Andrew and I have been fortunate to go on several trips together in our 2 years of being married. We have taken solo trips, road trips and family trips each with new experiences, challenges, and joys.

I have several friends who have said that they don’t enjoy traveling with their spouse or significant other because it is stressful, overwhelming and difficult to please both parties on vacation. While I am definitely not an easy-going traveler and tend to get stressed out on trips, Andrew and I have managed to travel pretty well together and it seems each trip becomes more successful than the last.

There are a few things that I try to focus on and remember while traveling together to help make the trip a bit more enjoyable for everyone involved. Some of these tips are applicable to traveling with anyone, not just your spouse. Whether its friends, family or a significant other these tips can be helpful for travelling together.

Be on The Same Page

Before every trip Andrew and I talk about our expectations of the trip and roughly plan things out. I’ve learned that not everything can be scheduled and accounted for so I have adapted to having a “rough itinerary”. Discussing your expectations and wants for the trip with each other will help you to be on the same page and understand the other’s priorities for the trip.

Balance Activities

For us, there are 2 types of balance we need on trips. A balance of active and relaxing activities as well as a balance of activities that interest Andrew and activities that interest me. It is important that the trip involve activities that you will both enjoy. When planning a trip I always ask Andrew for his suggestions and ideas so that there will be activities that we both enjoy. I’ve also learned that its best to have a combination of being active and relaxing. While I would love to “go-go-go” the entire trip, it wears us down and makes it harder to enjoy everything. So we try to fill our days with a balance of active and leisurely activities.

Let It Go

This is my biggest struggle when traveling with anyone. Things happen; flights get canceled, you forget to pack things, you don’t fit everything in that you planned, but these things can’t always be controlled or planned for. Instead of letting these things upset you or ruin the rest of your trip, try to let it go. I had a major ‘let it go’ moment on this last trip to Maine and it made all the difference. I could have let myself be upset and frustrated but instead I let it go and tried to enjoy the rest of our trip.

Have A Date Night

This may seem like a silly tip because typically a trip involves a lot of time together anyways. But when Andrew and I go on a trip we like to set aside a night that is special for us. In Chicago we planned a pizza date night just the two of us. In Maine we planned a fancy dinner together as a nice change from our active days. Setting aside a night to enjoy a special dinner together, no matter how formal or casual, is a great way to connect on the trip.

While we are by no means pro-travelers I think that for a newly married couple we handle traveling together pretty well. We balance each other out and prioritize just enjoying our time together as we explore.

What do you do to make traveling with your spouse or partner easier?