How to Travel Successfully as a Couple

After visiting more than 120 countries together on all seven continents — including a full year going nonstop around the world — we’ve figured out how to travel successfully as a couple.

Click to watch our latest segment on ABC Television’s The Daily Refresh, then read on for more of our travel tips for couples.

Here are our suggestions for couples traveling together, no matter the destination:

• Balance the itinerary with things that interest both of you, separately and together. While Mike does most of our trip planning, he’s thoughtful about including things that I enjoy and things we both enjoy, not just the things he’d personally like to see and do.
• Respect each other’s travel pace. I have a slower travel pace than Mike does, so we build in time for rest and reflection as well as work and other responsibilities while we’re traveling. It keeps me from feeling overwhelmed or falling behind, which allows me to enjoy our travel experiences even more.
• Consider each other’s “travel language”. Much like the “love languages“, there are ways to show affection and appreciation for one another while you’re traveling. Keep those in mind and think about incorporating special surprises and treats for each other as part of your trip.
• Alone time can be a good thing. Just because you’re traveling as a couple doesn’t mean you have to spend every second connected at the hip. Introverts in particular will need time to recharge and catch their breath, especially with all of the stimuli involved in traveling to a new place.
• Establish a travel tradition. We have little traditions, like sharing a package of peanut M&M’s when we’re on a flight together, that automatically signal “trip mode” for us. We also film a quick video “spin” in each new country we visit, and Mike has compiled them into a video that is one of our favorite travel souvenirs. (Click to watch the video below!)
• Everything won’t go perfectly, and that’s okay. Sometimes the crazy, unexpected, and even bad experiences become the best memories. Just take a deep breath and don’t let them derail the whole trip.