Couples’ trips can be so fun and memorable! Whether you’re going somewhere that’s an hour away or traveling across the globe to a country you have never seen before, when you are with the right people, good times are sure to be had. However, with so many personalities and preferences, you do have to be extra mindful in your trip planning.
If you are traveling with another couple, you must know these 11 tips:
- Make Sure Your Group Likes One Another
- Plan Ahead and Get Everyone Involved
- Set a Budget That Fits Each Couple
- Plan for Activities That Interest Everyone
- Don’t Shy Away from Alone Time
- Be Mindful About Accommodations
- Save the Arguments for After the Trip
- Always Be Respectful of One Another
- Make Sure You Agree on the Pace of the Trip
- Go on a Trial Trip
10 Tips for Traveling with Another Couple
1. Make Sure Your Group Likes One Another
This might sound ridiculous – why would someone plan a trip with someone else if they don’t even like them? But just because you have told yourself time and time again that your husband enjoys your friend or her spouse’s company doesn’t mean that he does. If double dates are awkward or painful for any party involved, you probably shouldn’t plan a trip with them. Save everyone the stress and opt for a girls trip or mommy and minis trip with your bestie.
Before planning a trip together, it’s best that everyone gets along. Vacations should be peaceful and fun.
2. Plan Ahead and Get Everyone Involved
This isn’t the time to wing it! More than not, this makes it harder to experience the best of the city, and you can end up overpaying for things. It would suck to miss out on going to one of the best restaurants in the city because you didn’t make a reservation in advance. This happened to us in Cuba and we didn’t get to eat at San Cristobal Paladar. Some places have to be booked months in advance for a weekend spot. Moreover, you don’t want to get on the trip and find out that everyone has a completely different idea of what the trip should be like.
Spontaneity is fun so I’m not saying that it has to be completely eliminated. Make a plan but allow yourself the freedom to be flexible and pivot when desired or needed. In a perfect world, each couple would equally contribute to the trip planning. But I know from experience that this is much easier said than done. Even if you are doing most of the planning, you can get everyone involved by letting them vote on the places that you picked out for accommodations, activities, restaurants etc. Or just send your suggested trip plan in advance so people can voice their opinions before the trip.
If you all truly don’t have the time or desire to plan, then outsource the planning. Oftentimes, you can find a travel influencer like JetSetLife to plan your trip for a reasonable price.
Planning ahead will help ensure that things run smoothly. Furthermore, planning as a team will make sure that everyone is happy with the decisions, so there are no surprises along the way. Your most difficult decision is likely going to be where to go, so hear everyone out and make a decision that suits everyone’s wants and needs. If you need destination inspiration, check out this article by Travel and Leisure.
3. Set a Budget That Fits Each Couple
Just because you are prepared to splurge on this trip doesn’t mean your friends are. There should always be a budget set before you depart on your trip. This is a crucial tip that every couple needs to consider when they are setting up a vacation with another couple because you don’t want you or your friends ending up in financial stress because of unforeseen expenses. You also don’t want one couple to feel like they can’t fully enjoy themselves because the other couple’s budget doesn’t match their’s. Here are a few tips for traveling luxe for less.
Everyone has different opinions on if the bill should be split evenly at restaurants or if each couple should pay for what they ordered. Maybe decide upfront what your group plans to do. You may not want to pay for steak and wine if you ordered a salad and water. lol Consider using an app like Tab to split the bill at restaurants.
Some factors to consider when figuring out your budget include:
- Are you driving? Split gas costs.
- Are you flying? Is there a group deal?
- How much money is needed for food?
- Which activities will need to be paid for?
- How much do you want to bring for souvenirs?
- Are there any parking costs?
- Will you be renting a car?
- Which hotel are you booking? Is there a group deal?
These are just some of the factors that need to be discussed while planning the trip’s budget. Of course, you should always budget a little extra money in case of an emergency.
4. Plan for Activities That Interests Everyone
It is important to plan activities that everyone can enjoy. Just because you and your spouse are avid bungee jumpers doesn’t mean your friends are down for that kind of adventure. This all goes back to proper planning. With proper planning, you can make sure that everyone is going to enjoy the activities that take place.
No one person should be controlling the itinerary of the trip. Everyone should get a say in what they want to do and what they do not want to do. All the people on the trip should be willing to compromise to keep the trip fun for everyone.
5. Don’t Shy Away from Alone Time
Does that mean that you and your partner can’t go bungee jumping? Of course, not! It is highly recommended that you and your significant other do things alone during the trip, as well. After all, even the best of friends need a little alone time. Besides, when you are on a trip with your partner, you will want to give them a little quality time.
Don’t let independence stop there. Some people need to have their personal space throughout the day, even when they are on vacation. If you are one of those people, then don’t be afraid to take time to do something you want to do.
6. Be Mindful When Choosing Accommodations
If you are staying at a hotel, always get different hotel rooms. While you might save some money by staying in one room, you might end up going a little bit crazy from the lack of private time. However, staying in a single room might work for shorter overnight trips.
I prefer staying in private villas or homes for couples trips! You can often find some really beautiful ones for the same price or less than what several hotel rooms would cost. Beyond the possible cost savings, you can most likely enjoy more quality time together by making meals together, enjoying a dinner served by a private chef, or having girl or boy time while your spouses catch up.
7. Save the Arguments for After the Trip
Nobody gets along 24/7, but when you are on vacation, you will want to save the fights for after the trip. Whether it’s a fight with your best friend or your spouse, you need to set aside the argument or try to deal with it quickly and calmly without letting it escalate and ruin your trip.
Have you ever been to a dinner where a couple starts arguing? It’s awkward. It puts a damper on the entire evening. Now, imagine that same fight, but you still have two days left on a trip with the fighting couple. Arguments can easily ruin an entire trip. So, instead of fighting, push the arguments to the side or take the higher road.
8. Always Be Respectful of One Another
This goes together with the last tip: if you are respecting each other, then there is less chance of an argument breaking out. If an argument does arise, it’s best to be respectful and ignore the argument or end it right then and there. Remember that you are there to have a good trip and bond with your best friends.
Being respectful also requires that everyone communicates during the trip. If someone needs some downtime, then the other travelers should respect that they would like to relax in the hotel for a bit. If someone feels like they don’t want Italian for dinner and would prefer a burger, then it should be discussed so that everyone ends up happy.
9. Make Sure You Agree on the Pace of the Trip
Some people are completely fine being leisurely on their trip. They like to wake up at noon, grab a bite to eat in a hot spot nearby, and then head out for an activity or two. Others, though, enjoy getting up bright and early and kick-starting their day and keep the fast pace until the sun goes down.
Everyone has their idea of what a great vacation is and how they enjoy it best. The pace of the trip needs to be communicated between everyone involved. Keep in mind that not everyone is going to be exactly like you. Perhaps you can find a happy medium on the pace and stick to it? Maybe one day can be bright and early while the next one is more relaxed?
The pace should be discussed before the trip begins. That way, there is no unnecessary argument after you have reached your destination.
10. Go on a Trial Trip
This tip cannot be stressed enough. If you are able to take a day trip or weekend trip before deciding to travel for a week or longer together, absolutely do it! This will give you a better idea of you, your partner and the other couple(s) compatibly. You will save lots of time, money, and heartache should you find out that the four of you don’t travel well together.
Pros and Cons of Traveling with Other Couples
Now that you know the top 10 tips for traveling with another couple, it’s time to look at some of the reasons you might consider it in the first place. Below you will find the top 4 pros and cons of traveling with other couples. These tips will help you make the right decision as to whether it is something you want to do with your friends or not.
Pros
- You Will Make New Memories.
My number one reason for traveling with other couples is the memories you’ll make! Some of my happiest moments have been with my husband on a trip or with my friends on a trip so when you combine the two, man….. My heart is bursting with joy! There is nothing like experiencing a new place with your love and your friends. You are bound to make some incredible memories during your trip, all of which you will be able to reminisce with your friends about for years to come. That’s simply irreplaceable.
- You Can Have More Fun.
Is everything more fun for you when your best friend is around? Well, this can also be true while traveling. If you want to increase the energy level and overall fun atmosphere of your next vacation, it may be worthwhile to bring your favorite couple along for the ride.
- You May Improve Your Friendship.
It’s true – going on a trip with another couple is a great way to improve your friendships. During this time, you will be seeing much more of these people. You will likely share more intimate stories and feelings that you may not have shared otherwise. This will make your friendships stronger as you spend days bonding and becoming closer to one another.
- You Can Save Money.
One major benefit of traveling with another couple is you can save money. This is especially true if you drive in the same car and split gas, rent a vacation home or find group discounts on activities.
Cons
- You Might Fight.
On the other hand, spending too much time with someone can end up being a bad thing. This can lead to unnecessary fights and nit-picking. The best way to avoid this potential disaster is to make sure that everyone has alone time and enough space to do what they want to do. There is nothing wrong with splitting up during a couples’ trip.
- There’s Less Alone Time.
Since you are planning the trip as a group, you are likely going to spend most of your time with the group. This means breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between is going to be side-by-side with your crew. There is little ‘me’ or ‘us’ time in a couples’ trip.
- It Takes Lots of Planning.
You cannot just decide one morning to take a trip with another couple and leave within the hour. It takes loads of planning beforehand: travel, lodging, activities, etc. To start it all off, you must decide where to go in the first place. That can take a long time to figure out as everyone has their specific tastes – some may prefer the ocean, while others find the lake to be the most relaxing spot. It’s a good deal of work to plan a vacation!
- It Can be More Stressful.
When you are traveling alone with your significant other, there is far less to worry about. Adding another couple into the mix can be stressful. Do all of you want Mexican food, or is someone going to protest? Is everyone going to be happy scuba diving down the Pacific? There is much more to consider when traveling with another group of people, and it can be difficult to juggle.
In Conclusion
Traveling with another couple can be a wonderful experience. The important thing to remember is that there should be careful planning ahead of time. Don’t be afraid to have some alone time with yourself or just your partner. Make sure that everything is discussed before the trip, especially finances, and try to skip the arguments until after the vacay.
