Traveling for the first time with a new romantic partner can be nerve-wracking. Maybe you’ve never shared a small space, or spent more than 24 uninterrupted hours together. What if she eats chips loudly and gets crumbs everywhere? What if he takes up way too much leg room on the plane? A lot can go wrong. We get it.

But the joys and benefits of traveling with your person make it worth the risk. Whether the two of you are planning your first vacation as a couple or you’re just looking for a way to grow your relationship, co-traveling is an opportunity to learn more about your significant other and strengthen the team.

So to avoid the bumps in the road and keep your relationship cruising along, you need a plan. Here’s why it’s so important for couples to travel together, and our recommendations for making your first adventure together one you’ll want to remember!

The Benefits of Traveling as a Couple

Improve Communication 

Every healthy relationship needs open and honest communication. This is even more important if you are planning on exploring the world together! Traveling, by its nature, leads us into the unknown. 

From planning out each aspect of the trip to dealing with unpredictable challenges like flight delays and missing luggage, traveling with your significant other requires navigating uncharted territory and solving problems with open communication.

Achieve Shared Goals

Couples travel together to share experiences. . Choosing a destination gives you and your partner a specific dream, and planning the trip allows you to turn that dream into a reality.

Setting and then accomplishing a goal as a duo is no small feat. You have to:

• Plan the logistics of a trip
• Decide on your travel priorities 
• Encourage each other through the process

And when all's said and done, you both  can look back on your accomplishment with pride.

Create Space to Learn and Grow Together

There is no better or more invigorating teacher than lived experience. Traveling is, by nature, a process of discovery. It offers the awesome opportunity to live and breathe in an entirely new environment. By leaving your daily routine, you are reminded of just how big the world actually is. 

A huge part of that learning experience is being among different cultures. You get to meet incredible people, taste unique food, and smell interesting aromas. And not only do you get to see all of these new things with your own eyes, but through the lens of your partner’s eyes as well. Shared experiences become shared memories, and ultimately reinforce the foundations of a relationship. 

Learn About Your Partner and Yourself 

How each of you experience a destination might be exactly the same, or way different from one another! By sharing these experiences on the road, you and your partner have the chance to get to know each other outside of your comfort zones.

To that end, couple traveling is a chance to improve relationships, whether  cultivating a newly blossoming relationship or rebuilding  a damaged one. No matter the state your relationship is currently in, traveling can be the factor that helps drive it forward as you gain a deeper understanding of yourselves and your own roles in the partnership. 

You experience new things together

The start of a new relationship is thrilling - and you don't want to lose that feeling over the years! When you try something new together, this will evoke feelings of excitement as your adrenaline gets pumping and your brain is high on dopamine. 

Push yourself outside of your comfort zone by taking on new experiences together - whether that's trying an exotic cuisine, skydiving, or whatever you can dream up!

You see each other at your worst (and your best!)

Hangry. Stressed. Sick. Injured. Sleepy. Chances are you’ll both experience these at some point on your trip. When you're away from home, vulnerability will be at on all time high. So it will be important to be as supportive as possible towards your counterpart.

On a similar token, the very best in your partner will come out and remind you why you fell in love with them in the first place.

Tips for Planning Your First Vacation as a Couple

Compromise on the Destination

Choosing a destination you are both excited about is the first step to a fun and relaxing trip together. This might take some compromise, but if you narrow your itinerary down to destinations you will both enjoy, the rest of the trip should go smoothly.

Maybe you’re a beach lover and your partner can’t stand laying back in the sand and the heat. Maybe they love exploring the mountains, hiking, and staying on-the-go and that’s way too much activity for you. If you book a beach trip or a mountain getaway, one of you will inevitably be unhappy.

A compromise might be to book a lakeside cabin or mountain resort. This way you can both get a little of what you want – days of relaxation as well as opportunities to hike and explore nature!

Give Them (and Yourself!) Some Space

While it’s tempting to go straight for the cozy (and affordable), hotel room or AirBnB, it can be beneficial to give you both some space when traveling as a couple, especially if it’s for the first time.

Choosing a hotel suite or a full condo or apartment-style rental gives you and your partner breathing room. You’ll really appreciate the extra space whenever you or your partner just needs a little time to decompress by yourselves.

Schedule Alone Time 

Even when you’re in love, some alone time can be good for you (and your relationship)! Planning self-care is especially important when traveling as a couple.

Maybe this looks like one person hiking  while the other goes shopping. Or one of you hits the spa while the other enjoys a morning reading session at a local coffee shop.

This time to yourself will help you to reflect on your travels, your relationship, and your life. It lowers the chance of having one of the petty arguments that can come up when you spend too much time together. Once you have some time to recharge, you will feel refreshed and even more excited for the rest of your trip with your sweetheart.

Plan a budget in advance (and stick to it!)

It’s  well-known that money is the most common topic that couples argue about. Feeling financial stress on what should be a romantic trip can make an argument almost unavoidable.

Plan your budget in advance, and stick to it to avoid any unnecessary money drama. Be sure to discuss the budget in detail and set aside funds for airfare/gas, lodging, food, and entertainment. Include money set aside for each of you to spend separately however you please. Have this discussion well in advance of your trip!

If one of you goes over budget, it will be easy to feel resentment at first. Just remember, money will come back to you – these special moments you share while traveling as a couple for the first time  will only last a short while.

Check In Often 

Communication is key to any healthy and long-lasting relationship. This doesn’t just mean a quick conversation. Real communication requires you to acknowledge and share your feelings, and be receptive to your partner’s emotions too.

During your trip, particularly if it’s a longer one, check in with your partner periodically to see how they are feeling. Whether one of you is an introvert being pushed to the limit or something you’re doing is mildly annoying your partner, it’s healthy and healing to get these feelings out in the open.

At the end of the day, couples travel (and live) together because they want to share experiences that will help expand their mind and open their heart to each other and to the rest of this beautiful world. Traveling as a couple can ultimately be a life-changing undertaking, and one that you and your partner most certainly deserve.

It was for exactly this reason that Conquest Maps exists. You may not know it, but our very first map legends said, "Our Conquest," because it was all about traveling together.

While you can personalize a Conquest Map for any travel purpose, our maps are still perfect for couples who want to display their adventures and recount the stories they lived together. Find the map that best represents the life journey you and your partner are traveling!