Travel Tips for Couples: Planning a Successful Romantic Getaway

Credit: fvanrenterghem

Planning ahead is key for a successful couples vacation

It’s been said that a true test for any couple is their first big vacation together.

Away from the everyday demands of life at work or at home, you literally have hours on end to be together. 
That makes a holiday a perfect opportunity for couples to spend quality time together.

However, even the happiest partners need some personal space, even when they’re on vacation. Depending on the length of your trip, finding personal time can be tough to achieve when you’re together 24/7. But if you plan ahead, in most cases, it can work well for both of you. The preparation starts during the planning stage.


Travel Planning for Two

It can be a good idea to divide the responsibility of travel planning and booking the trip. This will not only ensure that the trip goes smoothly, but it will also prevent any one person from feeling as if he or she has to do everything, or conversely, that they don’t have a say in the matter.


This also goes for deciding what to do during your holiday. This is especially important if one of you is the natural leader. If that’s you, take turns daily and let your partner make all the decisions about where to go and what to do. Letting him or her lead the way through a new city or choose the path for that day’s travel provides a good change of pace and can also be an excellent confidence builder.


Another important agreement to be made ahead of time is about money allocation. This can be a major cause of friction if you haven’t travelled together before or don’t live together. Agree in advance how you’re going to split the costs for your trip. For dating couples, this is definitely a detail you’ll want to work out before you go.


How to Pack for a Couples Getaway

What you pack can also keep things running smoothly. Here are a few small tools that can help make your getaway go just right:


• Earplugs can be a small price to pay for silence on the plane or a restful night’s sleep. 

• An MP3 player or iPod can provide you with a convenient escape whenever you need one.

• An eye mask is perfect for blocking out the TV or a reading light when your partner isn’t ready to sleep but you are. That being said, make sure you take along some reading materials for yourself when you need an easy distraction.

• And for all you travellers who prefer to hit the road, a GPS is your best tool against a battle over directions.


Overall, travelling as a couple can be a wonderfully memorable experience; all it takes is a little planning, cooperation and, of course, 
a sense of humour.

Romantic Vacation Ideas

Keep the romance alive with these trip ideas:


• Get away close to home, even for just one night, but splurge on a luxury hotel or a couples massage while you’re away.

• Take a vacation to a location that neither have you have ever been before, so you can discover and explore it together.

• Nurture your relationship with a vacation to a couples retreat resort.

Originally published in TV Week. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TV Week e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.