hotel room chances are your bathroom is nothing to write home about. This is not the first one that wins the hot water while the second gets a brisk wake-up call. Respect the bathroom schedule and avoid arguments. You’ll thank us later.
Relationships are like Luggage
Overpacking doesn’t help and sharing the load is everything.
Every legendary trip has balance to it. It's not about you as a traveler, but how you communicate and compliment your partner. If one of you is an anxious flyer, the other needs to be calm and understanding in the cabin. If one of you hates crowds or heights, the other brings patiences not pushiness.
Having wheels on your suitcase is useless if you don’t unpack problems together. Know when you have to give a little more to make your co-pilots' nerves at ease.
One Itinerary, Zero Turbulance
You made it! Hopefully to the end of your trip or at least to the end of this blog post. You survived and maybe even grew stronger as a couple. Traveling as a couple is part strategy, patience, and a whole lot of snacks. Now what are you waiting for? Go book your next trip!
Safe Travels! 👋
